MESSI MAKES 500

Lionel Andres (Leo) Messi makes his 500th appearance for Barcelona tonight, with 424 goals, 32 hat tricks and 159 assists for his Spanish Club. He has gathered 4 Ballon d'Ors, 3 European Golden Shoes, 7 La Ligas, 4 Champions Leagues, 3 Copa de Rey, 3 World Club Cups and 3 UEFA Super Cups.

Loving the Nou Camp, Messi has played 238 times there for Barca and scored 236 goals.

Born in June 1987 in Rosario, Argentina, Messi should have played regularly for Newell's Old Boys from the age of 6, but, when as a youth he showed no signs of growth, he was diagnosed with Growth Hormone Deficiency. Neither Newell's nor the other local league side, River Plate, would pay for his treatment which was amounting to a $1000 a month.

At 13 years old he found his way to Spain, where Barca were prepared to invest in him. From 2002, he was playing in the famed Barca Academy, La Masia and with Fabregas and Piquet they developed the "Baby Dream Team".

By October 2004, Messi made his first team debut at 17 years old and a year later he was picked for his country, appearing 105 times so far with 49 goals since 2005.

http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11833/10113308/messi-at-500

"When you saw him you would think: this kid can't play ball. He's a dwarf, he's too fragile, too small. But immediately you'd realise that he was born different, that he was a phenomenon and that he was going to be something impressive."

—Newell's Old Boys youth coach Adrián Coria shares his first impression of the 12-year-old Messi.

JIMMY SHOULD BE A VERY GOOD KNIGHT

Jimmy Armfield CBE DL of Lancashire, Sheriff of Lancashire, will have been playing his local Church organ over the Christmas period, but half his mind would have been reminiscing the hectic Christmas football programme that he would have enjoyed when he was a formidable right back.

Working also for the BBC, Jimmy still gives enjoyable expert analysis on Radio Five Live and is entertaining at every ground he visits as a pundit, usually in the "north-west" of the Football League.

I remember him as a young footballer in the 1950s (he was voted FL Young Player of the Year in 1959) and he played  627 games (with only 6 goals, so he was not an overlapper!) for Blackpool FC until 1971. With the great Stanley Matthews in front of him on the right wing, Armfield could not go wrong. In 1966, he was runner-up as Player of the Year, unsurprisingly, to Bobby Charlton, who was in his pomp.

His international career (43 caps) was cruelly thwarted by injury and the arrival of George Cohen, who took Jimmy's place in the run up to the 1966 World Cup. Armfield did not play during the tournament but as part of the squad he was awarded his Winners' medal in 2009 after a campaign by the FA.

He retired from playing and managed Bolton in 1971 to a Third Division Championship. He then went to Leeds United in the wake of Brian Clough,  working with Don Howe and they both led Leeds to the 1975 European Cup Final, losing to Bayern Munich 0-2, two FA Cup/League Cup semi-finals and resepctable league placings in the "top" First Division until 1978.

He has been an advisor to the FA and recently fought cancer without a fuss.

He still is humble enough to help neighbours with the gardening and if anyone deserves to be knighted in the New Year's Honours, then it is Jimmy.
There are two references to this modest man linked below.
http://baileyfootballblog.blogspot.co.uk/2014/12/erected-for-ever.html
http://baileyfootballblog.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/tailored-made-for-football.html

CLOUGH STUFF, NEVER ENOUGH

My children never run out of ideas for Christmas presents, but if they happen to be short of the odd stocking filler, then there are plenty of football books to keep me quiet. This year I was delgihted to receive a book and accompanying DVD about Brian Clough, called "I believe in Miracles" by Daniel Taylor- a story of the Nottingham Forest European Cup winning team. This could keep me entertained for the next 500 blogs (yes, this is number 500). Feel privileged to share this with me.

So, in the first chapter, Brian Clough's unusual approach to managing footballers is revealed. After only five minutes of a training session, Clough stopped play and sent his players into a nearby meadow to look for wild mushrooms. Larry Lloyd declared that he had found some "magic ones", so Clough was unfazed and said throw them in as well.

On a coach trip to the airport, preparing for a mid season "tour" to Kuwait, Clough asked the driver to pull over to the side of the road. He had heard Gary Birtles moaning about the trip from the back seat and so told Birtles to fetch his suitcase and get off the bus with him. Clough hailed a passing motorist to stop and asked him to give Birtles a lift back to Nottingham, suitcase and all and that is what happened!

On the other hand, Tony Woodcock was getting married mid-season, so he asked Clough for permission to miss a day of training. Bit cheeky. Forest had lost the previous week and he wasn't sure how Clough would react! Clough had a friend who owned a hotel in Jersey, so he sent Woodcock and his newly wed wife on holiday for a week, flight and all paid for.

On another occasion, Chic Thompson, Forest's 1959 Cup winning team goalkeeper, came across Clough helping at a  local residential care home, on his knees mopping the toilet floors. Chalk and cheese, Old Big 'Ead certainly puts Mourinho into the shade.
http://www.theguardian.com/football/video/2015/sep/15/i-believe-in-miracles-trailer-documentary-nottingham-forest-video

COMPANY BADGE IN; COMPANY PLAYER OUT

Blog 499. have you read them all?
Not sure I have, but yesterday it was eventually announced that Manchester City FC is to change its club badge after all these years. Well not too many years to be honest, below are the past badges. The new one, with not so subtle changes from the most recent, dog's breakfast, is due to be unveiled in the Summer 2016. A slip by the office of Intellectual Property let the secret out a little early, leaking it two days before Christmas.
After consultation with the fans and the club owners, the designer has come up with a version rather similar to the old ones. The modern (heraldic) version has been put to bed; too complex. The eagle has flown, the gold stars have gone to space and the motto "Superbia in proeli" lost in translation (Pride in battle). Not many knew what it meant anyway.

So the new badge includes diagonal stripes representing the three Manchester rivers, the Irwell, Medlock and Irk, the Lancashire red rose, the date of foundation 1894 and the ship denoting the importance of ocean going trade to the city.
There is no mention of Football or Club but since Manchester City is a global brand why should they bother?
Gary James, the "History of Football Badges" expert has checked this out and had suggested the return to the plain 1970s logo.
This falls in line with the owner's City Football Group's, other clubs, the MLS New York City FC and A league, Melbourne City. Corporate power of course.
In the meantime, poor old Vincent (Captain of the ship) Kompany only lasted a few minutes on his return to the team yesterday, apparently having recovered from injury but suffering again. Badge luck, Vincent.

CANARIES TAKE ON THE SEAGULLS

Football competitions were suspended or modified during the war years and on Christmas Day 1940 a friendly match between Norwich and Brighton and Hove Albion was played to raise morale of the Anglian folk.

The Albion only had five players to call on, so en route they recruited friends and on arrival, Norwich reserves lent them players to make up the numbers. It was desperate times but the match help raise the spirits of a 1,419 crowd. Not quite sure what the Albion team had been on the day before (or on the day) but they lost 18-0. Still it was only a friendly and much fun as had.

The Football League fixtures secretary managed to arrange official double headers at one point, playing games on Christmas Day and Boxing Day. The scores as you will see in 1963 suggested that not all clubs were as sober as others! I was thinking there were some respectable "local derbies" arranged for the festive day, but not so for Chelsea or Blackburn, who  appeared to show no signs of coach lag. Entertaining though.

This eventually stopped but even today, our clubs are expected to play twice in three days, with no consideration for a "Winter Break".

Here is a short history of sport fixtures over the festive season, courtesy of the Guardian.
http://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2011/dec/25/boxing-day-sport

NO GAMES TODAY SO IT'S A JOKE

Merry Christmas! Just waiting for Downton and have sat through Tim Vine's one liners on Joke-a-motive. I was also the lucky recipient of a Joke Book. So here we go:

What position would a ghost play on your team? Ghoul keeper.

What would you call a girl standing behind the goal? Annette.

Why did the manager give his team cigarette lighters? Because they kept losing their matches.

Why was Cinderella dropped from the team? She kept running away from the ball.

Enough fun, it's Huddersfield v Preston tomorrow. Boxing Day special.

DON HOWE DIES

Don Howe was a coach who was a deep thinker and way ahead of his time. Aspiring coaches in the 1970s, 80s and 90s would look to him as the bar to reach and above all he was an absolute gentleman who would not ever have been involved in any controversy.

Born in October 1935, in Wolverhampton, he joined the playing staff at West Bromwich Albion in 1950, signing forms in 1952  but having to wait until 1955 for his first team debut in 1955 against Everton. He played mainly as a right back.

He turned out 342 times for WBA, scoring 17 goals and he was involved in the 1958 World Cup for England, earning 23 caps. After the Baggies, in 1964, he went to Arsenal with manager and ex-England captain, Billy Wright, playing 66 games before breaking a leg against Blackpool. This ended his playing career.
In 2004 he was voted one of the greatest 16 players to play for for WBA.

He coached at Arsenal from 1971, then West Bromwich until 1975, Galatasaray for a year and then Arsenal again from 1983-6, with two years at QPR (1989-91) and a year at Coventry.

He was involved with the Crazy Gang at Wimbledon with Bobby Gould in 1987 and was instrumental in getting the club to win the FA Cup Final in 1988 against Liverpool.

Howe also worked for England international teams from 1981 under Ron Greenwood and Bobby Robson. 1994-6, he then worked with Terry Venables through to the European Championships, finally looking after Arsenal youth in 1997.

He was highly regarded by all those who knew him and without doubt must be considered one of our country's  best coaches. Arsenal will mark his passing on the match programme.

CHINA INVENTED FOOTBALL-BLATTER SAYS SO.

Around the 2nd -3rd Centruy BC (Han Dynasty), the military forces in China played a game called Tsu Chu, which involved kicking a leather ball stuffed of fur, into a hole. The Chinese, not content with overpowering our steel industry and dominating our university courses, now claim that they invented FOOTBALL. In their new £17 million Football Museum, Sep Blatter's images and quotes appear in many places and there is even a statue of him, so they must be right. The Chinese and Blatter are having a dig at us.
The Museum is linked to the National Football Museum in Manchester, so the English have had much to say in the set up.

Blatter declared China as the "true birthplace of football" in 2000 and this National Football Museum was built in the city of Linzi. A quote he made at the beginning of his tenure at FIFA, leaves us in no doubt that "football originated in China".
http://www.topendsports.com/sport/soccer/history.htm


Cuju (Tsu Chu) was a game that, involved "keepy up", without using hands or arms, before heading the leather ball into a hole above head height. Blatter thanks Linzi for "creating the world of football".

China and Japan (kemari) are recorded to have been in opposition in an "international" version of their two games possibly around 50BC and definitely AD 611.
Whilst the English hang onto the creation of the Laws of the Game, the Chinese were "there" first and may genuinely claim to be the first to play the game. In the Museum a map and timeline lead the viewer through China to Eqypt, Greece, Rome and France inevitably as civilsations evolve, before landing on England.

It is remarkable that China, with its huge population and longevity, has only appeared in one World Cup Finals and then they lost every qualifying game. Maybe their formation was a bit vulnerable!

Blatter and the Chinese gets their knives into the English, by labelling a photograph of English hooligans, the "Rise and Fall of English Football". Granted, it's a long way from the days of the Corinthians but at least we provided proper goals!

Do look at this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zumYsKAMhNI

THE SUN MAY SHINE ON BA

It is December 22nd and the Winter Solstice. If you don't know what that means just think about the shortest "daylight" day in the year. It also means that Spring is on its way, so cheer up.

In many places throughout the world, buildings and structures are built to ensure a benefit from the rising and the setting of the sun. Some of this is based on religion, superstitions or cultural matters and of course, gives the human being an excuse for celebration.

So have a look at this website which refers to Maeshowe, in Orkney, where the sun does wonderful things to an ancient burial mound, built purposefully to make the most of the solar orbit.
http://www.maeshowe.co.uk

On the index you will see that I haven't gone all academic and am never far away from football. The reference to Kirkwall Ba' is a celebration of the island's ancient "mob" game played by the Orcadians. The website leads you to some details about the game, especially the History section and tells you all about the Uppies and Doonies.
http://www.bagame.com/

Like all football games, there is a growth in the popularity of the sport and after the long tradition of just men beating the hell out of one another, boys now play their own game and so do women. The place of your birth on the island no longer determines which team you play for and therefore the "way you go" (Uppie or Doonie), but more likely family allegiances are taken into consideration and if you are an "incomer or "ferrylouper", the route you took on arriving on the island makes a difference!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tIZ8SxemlY

Remember that this is where soccer started (and rugby, and NFL and Gaelic Footy etc etc) nand this even includes a mob game played not a couple of miles away from me in Carlecotes on Bord Hill

The Ba' and the ambulance!!

SUMMERS SCORING UP THE VALLEY

I have mentioned the odd 7-6 result in the past; matches that have given full entertainment, so here is another 13 goal thriller.

At the end of the 1956-7 season, Charlton were relegated from Division One, conceding 120 goals and scoring 62 in 42 games.

At the start of the new season,  in 1957, in the "old" Second Division, Charlton played Bill Shankly's Huddersfield Town, away, their first league game. The visitors were 3-0 up at half time, only to concede 3 in the second half, as the Terriers forced a draw.

Nearing Christmas, on December 21st, there was the return match at the Valley, which just over 12,500 people turned up for. The pitch was freezing and soon the Charlton captain, Derek Ufton had fallen and dislocated his shoulder. There were no substitutes, so after 17 minutes, Charlton were down to 10 men but battled on, only to be 0-2 down at half time.

Charlton scored next but were 1-5 down with 30 minutes to go. After 78 minutes, the home team's  left winger, Johnny Summers, had scored 4 goals to make it 5-5.

Summers scored a fifth putting Charlton ahead 6-5 and with four minutes left on the clock, Huddersfield drew level. With seconds left Summers crossed the ball and Ryan sealed a 7-6 victory, and The Observer included this in its top ten greatest come backs in sporting history.
http://observer.theguardian.com/osm/story/0,,562527,00.html

Johnny Ryan scored two, both assisted by Summers.
Summers revealed that he had put on new boots at half time and although very left footed, he scored all five with his right. So not a perfect "hat trick" then!

Ray Wilson, the legendry World Cup winning full back, was in the Huddersfield side.

At the end of the 1960-1 season, Charlton finished 10th in the Second Division but scored 97 times, the second highest total in the division, after the champions, Ipswich, who scored 100. Charlton, however, conceded 91 goals, whilst Ipswich let in only 55, so that was the difference.

In that season, Charlton hosted Middlesbrough and drew 6-6 with them and Summers also scored 5 in a Second Division match against Portsmouth in October 1960. He died from cancer in June 1962, at the young age of 34. He played at Charlton between 1956-61 scoring 100 goals in 171 games. Prior to that he was at Fulham 94 games), Norwich (71 games 33 goals) and Millwall (91 games and 41 goals). A remarkable strike rate which improved as he settled as a left winger.

DON'T LET THE SUN GO DOWN ON YOUR ALLOTMENTS

There is always something to learn when blogging and yesterday, a good friend who is a Forest supporter, reminded me that Roy Dwight had broken his leg in 1959 Cup Final after a tackle by Luton's Brendan McNally. I can remember seeing it happen and it was only 33 minutes into the game, following Dwight's opening goal. Forest were then2-0 up and hung on. The only time this has happened in a Cup Final.

My pal said "don't forget that Roy Dwight was cousin to Reg Dwight." Of course, Reg Dwight is the original name for Elton John and that brings me on to Watford FC.

Due to the hype of playing Liverpool today, I heard on the radio that Watford's ground has been upgraded by their investors and that there is now a Sir Elton John Stand on the east side of the pitch. The stadium is much more conducive to "proper" football compared to Graham Taylor's pommo days. There's a good surface for playing tiki taka etc etc. But just outside the ground there is an issue over the 118 year old allotments that back onto the ground. They presently occupy 128 local horticulturalists. Spot the Allots!

Watford moved to Vicarage Road in 1922, having originally played at Cassio Road. The Farm Terrace Allotments pre-dated the football club and have been saved from a redevelopment plan that was going to build on the site. The 1925 Allotment Act insists that any change in useage has to be referred to the Secretary of State and this plan did not get the nod, so the allotments stayed.

Roy Dwight played for Fulham (72 apps) before his spell at Forest (only 44 games) including the Cup Final. He never recovered from the injury and sauntered off to Gravesend and Northfleet, Coventry and Millwall before hanging up his boots as manager at Tooting and Mitcham. He then trained to be a PE teacher locally and following that Assistant Race Manager at Catford Greyhound Stadium.

SCORING IS NOT BORING

491 posts since I was encouraged to spend an hour a day of my retirement, mucking about with what I think are fascinating football facts and making them public. I wrote about Jimmy Hill in a blog not too long ago and today we hear that he has passed away. It is worth reading what he achieved in the footballing world. He revolutionised football.
http://baileyfootballblog.blogspot.co.uk/2015/11/jimmy-hill-very-much-chinned-wonder.html

Today Harry Kane plays his 100th game for Spurs and so far has scored once on this important landmark. Is he a great goalscorer? Only time will tell.

Jimmy McGrory (below) retired in 1938 with 550 competitive goals under his belt. 468 were scored for Celtic from 1921 in 445 league and cup games.

Arthur Rowley was a well known figure in my youth and he scored 434 league goals in England for four clubs. He started scoring at West Brom in 1948 and his last was for Shrewsbury in 1965. He scored for Fulham in 1948/9 and was Leicester's leading scorer between 1950-1958 notching 265 goals in 321 games. Today, Leicester's James Vardy is still confounding the pundits by scoring against Premier League defences; a remarkable story.

Jimmy Greaves totalled 357 all in the First Division for Chelsea, Spurs and West Ham between 1957-71.

Hughie Gallacher netted 387 goals for 7 league clubs between 1921 and 1939 and Dixie Dean  (below-you wouldn't argue with him) comes next with 379 for Tranmere, Everton and Notts County. A motorcycle accident in 1926 caused him a fractured skull and broken jaw which should have ended his career, however, he recovered and continued taunting goalkeepers. His final throws in football included turning out for Sligo Rovers, who lost the FAI Cup Final in 1939. His runners up medal was stolen from his hotel room afterwards and 39 years later when he was visiting Ireland, the medal was returned, anonimously! His grandfather drove the royal train for George V. His last games were for Ashton United.

In Scottish Football (ok, Scottish goalkeepers had a poor reputation) Jock Smith of Ayr United claimed 84 goals (66 in the 2nd Division) in the 1927/8 season.

Derek Dooley lost a leg following an injury and amputation. He therefore could not add to his 65 goals in 63 games for Sheffield Wednesday, sadly ending his career in 1953.

Les Ferdinand scored the Premier League's 10,000th goal for Spurs in 2001 whilst Brian Deane of Sheffield United scored the first in 1992.

TADLEY TOTALLY UP FOR THE VASE

This weekend sees a Third Round Proper Cup tie in the FA Vase between Newport, Isle of Wight, and Tadley Calleva. It's an away trip for the Hampshire dry land lubbers and after the journey overseas, they hope to bring back the spoils of war on Saturday.

Tadley Calleva FC, founded only in 1989, gets its name from the Roman site of Calleva Atrebatum, sited near the town.

The tribe Atrebates sited their fort on the local iron age oppidum and subsequently was a Roman attribute, the ruins of which are known as Silchester Roman Town.

Playing at Tadley in Hants, the club originally featured in the Hants County League Division 3 and by 1994, quickly worked their way through the levels to the Wessex Football League Division One; a mean achievement in such a short space of time.

They would have gained promotion to the Premier  recently, had their ground not failed the dreaded League inspection. Maybe this will encourage the committee to get something done, since we are assured there is plenty of money available for grass roots football?

In 2014, the club proved its worth by beating Basingstoke Town FC in the County Cup Final, so they must be half decent.
see this previous mention

YOU MIGHT BE MAD TO BE A HATTER

The football fan, Rowland Frank Palmer, will not mean much to most of you, but today I enjoyed the celebration of his life at a small church in Flitton, near Flitwick in the Bedfordshire area. He was my brother's father in law and a very gentle and welcoming man he was too.

He lived in the Ampthill area all his life and was a Luton Town supporter. When  I met him, we had chats about the Hatters and their successes and demise. There have been good times and he enjoyed them as his one and only club.

Luton presently lie at the wrong end of League 2 and are struggling for survival, so much so that the board has gently asked John Still, their manager, to step down. I don'tknow what Rowland would have thought.

John is a legend at the club and his lead lifted Luton up into the Football League in 2013-14, so that they could take on the "Full Timers". Recently however, they lost 3-4 to local rivals, Northampton Town and that was the Cobblers v the Hatters-enough was enough. John  went quietly.

The Hatters get their name from the local industry of straw hat manufacturing using raw materials from the local farms.

Whe Luton made it to the FA Cup Final in 1959, Syd Owen, probably one the club's greatest players, captained them and the crowd threw their hats into the air when things were going their way. This gesture did not last for long as they lost 1-2 to Nottingham Forest. Forest,  incidently, were down to ten men following a serious injury and the fact that there were no substitutions allowed in those days left them hanging on.

Founded in 1885, when the Luton Town Wanderers and Excelsior clubs joined forces, they became the first fully professional club from the "south" in 1890-1 and were founder members of the Southern Football League in 1894-5.

They then joined the Football League, which was made up of professional teams mainly from the Midlands and North and this soon led to financial problems and too much competition. TRavel expenses and wages could not be met. So, in 1900-1, the club had to draw in its horns and return to the comfort of the Southern League.

Bob Hawkes was their captain and first England International in 1907 and over the years the club has bobbled along without too many records being broken, though they did beat Arsenal in the 1988 League Cup Final (were runners up the following year to Nottingham Forest) and survived in the First Division from 1981-92. Their original ground was at Dunstable Road, moving to the more "familiar" Kenilworth Road (capacity about 11,500), where they have remained since, although there are plans to erect a new stadium soon! if money is available.

Money issues seem to haunt the Hatters, who were docked by the FA 30 points in 2008-9 for  more financial irregularities. This condemned them to fall out of the FL, only to be reborn as a Football League club with John Still's help and Rowland's enthusiasm, 5 years later, after winning the Conference.
Read this previous blog.
http://baileyfootballblog.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/hatters-take-bow.html

UNITED DISUNITED AGAIN?

If you think, the Red Devils are in trouble this Christmas (are they? look at the league table??) then look back to this date in 1972 when after a shambolic period of management with Wilf McGuiness, Frank O'Farrell, who had taken Leicester to the FA Cup Final in 1969, took over an ailing club.

Appointed in the summer of 1971, United were five points clear at the top of Division One (old money!) by Christmas with the old firm of Charlton and Co having a new lease of life.
After beating Southampton in early December, United lost the next 11 games and by the end of the season, they never recovered, finishing in 8th place and well behind Derby, the new champions.

The following season they were no better and by December were two points short of bottom place. Best was in free fall, the manager failed to sign Alan Ball who was full of energy and when Best failed to turn up for a game at Norwich, O'Farrell did what most managers would do, transfer list him. The United board disagreed, morale plumetted and Don Rogers flying high with Crystal Palace had one of those days and helped his team thump United 5-0.

Rogers was a spectacular winger, whom I saw play at Horsham FC, of all places, earlier in his career, in an FA Cup match for Swindon. Rogers by this time had reach higher things and weaved his way round the United defence for a brilliant individual goal in the First Division. It is worth watching this and seeing how many goals Rogers could have scored. AND YES that is a moustache not a ferret.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YRPvJ-fYqDA

Some pundits blamed the United decision makers, O'Farrell lost his cool and was sacked. Tommy Docherty came into to stave off relegation but 12 months later, the unbelieveable happened, United went down.

BILL AND DICK A PERFICK TRICK

If you want some genuine football memorabilia and are not adverse to indulging in Liverpool FC, then take yourself to Victoria Street in Liverpool and visit the Shankly hotel. I have referred to this family investment, extravaganza before, but now that I am here, in room 311, I am very pleased to announce that there is a treasure trove downstairs in the foyer, restaurant and bar. 

Old programmes (the 1938 Wembley Cup Final for example), tickets and Bill's medals, old match shirts, the key to the Shankly Gates at Anfield adorn the walls and show cases, along with copies and originals of contracts and news items scrolled by Shankly during his successful reign at Liverpool manager.

Bill has stored his collection in the hotel. Good lad. 

There are many neat touches to this hotel and even the loos on the groundfloor are football themed. There is a " let's celebrate LFC" newsreel in the bar, a Shankly time line on the ceiling of the reception area and all his great quotes projected onto the walls to remind us of his fascinating philosophy.

I was staying in a room on the third floor that has a strong smell of builders glue and there are still men working on the floor above but I hope that all this will clear once they finish for the day. The charming front of house have kindly moved us to a less sticky room!

As Shankly made Liverpool a "Bastion". I'm off to the Bastion restaurant for dinner and then the Pantomime at the Empire and hope that Dick Whittington does not let the opposition get " behind him"!

Almost a perfect day!

FORD HE'S A JOLLY GOOD FELLOW

Happy Birthday Chris Waddle, Michael Owen and Steve Sidwell-three distinquished footballers who served their various clubs with few issues to tittilate the press. Isn't it nice to think about these three who just got on with their jobs? Here's another footballer who just kept his head below the parapet.

Born in 1959, another gentleman played football with distinction and may be regarded as an impressive role model is Tony Ford, who started out in October 1975 for Grimsby at 16 years old, where he stayed for 418 matches. He played as a midfielder or right back.

He then had a loan spell at Sunderland, went to Stoke for three years and 135 games, played for WBA (1989-91) 128 games and returned to Blundell Park for three years. So by 1994 he totalled another 72 matches for his "home club".

There was a loan period at Bradford City and then he migrated to neighbours, Scunthorpe for two years and 91 games. He had a quicky at non-league Barrow, went to Mansfield from 1996-9 (116 games) and finished at Rochdale with 104 games where he was assistant player-manager.

His last goal was scored on the 9th October 2001 against Swansea in a 1-0 win and by the end all this adds up to a 1080 appearances in various "official" games and 125 goals.
Ford also has a couple of England B matches under his belt and therefore holds the record of the highest number of appearances for an outfield player at 42 years old, beating Terry Paine's previous total.
Tony played at all England's football league grounds, bar White Hart Lane. He finally scouted for Grimsby up to 2003 and was awarded the MBE for services to football.

Peter Shilton appeared 1249 times in his 32 year reign, scoring one goal. When, against whom?

There is another Tony Ford in the pipeline, born in 1944 and who played for Bristol City 171 times and Rovers 28 times, from 1961 to 1971. he then coached and was assistant manager at Hereford, Hearts and Plymouth.

If you think you have read some of this previously, you are right. I have just found some more stuff on the old man, who deserves a second airing.

JEEPERS, SO MANY KEEPERS

In my youthful day, every ody knew that Ron Springett played for Wednesday
http://baileyfootballblog.blogspot.co.uk/2015/09/springett-dies.html 
and Alan Hodgkinson played for United, Sheffield that is.
Eddie Hopkinson was the Bolton goalie (FOR 500+ times), Gil Merrick played at Birmingham (nearly 500 times) and then there was Frank Swift, Bert Williams, Reg Matthews; the list went on!
The suddenly Gordon Banks appeared in the 1960s.

One of the great custodians prior to the Banks revolution, in the 50s and 60s, was Alan Hodgkinson, who died last week at the age of 79. His life was celebrated at the weekend, especially with his Blades fans.

Born in Yorkshire at Laughton Common, a mining community, he began his career in the Rother Valley and played for Worksop Town. He was eventually coach to the Scottish national side but spent a lot of his time introducing the concept of a "goalkeeping coach" to clubs, who did not seem to take that position seriously.

As coach to Scotland and being an Englishman, he was once asked by the Queen whom did he support and he replied "Who ever pays my wages, Mam."
He wore a kilt on the pitch before the World Cup match with Brazil in France 1998, so he was loyal to which ever team he worked with.

At 5'9", he was not blessed with height, but he was very agile and clever. Goalkeeping has much to do with decision making and angles, so physique was not that important.

He was in the England squad for the 1958 and 1962 World Cups but never played. He was assistant manager at Gillingham in 1971, he mentored Andy Goram, scouted Peter Schmeichel, educated Steve Ogrizovic in 2002 at Coventry and was made MBE in 2008. Some c.v.

Alan had previously suffered from heart problems and after having a quadruple heart bypass at the age of 60, a month later he was in Moscow with the Scottish side.
He finally retired at Oxford United at the age of 76 in 2012.

Alan a young cousin at home in Sheffield.

WOMBLES NO LONGER WOMBLING FREE

The Wombles are back in town, at last planning to return to their spiritual home, Plough Lane. The club has been on the move since leaving Plough Lane in 1991. Wimbledon Football Club has had many names too.

Founded in 1889 as the Old Centrals, a group of local schoolboys, they played on Wimbledon Common until finding a permanent ground at Plough Lane. They joined the Athenian League in 1919 and later the Isthmian League in 1921-2. The club had much success after the war including victories in the FA Amateur Cup, beating Sutton United in 1963, after their prolific scorer, Eddie Reynolds, scored all four goals with his head, a feat never done before or since at Wembley. The 4-2 win made Wimbledon one of only two clubs to win both the Amateur and FA Cup after their astonishing humbling of Liverpool in 1988. The other club is the Old Carthusians. (The Royal Engineers also lay claim to the double, but this was achieved under two different names).

Another remarkable FA Cup run in the club's history took place in 1974-5. Having fought through the qualifying rounds, they had beaten Burnley in the 3rd Round, becoming the only non-league club to beat a "top flight" club in the 20th century. Their run of success ended in the Fourth Round proper, with a defeat by then mighty Leeds United, having held them to a draw in the first game.

In 1977-8 Wimbledon were elected to the Football League, taking the place of Workington FC. In the next nine years the club rose to the First Division (1985-6). Known as the "Crazy Gang", the club acquired a reputation for eccentric behaviour on their way to success.

The Taylor Report (in 1991) forced the club to leave their home ground and share with Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park. They were relegated from the Premier League in 2000, the MK Dons saga began which encouraged the true Wombles' supporters to form their own club, AFC Wimbledon, which started its new life in the Combined Counties League. Training took place on local park pitches and a trial for players attracted over 200 hopefuls.

Their first match, a pre-season friendly, against Sutton United drew a crowd of over 4,500, a following that has never dwindled.

Merton Council has just granted planning permission to develop the old Plough Lane site into an 11,000 stadium with a view to increasing capacity to 20,000. Presently playing at Kingsmeadow in Kingston, AFC Wimbledon is ground sharing with Kingstonian FC and intend to offer a share to them when they get their new stadium..

10,000+ adoring fans...well let's say 30 odd readers multipled.

Ta very much, a true landmark, on a day when we celebrate Sunderland's Duncan Watmore gaining his 1st Class honours degree from Newcastle University (see below). He studied economics and business management. Paolo di Canio might have studied Politics and Sociology, if his behaviour 10 years ago is anything to go by.

This is the anniversary of Paolo di Canio's fascist salute in 2005. Livorno, which is a pretty unpleasant port on the edge of Pisa and very much a working class town, were promoted to the Serie A the year before.

This was their first visit to the top flight since 1949. The supporters are left sided to say the least, displaying banners with Guevara and Stalin and this political leaning tends to rub the Italian right wingers up the wrong way. I have been to Livorno and there are plenty of signs of this on the walls; graffiti, emblems and adornment.

Di Canio was a member of the neo-Nazi ultras as a youngster and is adorned with tatoos showing his feelings. When Lazio hosted Livorno early in April 2005, di Canio gave the opposition fans the "finger".

The following year after losing 2-1, he upset the opposition fans with a "palm down, straight arm salute" to his own fans. "I am a fascist not a rascist", says Paolo, "and the salute is aimed at my fans." He had done this twice before against Roma and Juve, so the third time was the last straw. He was made to promise never to do it again! he also had a moment at the Stadium of Light when he was the "general" and that didn't have the effect he hoped for.

Other "brain boxes", who didn't cause a flap;
David Weatherall of Sheffield United a1st in Chemistry, Steve Palmer a software engineering degree from Cambridge, Steve Heighway (economics), Slaven Bilic (law), Iain Dowie (Masters in engineering), Steve Coppell (economics) and Graeme Le Saux-a Guardian reader!!
Not too many recents are there?

ONLY 23 VIEWS TO MAKE 10,000, ONLY 2 GOALS TO BREAK THE RECORD

Thank you, all of you who hit my blog from time to time. We are nearing 10,000 views, not bad for several years of publication!

Today in 1984, Stirling Albion recorded the highest match score, 20-0,  in the 20th century, at their home ground, Annfield, in a 1st Round Scottish Cup tie against amateurs Selkirk. 8 home players scored goals and Dave Thompson notched 7. With a half time score of 15-0, the visitors did well to hold the final total down to 20. Selkirk Goalkeeper, Richard Taylor, was presented with the match ball and should have been given some back rub to ease his pain.

In the 19th Century, Bon Accord were on the end of the biggest defeat 36-0, when they were beaten by Arbroath in 1885, in a Scottish Cup 1st round tie. Bon Accord AFC, after many changes of character, now turn out in the West Super League First Division, an Aberdeenshire Amateur League.

Abroath scored a similar high score vs Orion FC in 1886, 20-0 and then massed a 18-0 victory against Orion, again, the following year.
Orion FC existed from 1885-1903 but then merged with two other clubs to form Aberdeen FC.
Apparently Orion FC, a half decent team, was meant to play Arbroath in the 1885 Cup tie but Bon Accord were invited instead. hence the embarrassing defeat.

In 1885, on exactly the same day that Arbroath thumped Bon Accord, Dundee Harp, also in a Scottish cup tie, almost matched the Arbroath score, when they put 35 into Aberdeen Rovers net with no reply. Harp existed between 1879 and 1897, a club formed to accommodate the Roman Catholic community in Dundee rather like Hibernian did in Edinburgh.
There was a discrepency over the total number of goals scored in this cup tie, with the ref counting 37 but 35 was "telegraphed" to the Scottish FA. They probably did not realise the importance of those two goals.

WUNDERTEAM

Between the World Wars, while England was still regarding itself as the Masters of World Football, several European international teams were developing into major forces. The Swedes developed under George Ryanor in the late 1940s, the Hungarians were Magyarnificent!! From the 1930s through to the 1950s and the Austrians were named the Wunderteam in the 1930s. 

Their coach was Hugo Meisl, who led the Austrians through a 14 match unbeaten run in the 18 months prior to the 7th of December 1932. They beat Germany over two games during that run, with 11 goals for and none against. 

Much of the influence came from a Scot, Jimmy Hogan who coached in Austria and introduced the "Scottish School of Football" a quick passing game suited to Matthias Sindelar, who was their free scoring star player. Sindelar was known as Der Papierene, the Paper Man. 

But at Stamford Bridge, on that December day, they met their match when England beat them 4-3 in a scintillating game. A crowd of 72,000 watched the home team score twice before half time through James Hampson. The visitors grabbed one goal back before William Houghton scored a third to keep England ahead 3-1. 

Sindelar struck a minute later, Samuel Crooks made it 4-2 to England and with a final Austrian goal  minutes from the end, the crowd was kept on its toes.

The Second World War interrupted Austria's progress and certainly put pay to their 1938 World Cup hopes. Also, Sindelar died in suspicious circumstances during the hostilities, though Ernst Happel, who featured in the team during the 1940s and 1950s, took his experience of Total Football to the Netherlands with him in the 1960-70s and had a major effect on football there, as was shown in the 1974 World Cup.

FA CUP BRINGS MORE COINCIDENCES

A year or so ago, the master of Hatfield College at Durham University and I were mulling over a glass of expensive red during a dinner at the College, when he mentioned Warren Bradley and old boy of the college, and I wrote his name down so I would look him up later.

I had written down his name, but lost the reference until recently and having done nothing about the link, was sparked into action today when on Talksport the presenters were reviewing the non league clubs remaining in the FA Cup 2nd Round,  listing the "great players" who had been through the Northwich Victoria club. 

It's worth having a look on the club's website to see the players who have graced their pitch:-

Stuart Pearce, Gordon Hill, Sammy McILroy, Peter Barnes, Alan Kennedy, Bruce Grobbelaar, David Bardsley, Max Woosnam and Billy Meredith. Know anything about these last two? You will tomorrow.

Compared to these men, Warren Bradley would not be regarded as a great, but as an old boy of Hyde Grammar School, he played county schools' football, he did his university degree and played for Durham City in 1954, probably getting a bit of boot money to tide him over

In 1955 he joined the very successful Bishop Auckland FC winning the FA Amatuer Cup with them, and was signed by Matt Busby in 1958 for Manchester United, when the Scot was rebuilding his club after Munich. Bradley played for the reserves mainly but after four years at Old Trafford, he turned out 63 times for the club, as a part time professional. He was also teaching locally.

In 1959 he was picked by Walter Winterbottom for the English Full international side three times and had played 11 times for the England Amateur XI. 

Warren's career slowed down after that, going to Bury FC in 1962 and Northwich Victoria in 1963.

He then became a headteacher.

JUGAR ENTRE LINEAS

Playing between the lines....maybe reading between them?

I think Gary Neville is a bit special. Even if you are not a Man U fan, you must give him credit. His involvement in the media, his tactical awareness and the support he has given Roy of England, add to a great c.v.
He is also an all rounder, he could play serious cricket if he wanted a summer past time and he is a bright boy.
So why choose Valencia? It is a beautiful city, near Benidorm if he gets homesick, his bro is already paving the way for him and his family is moving out lock stock and barrel, so there will be another , North-west of England, rich, footballer's house to burgle! There is the challenge of catching up the top three Spanish sides and Valencia are still in the Champions League.
He promises that he will learn the language so have a look at these phrases, designed to get him started.
http://www.whoateallthepies.tv/lists/186788/pies-top-10-favourite-spanish-football-phrases.html

If nothing else, this is an amusing website. What better to keep you occupied on another FA Cup Round weekend. I wonder if Gary has an eye on Salford City tonight?

An the illustration? It's got very little to do with football but it may prove useful one day....

CES PODD ALSO KNOWN AS CYRIL

A chance phone call to an old college chum and suddenly the coincidences start flooding in. He had read my blog (as you will have done) about the first "black" footballers and he remembered Ces Podd, whose unusual name made him stand out in the Football League, as much as the colour of his skin did. I am talking about the 1970s, when I can remember playing with and against my "first" black players, in the Isthmian League-a novelty at the time.

Ces has been a bit of an hero. Born in 1952, he came from St Kitts and Nevis, in the Caribbean at 9 years old and after education, he enlisted in the Bradford College of Art, having failed to make his mark with Manchester United as a youth player at 16.

It was Bradford City's luck that they got Ces in 1970, as a right back and he stayed with the club for 14 years, turning out 565 times in various competitions. He became a legend at Valley Parade but eventually moved on to Halifax from 1984-86, playing 57 times and then to Scarborough Town, briefly, ending up somewhere near Osset Town FC. Coincidently, my U12s play Ossett Town on Sunday....in the Huddersfield and District Junior League. It's a small world.
Ces championed black footballers and continued his good work back in his home country, where he managed the national team in 1999 for three years.

Involved in community work, he set up a "Salsa Dance" Company in Leeds called X-Ces which was aimed at the more deprived areas of the city, like Chapeltown, for example, bringing exercise and discipline into the less well looked after parts of the urban area. He also was involved with Leeds United Academy and became their Community Officer under Howard Wilkinson.

Ces became heavily involved in the issue of racism, both in the city and in football, so much so that his testimonial (the first granted by the FA for a black professional footballer) at Bradford City in 1980, involved a match against a "Black All Stars XI" including Luther Blissett, Garth Crooks, Vince Hilare and others.
Ces is presently Technical Director for the St Lucia FA.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yj_Apdy_XM

REFERENCES REFER TO THE REFEREE

The referee was "referred" to in Richard Mulcaster's ancient account of "fotebal" in 1581 and was mentioned as the "judge over the parties". The Public Schools constantly used gentlemen on the die of the pitch, to refer to if there was an incident that the two opposing captains were not sure about. Records at Eton as far back as 1845 make reference to the umpires, usually two of them, one from each team, who would go to the referee standing at the pitch side, for help if there was a dispute. The referee would have the rule book in his hand. This became regular in matches by 1880.

In Rochdale, 1842, a match between the Bodyguards Club and the Fearnought Club relied on the neutral man and at this time a handkerchief would be thrown into the air if there was a need to make a decision. This practise prevails on American Football today.

Joseph Hudson, a tool maker in Mills Munitions Factory, Birmingham developed the Acme Thunderer, patented as early as 1868, becoming the AScme Whistle Company. The whistle may not have been made especially for sport but records show that the whistle was used in a match at Nottingham Forest against Sheffield Norfolk (a region in the city area). the secretary treasurer of Forest, Roe Lymbery, recorded in club accounts that there had been a "purchase of a whistle" in December 1872, so he would not have waited 6 years to give it a blow, surely!

There was still the belief that "gentlemen" would never commit a foul on purpose, so the use of free kicks and especially penalties rather grated with the footballers of the day. In September 1891 the "kick of death", or the penalty kick was introduced! It was John Heath of Wolverhampton Wanderers who took the first Football League kick against Accrington Stanley at Molyneux in a 5-0 win.

By 1894, he power of the referee increased and he was allowed on to the field of play. The umpires (now linesmen) retreated to the touchline.

Ken Aston was made famous by introducing the Red and Yellows cards to the game in the 1970 World Cup and now we have six officials surrounding the pitch! You will enjoy this link although you could get too engrossed in the Italian World Cup!
http://fitba2014.blogspot.co.uk/2014/06/a-short-history-of-referees-whistle.html

LIVERPOOL WAS MADE FOR ME AND I WAS MADE FOR LIVERPOOL-BILL SHANKLY

Today, in 1959, Bill Shankly signed a contract with Liverpool Football Club and thus began an amazing era in footlball. So successful and important to Liverpool was Shankly, that his family have bought, along with a major investor, Signature Living, the old Liverpool City Council Building and developed it into a Hotel, The Shankly. It is minutes away from Victoria Station in the city centre.

After an investment of £20 million Bill's grandson, Christopher Carline, is managing the finished building which includes luxury rooms, a restaurant with classics from the British menu, including the "Shankly Burger" and fish and chips.

The Shankly Experience, enjoyed when you book into to the hotel, has on display the telegram sent to Bill by Neil Armstrong, the American astronaut, the book given to Shankly from his "This is your Life" appearance and Bill's original LFC contact. The Museum is to be visited too.
http://shanklyhotel.com/shankly-experience/

You will find a Tactics Wall with his notes and ideas from Liverpool's games, The 96 Memorial Wall and a 30 foot Video Wall with all his great filmed moments. He retired in 1974 after the "Charity Shield" match at Wembley and died only 7 years later. i

If you haven't looked at his biography, you should.