PANENKA PENALTY

I was coaching our junior girls on Wednesday last; a cold rainy evening. The girls are resilient and just get on with things. They apologise to each other if they collide, tackle or trip each other and treat one another like human beings! On one occasion last week, two girls had a "coming together" and fell gracefully as a duet to the grassy ground. As they recovered getting onto their hands and knees one looked down at her friends hands and said "I like your nails". What a classic moment!

Looking good of course is very important in football as our heroes on the pitch have to prove. None are more concerned about their appearance than Joe Hart whose is the figure "head", so to speak, of Head and Shoulders. (cue www.headandshoulders.co.uk) No dandruff Harty.

Joe is a good penalty stopper and an article in the paper today about Hart's technique, which might prove valuable in the upcoming tournament, used the words "Pirlo's....most woundingly casual Panenka." Making reference to the penalty taken by Andrea Pirlo against Hart in the the 2012 European Championship in Kiev. We lost.

The Panenka is a delicately disguised chipped penalty taken by deceiving the goalkeeper who thinks the shot is going into a corner of the goal. You have to give the keeper the eyes and keep looking before meeting the ball with confidence, chipping it centrally. It takes "balls" to do it!

Hart has made a number of important penalty saves against Ronaldinho in 2013, Lampard in the same month, Messi in a Champions League game in 2015 and Ibrahimovic recently against PSG. How often has he met a player with the composure of Pirlo?

His save rate in the Premier League is 26.3% 7th in the list. Bosnich tops it with 33.3%

So we know about the saves and I am sure there is a psychology behind it all; but what about the Panenka?

Antonin Panenka is 67 years old and is President of the Bohemians Praha in the Czech republic.
He played for the club from Youth level through till 1981 and then went to Rapid Wien, VSE St. Polten and finished his playing career in Austria. He represented his country 59 times between 1973-82 and won acclaim for his cheeky penalty scored against the Germans in Belgrade in the UEFA Euro Cup in 1976. At 4-3 up in penalties after an extra time 2-2 draw, his fifth penalty was softly chipped to the middle of the goal as the German keeper dived away from the centre of the goal. One journalist referred to this as "poet of a goal".
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bd1Hr96IenI

In 1980 he was made Czech Footballer of the Year and helped his team to 3rd in the Euro Championships.

Josh Stones scored a Panenka against Juventus in the International Champions Cup in 2013 and those who have successfully missed using the technique include Neymar and van Persie.
Here are some more good and bad.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rO-Q8seyktw

PLAYS OFF DONE-KINDER VERY HAPPY

AFC Wimbledon play within hearing distance of my daughter's home in Kingston-upon-Thames and it is exciting that they are going to be one step up in the pyramid next year.  I may make an excuse to head south, visit her and her family, just to take in a game at Kingsmeadow; the present ground.

Following their collapse from the Football League after being First Division members and famous underdog FA Cup winners in 1988, the club has had a confused history.

AFC Wimbledon found themselves in the Combined Counties League in 2002, 9th Tier with trials on Wimbledon Common before they had a squad. In 2004 they were promoted to the Isthmian League Premier and stayed high in the table until 2008 when they joined the Conference South and won a play off to the Conference Premier in 2009 and rising to the Football League in 2011 beating Luton in the Conference Play Off at the Etihad.

AFC met MKDons in the FA Cup in 2012 for the first tme since the "parting of the ways" and by 2016 (today) the Wombles are promoted to the FL League One, beating Plymouth Argyle today 2-0 at Wembley. A phoenix rising from the ashes.

Are (is) those (that) on the badge a Phoenix? Nope they are (it is) an eagle (s).

Congratulations to Ivor Heller who has led the rise through the leagues. Why him? It was the smell of the liniment, bovril, the '" lights of the stadium" that made him fall in love with the club. Watch out for another football film, this one planned to show the rise of AFC Wimbledon through the pyramid, written by John Green, an American author, who calls this the "greatest underdog story".

GOOD NEWS is that before the Play Off today the Cleves' School, Wimbledon played the Samuel Barlow Primary, representing Mansfield Town, in a Sky Bet League 2 Kinder+Sport Cup Final on the famous pitch. Along with Ferrero's Kinder, the scheme promotes better healthier lifestyles through an educational trust along with support from the Football League. 72 schools started out the competitons, representing their "home club" and the winners of each tournament got to play at the national stadium before the finals.

There is also a U13 Girls Cup, Futsal for U16s and a Challenge Cup for U18s. Mitre help with the sponsorship.
On top of this the club has FA Chartered Community Status and the Prime Minister's Big Society's award for services to the public.

Next season the Wombles closest opponents will be Southend, Charlton, Millwall and MK Dons.The beauty is that on day one of the new season AFCWimbledon will find themselves above MK Dons in the table-on alphabetical order!

Congratulations to Barnsley who worked their way back to the Championship beating Millwall in their Play Off  Final. Millwall can stay where they are and keep their crowd mayhem in League One.

BRIAN GLANVILLE

Charterhouse School, sorry but I am going to mention the place again, has contributed to Global Football in one way or another. We could argue that the Carthusians helped invent the organised game, the school captain was present at the first FA meeting in 1863, the Old Carthusians were the Real Madrid of their age, leading football development in the 19th Century and even providing international footballers over several decades and taking the game abroad. 

The school has also provided the sport with coaches, medics, marketers, FA officials and most importantly sports' writers. In the Sunday Times today old boy, Brian Glanville is reported to have been given a major award. Described as one of the most celebrated and influential football writers, he is honoured by the Cross Sports Book of the Year award, for his outstanding contribution to sports' writing.

He has covered 14 World Cups, working for the Sunday Times for over 30 years. The presentation takes place at Lords Cricket Ground on Wednesday. Brian began working in journalism at 16 with his first major writing as a 19 year old when he ghost wrote the autobiography on his Arsenal hero Cliff Bastin.

The list of books and various publications is long and his name can be found accompanying articles in the magazines such as World Soccer and the Italian newspaper Corriere dello Sport. He spent a lot of time writing about Italian Calcio.

In the 1960s he wrote for the satirical TV programme "That Was the Week that Was",  wrote the screen play for "Goal!", the account of the 1966 World Cup, scripted some radio and stage plays and helped select winners of the Ballon d' Or. 

"Writers have looked up to Brian with his shining example of excellence..." At 85 years old he still attends matches. The presentation is being filmed by Sky Sports for broadcasting next weekend.

I met Brian Glanville on several occasions as he kept an interest in the school's football. One typical moment was when he arranged a junior football match between a Charterhouse XI and his grandson's school's side; his grandson's school only played rugby!

YORKSHIRE DERBY

15,000+ tick. Ta.

Sheffield Wednesday take on Hull today in an all Yorkshire play off derby, at Wembley. Seems a bit strange dragging all those thousands of fans to the south but who cares about having to make the journey to London when there is so much fun to be had (at a price).

Wednesday, once known as just that when the club was first formed, last played in the Premier League in 2000 and after some years "slumming" it in the Championship and below they came a creditable 6th this season.
Hull came nine points higher than Wednesday in the division and both teams drew 1-1 in their two league fixtures this season. "Wisdom and courage".

Hull have a bit of recent history with the national stadium, with various play offs, so Steve Bruce will have his players mentally prepared before this nerve wracking Final. Simple things help, like taking the team to Wembley for a tour before the match, so the players feel comfortable with their "new" surroundings on the actual day. Ian Holloway used to make sure his players knew where their family and friends would be sitting in the stadium, so the players wouldn't fret over not being able to make visual contact with them as they walk out onto the pitch. Simple schemes save energy.

Cracking play offs have graced Wembley in the past with a famous 1993 Swindon Town v Leicester 4-3 (hard to believe that about Swindon isn't it?), 1995 Bolton v Reading 4-3, 1998 Sunderland 4 v Charlton 4 (Charlton win after 13 scored penalties) and 2010 Blackpool 3 Cardiff 2.

Without doubt they raise the level excitement but you have question the way the play offs are sorted. Should Wednesday have found their way into the final considering their final league placing? Brighton certainly think they should have been there instead based on a season's form.

Tomorrow is Barnsley and Millwall; a clash of cultures.

PULLING THE WOOL

Only another couple of dozen hits on this very popular blog and I shall be on the 15,000 mark. Hey, not bad for a novice with limited appeal. But I have my loyal supporters who tune in most days, so thank you.

I am fed up to the back teeth with Mourinho and EU In or Out. How much longer have we got to put up with Jose and Boris? The Europe thing could lead me onto the Euro Championships in France but I really should be focussing on the Football League Play offs in England. Wembley's ground staff will be stretched to the limit this weekend coping with three "finals". But before I launch into those (probably tomorrow) I am making the obvious lnk between Jose Mourinho and Australia.

Can anyone get it? Yes, football is fairly obvious, but it is the woolly four legged friends that I am more interested in-the Merino Sheep, a "native" of down under.

They had their origins in Spain and produce a fine, soft wool that is now used in outdoor wear and athletics, as well as other products. 70 beasts arrived in Australia on the "First Fleet" in January 1788 and despite dwindling to only 28 animals they gradually were boosted into large flocks. Why Merino? Some say they are named after a famous pasture inspector from Iberia (is there such a thing), or from the Latin "maiorinus" meaning head or great, like a "leader" or after the 12-13th Century Iberian tribe, the marini.
Interesting isn't it?

Which brings me onto Australia, who are England's "friendly" opponents at the Stadium of Light tonight. Yes, you can see the FA's thinking, by taking to poor old Aussies even further north away from their Autumnal homeland the poor Soccereoos will be a soft touch. (p.s. The ECB have done just the same with the poor old Sri Lankans who have been dragged north to Headingly and Chester-le-Street in our "winter", to play these early test matches on humid, swinging pitches, so that Anderson and Broad can fill their boots.)

The Socceroos have six players presently playing in English football, of whom Adam Federici might be the best known, a goalkeeper with Bournemouth. He had a long spell with Reading and also turned out for Maidenhead Utd, Northwood and Carshalton Athletic on his journey to Dorset!

The others presently turn out at Preston NE (Bailey Wright had a few games with Dandenong Thunder in Victoria before he stepped up), Liverpool (actually Brad Smith is on loan to Swindon Town and has played 16 times for England U20s), Crystal Palace (Mile Jedinak has played over 160 times for CP and has had a spell in Turkey), Crewe (Brad Inman moved to England at 14 years old to trial at Newcastle and has played for the Scotland U19/20s) and QPR (Massimo Luongo is of Italian and Indonesian origin who joined Spurs as a youth but has been with Ipswich and Swindon). There are two Scots in the pile one with Celtic and the other with Ross County.

WHAT A DIFFERENCE 34 YEARS MAKES.

On May 26th 1982 Aston Villa won the European Cup beating Bayern Munich in front of 45,000, at the Feyenoord Stadium in Rotterdam. Bayern were already three time winners of the trophy and had superstars in their team such as Hoeness, Rummenigge and Brietner. So what happened?

In a nutshell, first choice goalkeeper Jimmy Rimmer had to leave the field after 10 minutes due to a neck injury and ineffectual painkillers.

Sub goalie was Nigel Spink who at 23 was a stripling and had only made one appearance for the team since joining Villa in 1977. He was the hero and made many great saves against the international class Germans.

Villa scored one after 67 minutes when Gary Shaw passed to Tony Morley who slipped the ball across the penalty area to Peter Withe who tapped home; and then parked the bus.

Spink left Villa in 1996 gathering another 458 appearances and finished his career at WBA.

Prior to this success, master minded by the quietly spoken assistant manager Tony Barton, manager Ron Saunders, who had a no nonsense approach to football ( I saw him play at Portsmouth and at centre forward there was no nonsense!), had quit the team when they were in the quarter finals after a disagreement with the chairman. Saunders went on to Birmingham and West Brom before retiring and at 83 is still alive.

Barton took the side to win the European Cup, adding to the many other trophies won by a team that is one of the most historic clubs in the country. Sadly the following year or so did not match up to that success and he was sacked in 1984.

He was born in Surrey and played for one of my old clubs, Sutton United. He went on to manage at Northampton Town but suffered a heart attack and resigned. He then recovered to be assistant manager at Southampton, then went along the coast to Portsmouth and eventually was offered the managership at non-league Hampshire club, Petersfield Town, but died before he could take up the post, in 1993 aged 56.

Villa have won the 1st Division title 7 times, the FA Cup 7 times, the Football League Cup 5 times, and the UEFA Super Cup beating Barcelona in 1982. As now, turmoil happened and Villa were relegated in 1987. Graham Taylor took over and things changed!!

COME HERE ROVERS YOU ARE ON TELLY

I watched "Rovers" last night, a comedy series on Sky 1 written by Joe Wilkinson and David Earl. Take a few members of "Early Doors" and "the Royle Family", film for 4 days and produce a series of 6 and a half hours for the telly. The set was at New Mills AFC, described by some as the worst team in the pyramid. The team this season, played in the Northern Premier League Div One North, but finances are short and of course results rely on cash in football. In Step 4 the Millers drew three games, scored 26 and let in 156 goals in 42. So not such a good season then, especially after a run of 19 losing games in the first 19 matches of the season.

New Mills FC founded in 1919, were originally known as New Mill St Georges. The club's latest triumph was in 2011-12 when they won the North-west Counties Premier League championship, Step 5. This year's winners were Colne (near Nelson) who mustered 100 points and 105 goals and were promoted. 

I might add an old club of mine, Horsham FC, won their step 5 league this season and are promoted. Well done the Hornets.

Much of the filming is in the club house and some shots are of the Church Lane pitch and surrounds, which may be described as "grubby". 

Well known stars as Craig Cash, the dopey son in law in the Royle family and Sue Johnston, the mum in law, lead the line, so to speak.

New Mills has a population of around 10,000 and is located somewhere on the edge of Manchester. 

The episode proved mucky at times and reference is made to the one time star of the club, Stanley Bell whose has a stand named after him. Yes, the Stanley Bell End.

The Millers, the team in real life, are played out as Redbridge Rovers FC, a moderate local league side with a faithful following. The Rovers won't want to be as useless as New Mills who easily finished bottom of their division and mustered 3 points all season.

Various well known clubs are mentioned in the script, some not necessarily in the league New Mills were relegated from. "Frickley has Plexiglas dugouts", Skelmersdale gets a mention....

As New Mills go down, Warrington Town and Spennymoor Town get promotion from their division to Step 3.

There is an opportunity for viewers or anyone else, as a matter of fact, to design the new New Mills kit for next season. June 6th is the deadline and the winner gets £100, a season ticket and your name in the programme. Wooohoooo! Get in touch.

Ps Shaun Goater, from " Feed the Goat" fame once helped manage the side.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ERIC

Today is Eric Cantona's 50th birthday. Well known for acting the fool, wearing his collar up, posing when he has just chipped the keeper from 25 yards and jumping onto abusive members of the Crystal Palace crowd (he was banned for 8 months from playing football in 1995). Eric is now a well known actor, best loved for his lager adverts. But there is much more to him! 

Eric was born in 1966 and his parents were of Sardinian and Catalan origin. They lived in a cave in cliffs in Marseille. Fortunately, his grandfather, a stonemason, converted it into a family home. His mother was a dress maker and his father a nurse and painter. He had to be an actor in the end.

Jimmy Bullard acts the fool too and if you look back at past blogs there will be an odd reference to this genial clown. He has recently been hired by Soccer AM to do a weekly gig called "You know the drill". If you look up Soccer AM or You know the drill, you will find many of his challenges. I am using the ipad to write this blog and I'm not entirely sure how to get the link for you, but you will sort it out! 

It may look something like this-

Soccer AM - You Know The Drill - Two Touch Shooting Challenge | Facebook

https://www.facebook.com › videos OR

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pl4NLOtXE0

If you want to get serious then also go for Allan Russell's videos. He is a professional "strikers" coach and he travels the continent giving advice to goal scorers. There are a number of useful drills to bring into your coaching sessions. 

Of course he has met Jimmy, but I doubt that he has met Eric. Not that Eric ever needed advice on scoring. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6JULy5_ox4

KEEP ON! KEEPING ON!

Danny Wallace has been in better shape. Born in Greenwich in 1964, he was a Southampton starlet at 16 and his spell with the Saints was 9 years long, playing over 300 times. He helped the club rise to the dizzy heights of runners up in the old First Division and took them to play Liverpool in an FA Cup semi-final. The Saints side was full of very good players; Shilton, Keegan, Le Tiss and co.

In 1990 he joined Manchester United whilst his brother Rod went to Leeds. Things did not go that well for Danny and any match that he played in against Leeds led to the fans taunting Danny by the suggestion that they had got the better brother. There was also another brother Ray at the Dell and all three played against Sheffid Wednesday in 1988-89, the first time three brothers had played for the same team in a top division match since the 1920s.

Danny was slowly in decline and during the early 90s he gradually realised that not all was well; he was eventually diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. This led to injuries and a lack of form of course, which rapidly brought about his retirement in 1997. He has an FA Cup winners' medal and a European Cup Winners medal although that was earned on the bench and also won 1 international cap for England against Egypt in 1986 after being a regular at U21 level.

His career spiralled downwards, so he tried to recover his form by going to Birmingham briefly, Millwall on loan and to Wycombe in 1995, but that was about it.

Danny then had various bouts of depression and inevitably other forms of "illness" which he and his wife, Jan, have had to endure. He has formed the Danny Wallace foundation and his aim is to raise awareness of his condition and invest money to help others. He started his fund raising when "did" the London Marathon in 2006, taking five days or so to complete.

Where are the others from his era? Well a number are still involved in football, such as Mike Phelan, Mark Robins and Paul Ince but others have not been so lucky.

Les Sealey died on a heart attack in 2001, Lee Martin helps young people in Chester find jobs, Neil Webb has worked as a postman in Reading and a truck driver, Bryan Robson has recovered from throat cancer now a pundit and Clayton Blackmore became a professional golfer.

Most of these named are in their late 40 or 50s. Wallace is 52 and Robbo 59. But don't fret, there is hope! Well you could play walking football OR keep taking the tablets.....what about this chap?

On Sunday the FA Vase went to 9th tier side, Morpeth FC, whose veteran pro, Chris Swailes, became the oldest goal scorer at the New Wembley, when he slotted home for his team against Hereford to take the trophy north.

Swailes had a career at Ipswich, retired from the pro game after having a metal screw inserted in his ankle to help repair an old injury and on top of that had heart surgery. He left full time football 10 years ago after playing at Bury and Rotherham. At 45 years old, he has now won the Vase three times; once with Bridlington at 22 years old, then with Dunston UTS in 2012 and now with the Highwaymen. 

TAKE THE BULL BY THE HORNS

After the drama of the "big boys'" cup final yesterday, it was time to get the mowers out and put back the divots in the Wembley turf (mainly where Chris Smalling floundered in the wake of Palace's pace) to welcome Non-League Footballers for their two big finales.

Grimsby Town played Halifax Town for the honour of lifting the FA Trophy, but it was the early 12.15 kick off for the FA Vase final that brought ex Football League team Hereford United to Wembley. 

Revitalised by a loyal fan base, the Bulls were supported by a crowd of 19,000 from the Welsh borders and a prize Hereford Bull called Hawkesbury Ronaldo, weighing in at 1.3 tons. The FA officials are allowing the mascot on to the pitch before the game. After a series of disasters, Hereford had no club in December 2014 and their officials have now staged a remarkable recovery being rewarded by this day out at Wembley.

Sadly it did not quite work out for the Bulls as they were comfortably beaten by Northumbrians Morpeth FC. Morpeth is a small town in the north-east and it was estimated that the "Highwaymen" brought 25% of the local population in support. 

The club had some trials en route to the final, finding themselves 0-4 down in the 1st Round against West Didsbury and Chorlton, pulling back to a 5-4 victory. They also had a 3rd Round 3-3 draw  against South Shields, eventually winning 10-9 on penalties. They have also played 22 games in 51 days, catching up on delayed league games which left them 3rd in the league.

In the Trophy, there was a remarkable turn round in fortunes, as FC Halifax Town upset the odds by beating The Mariners 1-0. The Shaymen, having recently been relegated to the National League North,  now hold the Trophy for the first time. Grimsby, losing finalists in 2013, have gone in the other direction in league football, recently beating Forest Green Rovers in the National League Play Off at Wembley. 

In the two league fixtures between the clubs this season, Grimsby won 7-0 and Halifax 4-2.

FA CUP RECORDS

Most wins: Arsenal 12 (played 19 finals overall).
Most consecutive wins: The Wanderers and Blackburn Rovers 3 (The Wanderers were public school alumni playing in the 1870s and won the cup 5 times in 5 finals).
Rovers won their hat trick in the 1880s.
Leicester City have been in 4 finals without winning-a record.
Everton have had most defeats in finals 8.
Biggest win 6-0 Bury v Derby 1903.
Ashley Cole has played in 7 winning finals with Arsenal and Chelsea.
Lord Arthur Kinnaird appeared in most finals with the Wanderers and Old Etonians-9, in rthe 19th C.
Curtis Weston of Millwall is the youngest Cup Finalist 17 yrs 119 days.
Norman Whiteside of Manchester United is the youngest goal scorer 18 yrs 19 days.
The oldest Finalist is Billy Hampson of Newcastle United 1924: 41 yrs 257 days.
Gareth Morris of Ashton United scored the fastest Cup goal in 4 seconds v Skelmersdale in September 2001.
Andy Locke of Nantwich Town v Droylsden scored the fastest hat trick in 2 mins 20 seconds 1995.
George Williams at 16 yrs 2 months and 5 days is the youngest goal scorer in proper rounds for MK Dons v Nantwich town 2001-12
Andy Awford is the youngest player in rounds at 15 yrs 88 days for Worcester City v Boreham Wood 3rd Qual Rd 1987-8.
Ted MacDougall scored 9 goals for Bournemouth v Margate in a cup qualifying round win of 11-0 in November 1971. He also scored 103 goals in 146 starts for Bournemouth.
Longest tie was in 1971 when Oxford City played Alvechurch over 660 minutes (6 matches) in a 4th Rd Qualifier. Alvechurch won 1-0 in the sixth tie.
Biggest home/overall win Preston NE v Hyde 26-0 in the First Rd October 1887.
Biggest away win 0-14 for Nottingham Forest at Clapton January 1891.
Most ties played in competition: Bideford Town 13 in 1973-4 from First Qual to 1st Round proper.

ITS ALMOST SUMMER

FA Cup Final tomorrow. I wonder if Liverpool had qualified for the FA Cup Final, whether they would have had to play so soon after the Europa Final? It is a well published date and not to be tampered with.
FA Cup Final dates are now more likely at the end of May and I guess they and UEFA have to juggle numbers in years previously to avoid clashes.
The Cup Final date used to be set in the first week of May (and in early years even further back in March/April).
More recently a number of finals have been held in the second half of May and the trend continues.

Reasons for the "jump" to the latter May Saturdays reflect the readjustment in the calendar  (i.e. jumping back a week etc), longer league seasons, timing of international tournaments, the availability of the stadium (when Wembley was being renovated), whenever there is a full moon....only kidding.

This season's final is not being held on the latest date ever, but the Premier League has only just concluded and the play offs are in full swing, European tourneys are still being held, Euro16 is not a mile away, so the timing is about right-just.

The late May date seemed to come into use in 1963.

In 1963: Manchester Utd v Leicester was held on 25th May.
1967: Tottenham v Chelsea 20th May
In the 1970s the referee was rewarded with the Cup Final "gig" by being offered either the fee (15 guineas-a guinea = £1 and 1 shilling) or the medal! That eventually changed.
Here are the late May dates, you might remember the scores?
1977: Manchester Utd v Liverpool 21st May

1982: Tottenham v QPR 22nd
1983: Manchester Utd v Brighton 21st and replayed on 26th
1989: Liverpool v Everton 20th
1995: Everton v Manchester United 20th
1999: Manchester United v Newcastle 22nd
2000: Chelsea v Aston Villa 20th
2004: Man Utd v Millwall at Cardiff 22nd
2005: Man Utd v Arsenal 21st
2009: Chelsea v Everton 30th
2015: Arsenal v Aston Villa 30th

And to cheer you up here are some of the "most memorable" cup final songs.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/32918539

CHIVERS PRESERVED

When Tottenham won the two legged UEFA Cup Final in May (3rd and 17th) 1972 , Martin Chivers scored 2 and added to his impressive tally of goals in all forms of the professional game. He became the 3rd highest goal scorer for the Spurs signed by Bill Nicholson in January 1968 from Southampton for a sizeable £125,000. Chivers'place at Southampton was taken by Micky Channon and they also gained Frank Saul from the Spurs!

A schoolboy at Taunton's Grammar School (bright lad) in Southampton (also well known for its football prowess), he made his debut with his home club in 1962 and scored 97 goals in 174 appearances. He holds the honour of being the first substitute to score for the Saints, this against Newcastle in April 1963, when he came on and scored the only goal in a 1-4 defeat.

He joined Tottenham and played for 8 years scoring twice in the League Cup win over aston Villa in 1971. He went on to Servette in Switzerland in 1976 (33 goals in 66), Norwich (11/4), Brighton (5/1), managed at Dorchester, went to Frankston City in Melbourne, FC Vard (Norway) and Barnet.
He retired and runs a hotel in Hertfordshire and was found playing the legend in hospitality at White Hart Lane, when it was there.

His contribution to Spurs' success in that period involved 22 goals in 33 European matches, 118 goals in 278 league games, 11 in 24 FA Cup ties, 23 in 33 League Cup games (won two finals 1971 and 1973) and 13 goals in 24 international caps. So he was prolific wasn't he? Yes.

He was the top club scorer between 1970-1 and 1973-4, amassing a huge 42 goals in 1971-2.
Jimmy Greaves tops the all time list with 0.70 goals per game (266 goals), Bobby Smith second with 0.66 (208) and Chivers third 0.47 (174).

He held the highest goalscorer in European competitions for the Spurs for 39 years until Jermain Defoe overtook him in November 2013.

NOTHING LIKE A EUROPEAN NIGHT

Tonight Liverpool play Sevilla in the final of the UEFA Europa League, named thus since 2009-10. Sevilla have won this title 4 times, more than any one else. Liverpool have won this cup 3 times.

This "minor" competition is an amalgamation of the once European Cup Winners Cup (first won by an English team Tottenham Hotspur in 1962-3) and the UEFA Cup (preceded by the Inter Cities Fairs' Cup which was first competed for in 1958 by teams from cities that held "trade fairs"). These two competitions merged in 1999.

The first Inter Cities Fairs Cup Final was between a London Select XI and CF Barcelona. After a 2-2 draw in the first leg, the Spaniards got their act together and thumped six past the multi-club London team. Selected alongside international stars, Jimmy Greaves and Johnny Haynes, were Jim Lewis of Chelsea and Ken Coote of Brentford, YES who?). So it was a bit of a testimonial game.
Here's a clip of Leeds winning the cup
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQkYukLPduo

The 3rd and the 17th May 1972 were the dates of the first two legged UEFA Cup Final. Tottenham and Wolves, two teams highest placed in the Football League and not qualified for the European Cup or the Cup Winners Cup. Tottenham won the first leg away 2-1 with Martin Chivers scoring both goals. They then drew at White Hart Lane 1-1 to secure the trophy.

Wolves were the first English side to embrace European floodlit football matches when they ventured into a "friendly" in 1954 against Honved of Hungary. The stuffy FA were not going to belittle themselves by joining the European "family", so Wolves went on their own way with friendlies in the 1950s.

Chelsea was the first English club to be invited to play in the European Cup as English champions in 1955 but were derailed by the FA. Manchester United eventually took to the European stage in 1956-7 reaching the semi-finals. United had to play earlier round matches at Maine Road because their floodlights were not installed!

In 2009 the UEFA Intertoto Cup was also scrapped and "qualifying" clubs added to Europa. The Intertoto was a "summer" competition for clubs not qualifying for the Champions League or UEFA Cup in the coming season. Bit of a pre-season then? Well, apparently it also encouraged betting and the pools to keep on running in the summer.

The beauty of the Europa League is the "money" it generates for clubs. Of course the qualification to the Champions League in the following season helps a tad and so does a match against the new Champions League winners in the Super Cup. Barcelona beat Sevilla last year.

GET YER TEETH STUCK INTO THIS

If anyone out there knows that Whitby is the hub for Bram Stoker and Dracula stories, then you will also know that the local authorities in the town have agreed to build a "replica graveyard" along side the original that sits on the cliff over looking Whitby harbour.

Why? Well, too many Goths and other blood loving visitors are eroding and desecrating the town's church yard in their enthusiasm to visit the sacred ground of their hero, especially in November when there is an annual official celebration.

So does Whitby Town FC have a Goth supporters' club? The club nicknames of the Blues or the Seasiders suggest that they have not adopted the cult. But it gives me an excuse to write about another Non-League club.

The club was originally known as Streaneshalch FC in 1880 and then in 1881 changed its name to Whitby Church Temperence and Whitby Town FC in 1882.

In 1889 in the FA Cup, Whitby lost at Scarborough, their local rivals. A dispute about the size of the pitch and one of the goals led to a riot which ended up with thre Scarborough fans attacking the Whitby players and a chase to the local railway station.

The Yorkshire club was a member of the Northern League in 1893. They bounced around from the local Cleveland Amateur League and back to the Northern league winning Division Two in 1899.
The club then struggled financially and ended up playing friendlies out of a league.

After World War 1 there were two teams in town called the Whitehall Swifts and Whitby Town. When finances were dodgy the two clubs amagalmated in 1926 to form the Town side playing at the well appointed Turnbull Ground.

By 1949 they were back in the Northern League and had a number of successes, including getting to the "old fashioned" Amateur Cup Final at Wembley in 1964-5 losing to Hendon 3-1.

Even Ex Leeds players David Harvey and Eddie Gray had a turn at running the club.

Most famously the club achieved a double in 1996-7 by winning the Northern League and the FA Vase at Wembley, beating North Ferriby United.

The Seasiders enjoy themselves in the Northern Premier League at the moment and keep themsleves well away from the graveyard, in 19th spot, just 2 points above the "relegation" zone.

EURO VOTING - IN OR OUT?

The Daily Telegraph football "team" of 6 expert writers named and explained their England squad selections today. Roy will name 23 players before the Championship begins on May 31st.

Friendlies are being played on May 22 v Turkey @ City of Manchester Stadium, May 27 v Australia at Sunderland, June 2 v Portugal at Wembley whihc will sort that lot out.

All six chose the 3 goalkeepers:
Hart had 29 PL clean sheets in last two seasons.
Forster had 19 PL clean sheets  as above.
Heaton at 30 lucky to be involved.

7 Defenders are:
Clyne got 4/6 votes
Smalling 6 has been in Utd team for 17/18 of the team's PL clean sheets.
Cahill 6
Stones 6 has made 33 PL "blocks"for Everton, nine more than any other at the club.
Rose 6
Bertrand 4 is one of 5 PL full backs to make more than 200 crosses in last 2 seasons.
Walker 4

11 Midfield:
Dier 6 defensive cover
Henderson 2 has made 353 passes in EURO Qualifying rounds, more than any other English MF.
Drinkwater 5 has made more tackles (106) than any other English MF in PL this season.
Lallana 5
Alli 6 been involvd in 19 PL goals and assists this season, more than any other midfielder in PL.
Sterling 6
Milner 4
Barkley 6
Delph 0 real curve ball there.
Townsend 2 move north suited him.
Wilshere 4 been injured most of the season-has made more successful passes (291) than any other English MF in EUROs.
(Rooney 1* see forwards)

5 Forwards:
Kane 6
Vardy 6
Sturridge 6 has scored a goal every 122 minutes in PL this season, the best English goal/min ratio.
Rooney 5*
Rashford 0 another surprise but will probably not make final 23.

TOTAL 26.
Not picked: Cresswell 2/6 votes, Jagielka 5/6, Noble 1/6, Carrick 1/6, Walcott 3/6, Defoe 1/6.
What happened to Ben Foster, Baines, Barry, Cleverley, Ward-Prowse, Noble, Carroll??

Here's what the Express thought.

England plays Russia on June 11, Wales on June 16 and Slovakia June 20.

Getting excited?

FEWER THAN SEVEN, GAME ABANDONED

I have a soft spot for Brighton and Hove Albion so the defeat at Hillsborough recently has upset me and Seagulls supporters.
2-0 down after the first leg of the play off against Sheffield Wednesday, Brighton have much to do at the Amex in the second leg.
Brighton finished 15 points higher than Wednesday in the Championship and now have to work a miracle to maintain their promotion effort.
Brighton were last in the top division in 1979 and then relegated as bottom club in 1982-3. Some recompense was the appearance in the FA Cup Final that year when they lost to Manchester United 0-4 in the replay, after a 2-2 draw in the first fixture. This game might have been won by Brighton if Gordon Smith had scored a relatively simple chance in the final minute-Gary Bailey saved his effort.

One reason why Brighton may feel fed up is that they suffered 4 injuries during the game and used all their subs, ending up with only 10 men and at gthe end two goals in deficit. The answer would have been to conjure up four more injuries and get the match abandoned. No way!! many would say but read this!

On Saturday March 16th 2002, a First Division Match between Sheffield United and West Bromwich Albion was fondly known as the "Battle of Bramall Lane".

After 9 minutes The Blades' goalie, Simon Tracey, was sent off for handling the ball outside the penalty area.
So Neil Warnock used his sub goalie and brought off a defender.
Warnock then used two more subs, one of whom, George Santos, was sent off  following a foul and then another sub Patrick Suffo "had to walk" after a  "skirmish" created by Santos' tackle.
This left United with 8 men and no subs.
Michael Brown then got an injury in the 80th minute and had to retire and Robert Ullathorne followed him six minutes later. Remarkable!
By now the Blades were "blunt" with only 6 men on the pitch.

As a result the referee, Eddie Wolstenholme, had only one option, to abandon the game, which he duly did in the 82 minute, with Albion winning 3-0.
The Baggies' manager, Gary Megson was not happy and he said that if the game had to be replayed his team would turn up, kick off and then leave the pitch.
Warnock was accused of fixing the injuries but it was not proved, although United were fined £10,000 and the result was allowed to stand.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZDsjY3uFdE

VILLA WINNER AT WEMBLEY; OSSIE'S KNEES ARE TREMBLEY-La La La La

Today is the day of the Ladies Cup Final,being played between Arsenal and Chelsea at Wembley . Over 30,000 tickets have been sold and the noise of young ladies in the crowd, who will be in the majority I guess, will bring back the days of the Schoolboys' Internationals held at Wembley before the FA decided, in 2000, that games from the "community" were no longer apppropriate for the national stadium. Over 53,000 saw the first international between England Scotland in 1950.

The Ladies Cup Final last season played at Wembley for the first time, showcased the delightful goal scored by Ji So-Yun of Chelsea after a mazey run by Eniola Aluko and 30,710 people witnessed a tense 1-0 victory over Notts County.
Chelsea were managed by Emma Hayes and Notts County by Rick Passmoor! Just thought you should know that.

The mazey run by Aluko down the left side of the screen (pitch) and then pounced upon by So-Yun lurking in the left hand side of the goal area is recorded here,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLyiA-LbLVE

The sequence and the goal reminded me of the historic Ricardo Villa goal scored for Tottenham Hotspur in the 1981 FA Cup Final replay on May 14th v Manchester City. Here is 8 minutes of Ossie Ardiles and Ricky remembering the moment 25 years ago (TV date 2006). The match was a cracker 1-0 up after 8 mins, 1-1 (what ever happened to Steve MacKenzie?), 1-2 down (pen Kevin Reeves), 2-2 (who scored after 70 mins? see video), then the winner 76 mins. Watch the interview below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZn1AL4Rwf8,

FRANK THE MAVERICK IS WITH US JUST

Frank Worthington's daughter announced through the Press Association that her father had Alzheimer's and said that would explain a lot of his behaviour but Frank typically has denied the diagnosis and is apparently in full control of his faculties. Some locals may disagree.

The 67 year old lives at Outlane, Huddersfield in West Yorkshire and any concern about the Halifax born footballer should be taken with a pinch of salt, although some of Frank's habits may not be entirely what his doctor would recommend. MInd you when he was a youngster and in charge of his faculties, much of his life style might have been considered variable!

When he was hoping to sign for Bill Shankly at Liverpool his blood pressure was high enough tocause  concern, so Shankly sent the striker to Majorca for a few days to settle his condition but that surprisingly only made it worse. It was the booze that was creating the imbalance!

Starring with Huddersfield in the late 60s he joined Leicester City in 1972 and then had a string of teams including Bolton (where THE goal was scored in 1979 against Ipswich fooling centre halves Terry Butcher and Russell Osman, a seriously good top class, defensive pair), Birmingham City, Leeds Utd, Sunderland, Southampton, Brighton, Tranmere, in the USA, Sweden, South Africa and Ireland

and also at Preston, Stockport, Chorley, Stalybridge, Weymouth and Guiseley He has been about!

Here is his GOAL!

http://talksport.com/football/watch-frank-worthingtons-amazing-solo-goal-daughter-reveals-former-huddersfield-leicester

He didn't like Don Revie and Revie didn't like him so he only played for England 8 times, scoring 2 goals.
A play boy he wore the "tightest jeans anyone had seen", played in a rock band, was kissed by Raquel Welch at Chelsea once after scoring against the Pensioners and was part of that cult of footballers who had fun before Arsene Wenger and Co took charge of football's health and welfare.

Those were the days-Stanley Bowles, Rodney Marsh, Chopper Harris, Bobby Moore (yes even Bobby) and so on......

KEVIN'S RANT-I'D LOVE IT, NOT!

Today there has been much consideration for Newcastle United's relegation from the Premier League and the future security of Rapha Benitez as manager. Why would somebody with his pedigree want to lead a side in the challenging Championship? 20 years ago, another Newcastle manager had much to consider as the season came to its conclusion.

In the Spring 1995-6, Kevin Keegan let out his famous rant when interviewed on TV after his Newcastle team had surrendered a 12 point advantage in January to Manchester United. Alex Ferguson's team whittled down the lead to overtake Keegan and the Toon, eventually winning the division by 4 points.

Ferguson, always mind bending, suggested that in the "run  in" teams would not play as hard against Keegan's Toon as they would against his "famous" team. He caught Kev on a bad day even after his team had just won away at Leeds 1-0.

Newcastle had been promoted to the Premier League in 1992-3 and had come 3rd in 1993-4, the club's highest position since 1927. Keegan had worked miracles, returning to his club as a hero and he was hoping to crown all this with a Premier League title.

By March Manchester United beat Newcastle 1-0 with Peter Schmeichel playing a blinder and Cantona scoring the winner. The bubble had burst and by the end of April the title was all but lost, the Magpies eventually finishing 4 points behind Manchester.

Poor Keegan,overcome by emotion, let himself go in the TV interview after a victory at Leeds 1-0 on April 29th. This will go down in PL history as one of the more extraordinary interviews.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Yenzdq5g6o
Ferguson and his team won the title and Keegan, even after signing Alan Shearer, resigned in January 1997.


For more magical moments have a look at this lot.

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/3538038/Kevin-Keegans-meltdown-on-TV-voted-the-best-manager-moment-of-madness.html

HAPPY BIRTHDAY HAVELANGE

Remember Sepp Blatter? Yes, what a rogue. Do you remember Sir Stanley Rous? What a gent!  
Rous, from near Lowestoft, was a trainee teacher at St Luke's, Exeter and worked at Watford GS. He was also a referee.
They were both FIFA Presidents and Joao Havelange, a Belgium born, Brazilian lawyer, was elected between them and served as the 7th FIFA President between 1974-98, the second longest reign. He also served on the IOC (Olympics) from 1963-2011 and celebrated his 100th birthday on May 8th this year.

An arms dealer, he swam for his country at the 1936 Berlin Olympics (have you been to the Olympic "Park" in Berlin?), played water polo at the 1952 Helsinki Games and was Chef de Mission for his country at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics.

In his time as President he increased sponsorship acquiring money for the FIFA World Cup from Adidas and Coca Cola particularly and brought on board Horst Dassler from Adidas and Patrick Nalley, a sports' marketeer, to modernise the global tournament. He increased the number of teams qualifying for the finals from 16 to 32 and was a champion for the "Less Developed" countries, particularly in Asia and Africa. He introduced the Under 17 World Cup, the U20s tournament, the Confederations Cup and the Women's World Cup. His daughter married Brazilian footballer Ricardo Teixeira.

FIFA was formed in 1904 and the President then was Frenchman, Robert Guerin. In 1906 Daniel Burley Woolfall, an Englishman from Blackburn, took over from him and introduced uniform international football laws, based on the English model. The 1908 Olympic football tournament organised by Woolfall was the first international tournament and included teams from outside Europe for the first time.

After Woolfall, in 1921, Jules Rimet was elected to President and of course the World Cup is named after him.

After the Second World War in 1955, Arthur Drewry was FIFA President and then Rous took over from him in 1961. Drewry was an administrator and eventually Chairman with Grimsby Town FC and later was Chairman of the FA.

As the sole England selector at the time, he was known for his involvement in the chaotic selection of players during the disastrous World Cup campaign in 1950, when England lost famously to the USA. To his credit he was responsible for raising money for the 1958 Manchester United Munich Fund.

HAMMERS FINAL AS BOLEYN GETS THE CHOP

If you have not noticed the Premier League game tonight is between West Ham Utd and Manchester United. Both teams have a win in their interests; Manchester for Champions League status and West Ham for a Europa League place. More importantly this is the final competitive match at the home of the Hammers. Read this previous blog for a history:
http://baileyfootballblog.blogspot.co.uk/2016/04/boleyn-ground-off-with-its-head.html

The club security is concerned that the emotion of the home crowd may get the better of them tonight after the game. They hope that common sense will prevail and individuals will not unscrew their seats or dig up the turf. There is another finale at the weekend.

The sell off of more than 200 items from West Ham's ground in £ss will raise money for the Club's Academy.
Buy a Seat 50
Corner Flag 20
Wooden rattle from 1923 Cup Final 20 (if authentic must be worth more than that?)
White enamel bath from home dressing room 20
Bubble machine used as players walk out 20
"Reserved for Chairman" car park sign 50
"Keep of the Grass" 20
Home dugout sign 100
Match day goalposts and net 500
Part of John Lyall gates 2500 and there's more!!
http://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/the-weirdest-lots-from-west-ham-boleyn-ground-auction-the-team-bath-tub-sam-allardyce-old-printer-a3243901.html

If these aren't up your street then how about memories of the three best matches played at the old ground?
v Dynamo Tbilisi: European Cup Winners' Cup 1981 1/4 final first leg lost 1-4 to eventual winners.

v Eintracht Frankfurt:  ECWC semi-final 1976 won by West Ham 4-3 after being 2-1 down away in first leg. West Ham reached the final at the Heysel Stadium Brussels, but lost to Anderlecht of Belgium.
The other ties were all played away first:-
v Reipas Lahti (Finland) 2-2 and 3-0
Ararat Yerevan (Armenia) 1-1 and 3-1
Den Haag (Holland) 2-4 and 3-1 (away goals)

v Manchester United: 1992 West Ham relegated but ended Manchester's title bid with 1-0 win.

or arguing about Billy Bond's top team:
Phil Parkes Ray Stewart  Bobby Moore  Alvin Martin Frank Lampard  Trevor Brooking  Billy Bonds Martin Peters Alan Devonshire  Geoff Hurst Pop Robson. What's yours?

The Club has Played 2163 games at the Bolyen:
Won 1129  Lost 502 Drawn 532 For 4046  Against 2510
Largest crowd: 44,417 v Tottenham (FA Cup) 8 January 1927

I have been there once to watch Cambridge University play Oxford University in the annual Blues' match.

JUST SOME FACTS

Callum Styles of Bury FC became the first 21st Century footballer when he entered the field of play for the final 15 minutes of the League game against Southend at Gigg Lane on Saturday. As part of the Bury FC U16 squad he was born on the 28th March 2000 and the FA national archive confirms that no other player born since the Millenium had appeared in the senior league game. Callum replaced 19 year old Anthony Dudley in a Bury victory.

Andy King of Leicester is the first player in 54 years to win titles in the top three tiers with the same club. Premier 2016, Championship 2014 and League One 2009.
Previously, six Ipswich Town players had done the feat between 1957 and 1962 under Alf Ramsey and 17 players have achieved three tiers of titles with different clubs, the latest being Paul Bracewell with everton 1985 (1st Div) Newcastle Unt 1993 (2nd), Sunderland 1996 (2nd) and Fulham 1999 (3rd).

With Burton rising from non-league football in 2009, they have reached the Championship in 8 seasons and only the following have climbed faster than Burton in the era of the four league tiers:

Hereford Utd promoted to the FLeague in 1972, they reached the "second tier" in 1976 (5 seasons). They were then relegated the next season.

Doncaster Rovers did a similar trick, arriving in the FLeague in 2003 and rising to the second tier in 2008 (6 seasons).

Oxford Utd were promoted to the FLeague in 1962 and reached the second tier in 1968 (7 seasons)

Equalling Burton's achievement are Wimbledon FC who joined the League in 1977 and rose to the second tier in 1984 (8 seasons).

When Jamie Vardy scored  the first goal on Saturday against Everton it was Leicester's 6824th goal in league history. The club had conceded 6824 goals in their league history. The stats are now: For 6826 Against 6825.

WHAT IS FERRARI PACKAGING?

Wandering through the various play offs and crucial final league matches, I noted that Barnsley came from 0-1 down to win 4-1 against Wigan at the DW, in a match they had to win to ensure a play off. Wigan are already promoted so they may been on holiday, but they might have lost the title as champions, if they lose their final match and Burton win their final game by 17 goals!

I could ramble on about the Football League play offs but my eye was taken by the result Edinburgh City 1 v East Stirlingshire 1 in the Scottish League Two Play Off.

Just over a 1,000 crowd saw this stalemate as Edinburgh City (winners of the Lowland League) try to get into the Scottish League and East Stirlingshire try to remain there. Two goals, a penalty after 15 minutes for City and a reply after 42 for ES were highlights, as well as the sending off of Mbu for City and Donaldson after 90+1 for ES.
The second leg is played next Saturday at Stenhousemuir FC.

East Stirling are based in Falkirk, founded in 1880 and was based on a cricket club based in a village called Bainsford. The club joined the Scottish League in 1900 and has been there ever since. They might be breaking a record next weekend, if they lose the honour of playing in League Two.
Alex Ferguson was manager of the club for 117 days in 1974.

Edinburgh City FC is a semi-pro club presently playing in the Scottish Ferrari Packaging Lowland League. They formed in 1928 as amateurs and played in the Football League during the  1930s and 1940s, eventually going out of business in the 1950s.

The club reformed in 1966 as Postal United and by 1986 the club was renamed as Edinburgh City, now playing at the Meadowbank Stadium in the capital city and hoping to rise a division.

Remaining in Scotland, the famous Queen's Park are a two legged final match away from climbing into the Championship. Forfar are relegated from League One and swap places with East Fife who are promoted from Division Two. So no silly scorelines next season then.

On top of that congratulations go to Burnley, Middlesbrough, Wigan, Northampton, Oxford United, Bristol Rovers who make the step up. Forest Green Rovers are 2-1 winners over Dover and will have a play off final to decide if they might become a Football League club. Their opponent, either Braintree or Grimsby have their semi-final play off today.

Nice club badges eh?

£170 MILLION AT LEAST RIDES ON ONE GAME.

14.012.....and counting. I have had one of those great days. Last night I was otherwise engaged listening to the "Nelson Mass" in the Sheffield City Hall and without being distracted I waited until the concert had finished and read my texts to find out that the Hepworth United Under 12s had won their very hard away match against Ossett Town 1-0, against all odds. Rather like Leicester City, these young footballers have pulled themselves up by their bootstraps (what ever they are?) and produced some very good successful football this season.
This morning we travelled to Wakefield again and took on Ossett Albion, a weaker opposition and won 5-1. So we are nearly runners up in the Huddersfield and District Junior Football League, Division 6 ( we have to wait on other results). Brilliant!

I am not sure where the link is, (possibly against all adversity) but Brighton and Hove Albion was my local club and I remember the club's most recent high point, the 1983 Cup Final. I was also lucky to play at the old Goldstone Ground in County Cup Finals and did have a rare turn out for the Albion Youth team. The Seagulls have a place in my "scrapbook".

The new  Amexstadium is a cracker, they have an excellent training facility at Lancing and the club is unique in its location. With an average attendance of about 25,000 there is not a huge income, but on the other hand there is not a huge expenditure, their biggest transfer has been Anthony Knockaert at £2.6 million. The club nearly dropped out the league in 1997 and had to ground share at Gillingham, a dark period; but now with the very impressive Chris Hughton at their helm, the club has been close to getting automatic promotion to the Premier League. Sadly this afternoon they failed to take the vital points off Middlesbrough and have to go to the play offs.

It is the nature of football clubs that they should be community linked and the Seagulls have had to share the burden of the Shoreham Air Show disaster in 2015 and the sad death of 79 year old Don Lock who was stabbed near the town.

The club staff are all part of the "promotion bonus pool" and get free breakfast and lunch in the super healthy canteen at the training ground. Here they even send their young players out to local club pitches to get experience of playing on "dirty pitches", something recommended by the Premier League.

Scouting and recruitment have been improved, as has happened at other clubs such as Southampton where their young players have been transfered all over the Premier League. Brighton selling Leo Ulloa to Leicester may have been a mistake although it did bring in some cash!

When Middlesbrough last visited the south coast in December, the club served up "parmo" a Teesside delicasy (fried chicken and cheese), they imported N. Eastern beers, they lit the concourses on the Amex in Middlesbrough colours, showed the visitors' recent games on TVs and even sold their merchandise! They look after away fans.

The club is regarded by a recent Serie A study as "a model of the way forward". Even Roy Hodgson has brought the England team to the facility, when he has St George's Park at his disposal. The Amex's Elite Football Performance Centre has a "running hill " to help injury recovery, a giant not too warm, not too cold indoor pitch, and a climbing wall between the academy and the first team dining rooms to emphasise the need for aspiration. There is also a gate at the training complex that leads to the local airport just in case they need to fly to Manchester or Newcastle for a match.

To encourage locals to join the club they throw a Christmas Party at the Amex with a skating rink and real reindeer. Promotion to the PL will boost the local economy of course and there is a small matter of £290million if Brighton goes up and survives the first year, not to mention  parachute payments and the TV money.

34 MORE VIEWS FOR 14000!!

Yes, only 34 more of you needed to wast a few minutes of your lives by reading this and I clock up 14,000 views.
May 6th 1961 Tottenham Hotspur beat Leicester City at Wembley to win the FA Cup Final 2-0 in a dour game, that was efficient rather than exciting. I remember watching it in black and white TV.
It was the first time since 1897 that the Double had been achieved. Ironically it was Aston Villa who had done that previously all those years ago.

In 1960 the Spurs won their first 10 league matches, drew the 11th and then won the next four games. It was the seventeenth fixture that they lost to Sheffield Wednesday. After a dodgey spell mid season, Wolves almost caught them up but it was a final win against Wednesday on April 17th that won them the league. I was lucky enough to see them play at WHL a couple of times that season. They won the league by 8 points ansd scored more goals than anyone 115. Burnley scored 102 and came 4th, Wolves again scored 103 coming 3rd, swednesday were second (78 goals!)

Danny Blachflower, an Irishman, was captain and he led important signings such as Dave MacKay, John White, Bill Brown, all Scots and Cliff Jones, a flying Welsh winger. In 1958-9 when Bill Nicholson took over as manager, his first victory was by 10-4 over Everton, But even after that start, the Spurs narrowly missed relegation. The following season they had thrown away the league to unfashionable Burnley 54 points (Wolves came second 53, Spurs third 52) and so by August 1960 Danny and his men knew they needed to set an example. And they did. After this success there was a surprise.

Alf Ramsey brought his minnows Ipswich Town from Third Division South champions in 1956-7 to win the Second Division title in 1960-1 and then in 1961-2 the First Division League Championship beating Burnley (again 2nd) and Spurs 3rd. Wolves floundered to 18th however Ipswich's bubble burst the next season when they came 17th and sadly BOTTOM in 1963-4. SO watch out Leicester.

The Ipswich achievement was one of the best and only Liverpool 1905, 1906, Everton 1931, 1932 and Spurs 1950, 1951, had managed to win the Second Division and First Division titles in consecutive years.

Alf's boys!

PLENTY OF DRAMA AT THE VANARAMA

There is a serious Vanarama National League play off tonight between Grimsby Town and Braintree Town. The prize is the opportunity to join Cheltenham in the Football League Two next season.

Cheltenham who left the Football League last season, scored 101 points whilst winning the League and they quite rightly go up automatically. Their top scorers Dan Holman (30 goals in the season) and Daniel Wright (21) led the way to the top of the league. Tranmere who were also relegated out of the Football League last season were two points short of the play offs.

Forest Green Rovers from Nailsworth (runners up in the league) and Dover Atheltic (5th) have already played out a first leg of the semi-final with FGR winning 1-0. They play the second leg at FGR on Saturday evening televised on BT Sport.

Braintree (3rd in the division) and Grimsby (4th) play off their first leg semi this evening in Blundell Park,Cleethorpes at 7pm, being shown on BT and then the second leg on Sunday afternoon is at Cressing Road, Braintree, which will decide who goes on to the final.

The final for a lucrative place in the Football League Two takes place at Wembley on the 14th May at 4pm.

Falling out of the top National League are Altrincham, Halifax Town, Kidderminster Harrriers and Welling United.

My old club, Sutton United, coasted to their National League South title by 6 points and go to the National League automatically. Soilhull Motors won the North section out right.

END OF SEASON JOY? IT IS LIKELY NOT TO BE.

I am now overloaded and fed up with Foxes' stuff, I still think hunting is a good idea, even if it only gives me an excuse for a bevvie on Boxing Day at the local pub. And jodhpurs are a good thing too.

Now concentrate! There are  proper fixtures on tonight including:

Vanarama National League pay offs: semi-final
Dover Athletic v Forest Green Rovers 1st leg. Forest Green have just beaten Dover 1-0 in a standard league game in Kent, with both teams making loads of changes to team selection knowing that the play off was iminent.

In the National League NORTH Play-offs semi-finals 1st legs:
Boston Utd (once a Football League club) v North Ferriby Utd and Harrogate Town v AFC Fylde.
In the SOUTH:
Whitehawk v Ebbsfleet Utd and Truro City v Maidstone Utd (Once a Football League Club).

Promotion beckons those who are brave.

Another ex-Football League Club, reformed after a collapse in 2014,  is Hereford United who have just won their Midland League Championship beating Coventry Sphinx 4-0. The club has just earned a place in the League Cup Final after beating Stourport Swifts. That is not the end of it.
The Bulls recently won 5-1 in the Herefordshire County Cup Final v Westfield and then there is the small matter of the FA Vase Final at Wembley v Morpeth on National Finals Day, May 22nd. They hope 20,000 fans will be making the journey east.
Since the last Vase semi-final second leg tie against Salisbury on March 19th, the Bulls have played 16 times. Games have been coming thick and fast.

Don't you just love Non-League football? If you happened to go anywhere near Newcastle Benfield near the anniversary of William Shakespeare's death and had either a well known saying to quote, Elizabethan dress or a copy of one of the Bard's works you would have saved £6 entry fee.

Apparently the club which has endured a "winter of discontent" and is slumming it at the wrong end of the Northern League. Promotion? It is likely not to be.