Travelled to watch my son play at Tamworth, when he was with Loughborough Uni Under 21s, travelled up from home through heavy traffic M25/M1/M6. arrived 20mins before kick off. The journey had taken over 3hrs. Was told had to pay to get in. "£3.50" said the turnstile operator, i asked was Messi playing and got the reply if he was it would a fiver. Son was sent off in the first 10mins (bringing down a man clear through!) he said to the ref " Please don't send me off, my Dad has come all the way up from London" Ref replied "Tell your Dad, he will miss the traffic on the way home!"
Played for my club for 36 seasons and was manager/secretary for 32 of them.
Lots of stories; many good fun but some not so nice.
Not sure I'd want to go into the bad ones...some of it is very painful but I'd be happy to share the sillier ones.
Here's a daft example;
A cup game in 1988. Picture kick off; I'm the right-back and have spotted their keeper indulging in a fag so instruct our best player to have the ball laid back to him from centre and shoot. However, best player bottles it and scoops the ball back aerially to our centre-back (Birdy). Birdy plays a deft back header to our keeper "Rabbit-Face Colin". All good....except "RFC" is standing next to Birdy at the time. Cue "RFC" giving vain chase to the ball towards the empty net.....0-1.....and the opposition have even touched the ball.
Same game; left-winger goes past me and centres at around knee height. RFC comes out to pouch but Birdy is charging towards his own goal line and somehow manages to fire the ball in at the near post.
Same game; (you know what's coming here don't you?) they curl a corner into the 6 yard box. RFC comes to punch but only succeeds in wiping out everyone in front of him. The ball sails cleanly to the back post, where Birdy is on guard. However, he is seemingly taken by surprise and the ball crashes into his bollocks....and dribbles across the line. Birdy has completed his hat-trick and we lose 4-2.
Did Birdy play much after that?
Believe it or not...yes he did. He was THE most reliable defender....very hard but very fair (only booked once). Never gave me a moment's trouble and never whinged or whined. We were in the same class at Northolt High School and he came to Charlton regularly with me in the Simonsen/Hulyer/Sunley days. He was one of only about 35 on the terrace at Newcastle in the rain 1983 (lost 1-2) and was at Man City the day we got bashed 1-5.
His playing record for Old Greenfordians FC;
Apps 407 Goals 5.....and he scored two of those in his first two games!! He played from 1982 to 2007 but also came out for one memorable game in 2014. He also racked up about 250 games for our Saturday XI's (mainly 3rds).
Was that at the end of Elton Avenue next door to the old Ealing Rugby Club?
Played for my club for 36 seasons and was manager/secretary for 32 of them.
Lots of stories; many good fun but some not so nice.
Not sure I'd want to go into the bad ones...some of it is very painful but I'd be happy to share the sillier ones.
Here's a daft example;
A cup game in 1988. Picture kick off; I'm the right-back and have spotted their keeper indulging in a fag so instruct our best player to have the ball laid back to him from centre and shoot. However, best player bottles it and scoops the ball back aerially to our centre-back (Birdy). Birdy plays a deft back header to our keeper "Rabbit-Face Colin". All good....except "RFC" is standing next to Birdy at the time. Cue "RFC" giving vain chase to the ball towards the empty net.....0-1.....and the opposition have even touched the ball.
Same game; left-winger goes past me and centres at around knee height. RFC comes out to pouch but Birdy is charging towards his own goal line and somehow manages to fire the ball in at the near post.
Same game; (you know what's coming here don't you?) they curl a corner into the 6 yard box. RFC comes to punch but only succeeds in wiping out everyone in front of him. The ball sails cleanly to the back post, where Birdy is on guard. However, he is seemingly taken by surprise and the ball crashes into his bollocks....and dribbles across the line. Birdy has completed his hat-trick and we lose 4-2.
Did Birdy play much after that?
Believe it or not...yes he did. He was THE most reliable defender....very hard but very fair (only booked once). Never gave me a moment's trouble and never whinged or whined. We were in the same class at Northolt High School and he came to Charlton regularly with me in the Simonsen/Hulyer/Sunley days. He was one of only about 35 on the terrace at Newcastle in the rain 1983 (lost 1-2) and was at Man City the day we got bashed 1-5.
His playing record for Old Greenfordians FC;
Apps 407 Goals 5.....and he scored two of those in his first two games!! He played from 1982 to 2007 but also came out for one memorable game in 2014. He also racked up about 250 games for our Saturday XI's (mainly 3rds).
Was that at the end of Elton Avenue next door to the old Ealing Rugby Club?
No...that's North Greenford United.
We were based at Southall Cricket Club (now defunct) in Adrenne Avenue, Southall.
@oohaahmortimer can give you the linesman’s angle on Sunday football.
Back in the day , no roll on roll off subs , just the perfect way to spend a Sunday morning with a hangover running up and down the line in Sutcliffe Park/ pitch behind Greenwich Boroughs usually watching the oppo lino blatantly cheat but not get sucked in and hold the higher moral ground by being fair . Only spoilt by a ten minute cameo and fucked after 5 of those minutes cos so pathetically unfit .
Played for my club for 36 seasons and was manager/secretary for 32 of them.
Lots of stories; many good fun but some not so nice.
Not sure I'd want to go into the bad ones...some of it is very painful but I'd be happy to share the sillier ones.
Here's a daft example;
A cup game in 1988. Picture kick off; I'm the right-back and have spotted their keeper indulging in a fag so instruct our best player to have the ball laid back to him from centre and shoot. However, best player bottles it and scoops the ball back aerially to our centre-back (Birdy). Birdy plays a deft back header to our keeper "Rabbit-Face Colin". All good....except "RFC" is standing next to Birdy at the time. Cue "RFC" giving vain chase to the ball towards the empty net.....0-1.....and the opposition have even touched the ball.
Same game; left-winger goes past me and centres at around knee height. RFC comes out to pouch but Birdy is charging towards his own goal line and somehow manages to fire the ball in at the near post.
Same game; (you know what's coming here don't you?) they curl a corner into the 6 yard box. RFC comes to punch but only succeeds in wiping out everyone in front of him. The ball sails cleanly to the back post, where Birdy is on guard. However, he is seemingly taken by surprise and the ball crashes into his bollocks....and dribbles across the line. Birdy has completed his hat-trick and we lose 4-2.
Played for my club for 36 seasons and was manager/secretary for 32 of them.
Lots of stories; many good fun but some not so nice.
Not sure I'd want to go into the bad ones...some of it is very painful but I'd be happy to share the sillier ones.
Here's a daft example;
A cup game in 1988. Picture kick off; I'm the right-back and have spotted their keeper indulging in a fag so instruct our best player to have the ball laid back to him from centre and shoot. However, best player bottles it and scoops the ball back aerially to our centre-back (Birdy). Birdy plays a deft back header to our keeper "Rabbit-Face Colin". All good....except "RFC" is standing next to Birdy at the time. Cue "RFC" giving vain chase to the ball towards the empty net.....0-1.....and the opposition have even touched the ball.
Same game; left-winger goes past me and centres at around knee height. RFC comes out to pouch but Birdy is charging towards his own goal line and somehow manages to fire the ball in at the near post.
Same game; (you know what's coming here don't you?) they curl a corner into the 6 yard box. RFC comes to punch but only succeeds in wiping out everyone in front of him. The ball sails cleanly to the back post, where Birdy is on guard. However, he is seemingly taken by surprise and the ball crashes into his bollocks....and dribbles across the line. Birdy has completed his hat-trick and we lose 4-2.
Comments
Son was sent off in the first 10mins (bringing down a man clear through!) he said to the ref " Please don't send me off, my Dad has come all the way up from London" Ref replied "Tell your Dad, he will miss the traffic on the way home!"
No...that's North Greenford United.
We were based at Southall Cricket Club (now defunct) in Adrenne Avenue, Southall.
Only spoilt by a ten minute cameo and fucked after 5 of those minutes cos so pathetically unfit .
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=pUqdT7g8cGA
MOTM at least, he got a hat trick