WHO ATE ALL THE PIES?

Tubby Morton was the long serving goalkeeper of Melchester Rovers when I read about him in the Tiger comic. For all I know he may still be in nets. At school, I played with a very able goalkeeper called Doughy Baker and he carried a few more lbs than he should have done, but he was very capable and definitely larger than life.

Goalies do not have to carry timber but today I was made aware of one who did! Yes, it's Wayne Shaw, who at 45 years old, is still plying his trade as the reserve goalie at Sutton United, a club in the news! Wayne is a big boy and he has a reputation of responding to anyone stupid enough to sing "Who at all the pies?" to him when he stands between the posts. Historically this chant was first made at Fatty Foulke-see below.

Local rivals to Sutton, Kingstonian FC had a bunch of silly supporters standing behind Wayne's goal during a warm up for a Surrey Senior Cup tie in 2013. Shaw took so much stick that he evetually leapt the barrier and confronted his tormentors. As a result the Sutton board met and sacked him! He returned in 2015 forgiven and has been giving his all to the club since.

William Henry Foulke is the legendry "Fatty" who was known as that and who did not get upset because he was so formidable that nobody would dare take him on. Actually an odd one did and the hapless fool would find himself either being held upside down by his feet (a famous occasion in a match with George Allan of Liverpool in 1898) or dragged through the mud. Foulke was 1.93 metres tall, an imposing and strong man.

Originally known as William Foulke (or Foulkes), he was an illegitmate child, born to a poor mother in 1874, in Shropshire. The local mines were likely to be his destiny, despite his height. He started playing for his local colliery side at Blackwell near Ilkestone, ignored an offer from Derby at 19 years old and he took his brother's advice and waited for Sheffield United to sign him at 20, The Blades paid him £5 a week, a good sum at the time.

He also played some matches for Derbyshire CCC.

In 1896 he weighed in at 90kgs and by 1905 he expanded to 160kgs! He "played" on his size and his appetite, but won 2 FA Cups (1899, 1902), also lost one final (v Spurs in 1901), won a league title (1898) and one England cap in 1897. He was good.

After the 1902 Cup Final against Southampton, it was reported that he was so disgusted by a refereeing decision (and possibly inebriated) that he was seen by gentlemen and ladies wandering the corridors at the Crystal Palace after the game naked, chasing the referee! Fouke played in the replay and made many saves to help his team win the cup. He played 299 games for the Blades, then went to Chelsea and Bradford City to finish his career, during which he remained a character and pulled in the crowds to see his eccentric behaviour. He completed 355 club games in total.

He continued to live life to the full and retired in 1907, when he went to Blackpool to save penalties as a side show on the beach (some say that after football he was in poverty and he had to earn money some how). He then took a bar, the Duke Inn, in Sheffield and died at 42 years old from "excess" related illnesses. His tombstone in the local churchyard, Burngreave, confirms this when he died in 1916.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=WrwI1AVrSa4
http://baileyfootballblog.blogspot.co.uk/2016/09/01-and-18st.html

SPIN A DISC WITH BECKS

Created in 1942 by Roy Plomley, he hosted Desert Island Discs until 1985. Michael Parkinson did three years, handing over to Sue Lawley who in turn left DID to Kirsty Young in 2006 until now.

More than 3,000 episodes have been recorded, all introduced by the "Sleepy Lagoon" theme tune and herring gulls. The 75th year of this BBC radio programme celebrated by having a football icon as its "castaway". Who better than David Beckham? He is a bit "marmite" to many!
I tuned in and enjoyed his conversation with Kirsty, who handled him gently and he came over as a modest, successful and charitable man. Victoria was mentioned quite a bit, the "kids" rarely (I could sense Victoria smarting when David used "kids" rather than children!).
Becks' family was also mentioned quite a bit at the start and then with carefully crafted questions, Kirsty got information out of Becks, most of which we knew.

His musical choices were hardly stunning but there was a gentle mix of pop and other, relating to various stages of his life. There was not a Spice Girl to be heard thank God.

Allowed a copy of Shakespeare's works his choice of another book and an inanimate luxury item were surprising. Tune in to find out......

So, what do I do next? Find out which footballers have been on DID over its 75 years.
It goes like this:

There have been 11 footballers (no women), 23 sports' commentators (Des Lynam and Kenneth Wolstenholme were two well known to football) and overall 115 sportsmen and women. Cricket has supplied only 2. Horse racing (presumably not horses) 10 and sailing 14. There were other sports' people of course, but these were the top lot (not including cricket).

First up was Danny Blanchflower in 1960. At the time of the Spurs' Double year.
Then came Bill Shankly (1965), Sir Stanley Rous (1966). Big gap through the nasty 70s to Trevor Brooking (1982), Gary Lineker (1990), Jackie Charlton (1972 and 1996), Bobby Robson (1986 and 2004), Tony Adams (2010).

Interesting to know why Jackie and Bobby were asked twice? No Bobby Moore, Geoff Hurst ?? I could go on!

Here is the link to get you into podcasts. Go on, try Sir Stanley Rous' choices!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/features/desert-island-discs/find-a-castaway

FIRM BASE BUILT FOR VASE LAST EIGHT

Awaiting more FA Cup surprises (Sutton United have just gone ahead v Leeds United) and having a warm glow after our U13s won their second match in a row 4-2,
I am looking at the seven FA Vase results from yesterday. Clubs from Steps 5-7 are invited.
In addition Southall play Exmouth this afternoon at 3pm.

Exciting? Eight winners will pocket £2500 in this 5th Round.
In the first qualifying round, I saw local side Penistone Church beat Winterton Rangers 5-1 and that was one of 194 ties. Winners earned £600.
Having won the next tie 3-2 by scoring in the final minutes from 1-2 down (I had left early assuming the writing was on the wall), PCFC lost to Sherwood Colliery from Nottingham. Shame.
The Colliery team then lost to Westfields from Hereford, they lost to Coleshill Town from Warwickshire, who then beat Gorleston of Norfolk and then Crowborough Athletic (6-3) from Sussex in the 5th Round proper. Coleshill fans look forward to the draw with anticipation.

Winners were rewarded with £1875 and losers £625.


The remaining Vase teams are;
Bromsgrove Sporting, Cleethorpes Town, Sporting Khasa, Buckland Athletic, Newport Pagnell, South Shields. None have been in a Vase final before.

South Shields survived a journey to Team Solent winning 2-5 and Sunderland RCA went to Newport Pagnell gaining no rewards.

The Vase, introduced by the FA when amateurism evaporated in 1974, was first won by Hoddesdon Town in 1975 who beat Surrey's Epsom and Ewell at Wembley in front of a 9,000 crowd. The present holders are Morpeth Town from Northumberland who beat Hereford.

It's a great competition, just as "local" as the old FA Amateur Cup was. 6th Round draw on Monday, to be played on February 18th. The final is on May 21st at the home of football when the FA Trophy final is also played on Non-League Finals Day.

SCORED IN EVERY ROUND

Another drab weekend of FA Cup football then, No fun at White Hart Lane or Sincil Bank today! The FA Cup is a boring tournament.
There are many FA Cup records and one that I have raked up is that of Cup individual finalists who have scored in every round. Not every club plays in every round, for example the Premier League teams won't be found scrapping in the pre-qualifying rounds, but ignoring all the finer points here are players who have scored in every round of their teams' cup run, so that must involve the final, of course.

Archie Hunter (Aston Villa 1887) winners over WBA 2-0. The Scot known as the "Old Warhorse" was Villa's captain at the Oval. Three years later he retired having suffered a heart attack. Villa had a BYE in the first round, so technically did not score in every round, but...... see left.....

Sandy Brown (Tottenham H 1901) winners over Sheffield United, having played in all rounds, scored in the Final draw 2-2 and then again in the replay 1-0. He was brought up in the same Ayrshire village as Bill Shankly (and several other well known Scots footballers) Glenbuck. Non-league Tottenham hung club ribbons on the cup, the first time this had happened.

Harry Hampton (Aston Villa 1905) winners over Newcastle United 1-0, the Whirlwind was a prolific goal scorer for his club.

Harold Blackmore (Bolton W 1929) winners over Portsmouth 2-0, came from a Devon village, Silverton and started his career at Exeter City. He joined Bolton in 1927 and scored 7 goals in the tournament.

Ellis Rimmer (Sheffield United 1935) winners over WBA 4-2 was a Scouser, who went on to run the Hallamshire House pub in Sheffield.

Frank O'Donnell (Preston NE 1937). NE were runners up losing to Sunderland 1-3. He played with Bill Shankly in the team (see above).

Stan Mortensen (Blackpool 1948) scored against Manchester United but lost the final 2-4.  This was the first final to be attended by the princess who would become Queen Elizabeth II.
He then scored a hat trick in Blackpool's next final in 1953, known as the Matthews' Final!

Jackie Milburn (Newcastle Utd 1951), a cousin to the Charlton brothers, scored 2 in a 2-0 victory over Stanley Matthews' Blackpool.

Nat Lofthouse (Bolton W 1953) played and scored in the Cup Final losing to Blackpool 3-4.

Charlie Wayman, a Durham miner, (Preston NE 1954) runners up to WBA, he scored in a 2-3 defeat.
Jeff Astle (WBA 1968) won over Everton 1-0. "The King" also scored in the League Cup Final in 1970 v Manchester City.

Peter Osgood (Chelsea 1970) Also known as "The King", scored in Chelsea's replayed 2-1win over Leeds Utd at Old Trafford. He didn't score in the drawn (2-2) first match at Wembley.

MORE ON LOWRY-A CITY SUPPORTER.

Just a quickie today before I go and join the U13s practice, they are fresh from a 10-2 victory last weekend, so they may be a bit cocksure! A change in formation put two centre forwards up front and bingo! Looks like 4-4-2 for this weekend then.

L.S.Lowry, having painted a football match at Berwick (see yesterday), had three (or possibly more) football matches on "canvas".

Lowry lived in Salford originally and supported Manchester City. His most famous painting will be the one titled originally as "Football Ground". He used Bolton Wanderers' old ground Burnden Park, as his scene, painted for a competition run by the F.A. in 1953.
He renamed it "Going to the Match" and the F.A. bought it for £1.9 million in 1999.

Prior to this he painted "The Football Match" in 1949 which sold for £5.6m, becoming the most expensive Lowry, in 2011. The painting was originally bought in 1951 by Harrry Walston a Cambridgeshire farmer and later a Labour Life Peer. When he died it sold for £132,000 in 1992 and finally reached the record price 9 years later.

The above painting is called "The Football Match" too and I dug up this unseen drawing, known a "A Study of a Football Match" shown below.

Can anyone find more about these two last pieces of work?

ps he has done the odd cricket match too.

MATCH STICK MEN AT THE MATCH

We all know that Berwick Rangers are a Scottish Football League team and that they play in England. I wonder if their club officials ever thought that they might be better off playing in the English National League again. For a brief history of the club read this link:
http://baileyfootballblog.blogspot.co.uk/2014/09/berwick-hope-scots-vote-with-their-feet.html

(Oh yes, I forgot to mention that there is a bit of Brexit in the 2014 blog).

A visit to Berwick yesterday turned out to be valuable to me, as I discovered another footballing gem. Walking the ramparts of the town, as you do, I came across a "tourist information board" as part of the Lowry Trail. Yes indeed, it was THE L.S.Lowry, who spent some time in the town from the 1930s until his death in 1976. Along with his characteristic works on the beaches and town, he managed a drawing of a football match, shown below.

OK, it isn't quite like some of his greatest works, but for the Berwickians it has much meaning. The drawing is of a match on the Stanks, which locally means "ditch".

This is part of the old Elizabethan defences, involving the Moat as part of the walled defence of the town. A piece of flat ground, it is surrounded by steep banks and stone walls creating a natural amphitheatre at Brass Bastion.

The crowd is in front and at the back of the picture, depicted with short, stubby, vertical strokes.
The frantic activity of the match is shown in "shorthand" by the goal on the right, with a defender or two firmly anchored towards the left.

Here is a view of the "pitch" today taken from behind the goal on the left.
 p.s. more on Lowry tomorrow.

RICH PICKINGS FOR THE SYNNERS

Yesterday, we experienced a glorious evening of football and when we returned to the haven of the Grey's Inn for a final few moments with the "Amble nectar", we pondered on our lads' night out. There was the Red Lion at Bedlington, finding the Dr Pit Welfare Park midst the industrial rows of houses, meeting new friends from the Terriers' committee and enjoying a stonking game of footy with 9 goals.

Bedlington is a mining town with terraced streets and a pub that has been taken over by the multi-millionaire, Wetherspoons. We had dinner in an historic building, the beer was local and excellent, selling at £1.99 a pint. Why pay that when you can throw in a beautifully cooked Angus steak and trimmings for a total of £6.99? (that's almost £7).

Proud of their history, the Bedlington folk had photos of local heroes on the pub walls and who better than one Robert Charlton, a World Football trophy winner whose first cup was won with his local school team Hirst North A. Yes, Bobby, born in nearby Ashington, captained his side to victory in the schools' tournament, as you can see below.

Seven was to prove an unlucky number for the Terriers who lost the Earnest Armstrong Memorial Cup quarter-final to Billingham Synthonia 7-2. I am sorry to say that the score easily reflected the difference between the two teams.

I doubt that if we had been at the "Synners" ground, their committee could not have been 7:2 times more hospitable than the lads from Bedlington's Welfare Park. It would be impossible; we were welcomed with open arms.

The committee members, all wearing their club ties, engaged us in chat, once they spotted our accents and worked out we might be future investors. They told us the tale of Mr Robert E. Rich Jnr (see yesterday's story), a "Trump like" financial whirlwind who passed through their colliery town, a few years ago. Robert Rich was happy to help out the Terriers with investment a few years back but not to bale out the club permanently. Money does not grow on trees you know.

In 2013, after the Rich's riches ran out, the Terriers found themselves owing money to a construction local company, with a winding up order. In debt, the club struggled and has continued to do so.

The Terriers may still play in front of Mr Rich's now unused electronic scoreboard, the team may play on his relaid pitch (actually not bad for the time of year) and the committee may serve healthy snacks from a hut with RICHS emblazened on it, a reminder of past times.

Now with limited finances and unable to attract the best players from the north-east and borders, Bedlington Terriers have been relegated and are dreaming of past glories.

The Terriers' goalkeeper cuts a lonely figure in front of the Rich's electronic scoreboard. Thankfully for the keeper the scoreboard was not working.

So it is back to the normal humdrum of survival in the Northern League Division 2, whilst local rivals, the Synners, march on to the next round of the Earnest Armstrong Memorial Cup, 7-2 winners.

Good on them!

RICHES AND A CHEMISTRY IN THE NORTH-EAST

Watch out Bedlington, the boys are in town. After an enthusiastic day cycling on beaches, walking to Barter's Bookshop and playing with another jigsaw, this evening is fully devoted to the Earnest Armstrong Memorial Cup tie at Bedlington Terriers FC. They play Billingham Synthonia, the derby of syllables.

Earnest was a Sunderland born lad who made his way in the Leeds Teacher Training College, eventually he became a headmaster in Junior education and served on the Sunderland Council chairing the education committee. He was the MP for North Durham and this was passed on to his daughter Hilary when he retired in 1987. So well qualified was he as a politician that he was the advisor to the TV series "House of Cards".

So well done Earnest and thank you for leaving this marvellous trophy in your name. The Cup is for Northern League Second Division teams.

I have done blogs on Bedlington and Billingham before so you might drift off into those, but here is the tie in a nutshell:
Bedlington- once formed as a works' team (Mechanics and Colliery Welfare) the high point for the club was FA Vase Runners Up in 1998-9 losing to Tiverton Town at Wembley.
In the early 2000s the Terriers looked likely to win the championship in Division One but were runners Up at best.
In 2006-7, the club suffered financial problems and had to be bailed out by a convenient American billionaire, aptly named Robert E Rich Jnr. His wife found ancestral links to the town and suddenly there was an electronic scoreboard and a new pitch. So we look forward to seeing that tonight.

The money inevitably led to a revival in the club's fortunes and they had a short run of stability before dropping out of Division One in 2015-6. In 2012 the BBC filmed a programme about the investment called "Mr Rich and the Terriers", which included a tour to play FC Buffalo.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22JJ7qmSBPs The video has to be seen-got 32 minutes?

Billingham Synthonia (the Synners); name based on synthetic ammonia!! Yep I thought it might be a romantic musical "root" but the club name is based on an agricultural fertiliser produced by ICI in Stockton. They are another works' team. 2006-7 saw the club get to the semi-finals of the FA Vase, losing the semi-final to AFC Totton (another southern club) on penalties. They too were relegated from Division One of the Northern League in 2014-15. The club has reached the 1st Rd of the FA Cup 7 times but not recently. They also reached the FA Trophy and old Amateur Cup quarter-finals once in their history.

THE POWER OF ADVERTISING

Danny Blanchflower and Shredded Wheat got a mention at breakfast today and from then on the conversation ventured into sportsmen/women and TV adverts. What resulted was this short list; Jackie Charlton and Shredded Wheat and Brian Clough and Shredded Wheat. I think other names and stuff may have been dragged up but since we were all concentrating on not eating burnt toast because it will not do us any good, we were distracted and the game dissolved into tea with orange top milk.

Apologies for fadey photo.

I then went to probably the best second hand bookshop in the world, Barters of Alnwick. I bought one cracker of a book called "Curiosities of Football"  @ £4.60 and nearly bought another one called "Victorian Football Miscellany" but remembered that I had a copy of it already on order. Annoyingly the Amazon version cost more than the Barters version!


My purchase had a section on footballers who have appeared in advertisements, so here goes:
John Barnes, Colin Bell, Johnny Haynes, Jimmy Hill, Dean Holdsworth, Pat Jennings, Gary Lineker, David Platt, Trevor Sinclair and Ray Wilkins.

OK that's the easy bit, now match them up with these commodities:
Tango, Top Man, McDonald's, Walker's Crisps, Unipart,Top Man (again), Remington Shavers, Brylcreem, Frosties and Lucozade.

I have given you some help and one or two are "gimmes", so best of luck and remember to phone your mates for help and bring people together!

Oh yes and why not throw a few more that I haven't mentioned back at me.

THE VALUE OF COMMUNITY

As we reach our mid 60s and retirement, our small group of perfectly fit and healthy college mates do not make reference to the day when one or more of us is no longer able to join in the fun and games presented by a week away reunion in a luxurious holiday house with our partners. We all have wonderful partners, we are mobile although today I had to cadge a car ride home from Craster having walked out there along the coastline from Embleton. It was a relief to plonk myself into the car and feel its warming seat, the others walked back.

Living in a community becomes very important as we get older and sitting in the local pub last night watching City v Spurs made us fully aware of the value of living in a friendly village. The local football team Embleton Whinstone Rovers play in the North Northumberland League Division 2 and by all accounts they are a successful club, playing against local villages such as Craster, Tweedmouth and Alnmouth.

The lads and coaches were in the Grey's Inn, where they weren't taking a lot of notice of the footy on the TV but were reminiscing the day's match when EWR FC played the team 2nd in the Division Ashington Town Miners. EWR won 4-1 and cemented their position at the top of the division.

The "choo choo" brought whinstone, a valuable "rock" from the quarry fro selling on.

The lads were very lively, pouring money over the bar and sometimes over themselves.

Researching the club I did notice that they had lost one of their squad in the summer to a car crash. Christopher Penney, a popular and influential team man was tragically killed and such an event eats deeply into a club and a community. The tributes to him and the warmth shown to his family made me remember the value of a team and club and a community.
Christopher is shown below dominating in the air.

OK its a bit philosophical this, but it's Sunday, I haven't had a drink, the England Cricketers have finally won their last ODI in India and Sanchez has just "chipped" a last minute penalty into the Burnley net. Phew!

BTW what is Whinstone?....bit of geology? do some research!

BORED ON THE BORDERS?

Not a chance. The day started in beautiful anticyclonic sunshine, we decided to find a local match so drove 30 miles to Eyemouth where we drove through valley fog surrounding the River Tweed floodplain, emerging from that to be shined on during the afternoon at Warner Park, home of Eyemouth United FC, a tad further north than Berwick. We were in Scotland.
Keep your heads down and don't mention Brexit.

Eyemouth had a lovely, lush pitch, a training facility to look after their various juniors sides, looking out to sea with a small but friendly clubhouse.
The golf club groundsman looked after the pitch and since we did not have to pay admission, I suspect there must be a benefactor to cover costs.
Eyemouth Utd FC was founded in 1948 and known as the Fishermen have achieved fame by reaching the quarter-final of the Scottish Cup in 1959-60, losing eventually to Kilmarnock 1-2. Not much else!

Local rivals Coldstream FC, the Streamers, are much older (1895) and won the Scottish Amateur Cup in 1924. They also qualify for the Scottish Tennants Cup annually.
Both teams play in the East of Scotland Football League. This was a fruity, competitive game.

As for the result-well The Streamers ran out 2-0 winners. The club's chairman happened to be standing with us, leaning against the pitch "barrier" encouraging his players. So "local" was the whole occasion that he asked us if we could name the Man of the Match (for his team). We all had different opinions which would have left him in the balance; I chose the centre forward who scored, another went for the keeper and number three said "midfield player". I bet he made his own mind up in the end but it was nice gesture, sensible man. We had a terrific afternoon, thank you Scotland.

Spare a thought for Bonny Rose Athletic who fell 1-8 to Hibernian in the Scottish Cup today (it was leg 1 of 2). Bonnyrigg were at home, so look for a big'un in second leg!

Next game-Bedlington Terriers v Billingham Synphonia.....the Game of Syllables.

4-2-4, 4-4-2, 4-3-3, 4-1-3-2?

I shan't be watching Tina and Bobby tonight because I shall in a pub and I don't think the local clientele will want such drama on. The second episode is about Bobby, the light of his life and the World Cup Final 1966.

I can remember the day of the final. I was at John Bartlett's house with a few mates, we were 15 years old. What did we know about football and tactics? Not a lot!

John's parents were away and I suspect there were a few bottles of brown ale on show. Any gals? NO! Well not until the evening when we had a party. It was the summer, the day was warm and there was passion in the air.

We didn't really appreciate the girls nor did we appreciate Alf Ramsey's confidence that England, his team, would win the World Cup. Against the Germans??

"I stand by my belief that England will win the World Cup" he said, in his pinched posh accent. I met him once on a Saturday evening at Kings Cross railway station and got his autograph. Nice chap!!

What else didn't we know?
Why he took Jimmy Greaves out of the equation? He was guaranteed goal scorer...some say he was injured.
Why he didn't play John Connelly, Peter Thompson (known to the Brazilians after a recent tour as the White Pele), Terry Paine or Ian Callaghan as wingers mesmerising full backs? No longer did Ramsey trust the magic of wingers like Matthews and Finney.
Why he chose relatively untested Jack Charlton and Nobby Stiles, hardly seasoned internationals?
What happened to the 4-2-4 system? he played the "wingless wonders".
What made him choose Ball and Peters, potentially his wide men? Well not really.

NAME THE TEAM AND PUT THEM INTO FORMATION.
Answer tomorrow....remember Tina and Bobby's next episode. Get educated!

I am now off to the pub.

HAVING A RIGHT PAIR.

Its drab here this afternoon, as I listen to the Indian spinners making our batsmen look like novices. Why didn't the Indian captain bring the spinners on at the start of our innings? Then there would be no need for me to get slightly excited about us producing a good opening stand, being up with run rate and looking to beat an ODI record.

But what does cheer me up is hearing from readers who have something to add to my modest blog. So, thank you to ANONYMOUS who quite rightly pointed out that Tina and Mooro may not have been football's first celebrity couple (see recent blog).

He is quite right of course and I would have mentioned Billy Wright and Joy Beverley (a member of the famed post war Singing Beverley Sisters see below) in the past, who were married in July 1958, one year before Billy retired from playing with his beloved Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Joy had briefly been married before to an American musician.
http://baileyfootballblog.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/wolverhampton-wanderers.html

So it made sense to have a look at some of the other famous footballing couples; Ashley and Cheryl Cole (she a singer), Raphael and Sylvie van der Vaart (she a TV star and model), Wayne and Coleen Rooney (Coleen a childhood sweetheart), Gerard and Shakira Pique (she a Colombian songstress who recorded the South African World Cup tournament song). His manager Guardiola told Pique not to let marrying a lady 10 years his junior affect his game.

Then there are the Beckhams (she a singer), Francesco Totti and Ilary Blasi (a showgirl) and finally the Bests (Angie, a showgirl and "bunny"-not a spa assistant as pictured).

DODGEY DRAW?

I had to endure the excitement and tension of the FA Cup Imps v the Tractor Boys on telly. We couldn't get tickets for Sincil Bank, where we may have witnessed Lincoln City getting into the FA Cup 4th Round; a rare occurence. Wonderful game. How does Rhead get away with it?

All credit to the Imps for their amazing energy and plan which floored Mick McCarthy's Ipswich Town, who were definitely under the weather. Who said the Cup had lost its magic? Ask the fans at Lincoln or Sutton United or Blackpool!

Round 4 is a significant step for the Non-Leaguers but they have been there before....though not a lot.

Lincoln made the 5th Round of the FA Cup in 1886-7, beating:-
Grantham (local derby) in Round 1      Middlesbrough after a replay R2
Gainsborough Trinity (local derby) R3
In R4 Lincoln and a club called Chirk both got byes
In R5 the Imps went OUT to Glasgow Rangers 3-0 AWAY What?!
Rangers went on to beat the Old Westminsters (old boys of the London school) and then lose in the semis to Aston Villa.
Villa then beat WBA 2-0 in the Final.
The Old Westminsters had previously beaten Partick Thistle in R5.
WBA had beaten Preston NE in the semis and Preston in R6 had beaten the Old Carthusians (regular readers will know about them).

Other successes in the Cup date back to 1953-4 losing to PNE in R4 who went on to lose in the Final to WBA....bit of a sequence here? They only played two matches, beginning in R3.

In 1960-1 in R3 they beat WBA (coincidence) 3-1 and then lost to the Blades (R4).
In 1975-6 they beat Boston (local derby) in R1, then Mansfield R2, then Aldershot R3 and in R4 lost to WBA (even more spooky...) 2-3 away on January 24th.

In early rounds the draw is "regional" but as the cup progresses we know it is drawn out of the velvet bag...or is it?

TINA,MOORO AND A QUIZ

I am not sure that the TV reviewers liked Lauren Mclee's "Tina and Bobby", the first part of a three part drama. I enjoyed it because it brought back memories of the 1960s, which I can just remember! The drama includes some archive footage of actual football matches, there are interesting choices of actors to fulfil important roles and there are many secrets revealed from Tina's biography, telling tales of her life with England's captain. There are also one or two footballing secrets revealed too.

One of the hardest scenes to act out is the "training session" with the coach blowing his whistle and actors trying to follow instructions. Granted it was only about ten seconds long.....6 v 2? What no cones or bibs?

I liked trying to pick out who was who, especially when "Mooro's" club mates appear from nowhere to interrupt his honeymoon in Majorca. Tina had to accept that she was going to share her life with his mates! Of course Bobby disgraced himself!

The drama spans several decades of football, fashion and social change.

There were moments when the pair's parents/in-laws were shown to be either doting or snobbish about the newly formed pairing. Who would marry a footballer, who at the time was not very famous? Indeed, Tina at the time earned more as a typist at the Prudential than her husband did as footballer.

I particularly enjoyed seeing Ron Greenwood played by Louis Hilyer (the legendry manager at West Ham) and Alf Ramsey, played by David Bamber (even more legendry as manager of England's 1966 World Cup winning team) portrayed by close likenesses; both men were huge influences on Moore's life.


There are two more episodes and so far Bobby has been made captain of England, he has made sure his wife knows that football comes first and she may have learned how to roast potatoes. Oh and he has been made captain of England and been treated for testicular cancer (1965).

Tina and Bobby became football's first "celebrity couple" and Michelle Keegan, the first WAG?? famed from Coronation Street and Our Girl, has already made a gaff by stating in an interview that football was not a major sport in the those days. Many would doubt her Essex accent.

Mooro played by Lorne MacFadyen, known from Granchester and The Level, certainly had the physique and blonde looks.
NEXT EPISODE DEALS WITH THE WORLD CUP FINAL!

Ironically, most of the filming was done in Ancoats and Sale in Greater Manchester.
AND NOW A GEOGRAPHY QUIZ! well with Brexit etc we owe it to ourselves.
https://www.zoo.com/quiz/european-geography-quiz?utm_term=tmg-mirror&utm_content=Can+You+Pass+the+European+Geography+Quiz%3F&utm_source=taboola&utm_medium=paid&utm_campaign=UK-Zoo-EuropeanGeography%28desktop%29&mkcpgn=i600008255&sg_uid=1QtD2lQERx-p6of1zi_8CA

THANKS THEO

The longest running sponsorship in UK sports' history comes to an end this season when Ryman withdraw their sponsorship of the Isthmian League. The 20 year relationship was ended when Dragon's Den tycoon Theo Paphitis announced the news following his welcomed investment into "non-league" football. His retail group has proved to be an exceptional donor.

The Isthmian league was first sponsored by Rothmans in 1973, eventually regarded as inappropriate, in 1977. Ryman stationers stepped in with support in 1997. The sponsorship has enabled the growth of the league into open age Premier League and Division One North and South, the League Cup (sponsored by Robert Dyas), a Veterans' Cup, Disability and Womens' football (sponsored by Boux Avenue!!), the Development League and a Youth League.

This year the clubs play with special footballs marked with "20" to note the anniversary and money has been raised for many charities especially Comic Relief (red balls were used) and Sport Relief.

Henry Ryman opened his first stationers in Great Portland Street, London in October 1883 and in 1905 the Isthmian League was founded when many amateur clubs decided that they wanted more competitive football. The amateurs did not want to win trophies and medals but merely to play well organised football with a bit of a competitive edge. The famous Casuals, the Civil Service, Clapton, the Ealing Association, Ilford and London Caledonian were the first clubs to get on board.
The league motto of "Honor Sufficit", could be worked out without too much trouble, I hope?

Other more adventurous clubs joined the newly forming Southern League, which gradually became professional. By 1922 the Isthmian league had grown to 14 clubs and parallel to the Isthmian, other leagues were founded, classically names such as the Athenian, Corinthian and the Delphian. Through the 1970s these leagues merged into the Isthmian or other "lower" leagues regionally.

There are over 200 Ryman stores now and the league entertains 72 teams at the 7th and 8th level of the National Pyramid. South-East England clubs as far north east as Wroxham in Norfolk and nearly in France, Guernsey, compete throughout the season.
Gates between the start of this season and new Year's Eve have shown as 5% increase with nearly 200,000 fans passing through the turnstiles. The highest so far has been at Dulwich Hamlet where 2,217 watched their game against Bognor Regis in October, Bognor are presently top of the Premier Division and the Hamlet 5th.

The present champions are:- Premier: Hampton and Richmond ("owned" by Martin Tyler of commentator fame), Div One North: AFC Sudbury and Div One South: Folkestone Invicta.

GRAHAM TAYLOR

I have to mention Graham Taylor who was a working class lad born in Worksop and who made his way through football with an early education at the Old Show Ground, home of Scunthorpe United. 

He was a son of a sports journalist who wrote for the Scunthorpe Evening Telegraph, so he had the game in his veins. He earned a handful of GCEs and rather than stay in Sixth Form at Scunthorpe Grammar School, he joined Grimsby Town as a full back. Before he left school he played for the English Grammar Schools in the early 1960s signing on for the Mariners in 1962.

His playing career took him to Lincoln City in 1968 totalling nearly 340 professional games (scoring 3 goals!). When he qualified as the youngest known qualified FA Coach, he then became the youngest manager when in 1972 his coaching career began at Lincoln City. The Imps won the 4th Division title in 1976 with a record number of victories.

He then joined Watford and took them from the lowest to the old 1st Division in five years. In 1982-3 Watford were runners up in the First Division, to Liverpool and then FA Cup Finalists, losing to Everton in 1984, a game I watched at a strange hour in New Zealand. In his final season at Watford the team finished 9th in the league and lost to Spurs in the Cup semi-final.

 He developed his reputation at Watford with the support of Elton John's investment but moved to Second Division Aston Villa for a "new challenge" in 1987, winning promotion immediately in 1988 working with hardened pros such as Gordon Cowan and Paul McGrath. He then led Villa to second place in the top flight in 1990 once again behind Liverpool.

In July 1990 he took on Channel 4's Cutting Edge, "The Impossible Job", the managership of England, following on from Bobby Robson. His term in international football was made notorious by the film of the same name. We all know about those three or so years, a period in his life that he bore with considerable dignity (apart from the German linesman incident). It was a difficult time for him and his family no doubt.

After England, Taylor returned to Wolves in 1994 for a year taking them to the First Division play-offs, then rejoined Watford winning the Second Division title and a year later taking them into the Premier League in 2001 where Watford could not survive amongst richer clubs. He then led Villa again until retiring at the end of the 2002-3 season. Over his career he matched Brian Clough and Jim Smith by managing over a 1,000 top flight matches, 750 at Watford. He joined the Watford FC board until 2012, was made an honorary life president and had a stand named after him.

As a pundit he gave much wisdom to televised and radio matches and supported several charities including the Sense National Deaf Blind and Rubella Association. Taylor gave us John Barnes and Luther Blissett, raising them from non league football but of course there were many others who owe their careers to Graham Taylor.

DON'T NOD THE TURNIP BACK TO YOUR KEEPER

It is always reassuring and encouraging to know that my daily indulgence (not a euphemism) is being considered seriously and indeed replied to. So thanks to Steve Turner, especially, who raised several issues associated with "Just a quickie", yesterday's blog,

IFAB laws of the game, he tells me, states that the referee has "power" (don't let them think that!!) to discipline a player from the pre-match inspection onwards (Law 13.3!!). So that sorts that one out.

What about at the end of the match? I wouldn't mind betting that once the first pint of Bradfield Brewery's Yorkshire Blonde is pulled in the bar, it's game over!
I'm waiting for Steve to have another trawl through the Laws to clarify!! Good lad.

He clearly thinks a lot about the game (actually he does because I have seen him working with the local club's U14s). He added that he had not witnessed any player kicking the ball anywhere but "backwards" from the kick off (or re-start as refs would have it). This is a new thing, we all know that, but not a requirement so the idyllic Crazy Gang slog into the far corner of the opposition half, direct from the KO, is still possible, but does not seem to have any credence in the modern game as tip-tap, tiki taka seems to keep the statisticians' open mouthed  and content.

The "long ball game" is all very topical since in the last few minutes I have heard of the death of Graham Taylor, one of the great exponents of POMO, (i.e. gaining the Position Of Maximum Opportunity), a soccer tactic of long standing but made famous by him in the 1980s.
I shall dwell more on this tomorrow once I get used to the idea of old Turnip Head not being with us any more. It is very sad. Have a read of this:-
http://baileyfootballblog.blogspot.co.uk/2016/03/pomo.html

On a more cheery note, Steve also made me aware of another unusual LAW.
Now I have to make sure that this is what he meant.
If a player flicks the ball up on to his head and nods it back to his goalkeeper (i.e. keeping possession), assuming the goalie catches the ball and holds it, then this is gaining an unfair advantage and a yellow card should be shown to the goalie (not the header?) and (I guess) an indirect free-kick given to the attackers at the point of catching! The header of the ball may presume he is just "passing back" but not with his feet and the goalie could easily not use his hands......but if he does.....bingo.

What happens when the keeper catches a ball sent from the opposition, bounces it on the ground (let's say ONCE) and picks it up and then......??? (Lew? remember George Ellis at Gothia...duh!) Even more challenging is "what is a bounce?".

Answers on a post card.....
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2017/01/12/graham-taylor-former-england-aston-villa-manager-dies-aged-72/

JUST A QUICKIE

I was sent this news clip from my West Country agent, who like me enjoys a Non-League Paper weekly.  That is not a euphemism, not a J. Arthur or Sherman. It is just a quickie!
The question is "When can a player be penalised, booked or sent off?" I have my doubts but there must be time when the players arrive at the stadium or ground when they cease to be public property and begin to be an appurtenance. An incident in the tunnel, a fight in the public lavs, some rude comment to an official as they walk through the stadium gates. Let's be serious!

Chippenham forward David (aptly named) Pratt met his doom in 3 seconds for a reckless challenge on a Bashley opponent on December 27th 2009 (still recovering from Christmas excesses?).

Cross Farm Park Celtic's (make your mind up about your name lads) Lee Todd went in 2 seconds (do the refs actually look at their watch as the crime happens?) for foul language. The story goes that as the ref blew his whistle (not a euphemism) to start the game against Taunton East Reach Wanderers (what is it with west country teams and lengths of names?), Todd said "F*** me, that was loud" and duly was walked! "I was only talking to myself", said Lee.

Giuseppe Lorenzo left his Bologna side one short against Parma when he hit an opponent after 10 seconds in a league game in 1990 and Keith Gillespie, for the Blades, in a Premier League game in January 2007, came on as a sub against Reading and elbowed an opponent in 0 (ZERO) seconds before the ref restarted the game.

There are many other examples (Stevie Gerrard 38 secs v United in 2015?) and remember, once you are indentified as a partaking footballer at the venue, you are vulnerable to the whims of the officials!!

If one of your named starting players is sent off before the game begins he may be replaced with a sub. A named sub "sent off" before or after the game begins may not be replaced.

In 2002 the Blades again v WBA had their match abandoned after 82 minutes when they had 3 players sent off and 2 injured....clever plot that....managers not very happy!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZDsjY3uFdE

BACK TO SCHOOL GEOGRAPHY LESSON

This is now a challenging period for our Premier League clubs. Much depends on how many players a club can afford to keep on its books; how wealthy they are and what can they afford in the way of buying players and paying their wages.
From now on some clubs are going to feel the pinch because:
the post Christmas/New Year depression, grumpy young men getting booked and sent off,
cold, wet weather and associated injuries,
transfer window open, losing players?
local derbies over Christmas period, tense football,
relentless matches piling one after another and losing key players to the.....
AFRICAN NATIONS CUP.  

That's all a club needs when it is trying to stave off relegation or make a bit of progress in the one and only trophy it can win.

The 31st edition of the Total African Cup of Nations 2017 is almost underway. First round matches begin on Saturday 14th January in Gabon.
Guess where Gabon is.
The original host was to be Libya but who wants to spend money on more security than is necessary?
So the Confederation of African Football made a decision.

The winner of the tournament qualifies for the 2017 FIFA Conderations' Cup in Russia...out of the frying pan into the fire?

Group 1: Gabon, Burkina Faso, Cameroon (previous champions 4) Guinea-Bissau.
Group 2: Algeria (1), Tunisia (1), Senegal, Zimbabwe.
Group 3: Ivory Coast (2), DR Congo (2), Morocco (1), Togo.
Group 4: Ghana (4), Mali, Egypt (7), Uganda.

The final is played on February 5th at the Stade de L'Amitie, Libreville. The map below shows the countries in African that have qualified. All you have to do is put names to countries.

And who suffers?
First number is players going/out of possible:
Arsenal 1/2, Bournemouth 1/3, Palace 2/4, Everton 1/3, Hull 2/2, Leicester 3/6, Liverpool 1/2, Man Utd 1/1, Southampton 1/1, Stoke 3/3, Sunderland 3/6, Watford 2/5, West Ham 2/5. Unnamed clubs have no takers.
Those not going were either uninterested, not picked, retired, their home country didn't qualify or player is conveniently injured.

Sadio Mane could miss 9 Liverpool games.

ARCHERS OR VELVET BAG AND BALLS?

I have a dilemma; The Archers or Live FA Cup Draw? What poor planning! Ready at 7pm or not!!

It's early all done then apart from the final tie (and an odd replay) involving Leeds United who must be favourites at Cambridge United this evening and by 7.45 ko the teams will know who their next tie will be against.

I know the University City will be chocker with Leeds fans and if recent crowds are anything to go by then the Abbey Stadium will be heaving, the stadium capacity is 8,127.

Eastleigh took their club record support with them to Brentford, 1428 travelled, 500 or so more than their average home gate. The Spitfires' manager, Martin Allen (mad dog), once managed the Brentford club.

On the theme of mad dogs, Bobby Gould's 23 year old grandson, Matt (see below) was in the Stourbridge goal that just lost out to Wycombe Wanderers. It was his birthday on Saturday and the club bought him a cake. perfect pre-match fayre. Though I understand the cake was dropped before eating.

Who was Bobby Gould? (see above in the thicker stripe). He managed the Crazy Gang Wimbledon FC Cup winners in 1988.
Matt's father Jonathan (spot him) was a goalie at Coventry City and then Celtic, now coaching at West Brom, so he has a bit of a pedigree, unlike Mad Dog Bobby and Martin.

A few decades ago Bobby visited Charterhouse School with a Wimbledon FC XI to play against boys and staff. All part of a celebration of the two clubs winning the FA Cup and Amateur Cup (see previous blogs). Bobby was competitive.

Barnsley took enough supporters to make up nearly 70% of the Blackpool crowd (3370/4875) at Bloomfield Road. Newcastle made up 35.5% at Birmingham, Stourbridge 35% at Wycombe, Lincoln City 30% (4888/16027) at Ipswich and Accrington Stanley 482/1717 at Luton 28%!!

Lincoln City fans made a big effort and were rewarded with a 2-2 draw at Portman Road, creating a record of the greatest number of away fans to visit Portman Road since 1992. Mind you Ipswich is in the back of beyond, there are still people looking for the ground from 1992.
We have applied for replay tickets at £5 ph for the Sincil Bank replay! Bargin.
So fingers crossed that we might get a ticket.

THE MAGIC OF THE CUP

On the weekend of the best round of the FA Cup, there is still one match to be played; Cambridge United v Leeds United. Cambridge have beaten Dover Athletic and Coventry on their way to the 3rd Round. Cambridge manager Shaun Derry made 71 appearances between 2005-08 and he will be pleased to halt their cup run. Local rivals Histon beat Leeds famously in a second round tie in 2008.

Who said the Cup had lost its mojo? I am likelyto agree with part of this having just watched the Spurs wade their way through to beat Villa eventually. I went to Bolton yesterday and in a half full stadium (which is magnificent btw), the most important part of the day was having a cheeky pre-match beer in the Blundell Arms, Horwich, a pub I am assured, was the local of my Blog Mentor Bill Rogers' dad who went there on a Friday night for "Gardening Club". Now Lew, where have I heard of that excuse before? Sam's lot from Croydon failed to breach the Bolton Trotters and we went away with no goals.

I wrote about Barnsley getting a 1-1 draw at Blackpool in 1910, so what do the Tykes do this year? Yep they score NO GOALS and the Seasiders matched them. So Blackpool should expect a drubbing when they get back to Oakwell. In 1910 the replay was a 6-0 win for the Yorkshire lads.

Plymouth AFC held Liverpool to stalemate and that might be held up as the greatest result of the weekend. Who said the FA Cup was dull?

This will cheer you up! Huddersfield had a comfy 4-0 win over Port Vale (the only FL club that does not exist at a place..what do you mean? There is no place called Port Vale).

Well I was alerted by James Taylor, a true Terriers fan, that the player for the future at Town is Izzy Brown. Below is a young England U16,17 and 19 international, on loan from Chelsea. He was born on 7th January 1997, so seeing his team beat PV was good for him as he assisted the first goal. I suspect Izzy might be celebrating in an appropriate way this weekend. (see below) Mourinho has said that "he should be blamed if Izzy does not make international standard", presumably meaning a FULL cap.

Here is Izzy and his young lady. Good lad.

For the rest of the weekend, Stourbridge went out with a bang, the Glassboys losing to the Chairboys (Wycombe W) only 1-2.
The Lions mauled the Cherries, Norwich got a 2-2 v Southampton, Ipswich have been taken back to Lincoln City's Sincil Bank (a game I hope to see at £5 a ticket), and the Wolves beat the Potters.
If your club is in the next round, the win was worth £67,500 and the next round victory is worth £90,000. Lovely jubbly.

The Hepworth United Junior FC U13s had their own cup tie today and went to Wyke FC near Cleakheaton in West Yorkshire....close match against a team a division above them...score L 0-9! magic

TROTTERS TO MAKE A MESS OF THE PALACE?

Have I told you that it is FA Cup weekend this weekend? The Hammers have already left the stage.

The days when the draw used to be made at lunchtime (during school lunch) have now gone but we used to sneak into the school dining hall a transistor radio to listen to the merging of the minnows and sharks. Some elightened schoolmasters would actually allow the draw to be heard loud!

I am going to Bolton Wanderers to meet two old blokes who used to teach and coach in Lancashire. Both of them have seen a number of professional footballers through their school teams, so they have played their part in developing football in the north-west; so all hail to you John Taylor (Bolton School) and David Hopkinson (QEGS Blackburn). Some of my readers will know them.

Bolton, presently 2nd in Division One (two levels below Palace) have played Crystal Palace (Premier League) at various levels; Division Two (old money), Division One (top division previously), Division 1 (third level), Premier League and Championship. Then there is the League Cup and of course the whole point of this, the FA Cup. Palace were Cup Finalists last year.

This is the fourth year running that Palace have been drawn away in the 3rd Round and have won each of the previous three ties.

Bolton has lost each of its previous three 3rd Round ties against Premier opposition.

The overall 11v11 record is Bolton W13 D15 L11 with matches first played remarkably as late as October 1964. In the Premier League they met first in 1997-8.

They have played once in the Cup on 23rd January 1982 with Palace winning at home 1-0.
My money is on Sam's Palace but the Trotters may make a mess of the Crystal.

DON, DA, DON, DON, DAAAAA.....

It is FA Cup 3rd Round weekend and the paper writers are bemoaning the lack of interest in this weekend's football, arguing that the 3rd Round does not have the magic of the past. I disagree. The round is clearly important to the TV companies who have spread their matches over the complete weekend. It is very important to the non-league and lower league clubs who will gain in quodos should they get a draw or a win against the higher ranked sides and of course the ties are financially rewarding. It also puts lesser league players on show. You never know!

One of the magical ties is Sutton United v AFC Wimbledon at the Borough Sports' ground, Gander Green Lane. Historically, they are south London rivals and in 1963 the two teams (actually the Wombles were known as Wimbledon FC)  met at Wembley in the FA Amateur Cup Final. The result, a 4-2 victory for the "Dons". Eddie Reynolds scored all 4 goals; ALL HEADERS! See this>>>>>
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VhFqyCdbaV8

This later became even more remarkable when Wimbledon FC beat Liverpool in the 1988 Cup Final making Wimbledon FC the only OTHER club to win both the FA Cup and FA Amateur Cup. This matched the historic event of the Old Carthusians (Old boys of Charterhouse School) who did this double by winning in 1881 the FA Cup and in 1894, the first ever FA Amateur Cup Final.

Tomorrow, non-league Sutton United host Football League team AFC Wimbledon on their "artificial pitch", hoping to equal the amazing Cup events of:
1970 Sutton were playing Leeds United in their pomp in the 4th Rd at home (lost 0-6);
1989 v Coventry 3rd Rd at home win 2-1 (they then lost away at Norwich 0-8); and
1993-4 3rd v Notts County away lost 2-3, having beaten Colchester (a) and Torquay (a) en route.

In 1975-6, in the 1st Rd,  Sutton Utd played Bournemouth at home (draw 1-1) and away at the old Dean Court (now the revamped Vitality Stadium), losing 0-1. For the record I played in both games!

BOOST YOUR CROWDS-HAVE AN ELECTION

It is FA Cup 3rd Round weekend and I should be going to Blackpool to see how Barnsley get on as the Tykes' Cup campaign begins. Actually for one reason and another I am at Bolton.

I have just bought a wonderful book, "Lifting the Cup" plotting the history of Barnsley FC from 1909-12, a period when the club got to the FA Cup Final twice.

In the 1909-10 Cup there were 6 qualifying rounds and Barnsley joined in with ther big clubs at Round One. There were then five rounds before the final.

 In 1910 the First Round tie was played between two Division 2 teams, Blackpool being their opponents. This tie was held on Saturday 15th January. 8,000 watched the game which was drawn 1-1 at Bloomfield Road.
In the replay on the 20th, at Oakwell, nearly 14,000 turned up on a Thursday when everyone should have been working! The good news was that the day was deemed a holiday due to the General Election proceedings taking place. There was no narrow victory in this replay however as Blackpool were hammered 6-0.

In the 1910 Cup Final,  Barnsley lost to Newcastle after a replay, playing first at the old Crystal Palace in front of 77,747 (1-1) and then at Goodison Park losing 0-2 with 69,090 watching.

It is a long story, but this is Amos the Barnsley Cup mascot in 1910, Perhaps stolen from Blackpool beach? the team did train at Lytham St Annes prior to the tie.

Two years later (1911-12) Barnsley got to the final again and met West Bromwich Albion, at the Crystal Palace, drawing 0-0 (54,556) and winning the replay at Bramall Lane 1-0 (38,555). There were seven qualifying rounds and five more before the final.

This is the only time Barnsley have won the Cup. There was much celebration.

The coincidence is that this year, Barnsley play away at Bloomfield Road, Blackpool in their "first" round (actually it is the 3rd Round but you get my drift). We dare to dream of another visit to Wembley.

RULES OR LAWS, REFEREES OR UMPIRES.

Yesterday's blog on referees (the man in the middle) brought a sack load of correspondence to me asking about the differences between referees and umpires, laws and rules.

Early notes on the origins of the game of association football make reference to the two officials, who were called "umpires". One drawn from each team and they were confined to the touchlines and held a copy of the agreed rules. It should be remembered that some teams had their own "local" rules and any differences had to be considered before the game started.

The official "rules" mentions umpires in 1874, although we all know that the "Rules of Association Football" were first published in 1863 and in those 13 rules, no mention was made of any arbitrator.

Captains (only) would "call" for a foul or draw the referee's attention to a rule infringement, rather than the referee initiating a matter. These days of course anybody who fancies can make a claim but then that is how the game has lost its dignity.

Later in the 1870s, the third official was introduced to the game in case the two umpires disagreed. So the umpires referred to the third person who became known as the referee. He made it into the FA Rule Book in 1881. It was not until 1891 that the referee was given full control over the game and he became a compulsory fixture.

In 1898, the referee became the soul power with neutral linesmen replacing the club umpires.

The original Rules of Association Football are documented in the photograph and they show the "rules" as originally decided by a meeting of the F.A. on Monday 26th October 1863 by Ebenezer Cobb Morley at the Freemasons' Tavern, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London.

Those present were:
The Wanderers Club-representatives from Oxford and Cambridge Universities, The No Names (NN) of Kilburn, Barnes FC, The War Office, Crusaders, Furnival House Blackheath, Kingston School, Surbiton, Blackheath School and Charterhouse School.

Further meetings were necessary to classify and codify what became known as the Rule Book. After much deliberation, mainly about whether a player could pick up the ball and run with it, the final meeting was held on December 8th. Association Football was born. Thirteen Rules were published and since then much has changed. Mostly, the game is no longer akin to rugby as handling the ball was outlawed (outruled??).

So the use of the word "rules" appears to be accepted although some "experts" may insist on using "laws". Rules appear in most references. We now have referees and assistant referees, no longer do umpires exist!
In the end it is just down to "semantics". Romantic innit?

THE MAN IN THE MIDDLE

The poor old referee....what does he have to do to have a good (or even an average) game? All refs are truly in the "frontline" and none more so this week than Mike Dean.

Mike caused a stir yesterday and the media has been all over him after he sent off of West Ham's Sofiane Feghouli, so early in the game against Manchester United.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0B_NDpzFLM

If he had given a yellow at the time, I wonder what the tone from the pundits would have been? How long into the game is it "acceptable" to make such a serious decision? And what did you think about the decision when you first saw it? Even with constant replays and slow-mo I can see why it might have been a sending off offence, but on the other hand.......

Did either of the referee's assistants certainly help him (I wonder what the conversation was like between them as the foul happened and the red card was shown?). Maybe that should be made public? Would video technology have helped the ref in the Feghouli/Jones clash? Possibly. It certainly would have pointed out the offsideness of Ibrahimovic's later goal.

Anything that happened after the sending off was going be compared to this dismissal, so the pundits, coaches and fans were on his back.... Dean was on a slippery slope.

Other ref's have entertained us!

Mike Dean might well be celebrating the goal scored in this match but he is clearly chuffed with allowing play to continue;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=StRVqK7xgw4
Here is an interesting response from the Brazilians at the end of this World Cup match in 1978. Clive @The Book@ Thomas from Wales follows the letter of the laa.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0JFuWqwFg4
Who could forget Tofik Bakhramov? Was he in line with the goal line?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Uhe_l1h3w8

Phil Don, originally, and now Keith Hackett are responsible for the running of the Professional Game Match Officials' Limited. This is to back up referees and provide support such as a sports' pyschologist and a vision scientist. What ever that is? Keith Hackett says that Dean's high profile approach is a strength and not a weakness. You need to have a big personality to put up with everything else that is thrown at you in and around a match. Agreed.

The issue is that the top referees' list is short and one of the best, Mark Clattenburg, might be off to the Chinese League to earn a salary that will match the salaries earned by the multi-millionaires he is trying to be in charge of! With baying fans on his back and minute interpretation from TV cameras, refs deserve to be paid more.

Mark Clattenburg is Global Soccer Awards Referee of the Year 2016 following his performance in the Euro 2016, Champions League Final, FA Cup Final and other important engagements. We are likely to lose him from the PL.

Are you ready for this? Also have a look at the Ref Cam page!
https://you-are-the-ref.com/ref-show-2nd-january-2017/

A STING IN THEIR TAIL

The Scorpion kick has entertained us this weekend with two remarakble goals in the Premier League. You will have seen them. If not, here is Mkhitaryan's offside goal (allowed because it was beautiful);
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVM_Q_QEois
Arsenal's Giroud, not to be outdone, seems to find scoring goals through normal skills a problem but he came up with a scorcher yesterday.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffJVEvDUeKI
The build up play is a bit special too. 5 passes on the break and he was onside.

Then there are a few other goals and a SAVE, remember the Colombian goalkeeper, Rene Higuita (El Loco) at Wembley against England in front of 90,000?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfJr8FoEMDI
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-3224113/Rene-Higuita-wowed-world-scorpion-kick-playing-Colombia-against-England-Wembley-20-years-ago.html

and just for KICKS here's an U14 soccer player producing the same for his Brazilian team Gremio.
http://digg.com/video/scorpion-kick-goal

My U13s do this all the time but usually becausd they have fallen over in the penalty area.