ACCRINGTON STANLEY? WHO ARE THEY?

It is up and down time with Aston Villa, MK Dons, Bolton, Charlton, Colchester, Crewe, Dagenham and York slipping out of their relative divisions and the last two out of the Football League and possible obscurity.

These two join a number of ex-Football League clubs now contesting the National League, the 5th tier of the pyramid. There are a couple of old FL clubs in the 6th tier too. 

Can you name them all?

The good news is that there are promotions and my favourite this weekend is Accrington Stanley's rise from "not existing" to starting the new season in League One with the prospect of playing local rivals Bolton Wanderers. They sit second in the SkyBet league Two behind champions Northampton.

Accrington Stanley FC was founded in 1888, very much part of the newly formed Football League. The club resigned from the League in 1893 and did not rejoin until 1921 playing in the newly formed Third Division North. 

By 1960 the club found itself in the newly formed Divsion Four and bankruptsy hit hard. By 1962 the club was relegated out of the Football League, losing their last fixture 0-4 to Crewe and their place was taken by Oxford United.

Accrington played in the Lancashire Combination starting in Division Two for four years and found this difficult to maintain, disbanding after 4 years. The club was reformed in October 1968 eventually playing at their new Crown ground in 1970.  

The club then spent the next years fighting their way through the lower pyramid until gaining a place in the FLeague Division Two after conquering the Conference, as it was known, in April 2006, replacing Oxford United.

The recent rise is partly attributed to money gained from the sell-on clause for their former star Brett Ormerod to Southampton from Blackpool. In 2003 the club won the Northern Premier league title, promoted to the Conference and played their first ever game at this level against another club "from the ashes", Aldershot Town.

In 2006 Stanley returned to the Football League and played Chester City (now defunct) in their first match.

The club has never been out of the lowest division, it has the smallest budget in the League and the seond smallest attendnace figures, beaten to bottom spot by Morecambe!

Today 580 fans travelled to Wycombe to see their team win 1-0 with a 78 minute goal by Mark Hughes. Their final game is at home to Stevenage next weekend and then it's Divsion One here the Accies come.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CgYP1d5nN2o

ARSENAL CAST A SHADOW OVER HUDDERSFIELD.

April 26th 1930 saw Arsenal and Huddersfield Town at Wembley again in the FA Cup Final. Huddersfield were a seriously top team managed in the 1920s by Herbert Chapman. Chapman was now the Arsenal manager. Chapman brought in several influential players to boost the Gunners, who made their mark in the 1930s (League winners 1931, 1933, 1934, 1935, 1938) (Cup Winners 1930, 1936).

The crowd at Wembley was 93,000 strong and they watched the two teams run onto the pitch together, the first time this happened. The Yorkshire team were hot favourites having won the league three times (1924, 1925, 1926) been runners-up twice (1927,1928) won the FA Cup once (1922) and been losers in the final twice also (1920, 1928). But this was the 30s and times were a changing.

Arsenal's Alex James, who had played for Raith Rovers and Bolton Wanderers previously, had got used to taking free kicks quickly, something allowed in Scotland but not in England. In the Cup Final, after 17 minutes, a foul on James gave him the opportunity to "try out" the referee, who allowed play to carry on with a quick free kick. James passed the ball to Bastin who passed it back to James who rifled the ball into the net; 1-0. No questions asked? The Yorkshire folk were fed up.

At the beginning of the second half the sky was filled with the German airship, Graf Zeppelin, It drifted overhead, casting a shadow on the pitch, making a deafening engine noise and the pilot, Captain Lehmann noted the thousands of fans looking up at his airship. It may have distracted the Terriers who never settled and eventually lost the game 2-0, Jack Lambert scoring the other goal.

Arsenal won the cup that year and their reserves also won the London Combination Cup.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Q8jPUdwD1g

FURRY CAT, SLIPPY JERSEY

It is April, snow has fallen again today, the end of the football season is closing in on us and cricketers have to wear several layers to keep warm. At this time of the year the anniversaries of two Cup Finals stand out in history for very different reasons.

On April 23rd 1927 the FA Cup left England and went to Wales. Herbert Chapman's Arsenal machine was a firm favourite to beat lower table Cardiff City. West Bromwich Albion were bottom of the First Division that year by the way and were relegated. South Shields and Clapton Orient played in the Second Division. Cardiff had lost the final two years previously losing to Sheffield United.

The Cardiff boys relaxed before the final at the Royal Birkdale Golf Club and on their way round were followed by a black cat. Convinced this was an omen, the players persuaded the owner of the cat to let them have it for a day or two, in exchange for a cup final ticket. The cat was christened Trixie.

For the first time community singing was introduced to the pre-match entertainment and despite concerns that the 91,206 crowd would not join in, it was a great success. The first stadium conductor was T.P.Ratcliff, known as "the man in white". The tradition died out in the 1970s as crowds sang their own songs but "Abide with me" still remains a favourite.

In a dull game, by the 73rd minute, not much had happened which suited underdogs (cats?). As Cardiff attacked a low shot went in from Ferguson and Arsenal's Welsh goalkeeper, Dan Lewis, dived and appeared to fumble the ball. It went through his grasp and under his body, apparently slipping on his new cup final jersey that had hardly been tested. Into the net went the ball.

On St George's day the saints were not with Arsenal. The Cardiff boys claimed Trixie was the clue to success but the Arsenal crew said it was the new slippy jersey and  through superstition did not wash the goalkeeping jersey before a game.

Cardiff's captain, Fred Keenor, was described as a hard tackling, strong running, big voiced and chain smoking wing half. He put his fag out before he received the cup.
Two great snippets:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CpftcY-7OwU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5A5CNx9M2s
The other great Cup Final moment was in 1930, but you will have to wait until tomorrow.

WHICH WAY TO THE SHOWER?

I had two comments on the Blog page yesterday. One was from a reader in Ockbrook, Derbyshire...no names, no pack drill (what ever that means-he will know) and one from a lady in the far east asking for $250,000 to help her kick start her life. I wonder what she gets out of the blog?

My Ockbrook friend reminded me about "Kes", a marvellous film, which summed up PE teachers of that age. My PE teacher was Ted Palmer, who ran the line in an Amateur Cup Final at Wembley, maybe around 1963?  Respect! Our first PE lesson as unsuspecting 11 year olds was all about hygiene, ingrowing toe nails and verrucas. Then we had to run through the shower naked. Since we were all boys, I guess it wasn't an issue?

As well as "Kes", I should really have brought to your attention "Next Goal Wins" which tells the story of the American Samoan team's attempt to rise from the ranking of worst football team in the world in 2001 after suffering a 31-0 defeat by Australia, to the daunting task of qualifying for the 2014 World Cup. The "Sun" described it as "A glorious underdog story".

The issue of Fa'fafine crops up which means "third gender" and the transgender team member is the Samoan native Jaiyah Saelua, the first person (recorded??) with these characteristics to play in the World Cup. Her contrinutuion to the match was very important but, which shower did Jaiyah go through?

Here's the trailer:-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_S4C2nQZlSA

KICKING OFF

It was not too long ago that I went to watch Eddie the Eagle, a film about that ridiculous ski jumper from Bedford who embarrassed the British Olympic Association by independently coaching himslef to win a place in the Calgary Winter Olympics. Films about sport are not always successful, they are hard to make.

I have seen a number of football based films that have entertained me including Gregory's Girl, Bend it like Beckham, Escape to Victory, The Damned United, Looking for Eric and Goal! There are others of course, and yes, I do know that they will not win Oscars but they deserve credit and if you happen to be a football person then you should take time out and have a look.

One particularly enthralling 90 minutes worth was "Marvellous" in which Toby Jones plays the part of Neil Baldwin, a slightly disfunctional character, who is adopted by Stoke City FC and especially manager Lou Macari in the 1990s. Macari could see the value of having somebody at the opposite end of the "spectrum" to his trumped up footballers. It worked and the film was excellent.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLfzfnS82nI  Here it is...the full film!

The real reason for all this intro is to promote "Kicking Off" a film about football hooliganism (nothing much new there after numerous TV doc/dramas) which is not a new idea but it does make the point that there is a "firm" and once in you are part of it for life, there is no going back. Actually they kidnap the ref!

The film, written by Anthony Greaves, stars Warren Brown, who as well as being recogniseable in a number of TV series was a World Thai boxing champion. There is Greg McHugh, the Scottish geologist student in "Fresh Meat" and Daniel Bux (once Lineker till the divorce), Alistair Petrie from the Night Manager, Mark Bright and Geoff Hurst. This would have swelled the crowds at the "opening".

Well Gary was there with his boys and the film was named Best at the Raindance festival. Have a look, here's a trailer.
https://vimeo.com/138522150

COCKS v THROSTLES

Tottenham play West Bromwich Albion tonight in a game that Spurs must win to maintain their chase of Leicester City for the Premier League. The Albion founded in 1888 were founder members of the Football League that year and met Spurs first in 1900-1 in the Semi-final of the FA Cup. Spurs won 4-0 despite being only a Southerrn League club, WBA were a well established professional league club. Spurs' then gained their first victory in the Cup Final.

Spurs joined the league in 1908 and met the Albion that season in Division Two. Spurs lost both matches 0-3 (h) and 1-3 (a). Tottenham were promoted that season and Albion followed on in 1911. That season (1911-12) Spurs won at the Lane in September 1-0 and lost away 2-0 in March. There was also a cup tie in January which Albion won 3-0.

The clubs have the following record in head to heads:
Spurs won 58 Albion 55 Drawn 33 Goals for Spurs 224 Albion 220.  (I tried four different references, each had a different set of statistics)
Not much between them then.

Well known players to have played or managed both clubs include:
Ossie Ardiles, Artuur Rowe, Graham Roberts, Gerry Armstrong, Keith Burkinshawn, Garth Crooks, Ruel Fox, John Gorman, Martin Jol, Tony Parks, Danny Thomas and Steve Walford.

The Baggies (WBA) were known thus possibly due to the size of shorts they wore in the 1920s though others say that a local sports' company supplied the players with logo-ed bags to carry their kit in, a form of early sponsorship.

The Albion also had a reputation for being rather lackadaisical in their pattern of play and became known as the West Bromwich Strollers. Though many thought this was due to the high altitude of the ground, the Hawthorns being the highest in the country at 551 ft asl and therefore with "rarified oxygen". As if!

The nickname "Throstles" is reputed to be a mispronounciation of "through stiles" which were employed in the early years when crowds were so large that there was a rapid entry procedure to get the crowd into the stadium before the kick off. Others may say it was because local thrushes sang tunefully on land around the ground.

DROMIO, DROMIO WHEREFORE ART THOU?

What with the Queen's birthday and then Shakespeare's too it has been a busy week of celebrations. I suffered the television comedy last night with a cast of famous Shakespearean actors appearing on stage to champion the appropriate quote "To be or not to be, that is the question", putting emphasis on different words. Hilarity, I should say so, all topped off by The Prince of Wales appearing on stage, having the final word. Well done your highness. So with the Bard and royalty in mind, I turn to foteball, the original game.

Shakespeare was no stranger to football for before he had moved to London to further his writing career, he would have witnessed some "rural" football in the country where the mob game was at its peak. He wouldn't have had time for leisure in the city and then he became too old to play, so the practical side of the sport passed him by. But as a keen observer, he was able to use football to make the images of his plays come to life.

In King Lear Act 1 Scene 4 his daughter Regan's servant is being insolent to Lear. So Lear's protector, Kent, hits him and when he protests and says " I'll not be struck, my Lord", Kent trips him up replying "nor tripped neither, you base football player". He is acting the rough play that Shakespeare experienced in the game of football.

In the Comedy of Errors, Act 2 Scene 1, Dromio of Ephesus complains about his treatment by his masters and says:
"Am I so round with you as you with me,
That like a football you do spurn me thus?
You spurn me hence, and he will spurn me hither.
If I last in this service.you must case me in leather".
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Pnl_qvoLBw  The speech appears after 4 mins 45 secs into this.

Dromio accepts beatings and suffering as part of his duty and he accepts the treatment as playful and not violent. But he didn't like being kicked around and would prefer to be encased in leather to protect himself.

Living as I do near Penistone in South Yorkshire, I make reference to the mob game played at Bord Hill (on the A628 Woodhead pass) where Adam Eyre discovered a match between Penistone and Thurlston which" the crowd hindered and nothing was done".

Later an Etonian stated in 1831 that "I cannot consider this a game at all gentlemanly; after all, the Yorkshire common folk it".

FOOTBALL TO BRING RELIEF IN THE JUNGLE

PLAY4 CALAIS brings Pop Up Theatre and Play Time to those 6000+ refugees living in the Jungle in Calais, the migrants are very much unsure of where their next homes will be. These activities hope to bring some joy whilst they wait for their next move.

Support comes from the Lexi Cinema and the Nomad Pop Up Cinema of London and the activities are hosted by the Women and Childrens' Centre and Boys' Centre during the day and the Good Chance Theatre at night.
https://thelexicinema.co.uk/

Actor David Morrisey, life long Liverpool FC fan and supporter of the Labour Party, is involved with fund raising and there are places to donate on the net. Read the Twitter feed to find out more.
https://twitter.com/davemorrissey64

EAST FIFE FIVE- FORFAR FOUR??

Or was it the other way round? Forfar were at home.

Wednesday 22nd April 1964 was the day that the famous score line in the Scottish Second Division occurred and there was much mirth. Everyone was waiting for it to happen.

The two teams have played each other pretty much every year since joining the Scottish League in 1921-22 and this was the first occasion that the nine goals were shared thus. James Alexander Gordon, probably the best known off sports' result readers never had to deal with this tangle of words but had he, he would have made a meal of the occasion.

Prior to that game the clubs played in the regional leagues and I guess I could have a search through their results to find another 9 goal thriller but quite frankly I have more to do with my life than muck around with Scottish non-league results dating back to 1903. This was when East Fife FC was founded. Forfar Athletic club is older formed in 1885.

It wasn't so much the nine goals but the amazing rhyming distribution between the teams which gave the results readers on radio and TV an excellent opportunity to show off.

I did try to get a recording of the actual scoreline but this was as close as I could get:-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZncDTThiUS0

To lighten the day here is a parody of the results which is worth a few minutes of your attention:-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWY2Bs2VYJs

Sorry about this one but I got carried away with the Two Ronnies sports' commentary. It is Friday afternoon.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jgPKOLOpOUY

Nor did  the results readers have to deal with a Scottish non-league scoreline that read:
Threave Rovers 3 Strathspray Thistle 3. try it.

SAME START, DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS.

On April 15th 1964, Northern Ireland gave international debuts to George Best and Pat Jennings, two of the country's best and most well known footballers.
Prior to this match N Ireland had been beaten by England 8-3, so it was time for a change. Best was introduced to the international scene and on the debut match they beat Wales 3-2 in Swansea. The Welsh goalkeeper was Gary Sprake, another hero in the making.

Following on from the Welsh win, Northern Ireland beat Uruguay 3-0 in April 1964 and then took on England again but found themselves 0-4 down at half time. The final result was 3-4. At Windsor Park in May 1971, he scored one of the cheekiest "goals" seen when he nicked ball from Gordon Banks, who was just about the volley the ball from his hands down the pitch. The referee disallowed the goal for dangerous play. Best's foot was no higher than waist high!
After Manchester Unioted Best signed for a variety of clubs, least notably immediately after leaving Manchester, the Jewish Guild, Stockport County, Dunstable Town and Cork Celtic before heading off to Los Angeles.
 

Best played 37 times for his country and surprisingly only scored 9 goals, 4 of which came against Cyprus and one aganst Albania.

Best never graced the World Cup whereas Jennings (below) was still there in 1986, playing for his country after he had retired from club football. He made his debut at the same time as Best when on Watford's books and played his last game on his 41st birthday making him the World Cup's oldest participant. Playing in qualifying rounds for 6 World Cups is a record he shares with Dwight Yorke and Russell Lapaty (from Trinidad)

DON'T LET FATTY CATCH YOU

I was wondering why there were no Yorkshire clubs in the Premier League and only one in League Two. There are FIVE in the other two divisions. Is it because Yorkshire teams are mediocre? Despite the lowly league positions of the two clubs, there was nothing mediocre about the game at Chesterfield's Proact stadium last night, although both teams seemed content with a 1-1 draw.

There is nothing mediocre about the Proact which is a lovely, practical stadium. The pre-match food at the Highfield Eatery in Newbold Road (nothing to do with the club), was mediocre (to be polite) and is not to be recommended since a lot of stuff was "off", including my first choice beer, my meal choice of steak and kidney pie...and the service which was sloooow. BOO!

The real matter was that the Yorkshire club Doncaster Rovers was not mediocre, the players were lively and Chesterfield, which is almost Yorkshire, were also lively, so they both deserved their point.

The Donny fans were without their mascot, though we did get a glimpse of the Chester Mouse and wondered who was inside with those big ears. Transfered Tracy maybe? See yesterday's blog!

Yesterday I got distracted from using anniversaries for my blog because I chose to write about mascots. I am going to make up for that today.

On April 19th 1902, a Yorkshire club, Sheffield United, played in the FA Cup at the Crystal Palace (old version), eventually beating Southampton, after a replay. Over 100,000 spectators saw the two games; a 1-1 draw on the 19th April and a 2-1 win for the Blades a week later. The Southampton eqaulising goal in the first match was "offside" though the referee Tom Kirkham waved play on with the ball at captain Harry Wood's feet, who scored. There was some controversy over this and after the match, Fatty Foulke was seen running naked after the ref to sort out the issue in an unconventional way.

Billy "Fatty" Foulke was the Sheffield golkeeper a huge man, over 6' 2" tall and 22 stones in weight. For his size he was remarkably agile and was an English international.

This is Mr Foulke in action intimidating a weedy forward, yes as a goalie.

The next fact was the C.B.Fry played for Southampton. He was an extraordinary sportsman who turned his hand to any sport or indeed anything! Charles Burgess Fry was an England football, cricketer (94 First Class centuries), World long jump record holder, Oxford University Rugby wing three-quarter, Classical Scholar, author, journalist, schoolmaster (at Charterhouse in 1896-8), Parliamentary candidate, sailor and bon viveur. He also turned down being put on the Throne of Albania. CB Fry is tieing the defender in knots. (I have blogged him before: http://baileyfootballblog.blogspot.co.uk/2015/07/fry-up-ultimate-all-rounder.html)

Both teams had lost a FA Cup Final in the two previous seasons and in 1900 Southampton had been the first non-league team to reach the Final following the foundation of the Football League in 1888. Of course Tottenham became the first non-league side to win the FA Cup in 1901 beating Sheffield United after a replay.

DOWN BOY! GET IN YOUR BASKET.

I am off to Chesterfield this afternoon, meeting with a couple of my Blog readers (there aren't many) and we are going to see if the Spireites, at the Proact Stadium, can make anything out of Donny Dog, the well known Doncaster Rovers mascot-we all associated dogs with Doncaster, don't we? Or was it horses, or trains? Big game and more importantly a visit to the new ground. I had been to Saltergate on a very miserable, cold Boxing Day some years ago now.
Chesterfield have a mouse as their mascot! Heaven knows who is inside.

The Doncaster mascot, whose outer costume once concealed one Andrew Linley, was arrested on the outskirts of Huddersfield Town FC on the 4th March 2006, when police cited "unspecified police intelligence" and refused him entry to the ground in the costume. He was not allowed anywhere near the stadium! The police later sent him an apology.

In June 2011 the mascot was then "portrayed" by a lady, Tracy Chandler, who was relieved (to use an inappropriate word maybe) of her duty due to a photograph that she had published in a sunday newspaper, of her in underwear. She was later reinstated and certainly made a name for herself.
https://www.google.co.uk/#q=Doncaster+FC+Tracy+Chandler

Probably excited by Tracy, another mascot, Eric the Viking appeared in 2013 with yellow hair, helmet and other paraphenalia. The photo below is not Eric.

A SNEAKER NOT A STREAKER-THANK GOD

On this day in 2001, Manchester United were trying to make up a 0-1 first leg deficit in their second leg Champions League quarter-final against Bayern Munich in Munich. All the United stars had warmed up and were on the pitch ready for their "official" team photgraph.

An extra man sneaked onto the pitch in authentic United away kit and joined the back row. Several players noticed him, especially the midfield "enforcer" Roy Keane, but not one player or official did anything about the intruder. He was wearing Cantona's name on his back and he did look a bit like the Frenchman. Once the formality had been completed, the impostor just sauntered back to the stands.

A hoaxer he joined the TV crew as they got into the stadium, changed into his kit and made his imprint on the pre-match entertainment. It isn't quite a simple as that!

Karl Power has made a name for himself as an "impostor" as this video with show.
This video is an hour long so you might just take a glance at it,though it is funny and there are adverts. there is also some "rich" language.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zRDs4JgtQAQ

It is not his only "triumph" having made attempts to intrude at Wimbledon playing a short game before a Tim Henman match, walking out to bat at Headingly wearing a helmet at a Test Match, beating Michael Schumacher to the winner's podium at the end of the 2001 British Grand Prix and entering into a Haka at a rugby international (not a NZ match!). In 2003 he was given a life ban from Old Trafford after he and two friends re-enacted Diego Forlan's goal against Liverpool from a previous match.

The article tells all.
http://www.johnnysharp.net/blog/karl-power-feature-for-loaded-magazine/

Here is Karl far left at the back. Roy looks on menacingly.

HEPWORTH v BRADFORD PARK AVENUE

Despite the fall of snow that cancelled the first week of the local cricket season, football continued but with some very wet pitches. Once again the Hepworth Juniors U12s marched on towards the end of their season with a 7-3 win against Greetlands-who, well look at a map, you will find the settlement somewhere near Huddersfield. The clue is the fact that they play in the  Huddersfield RCD Junior Football League, reputedly the largest in the country.

HUJFC U12s play in Division 6 and doing very nicely thank you.

It is the end of a long year of football and the cup finals are coming thick and fast. We do not feature in many but the Adult Open Age team played last Monday as reported (see previous blog) and this afternoon I drove from our wet victory this morning to the Huddersfield Amateurs FC Ground at Old Earth (interesting name?), Elland where U13s (Netherton v LS27), U14s (Dewsbury RGS v Kirkheaton), U15s (Greetland v Rastrick Bulldogs) and U16s (Hepworth v Park Avenue B) Cup Finals were played out.

Huddersfield Amateurs have a very pleasant club house and two good pitches which were in good condition. The club was founded in 1905 and originally joined the Yorkshire Old Boys' League, now part of the Yorkshire Amateurs League.

Disappointingly the photographs of past teams round the walls were sadly neglected and I didn't see anybody paying much attention to them. A club house should be a museum and reference room for members, young and old, to be nostalgic over and maybe to learn a bit about the legacy of their club. Kirklees College sponsored the match day programmes and were touting for business as many of the youngsters would be thinking about moving onto College once they get their GCSEs out of the way. Kirkless College provides a very active educational experience.


The good news was that the HUJFC U16s won their "Trophy" which is a competition for those clubs knocked out early of the "prestigious tournament". Both teams gave all their best on a dry pitch with a bouncy ball and keen wind and made a 1-0 victory an interesting game. Congratulations to the coaches and boys.

Park Avenue teams are associated with the actual and famous Bradford PA (see previous blog!) and the club runs U8s, 10s, 12s,13, 14A and B, 16A and B and a Dads' team.

Hepworth runs twice as many teams, so should be very proud and satisfied about being a "Community Club".

THERE IS LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL.

As Burnley surge towards the Premier League, another young striker who spent his early years in Non-League football has emerged as one for the future. Here are three "Non-League Burnley Boys" who have followed the path of Jamie Vardy.

As a teenager, Andre Gray was involved in a gang land culture in Wolverhampton. He has a 4 inch scar on his cheek to show for it and the memory of the death of a friend in jail, to remind him of what his life was like 6 years ago. As an 18 year old he eventually realised that he had to make a decision and change course.

Football was his saviour as he was brought up by his mother and grandfather and had to look after his younger half-brother. The money he was earning at non-league teams was barely enough to keep the "wolf from the door" but gradually his life changed.

Released by local club Wolves at 13 years old and then Shrewsbury, he found himself earning £200 a week at non-league Telford and then Hinckley United. In 2012 Luton Town picked him up, he scored 57 goals in 111 matches for them and played for England C, qualifying as a non-league player. He was then sold for £300,000 to Brentford. How his life changed! In August 2015 he was snapped up by Burnley for £6 million.

This was a windfall for him, for Luton who benefited from his transfer within the Football League and of course for Brentford who made a profit.

Like Charlie Austin, (Kintbury Rangers, Hungerford, Thatcham Town, Poole, Swindon, Burnley, QPR and Southampton) and Danny Ings (Dorchester, Bournemouth, Burnley, Liverpool),Gray has made his name from humble beginnings and mainly in Lancashire. So far his career statistics are played 260 games, scored 136.

A PAYNE IN THE DEFENCE.

This makes 600 posts. Hooray. What a fabulous ride I have had so far? Don't worry I'm not giving up.
On April 14th, Liverpool smashed Borussia Dortmann's hopes of a Europa League Final, the poor man's European Championship. It took a remarakble recovery from being 1-3 down with away goals counting like gold bars. Goals flew in from all angles.

Between December 1935 and April 1936 goal scoring records in the English League changed hands often. On December 14th, Ted Drake, the Arsenal centre-forward, scored 7 in a league match against Aston Villa-not much has changed.

On Boxing Day 1935, Bunny Bell of Tranmere scored 9 in a 13-4 victory over Oldham-local derbies always bring out the best in players.

104 days later, on Easter Monday, Joe Payne, having only made 7 appearances for Luton Town in two years as a winger, was put at centre forward as an emergency measure in a game against Bristol Rovers. He scored after 23 minutes and with another two goals, one to his credit before half time, Luton were 3-0 up.
In the second half Payne slotted 8 more and the match ended 12-0. Tough on Rovers, great for the Hatters. Below is Joe scoring one of his record breaking goals.

The crowds gathered as their new striker hit the net and whilst Payne did not repeat the feat, in 1936-7 he helped Luton to promotion to the Second Division from Division Three South. In that first season he notched 55 goals in 39 games and Luton scored 103. On the strength of this consistency he gained ONE cap for England against Finland where he scored twice on his debut.

Payne who was discovered by a Luton scout at Bolsover Colliery in Derbyshire, went on loan to Biggleswade Town at first. He finally went to Chelsea where he managed 21 in 36 First Division League matches and then the War intervened.
Do have a look at these if you have time:-
http://www.lookandlearn.com/blog/15587/fresh-faced-reserve-joe-payne-became-lutons-footballing-legend/
http://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2011/oct/18/forgotten-story-football-league-record

ENGLISH SCHOOLS' FOOTBALL-SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE.

After Barnsley's success at Wembley, I bought last Friday's Barnsley Chronicle because the faces of the jubilant BFC players were screaming at me out of the front page, "buy me!". So I did. The paper is a source of much interesting news from the local area, especially the Penistone edition, so I can find out about the goings on in and round our bit of South Yorkshire.

The "Memories" page in the middle of the Chronicle encourages readers to write in with their historic anecdotes and since Barnsley is now one of the top clubs in the country, letters flooded in from Barnsley fans reminding us of the legacy set by the traditions of Barnsley's football.

I am not saying for one minute that the Johnstone's Paint Trophy was due only to our local lads but Barnsley has always had a strong inheritance and there is much to celebrate.

In 1949 Barnsley (School) Boys won the conveted English Schools FA Shield, a competition still played for today. In the 2015-16 competition, present "schoolboys" representing Barnsley Sixth Form College, suffered a 1-3 defeat by Thomas Rotherham College in Round 8.

Barnsley (Sixth Form) College also won the shield in 1985 and 1990.

The 1949 team played the first leg of a two-legged final at Oakwell in front of 27,000 on May 7th. The Young Tykes won the home game 3-1 and also the away leg 1-0 against Derby Schools at the Baseball ground four days later. They won a national cup.

Like the JPT winners, the boys were welcomed by thousands of fans lining the town's streets with bells and rattles. The team also won the Yorkshire Schools' Shield and went to a civic reception at the Town Hall to celebrate their double success.

ESFA was founded in 1904 and organises football for English, Manx and Channel Island schools. If you go to their website you will see how much is provided for schools' footballers from U12s to Colleges, boys and girls, small sided, 11 v11, "B" teams, small schools, regional associations and counties.
http://www.esfa.co.uk/competitions/?2015/

There is also an international section with the English School's teams (boys and girls) playing the home countries and other prestigious matches including a foreign tour.

BOLEYN GROUND? OFF WITH IT'S HEAD

Tonight is the final time that West Ham United plays an FA cup game at the Boleyn Ground or as I always knew it, Upton Park. The Hammers got their name from the original club formed in 1895 at the Thameside Ironworks, a team which played at Hermitage Road in East Ham.

In 1897 the club moved to Browning Road (named after the philanthropist Robert Browning), who did good work, especially for housing, in the industrial dockland of London.

By 1904 West Ham found their home at a rented piece of land known as the Cabbage Patch in Green Street, linked to a Roman Catholic administration. The main building looked a bit like a castle and so it was called Boleyn Castle by the locals who knew that the building had an historic association with Anne Boleyn.

The local tube stop of course is Upton Park which may be a more familiar name for the ground.

The stadium, which first hosted Millwall in a league game, was gradually developed and during the 2nd World War some bomb damage to a corner of the ground did not help its modernisation. Most recently new covered stands have been built to honour the club's greatest players including Bobby Moore and Trevor Brooking. The record attendance before the development of all seater stadia was 42,322 v Spurs in 1970 and the latest record capacity has been counted at 35,550, all seated v Manchester City in 2002.

On the corner of Green Street and Barking Road, is the Boleyn Pub which holds many memories for its local West Ham followers, so there is a campaign to "Save" the pub which could well go out of action once the regulars move away. There is also the the famed Cassettari's Cafe where Malcolm Allison and his players used to meet and discuss tactics?  It was very much part of Hammers' history but now it is a solicitor's office.

You will know that the plans to move to the Olympic Stadium in the Lee Valley has been granted and the move takes place this summer. The John Lyall gates have already been moved across and from summer 2016 West Ham United will hold a 99 year lease with around 50,000 seats. Much will change in West Ham.

The old stadium will be knocked down and developed by 2018 into....guess what? .........loads of housing, retail units and leisure facilities, with some affordable housing but at the moment no social housing, a contentious decision. And don't bank on a "strong" legacy being left behind around Upton Park. The 2012 Olympic Games did not fulfil all its post games promises, so don't expect the people of the Hammers' spiritual home to benefit from its modernisation. They will not be blowing bubbles.

At the moment, areas around Maine Road in Manchester are still waiting development, leaving little improvement to the lives of those who used to live and work in the shadow of the famous Manchester City stronghold.

Brian Williams, a Hammerholic, has written a book about the move called "Reach for the Sky" which you may like to read.

36 out of the 92 league clubs have had ground moves, something that always affects the people and places around the old ground. The move is also bound to bring changes to the new area. Another little test for you would be to name as many of those as possible. So who is next? Tottenham???!!! A small move and one that might have social and economic repercussions.

JOSEPH BARLOW-FAMED FOR THE BARLOW CUP.

I make no apologies for using this piece of Huddersfield Town FC history which I have adapted from Stephen Crabtree's piece found on the BBC website.

Following on from last night's excellent 81st Barlow Cup Final at the Huddersfield Town ground, John Smith's Stadium, between Hepworth United and Heyside FC, I knew Barlow had some history. As Huddersfield Town's and Liverpool's famous former manager Bill Shankly once said: "Football is not life and death, it's far more important than that".

League football, disrupted by the demands of the First World War, resumed in 1919. In Huddersfield, the Town's directors were full of optimism for the new season but they also realised they would need to attract the crowds. In the words of one official at the time, quoted in the Club's history, 'Leeds Road': "We shall have to get into the first division to attract the gates necessary to support the club properly".

Two months into the 1919-20 season, though, and the club was rocked by the sale of centre forward Jack Cock to Chelsea. Jack was the pin-up of the time - he became Town's first international, scoring what at that time was England's fastest goal ever in the Victory International against Ireland in 1919 and scored a second against Scotland the following year. The Terriers were finding it difficult to attract gates over 4,000 while down the road at Fartown the rugby league crowds were often close to 10,000.

Jack Cock's transfer brought in some much needed finance but following a 3-0 victory over Fulham, watched by a crowd of just 3,000 and with gate receipts totalling a meagre £100, on November 6th 1919 the Huddersfield Examiner announced to the world: "TOWN CLUB DEAD"! What was even more galling was the reported "transfer of the club in its entirety to Leeds"! The Football League gave Town just one month to raise £25,000. Another £5,000 was also needed just to keep the club operating.

The problem was that Town was in debt to J Hilton Crowther, the Abramovich of his day, and it was he who had proposed the move to Leeds. He went on to invest £30,000 into the foundation of Leeds United. It was hoped the money could be raised by the issue of £1 shares. It's hard to nail down an average wage for the time but it's likely the fans would have had to sacrifice what might be half a week's wage in a time of economic uncertainty and tight budgets for working class families. Some of these shares had even got as far as Holland. An ex-pat Town fan over there got in touch to say he has the shares his granddad bought hanging in a frame in his hall. Known on the web boards as Dutch Town Fan, he proudly told me how his grandfather had travelled to the Leeds Road ground by bicycle and - as an avid Town fan - was keen to lend his support to the cause. He had to support his young family from his wages so, not to be beaten, he sold the bike for £3, bought the shares and walked to and from the ground until he had saved enough for another bike the following season.

Despite these efforts, by December 1919 - with the deadline approaching - the rescue fund had only reached £9,000. But it was at this point that Huddersfield lawyer - and one of the club's founders - Amos Brook Hirst emerged as the hero of the hour. Not only did he manage to gain Town more time but he showed everyone the fight was still on by forming the Huddersfield Town Retention Fund. With this new burst of optimism over £3,000 was raised in one day and 1,500 pledged to buy season tickets for the following year.

This still wasn't enough but Huddersfield Town was about to be saved by that most English of institutions, tea and toast! Even back in 1919 it would seem that the fates of countries, businesses and even football clubs could be settled over a working breakfast. Hilton Crowther - the gent that Town owed the money to - was at Liverpool's Adelphi Hotel, enjoying such a meeting with Arthur Fairclough, the manager of newly formed Leeds United. As well as discussing matters at Elland Road they talked about the situation at Town. However, their conversation was overheard by woollen merchant Joseph Barlow who returned to Huddersfield immediately and, along with two friends, told Amos Brook Hirst they would invest in the fund. Together they negotiated new terms with the receiver and by June 17th 1920 final terms had been agreed. A month later the matter was settled with a final payment of £6,000.

Meanwhile, although the season off the pitch had been traumatic, the players had done their jobs on it and the gates had swelled. The 1919-20 season saw Town win promotion to the top flight for the first time in their history, coming second to the previous year's cup winners Tottenham. A 3-0 victory at home against Stoke saw the promotion sealed and was watched by a record 28,000 crowd. If that wasn't enough they reached the Cup Final for the first time, losing out 1-0 to Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge. The cup run had seen even bigger crowds - 47,527 turned out to see Town dispatch Liverpool 2-1 in the quarter finals. In just a few months - and having nearly vanished from existence - Town had secured its place in big time football and in the history books by making it to the Cup Final and achieving financial stability off the pitch.

Although the Terriers struggled initially in the First Division the 1920-1921 season saw both the appointment of legendary manager Herbert Chapman and the arrival of talisman Clem Stephenson from Aston Villa. Together they were to lead Huddersfield Town to FA Cup victory and the glory of becoming "thrice champions"! Councillor Joseph Barlow was appointed President of the Huddersfield and District League upon its re-formation in 1935. He served on the HTFC board from 1020-29 and was Chairman during their first FA Cup victory and Division One Championship. He represented the Lindley Ward and was Mayor of the Town for two years, being appointed Freeman of the Borough of Huddersfield in 1949. He retired from the League committee in 1944 and died in 1956. Hepworth lost their final 0-2 to a decent opposition who have not won the cup before. Hepworth held it in 1993 and 2013.

WE WILL REMEMBER THEM 50 years ON

The summer of 2016 will mark the 50th year since England won the World Cup in 1966 at Wembley. I know where I was when the match was played, do you? Well those who are old enough may have a sporting memory.

The sad news is that several of the squad that won the Jules Rimet Trophy are now suffering from Alzheimer's, experiencing Dementia or other illnesses including cancer. Not all the squad will make the celebration which is planned for July.

Martin Peters, one of the famous West Ham trio, at 72 was diagnosed with Alzheimer's in 2013. Shirebrook, Derbys, born full back whose debut was for Huddersfield Town, Ray Wilson is 81 and was told about his brain condition in 2004. Jack Charlton is suffering from memory loss which could be attributed to heading the ball a lot as a centre half.

Team manager, Sir Alf Ramsey, had Alzheimer's before he died in 1999 aged 79. His assistant Harold Shepherdson died in 1995 at 77 years old.

His "General" and captain, Bobby Moore died from cancer in 1993 at 51 years old. Nobby Stiles, also diagnosed with prostate cancer at 73, has suffered since 2012 and Gordon Banks is suffering with kidney cancer but despite losing the sight of one eye in a car crash, appears to healthy and carrying on a decent lifestyle.

Alan Ball, at 61, died tragically of a heart attack when fighting a garden fire in his home in Hampshire.

The brain disease may be attributed to heading the heavy footballs of that era and 1970s World Cup player Jeff Astle's sad death at 59 years old and subsequent post mortem revealed that he had suffered from brain trauma and cognitive decline (Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy) in his retirement. His wife has been campaigning with the FA to make people more aware of this illness.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3531205/THREE-England-s-World-Cup-winning-1966-team-suffering-Alzheimer-s-raising-fears-brains-damaged-heading-heavy-footballs.html

Geoff Hurst, the hat trick hero, is still fit and well, as are fellow forward Roger Hunt, Bobby Charlton and full back George Cohen

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/three-1966-world-cup-heroes-7719084

SOME VERY INTERESTING FACTS!
In the 1966 World Cup, only one of the quarter-finals was televised, England v Argentina.
The France Uruguay group match that should have been played at Wembley clashed with a greyhound race meeting and was transferred to the White City.
No African teams appeared in the finals because they objected to the qualification structure, so North Korea won through instead.
England did not concede a goal until the semi-final when they beat Portugal 2-1 with Eusebio scoring.
Nearly all the "home" crowd's flags supporting England were Union Jacks and not the Cross of St George.

Read this link which tells about the plans for the 50th celebration:-
http://www.thefa.com/news/thefa/2016/apr/fa-to-mark-50th-1966-anniversary

PERHAPS LOCAL CLUBS SHOULD DO SOMETHING TO JOIN IN THE CELEBRATION!!!!!!!!

INSPIRATION FROM THE SHELF

Hepworth United Under 12s played Shelf today at home and we won 8-0. The opposition were a mid table side whom we had beaten earlier in the season 3-2. Today they turned up with 8 men for a 9 a side game. They were let down but we did not take pity because the last match we played against 8 we lost and it was made worse when one of the opposition players had to retire through an injury. We lost 1-2 to 7 men!

Shelf is near Halifax and having mentioned another "x" club, see yesterday's blog, I wander off now towards Bradford. Why? Well, I was chatting to one of the Shelf parents and as we were cruising to victory, I switched off from my usual touchline banter with the team, to talk to him about Bradford Park Avenue, the team he supported.

I mentioned that I had been at the Goldstone Ground, Brighton and Hove Albion's home to watch a Division Four League game in 1964 against Bradford PA. The score was 0-1 to the northerners and it was not a very impressive match. Mind you at 13 years old, who was I to judge?

Bradford Park Avenue now play in the National League North and play at the Horsfall Athletics' Stadium with a capacity crowd of 3500. This, for a team that was formed in 1907 and "re-instated" in 1984. It has been through hard times which seems to be a theme this week.

Bradford PA used to play at the Horton Park Avenue stadium, hence the name to help distinguish it from rivals Bradford City FC. The club played in the Football league from 1908 until 1970 when it dropped out of the FL, going into liquidation in 1974. The club was re-vitalised in 1987 and has worked its way up to the National League.

BPA is one of 35 clubs that has played in all four top tiers of English Football. It would test you to name the other 34.

BPA rose from the ashes in the 13th tier (Pyramid level) of Division Three of the West Riding County Amateur League and seemingly has never looked back.

The club originally formed in 1863 (the year the FA was founded) as Bradford Football Club, playing rugby. In 1907 the club took part in the "Great Betrayal" by leaving the Northern Union game (basically rugby league) in favour of Association Football.  Bradford FC joined the FL Second Division in 1908 and was promoted to the top division in 1914.

The club dropped out of the league in 1970 and was replaced by Cambridge United. When the club had huge debts (£57,000+), it went into liquidation and reformed as a Sunday league side immediately.

In 1988 the club rejoined Saturday football in the West Riding League and then moved to the Central Midlands League. In 1995, winning the North West Counties League the club joined the Vanarama National League North and moved to the Horsfall Stadium. Most recently they lost 1-2 to Solihull Moors and lie 15th in the division. Solihull are top.

Work Conquers All

COBBLERS UP, CREWE DOWN.

It's been an interesting day for football fans. Barnsley, JPT winners lost and Oxford United, beaten by Barnsley last Sunday, bounced back with a terrific 5-1 win in the league. How angry must they have been!

I had a look at AFC Penistone Church (the Reserves) playing against Athersley Recreation Reserves and also Pensitone Over 35s v Hemsworth, a 0-0 draw! Was it worth leaving the gardening for?

As the afternoon drifted past, two "nice " clubs appeared on the ticker tape thing at the bottom of the TV screen; Crewe Alexandra and Northampton Town. Both have had their difficulties and for Crewe, the Railwaymen, a few more issues have emerged since they lost today and are on their way to Division Two after a spell of 4 years in Division One.
Playing local rivals Port Vale, two snippets came to mind. Crewe is one of two clubs in the Football League with an X in their name. There was a time when there were FIVE and Crewe was the hardest one to get (name the others) and Port Vale is not a place!

That's another trivia question as PVFC play in Burslem, the name of the original club when they first played Crewe in 1892 was Burslem Port Vale. (Both clubs joined the new FL Division Two in 1892).

Today, Port Vale won 3-0. Crewe may cheer themselves up by holding on to the record set by their lovely one time manager, Dario Gradi, a Surrey man, who managed them with nothing but a youth policy from 1983-2007 and then again in 2009-11. He was a fantastic coach and real gent, surviving on youth not lashings of cash.

Northampton Town, the Cobblers, were in dire straits not too long ago and now they are jumping for joy, as they won promotion to Division One this afternoon with a 2-2 draw against Bristol Rovers. Faced with HMRC demands over unpaid taxes, there was a petition served not too long ago for administration and they had to ground share their newish stadium, Sixfields, with Coventry City who were also in the financial doldrums. Sixfields has a capacity of 7653, their club record is 7557 when Northampton played Manchester City in the league Div 2 in 1998. Today they raised 7579 Cobblers fans who saw them win promotion. The Division Title is next in line.

Having mentioned Crewe's "famous" manager, did you know that Herbert Chapman managed Northampton between 1907-12? He was cutting his teeth in the Midlands, having played for the club originally, before starting his remarkable career at Leeds, then famously at Huddersfield Town in the late 1920s and then Arsenal.

NO PRESSURE.

This is not necessarily appropriate for an 8th April anniversary, but shoot outs (penalty kicks) have been mentioned in recent blogs and I came across this little snippet that occurred at Heckmondwike in West Yorkshire. I was actually keen to find out what happened to Wakefield City (?) FC eventually after the fun and games of sharing success under the name of Emley FC. I think Wakefield went to the wall and since they ended up in the West Riding County Amateur Football League. So I found myself in West Yorkshire

A penalty shoot out was introduced to ensure there would be a winner. When Littletown played Storthes Hall it took 34 kicks before bad light stopped play! The Gunniess Book of records confirmed that this was a record.

On December 29th 2001 both teams met in a Premier Division League Cup tie. The score was 1-1 after 90 minutes and extra time. Penalties began until it was 17-17. The Storthes Hall goalie had slotted twice. There were no floodlights at that time so car headlights were switched on and nearby street lights helped a little until one spectator claimed "it was like playing down a pit".

The referee Bob Hargreaves of Halifax abandoned the match and then questions were asked; toss a coin, more pens, draw straws?, "goalden goal" and so on. You know how humourous Yorkshiremen can be. They replayed four weeks later. Anyone know who won?

In 1998, a junior Derby Community Cup tie, with under 10s, took 66 kicks at goal with the first 60 missing the goal altogether. One team won 2-1. Small goals big keepers?

An FA Cup record had been set when Macclesfield won a first round replay 11-10 over Forest Green Rovers after 24 penalties were taken. Three penalties had been  awarded during normal time, so at least three players had been practised!

Here are some others:http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/29338700

MASTERLY EMLEY AND BASHED BASHLEY

I wonder how many people are reading this blog? I can check out the viewing figures on the blog front page, but I don't believe these, because I keep getting new comments from all over the world; well Kirkburton is my latest one and that's pretty far away. Thanks Rob.

So the Bashley item perked up Rob who saw them play Emley FC in the FA Vase in 1987-8 a game that ended 2-1 to Emley, who were, at the time, flying as high as the Emley mast.

In the previous season, Emley had lost the FA Vase semi-final to St Helens Town 2-1 after extra time, a cruel blow. But in the year of greater success, Emley went on to meet Colne Dynamoes on the 23rd April at Wembley in front of 15,000 fans, a game they lost 0-1 in extra time. It's tough at the top.

Emley,  having swept their league to one side that season, were not granted promotion because they played on a three sided ground and it needed development. Their far touchline ran onto Emley Cricket club, a ground I know quite well. The football pitch needed to be enclosed "to meet League requirements."

I first went to Emley on the back of two particularly good innings for Hoylandswaine CC in the Huddersfield and District League. It was my pleasure to take my cricket kit north with me to play for the local club during the summer holidays. During the "Barnsley Fortnight" players were not always at home.
.
I drove from Surrey one early September Saturday to see if I could make a trio of big scores. Opening the innings and on top form, I was out in the first over. Dooh!

The next time I visited Emley was for a junior mid week match with Scholes CC U11s last season and there was no opposition when we got there. Game postponed?? We would have won!

Emley FC went on to be known as Wakefield Town FC for a while and they found themselves a fully enclosed home ground. This did not last long as Wakefield was wound up and Emley slunk back to their old three sided ground, the club renamed as AFC Emley and they now play in the Toolstation Northern Cojnties East league Division One, along with Penistone Church.
AFC Emley lie 4th and PCFC 6th in the division at the moment. The club badge as it was.

It's a small world and yet sometimes a world apart.

The club badge as it is. Bird note! The nickname is the peewits.

By the way Bashley's last few results include defeats: 4-0, 6-0, 6-0, 6-0, 1-2, 7-0, 7-0, 11-0, 5-0, 3-0, 5-2.
They play Tiverton this week! You going Lew?

SOME ARE UP AND SOME ARE DOWN

It is early April and many teams have the end of the season in sight. Some don't. With many postponements due to weather, clubs all over the country are having to play three times a week. If your club happens to have had a good cup run, then matters have got even more stressed.

Hepworth United FC in the Huddersfield and District League play their Barlow Cup final at the Galpharm (Huddersfield Town FC) on Monday 11th at 7pm. This is just one extra match to add to the 10 league games remaining before the club knows whether they are going to do the double.

The weather in the Pennines is shocking at the moment and the chances of getting these outstanding matches played is slim. At present hail is falling and lying on the ground like snow.

Think about the Premier run in and Leicester's excitement or the concerns of clubs like Bolton, who are written off in their division already. The end of the season brings cheers and tears.

In the Vanarama National League, Cheltenham head it, Forest Green, Grimsby, Dover and Tranmere are in the play offs.

For York and Dagenham in the Football League, it looks like the "Non League Paper" for them next season.

Scanning the Non League paper, I have some thoughts for New Mills in the Evo-Stick Northern PL Division One South and Bashley in the Evo-Stick Division One South and West, who have mustered 2 points all season.

New Mills, obviously, have not won a game and have conceded 136 goals scoring only 21. With a 0-9 result on Saturday, they will be glad that they only have seven games left.

Bashley have similarly drawn twice and letting in 186 goals scoring 12 with only 3 left.

In the Abacus Lighting Central Midlands League, Welbeck Welfare are -2 points in total winning one match all season and letting in 172 goals, scoring 16 in 23 games so far. In the Taylor's West Riding County Amateur league  (Premier), Yorskhire based Hunsworth have gathered one point and also conceded 9 on Saturday, 162 all in this season. It has been a long 2015-16 for some of our little clubs.

CUP, BUS, BAND AND BALL

The Town was relatively quiet this morning as I went into Barnsley. I would have thought the town cleaners would have been gathering up the ticker tape welcome debris and moving the crowd barriers as the open top bus did its tour of the town yesterday, but no! Nothing to write home about. I expect I shall erad the Barnsley Chrinical and find that there was a major celebration at Oakwell and all the top brass were there.

Barnsley were the only club to have won the FA Cup (1912) when not in thre top flight since the Football League began in 1888. Barnsley joined the FL in 1898-9 season in the Second Division. The club eventually made it to the top flight in 1997!

After drawing the first game with WBA 0-0 at the Crystal Palace on 20th April (54,000+ watched this), a replay on 24th April at Sheffield United's Bramall Lane, attracting another 38,000+, they became the only club to have won the cup in Yorkshire. The Tykes had to play 12 ties to win the final, something of a major feat. The team conceded only 3 goals in those ties and scored 11. Four of their matches were against Cup holders Bradford City.

The semi-final against Swindon Town at Stamford Bridge broke the receipts record for a cup tie-it was £2985 from over 48,000 people.

Nicknames emerged for the "Battling Barnsley" players who were deemed to be "Bright Nuts from Barnsley's hard seam....guaranteed to give you a hot time and last well"; a reference to the high quality coal coming from the South Yorkshire coalfield.

The final went to a replay for the fourth year running and Harry Tufnell, the inside right scored with two minutes left in extra time. The WBA captain Jesse Pennington might have brought Tufnell down as the last defender, but didn't and that was the way the game was played in those days.

Back in town, the Territorial Army band played in front of the players' bus and hundreds of people thronged the streets. When the bus reached the club's headquarters at the Clarence Hotel, the Mayor Cotterill was waiting on the balcony to greet the team. As the players tried to get to the hotel there was a massive crush and the cup fell to the ground under a horse, fortunately there was no damage done.

The club presented the Reverend Preedy, who founded the club, with the match ball which he  kept for the rest of his life.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e92hZ4mQZXU

The next day, the FA Cup winners played Chelsea at Oakwell (7,000 crowd) in a league game and unsurprisingly lost 0-2. The next Monday was their final league game of the season and Barnsley beat Glossop 1-0 with 2,000 watching.

CLOTH CAPS AND MORTAR BOARDS

There was a call for all Barnsley fans to "don" cloth caps and brings their whippets with them to Wembley, just to add to the occasion. Some of us from the north wore caps, some from the south, brightly coloured yellow and blue oneseys, as once again the Johnstone's Paint Trophy brought a little bit of paradise to all those football fans involved with the lower league clubs, a day out to remember.

As we emerged at Wembley Park station there were seas of red and yellow on all the walkways, more police than you could shake a stick at but there was no need. Only friendly banter, family language and unmusical chants echoed around the Olympic Way. As the afternoon gathered momentum, the beer did its trick and inside our great national stadium around 2.30, nearly 60,000 fans 2/3rds filled Wembley's seats.

For the players it was dream come true, to play on the hallowed turf and regardless of the result, this was a day to savour. For the true fans of the Football League, those few thousands who turn out week in and week out, home and away it was dream come true.

NO neither Barnsley nor Oxford United get gates of 30,000 on match days and the Us brought a much bigger crowd than the Tykes. It didn't matter, the Barnsley lot were just as vocal, cheering on the game which was a brilliant example of a do or die cup final between a good Division One side and a Division Two team on its uppers. There was not a lot to choose between them.

What was great about the whole occasion was the sponsorship, the last of the ten years of which has been provided by Johnstone's Paint. I have been watching local lads try to volley footballs into large inflatable paint cans at half time at a number of grounds for years now. Does anyone buy Johnstone's Paint? It doesn't matter, they get their exposure and this marvellous occasion was provided by their generosity. So good on them.
Let us hope that a new sponsor is found soon. The game needs cup finals like this.

There was an English Schools' FA showpiece match between a girls' school from Shrewsbury and another from Cambridge, there were barrage balloons, flares and fireworks, the warm ups, Dickie Bird and Michael Parkinson  paraded on the pitch, dancing girls with pom poms all over the place and well, I am  not quite sure who was representing Oxford United in the hospitality; maybe a Vice-Chancellor from the Dark Blue University?

Needless to say many of the prawn sandwich brigade missed goals because they either were late out of the lounges or leaving their padded seats to visit the toilets yet again, after over indulging in pre-match and half time lubrication. It's a disgrace. But who cares! We saw it all.

But I didn't see the Barnsley Bard (was he there?) nor a brass band and I told the sponsors, some of whom happened to be sitting with me in hospitality (just thought I would throw that into the text), that they had missed a trick. Why not get the best Colliery Brass Band from Barnsley to play inside or outside the stadium and what about a tripe and onions eating competition; maybe the prawn sandwich lot could join in? Wembley used to do greyhounds, where was the whippets race?

Finally, a special word about Paul Heckingbottom, whom I thought provided the TV cameras with the true meaning of this event, speaking for the people and about the people. There was no hierarchy, no elitism, he was one for all and all for one. Well done young man, born in Royston, made in Barnsley; may you and your team prosper for the rest of the season.

A LICK OF PAINT

Barnsley town centre will be empty today, Oxford will be full of tourists and students. Football fans from the two towns are making a day of it at Wembley. The Tykes supporters, venturing out of their comfort zone, are heading south in their thousands. The Johnstones Paint Trophy is a very good excuse for successful smaller clubs to have their day out.

I am going to Wembley today. The sun is up, it looks like it might be a cracking Spring day and it will be a perfect experience, win or not.

Barnsley have had a terrific run of form under Paul Heckingbottom's guidance in Division One and Oxford are in the top handful in Division Two. 

There is a recent blog on Oxford United and there are some references about Barnsley too. After one season as the Associate Members' Cup, Freight Rover sponsored this splendid competition from 1984-7. It then was over to Sherpa Vans to support the Trophy until 1989, the. Leyland DAF Cup until 1991, Autoglass for three years, Auto Windscreens Shield through to 2000 and finally LDV Vans until 2006.

The 1984 final was not played at Wembley due to damage caused to the pitch by the Horse of the Year Show, so it was moved to Boothferry Park, Hull City, and they lost to Harry Redknapp's Bournemouth.

In 1987 the final was decided by penalties, the first time this happened at Wembley when Mansfield defeated Bristol City.

In 1995 Birmingham City beat Carlisle by the stadium's first "golden goal". 

Well known Barnsley players to have trod the turf in these finals include, Wayne Biggins, Rory Delap, Andy Liddell and Martin Bullock. 

Many other famous players have played in this final including Joe Jordan, Shaun Goater, Tim Cahill, Steve Bull, Phil Leal and Ricky Lambert. 

We are in for a super day! 

MOST IMPORTANT TIME IN HISTORY FOR LEICESTER FOSSE?

I heard today, Mr Ranieri state that this final run in for his very exciting 2015-16 Leicester City team is this most important period in the history of the club. I tend to agree but having looked up the 20 or more blogs (out of about 580) that I have written containing the word Leicester, there is quite a bit of "history" to the Foxes. I nipped out two past blogs which you probably won't have read and probably won't be bothered to suffer now, but if you do I promise you won't be disappointed.

http://baileyfootballblog.blogspot.co.uk/2016/03/richard-and-monks.html
http://baileyfootballblog.blogspot.co.uk/2016/01/total-football-or-just-very-good-players.html

Leicester FC has been on the go since 1884 and were originally known as Leicester Fosse playing on a ground by the Fosse Road, (a Roman Road which marked the western border of the Roman Empire. It was originally a fossa or ditch).

Leicester adopted the name City in 1919 when it was given "city status" and has moved grounds a few times since then. I am proud to say that Charterhouse School 1st XI was lucky enough to play at Leicester City FC in the ISFA Cup Final a couple of times. And very welcoming they were too. Now for some history.

Having been elected to the Football league in 1894 the club lost its first league game against Grimsby Town 3-4. The first league victory was over Rotherham Utd the following week at Filbert Street.The next season, which must have been a good one, the club was promoted to the First Division.

I think an FA Cup Final appearance in 1949, losing to Wolves 1-3, was a landmark, especially since the club was just surviving in Division Two, by winning a crucial match a week later. They then won the Dvision title in 1954 with Arthur Rowley the leading goal scorer, whom you should know! he scored loads of goals.

The Foxes lost two FA Cup Finals in 1961 and 1963 and in 1964 won the League Cup over Stoke (the club's first silver ware) and lost in the final the next year to Chelsea. This was when their manager Matt Gillies produced the "whirl and switch" system of movement on the pitch, manufactured from the legendary Hungarians and Austrians from a previous decade or two.

The Foxes went to another FA Cup Final in 1969 and after a bit of messing around between divisions the club finally won a trophy, the League Cup in 1997 and 2000, being runners up in 1999.

In 2002-3 the club moved to the Walkers' Stadium after 111 years at Filbert Street. In 2013-14 Leicester won the Championship, the seventh time of winning the "second tier", a record. The next period fo football is well known and may be found in previous blogs!!!!