KANE A GENT

It has been a splendid day and despite some rain, the game at Huddersfield was largely bathed in sunshine, though for the Terriers supporters were not bathed in success. As we were assessing the game afterwards, my colleague David Wood, mentioned that Harry Kane had only been sent off once is his career. that got my juices flowing.

Towards the end of the match, which ended 0-4 to Tottenham Hotspur, when Harry Kane was substituted (socially or tactically) by his manager, the whole stadium applauded him off the pitch. It was generous from the home supporters who had suffered a torrid time.
Kane scored twice and the writing is on the wall for the Yorkshire club who will suffer a few more "drubbings" like this through the season. What they need to do is pick up points from clubs similar to them i.e. those clubs who are under invested, and the Terriers must not lose heart.

Harry Kane is a gentleman and I hope that any youngsters watching him at the John Smith's stadium this afternoon, will have had somebody nearby to point out his finer movements and moments. Kane is a clever forward, honest, hard working, strong and clinically. Spurs were 3-0 in double quick time and a final goal in the last minute sealed the result.

So Harry Kane has "previous" with the Huddersfield club who last played Spurs on March 28th 1972 in the old First Division in a 1-1 draw. Kane was not involved.

Kane played for Ridgeway Rovers in 1999 as a youngster, then went to Arsenal in 2001-2 and Spurs from 2004. Having made his Spurs first team debut against Hearts in the European League on 25th August 2011, he is now their talisman from whom he had loan moments with Leyton Orient 2011, Millwall 2012, Norwich 2012-13 and Leicester 2013.

In this period he played for various England teams (U17) etc through to his goal scoring debut for the England full team on March 27th 2015.

It was at Huddersfield playing for Leyton Orient that Kane was sent off for his only time (so far). Two yellows led to his dismissal and Orient were two down and a man down. But they came back to draw 2-2.

The two clubs have met 41 times with Huddersfield winning 16 times and Spurs 12, the rest were drawn of course. Most of these matches were played from the first meeting in 1920 (after spurs had joined the Football League) through to the start of the Second World War (actually 1936), a time when Spurs were rising from the Southern League and Huddersfield were basking in the success of the great manager, Herbert Chapman.

This afternoon the home crowd realised that by the time Kane had tucked his second they were in a different class. It was damage limitation and Spurs going through the motions for much of the match, the Yorkshire crowd remained stoic.

RIVER PLATE WINS CUPS

Always on the look out for a Blog theme, I bumped into a young lad, Tom, in the gym today and he was sporting this wonderful shirt. He said he was off travelling so I hope he might be heading for Argentina, a wonderful experience?

The sponsor's logo on his shirt threw me a tad, thinking the club might be French in origin, but when I asked Tom "which club?" it was, he said, "River Plate". Of course, so here is a small blogette on the other team in Argentina...as opposed to Boca Juniors.

So Club Atletico River Plate and Boca are arch rivals, both based in Buenos Aires, RP in Belgrano district, on the River Plate estuary, an economic lifeline. RP have just won in the quarter-finals of the Copa Liberatordes, second leg, 8-0 beating Jorge Wilstermann 8-3 on aggregate! Some come back?

Like Boca, RP, founded in 1901, is a club that supports a multitude of other activities, assuming the title of being Los Millonaires. They presently hold second pace in the Primera Division, whereas Boca, come TOP! Gnashing of teeth.
The club has been voted by FIFA as the 9th best club of the century (Global). Choose the other 8?

Not too sure about the keepers opposite "stripe"? This is the successful promotional team in 1908 leaping up to the Primera.
originally it was dockers who played football during their breaks who started the whole thing off and it was boxes on the docks labelled River Plate that gave the club its name! By 1914 RP had won their first domestic trophy and even wore Torino's colours having close connections with the Italian side, another European link. Alfredo di Stefano played for the club before joining Real Madrid, along with Crespo, Ortega and the goalkeeper Carrizo whose style revolutionised his position.

BLUE PLAQUE FOR A BLACK HERO

The Yorkshire Post, our local daily paper, had a news item today concerning an appeal made by local football supporters in South Yorkshire, who want to erect a "blue plaque" at the former home of Arthur Wharton, the "world's" first black footballer, a goalkeeper. Arthur lived at Clifford Street, Moorthorpe, Pontefract.

The links below will tell you more than enough about Arthur and his life in England, having migrated from the Gold Coast (Ghana now) and he played for Darlington, Preston, Rotherham and both Sheffield clubs in the 1880s.

He stood up to racism, he became the world's fastest athlete in the 100 yard dash and was buried in an unmarked grave after disappearing from public life. The previous blogs tell of the 16 foot statue erected by the FA at St George's Park, Burton and NOW, Matthew Thomas, a Moorthorpe local, set up a fund to raise money for this plaque, backed by anti-racism charities. (I can't see how much money will be needed for this??) Enjoy the read and spare a thought for Arthur and the disgraceful racism that emanates from Russian football fans  in the 21st Century!
http://baileyfootballblog.blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/footballs-first-black-footballer.html
http://baileyfootballblog.blogspot.co.uk/2015/11/viv-whizz.html

SERGIO HAS A BROOK TO CROSS

I am not going to pursue the Harry Kane scoring record this time. I might leave it until tomorrow. The other seriously good goal scorer in the Premier League is Sergio Aguero with 176 goals in 260 games. He is shortly going to break the record for the highest goalscorer for Manchester City in all competitions. I saw Aguero play a few seasons ago at the Stadium of Light and from my perch behind the Sunderland goal it was fascinating to watch the Argentinian move in the final third. There was little else on his mind bar getting into the penalty area.

Aquero had the chance to become top goalscorer for the City club during the week but he needs two more to beat Eric Brook whose 177 goals in 494 games stands as a record still.

Eric Brook was born in Mexborough (South Yorkshire), he avoided going down the mines by being good enough to play for Barnsley before the war. Manchester City signed him and Fred Tilson as a pair for £6,000. They were to join a successful club that included an FA Cup defeat in 1933 against Everton and a win in 1934 beating Portsmouth. City also won the Championship in 1936-7 with Manchester United dropping out of the First Division! Ironically, the next season City were relegated, despite scoring more goals than anyone else 80-unfortunately they let in 77!! One more point would have lifted them 4 places in the division.

Eric continue to score goals from the left wing (often as a wanderer) in a twelve year career which included 18 England caps and 10 goals. It was on a car journey to play against Scotland (for some reason he missed the train) that he was involved in an accident and fractured his skull. That and the War prevented Brook from breaking any further records. As it is he still holds the club's highest scoring total-just.

He never got back into football after the war and he went on to be a coach driver, a crane operator and as most retiring footballers did, owned a pub in Halifax.

Remember that he played with Frank Swift, Cliff Bastin, Stanley Matthews and Raich Carter, all international legends, so he must have been half decent.

At one point he and Fred Tilson and Jackie Bray, all three City players represented England against Wales and Ireland in the Home Championship. The next time this happened it was Bell, Lee and Marsh who represented England and City in 1972.

BRANN YO-YO

Clubs that have erratic records was the theme yesterday and today with European matches in mind, I thought I would pursue a Norwegian club from Bergen called (once) Ski-og Fodbold Klubben Brann (the club catered for skiers, ice hockey and more activities). Founded by a bunch of lads in a local cafe, on the 26th September 1908, Brann is one of the more popular clubs in the country having an extraordinary "yo-yo" record similar to Sunderland or Newcastle in England. The Norwegian league was set up in 1937 and was known as the Norgesserien (Norwegian League). It then became the Hovedserien (The Main League) until 1962. Then the 1 Divijion until 1990 when a sponsor deal changed the name to Tippeligaen. This ended in 2016 when the sponsor was lost. Remember their season runs from April to November in any year.

In 1917 the club Moved to their Brann Stadion and played a Norwegian National side to celebrate. Their first title of any sort was the 1923 Cup Final beating Lynn 2-1.

It all began in 1959-60 when the club was in the Hovedserien or the Main League in Norway. They won promotion next season and then won the league title for two years running with super star winger Roald Jensen, who later went to Hearts. Two seasons later after winning the championship twice consecutively, the club went down! Having found themselves in the relegation zone, Brann lost their last match 0-1 to Raufoss, the bottom club, and had to drop to the second division.

Between 1979 and 1986 the club went up and down for eight years, (relegated in 1979, 1981, 1983, 1985), winning promotion each time and avoiding relegation in 1987. This was, at the time, a record for a "top flight" club. Only Aris of Cyprus bettered that yo-yo period from 1997 with ten years of ups and downs.

The club then gained stability remaining in the top flight until 2014 and were runners up last season 2016, qualifying for the Europa League with Sarpsborg 08. Winners Rosenborg play in the Champions League.

In 1996-7 they club won through to the European Cup Winners quarter-finals in 1996-7.

Brann won the Eliteserien (the latest name for the top division) in 2007, bettered only by Rosenborg who have 20 titles and are present title holders.

Here is the club history on their website which has got lots of pictures and even a cartoon.
http://www.brann.no/english/club-history
ps If you get a map of Norwegian Eliteserien clubs have a look at where Tromso come from compared to the other division opponents.

NO GOALS or POINTS AT THE PALACE

Crystal Palace have gone 6 games with no points and no goals at the start of this Premier League. The Eagles may recover? It could be worse!

Derby County in 2007-8 won 1 game against Newcastle United, drew 8, with 11 points over a full season. Between 22/9/2007 and 13/9/03 Derby went 32 games without a win.

Aston Villa in 2015-16 won 3 drew 8 amassing 17 points. Tottenham, with Bale and Modric, on board in 2008-9 only managed 2 points out of the first 8 games but then finished 8th.
The "lavatory seat" team, Sunderland, were up and down from the PL over several seasons. In 2013-14 they took one point in the first 5 games under Paulo di Canio and in 2016-17 they took 2 points in the first 10 games, winning eventually against Bournemouth on November 5th. This victory, one of six wins all season.
Sheffield Wednesday (1999-2000) earned one point from 8 games, then rounded off the run when they conceded loads against Newcastle losing 8-0 (Shearer scored 5).
Manchester City in 1995-6  took a point of Spurs in their first game but then lost 7 ultimately being relegated on goal difference. Steve Lomas ran the ball into the corner at 2-2 v Liverpool on the last day, thinking his team was safe. They weren't.

Southampton earned a point after their first five games against Spurs in 1998-9 and the Saints had to wait until their 10 match for their first win.
Portsmouth in 2009-10 had to wait for their 8th match against Wolves for their first victory.

Darwen had 18 consecutive losses in the 2nd Division in 1898-9. Rochdale lost 17 at the start of 1931-2 in Division 3 North.
Sunderland lost 17 games between 2002-3 in the Premier League and when relegated then in Championship.

SEAGULLS v MAGPIES

As I was negotiating Southern Trains and then Victoria station, the Victoria Line, on my way to St Pancras, today, there were loads of Geordies heading in the opposite direction to the south coast for their Premier League match against Brighton and Hove Albion. This could be the longest journey for any PL team to travel this season. Choosing a rail journey on this day may not have been a very bright idea. It was a sunny, warm day but the efficiency of various rail links was interfered with by Sunday "repairs" and alterations. Mind you a coach would be dreadful, boat? plane?
I hope they got to the Amex on time, a ground out on a limb. The PL did set a 4pm ko so the fans would have a bit of time to get to the match. By the way I got home safely. But what their journey home.

These clubs at opposite ends of the country are probably relieved that they are only likely to meet twice a season, unless some clever FA Cup draw or EFL Cup pitches the Magpies against the Seagulls. These clubs have been in cup ties 6 times before; Newcastle one win (1930), one draw (1983) subsequently a Brighton win and they have conquered in the rest.

Actually, the clubs have only met 21 times EVER, until now. Newcastle have won 9, Brighton 9 and 3 have been drawn.
Remember that Brighton was only founded in 1901 and they joined the Football league in 1920. Newcastle of course have been about since 1892 and in the league for longer than Albion.

The first meeting ever was an FA Cup match at Newcastle on 15th February 1930. The next time they met was in October 1961 in a Division Two game and this was also at Newcastle, with the home team winning 5-0. Another League match was in 1963 at the Goldstone Ground 0-4 to Newcastle. Then again at Brighton in 1978 2-0 to the home team...I could go on.

The last time they met was in the Championship in 2016-17, Newcastle won both season's games and at the moment Brighton are ahead 1-0. 15 minutes to go...squeaky bum time for Chris and Raph.

THE OC

The Old Carthusian Football Club came together in full force today for their annual fixtures against the school, Charterhouse. This annual fixture has been played since February 24th 1864. This time five XIs were fielded against the school's senior XIs and OCs from last year (so 18 year olds) and also "way back" (40+) gave the school teams a work out. The scores didn't matter much, the school coaches were looking for performance, effort, courage and stamina. The sun shone and whilst the OCs begin their league matches next week, the School has an ISFA Cup first round tie against King's School, Chester midweek. The 1st XI match ended 0-5, so there is work to be done.

The match in 1881 was played just before the FA Cup Final on April 9th. seven of that successful team played against the school on March 16th

In 1899, the match between the two was recorded as the school's 500th match. It was recorded actually as an International XI, so several of the OC players were Internationals.

POSH!

I wonder how many of you know about Chris Turner? He was one of the great unsung heroes. During the 1970s Chris was a player, captain, manager, commercial manager and joint owner of the Posh, Peterborough United. He oversaw their greatest triumph in the Football League when the club was elevated to the second tier after beating Stockport County at Wembley 2-1. Chris died from dementia  in April 2015, an illness his wife put down to heading heavy footballs. The club and his wife, Lynne, commissioned Sean Hedges Quinn to create a lasting memory of Chris for the Peterborough "faithful" . Hedges has sculptured Bobby Robson Ted Bates, Alf Ramsey and Bob Stoke, so he knows exactly what is needed. The fund has raised the money to have this memorial completed and any excesses will be used to support various charities.

DO I NOT LIKE THAT!

I was looking back to June 1992 because I am meeting a bunch of old pupils from the school who left that summer. They are 25 years older-43 years old or thereabouts. Towards the end of term, various celebrations took place and in our "staff room" we had a dinner for two colleagues who were retiring, having spent over 30 years each at the school, teaching Music and English. One of them taught my daughter violin and was big in theatre, the other had appeared in House of Horror Films and coached tennis.

The dinner went well and afterwards I retired to watch a recording of the European Championship qualifier between England and Sweden (the hosts). This was a Group 2 match in Stockholm and Graham Taylor's England had previously drawn 0-0 with Denmark and France. This, with Gary Lineker leading the line.
Lineker had just scored the fastest first goal for England (42 seconds) against Malaysia in a friendly and he went on to score all the goals in a 4-2 victory. To get to the "finals" England had beaten Turkey 1-0 and drawn with Poland, but Lineker was clearly "on form".

Needless to say with only 2 points from two matches in the group England needed a win against the Swedes but it was desperate and we lost 1-2. (Platt scored our only goal)  We came bottom of the group and it cost Lineker his place in the national side, before he could equal and possibly beat Bobby Charlton's existing goal scoring record (48).

The team was: Woods, Keown, Pearce, Batty, Palmer, Walker, Daley, Webb, Platt, Lineker, Sinton. Smith and Merson were used subs. Can you name their clubs?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bb2v3vWRRcA

Denmark won the final having got their place in the tournament finals only because Turkey withdrew due to political issues at home. Eight nations qualified for the finals, the rest were, Scotland, Netherlands, Germany and the Soviet Union.

Taylor's international career continued until the next tournament qualifiers (1994 World Cup) and ironically it was the 7-1 victory against lowly group rivals, San Marino, that saw his last rites, as the team failed to qualify on goal difference! An error by Stuart Pearce allowed the minnows to score within minutes of the game starting. England regained their composure and won at a canter but it proved to be not enough. Another controversial game against the Dutch which we lost 0-2 could have been much different had the referee not made two shocking errors; Koeman should have been sent off for a professional foul and there were identical free kick incidents for which he penalised us but let the Dutch off scot free.......BOOOO!

Taylor never really recovered from the "turnip" insult after the Sweden defeat and this was the last straw.

TYKES TAKEOVER

This evening the Barnsley Football Club plays at Wembley for the third time in very recent history in the Carabao Cup. Barnsley's form is not great and actually nor is the Spurs! The Terriers might just choke the Cockerels.

Patrick Cryne is a Barnsley "boy" and he presently owns Barnsley FC, something he has done with passion since 2004. In his match programme notes recently he announced that he had bowel cancer and he would unlikely to be able to run the club for much longer. This sad news hit the Tykes hard in what is their 130th year.
   
Founded in 1887, Barnsley FC was the project of the Reverend Tiverton Preedy at St Peter's Church, a stone's throw from Oakwell.

The club is in negotiation to be taken over by American Paul Conway, Chinese investor Chien Lee (a majority shareholder of French club Nice along with director Conway) and Billy Beane. This consortium may well become the first "non-supporter" owner of the club. Beane's experience of ownership includes Oakland Athletics baseball which was the subject of the Brad Pitt film "Moneyball" and advising Dutch side AZ Alkmaar.

Moneyball told the story of Billy Beane (see below) the vice-president of the OAs, who took on an ailing baseball club and used a "sabermetric approach", basically statistical analysis, to identify undervalued players, who appeared to have particular strengths which could be not be obvious to others. With a small budget, these players were scouted and brought into the Oakland side which then had a 20 long winning streak.

Manager Paul Heckingbottom, a local boy, and once Manchester United trainee. played in the Barnsley win in the League One play off against Swansea at the Millenium. He has also overseen Barnsley's victories over Oxford United in the Football League Trophy and  the Football League Play Off over Millwall; not many clubs win two Wembley finals in one season (though Grimsby did recently).

Alan Bloore, Chairman of the club's supporters has his doubts about the club moving out of local's ownership. He reminds us about the community that the club has around it, something that Heckingtbottom will appreciate. Neil Redfearn's Bar is named after one of the best known Barnsley players. The takings from that bar go half to local charities and half to the academy, that has produced many fine players who have eventually gone on to more elevated clubs. Let's hope that Beane's analysis will realise some super stars from the South Yorkshire district.

ps SaberBart is a Simpson's episode where Lisa uses the anaylsis to coach Bart's Little League Baseball team

ON THE BOX

In 1937, Arsenal, for ever innovating had built a TV camera gantry when the club rebuilt the East Stand in the old Highbury. Its proximity to the BBC's Alexandra Palace enabled the club to host the first ever televised match.

It was actually a training game between Arsenal and their Reserves, with one camera high up to show the overall "comprehensive view of the ground" and two low down near the goals to "give close-ups of the play, players and visual interviews". Apparently no film was being used, just transmission by radio direct Alexandra Palace. The programme began at 3.40pm and ran for 15 minutes. The "match" was viewable on tiny 9 inch screens and the whole exercise was deemed a success.

Later in the season (30th April) the FA Cup Final between Huddersfield and Preston was televised in part and the following April, a full international between England and Scotland was shown.
In 1946 a match between Barnet and Wealdstone at Underhill was shown until it got too dark!
In 1947 the FA Cup tie between Charlton and Blackburn was shown, but only London based matches were technically possible.

In the mid 1950s ITV saw an opening in televising the newly promoted European Cup. Following the success of this, mainly due to Manchester United's success in European, ITV decided to get Football League games on their contract. £150,000 was paid to the FL for a ten year deal. Many club chairmen thought this would erode attendances, but the match would kick off at 6.50pm  and not be broadcast live until the last few minutes of the first half, around 7.30pm, as other supporters arrived home from watching their own live matches. "Sports Special" became a BBC regular slot until 1963.

On September 10th 1960 the First Division match between two top teams, Blackpool v Bolton was ITV's first ever "The Big Game".

The following week the Arsenal and Newcastle game should have been broadcast with the Gunners scoring FIVE to none, but Arsenal banned the ITV and everyone missed out. The Blackpool-Bolton game  was played without the injured Stanley Matthews which meant that the attendance was down by about 5,000. It was drab game ending 1-0 to the Trotters.

Spurs were due to be shown next but the club also banned the television cameras. In September 1962 ITV again promoted Ipswich v Wolves on local Anglian television known as "Match of the Week". BBC then showed "Match of the Day" in 1964 in preparation for the nationa's upcoming 1966 World Cup tournament. The first "training" match was Liverpool 3 v Arsenal 2 in August 1964.
http://int.search.mywebsearch.com/search/video.jhtml?id=XNxdm019YYgb&n=77edc526&pg=video&pn=1&ptb=308DCB58-2A13-42C4-993A-77A59B6C34C6&ptnrS=XNxdm019YYgb&qs=&searchfor=arsenal+first+televised+match&si=CJeTnrb1k7ECFZMctAodh14dkA&ss=sub&st=sb&tpr=sbt
It was not until October 1983 that Spurs and Nottingham Forest became the first fully televised League game.

GOALKEEPERS-LONGEVITY

Well done Gareth Barry on achieving the 632 Premier League appearances, between 1998 and 2017, equalling Ryan Giggs' record. Gareth is a Sussex lad and he started his career at Brighton and Hove Albion, going on to Aston Villa (365 apps), Manchester City (132), Everton (99 with 32 on loan) and now with West Bromwich Albion. He is a true journeyman footballer who can play in a number of positions and is indeed a sturdy "club" man. Between 2000-12 he also earned 53 caps for England. Born in 1981, many say he can plod on through to 40 years old, so he might just equal some of these British footballers who have passed the 1000 apps mark (not just PL)!


Players who have made the 1000 mark (not just PL), including international appearances:

Peter Shilton 1390 (1966-1997) Goalie
Ray Clemence 1118 (1965-1988) Gk
Pat Jennings 1089 (1963-1986) Gk
Tony Ford 1082  (1975-2001) who? Grimsby, Sunderland, Stoke, WBA, Mansfield Town, Bradford City, Scunthorpe Utd, Rochdale etc etc! He is an outfield player! all those games and 2 England B caps.
Alan Ball 1053 (1960-1984)
David Seaman 1046 (1982-2004)
Frank Lampard 1044 (1995-2017)
Ryan Giggs 1036 (1990-2014)
Graham Alexander 1025 (1991-2012) Scunthorpe, Luton, Burnley, Preston NE + Scotland
David James 1023 (1989-2014) Gk
Ian Callaghan 1002 (1960-1982)
Tommy Hutchinson 1000 (1965-1994)

Players who stuck with one club: Ryan Giggs (see above),Tony Adams 672, James Carragher 737, Paul Scholes 718, John Terry 627, Stephen Gerrard 669.

I have to admit that the "totals" vary from one source to another, but the order is about right. No doubt some clever dick out there will have news for me!

SULPHURITES COMING UP SMELLING OF ROSES

Another trip to Harrogate took me not to the Spa and Betty's Tea Room but to the CNG Stadium, a tidy ground with a 3G pitch, the home of Harrogate Town FC.
It is an FA Cup 2nd Qualifying tie between the Sulphurites and Penistone Church FC. The game was predictable with the home side much more advanced in the pyramid controlling the game. For much of it, Penistone were on the back foot and defending determinedly, with a couple of breakaways although on occasions the Church penalty area looked a bit like a war zone. By half time the cultured Harrogate were still looking for their first goal and it took another 12 minutes for the deadlock to be broken. Penistone sagged although they continued to battle but the home side scored twice more.

Penistone return south with their heads held high and a league position to improve. Harrogate continue in their purpose of making progress in the Cup and of achieving Football League status.

Founded in 1914 the club could not get going; they did have a first fixture against Bishop Auckland to play but could not honour it due to the beginning of the War. Their hospitality suite is known as the 1919 Venue, when the club reformed. I believe it is a very impressive venue where the PCFC "officials" were wined and lunched ((roast beef was on the menu I was told). The club began life in the West Riding League and gradually has worked its way to the Vanarama National League North.

Investment and management by the Weaver family has created a well organised club with a 3G pitch, an academy (U19-21s), opportunities for education, hospitality and other community based events.

It looks as though the club is aiming for the Football League and knowing the state of some other FL clubs, they have facilities suitable for such elevation. Penistone leave the Spa town with a good reputation.

CAPTAINS AND CAPS

This afternoon I might have won the point in Pointless on the section when the contestants were given the initials of England Football captains. The initials were JH, DB, JT, BC, BM. Yes you've already guessed the obvious ones;
DB-Beckham, BM, Bobby Moore, JT? John Terry yep really, JH??
The lowest score (not pointless) was Johnny Haynes-I saw him play, but one of the lads on the podium knew his stuff and chose correctly.

Pointless was BC....hmm! Didn't know that. Well it's Bob Crompton who played for England from 1902 and was captain on and off from March 1903. He played right back for Blackburn Rovers (over 500 times) and was the first professional England captain, who also drove his own car to training!

Remember in those early days there were only 3 internationals per season against Wales, Ireland and Scotland.

Crompton, played 41 times for his country and first captained them in 1904. He did not play in 1905, he played but not as captain in 1906, he was reinstated as captain in 1907 and then did not lead the side in 1908 when he played 7 out of 7 times as foreign opposition was introduced. England toured Austria, Hungary and Bohemia in June that year. Crompton is on the left.

After that his international career continue either as captain or not until the war, his last period as captain was in 1914 when understandably England only played three "Home" internationals.

Johnny Haynes led the side between 1954-62 22 times and gained 56 caps, scoring 18 goals. A wonderfully artistic "inside forward", Haynes played for Fulham mainly (nearly 600 times) and ended his career briefly at Wealdstone in 1973.

The players with most England captaincy (caps) are Billy Wright (90/105 caps) and Bobby Moore (90/108).

The first England captain (November 1882 v Scotland) was Cuthbert Ottaway, an Old Etonian, who played for Oxford University,l Crystal Palace and Marlow. he is on the left.

Alfred Bower (an Old Carthusian) was the last amateur to captain England's full side. He played for the OCs, The Corinthians, The Casuals and as an amateur with Chelsea.

The FA believed that a professional might let the side down by wanting to win too much? So an amateur held the dignity of the country! Bower played five times for England and captained 3 times between 1923-7. Dixie Dean, a true professional was in the same England side!

KEEP COUNT REF.

Dundee Harp FC thought they had made the record books when they beat Aberdeen Rovers 35-0 in the Scottish Cup 1st Round in on this day in 1885. The referee counted 37-0, some in the crowd counted 41 times that the ball went into the net. The club officials thought 35, a score they eventually sent to the FA. Both clubs thought their score was a world record! Full back Tom O'Kane who had just transferred from Arbroath sent a telegram to his mates at the club, only to find out that his "record" did not win the top award.

Unfortunately, on the same day Arbroath beat Bon Accord 36-0, also in the cup, when 18 year old John Petrie scored 13 goals, a Scottish Cup and World record that has been equalled but not beaten.

Bon Accord were in the cup by error because the Scottish FA invited Orion Cricket Club into the cup rather than Orion FC. Orion CC members made up the name Bon Accord and had no proper kit or practice, but they turned up to play. Referee 

Dave Stormont had missed noting several goals that might have notched up 40 in total. Two seasons later in the first round of the Scottish Cup, Arbroath, by chance, hosted the real Orion FC and only beat them 18-0!

Arbroath went on to win their next match against Forfar 9-1 (should have been forty-four?) and then Dundee East End 7-1, losing to Hibernian 3-5 in the fourth round.

The biggest FA Cup score we all know is Preston 26 Hyde 0 achieved on October 15th 1887.
West Ham share the highest Football League Cup win, beating Bury 10-0 in a second leg game in October 1983 with Liverpool, who also put 10 past Fulham in September 1986.

Other high FL Cup scores include Reading 5 v Arsenal 7 in 2012 and Dagenham and Redbridge 6 v Brentford 6 in 2014 in League Cup ties. Brentford won on pens!

SPORTS' SPACE INVADERS

The Tesco worker who invaded the Celtic v PSG match yesterday is bailed and will be sentenced in October for "behaviour likely to incite public disorder". He tried to kick PSG's Mbappe. Another Celtic fan, a 61 year old from St Albans, punched the pitch invader as he was being led away and may well be in trouble too.

It is not the first time that Celtic have been involved in such disturbances.

In July 2013, 6,000 Celtic fans invaded a pre-season friendly against Brentford when smoke bombs were thrown. and in the 1980 Scottish Cup Final Celtic beat Rangers 1-0 aet and due to the extent of alcohol being consumed in the excitement. Future sales of alcohol were banned from Scottish grounds as a result.

As early as 1909 after the Scottish Cup Final v Rangers ended 0-0, a replay also led to a 0-0 result. Fans fed up with the prospect of a third match rioted, so the Scottish FA with held the cup!

On a lighter note the Scots invaded the pitch when Celtic beat Internazionale in 1967 to win the European Cup. The crowd still lights up their stadium on 67 minutes to mark the occasion which will never happen again!

Other pitch invasions include the infamous Morganna, known as the Kissing Bandit, who regularly invaded baseball matches to kiss her major league heroes.
In Aussie Rules in the 1967 Tasmanian State Premiership Final the Wynyards' fans invaded the pitch, pulled the goalposts down to prevent North Hobart from taking a final kick to win the game!
Still in Australia,ccricketer, Terry Alderman injured a shoulder as he attempted to intercept a pitch invader at the WACA.

Who could forget this....some of you are too young to remember Erica Roe!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHUny5i4544

QARABAG, KARAKAKORA KAKKARAKAK

If you happened to be around on Boxing Day 1967 you might have spotted the Dave Dee, Dozy Beaky, Mick and Tich pop chart number 3 Zabadak. Well, I am easily old enough to have strut my stuff at some party when Dave Dee and boys were booming out from a record player.

Enough of that; the name of the club opposing Chelsea tonight just reminded of that song. SADDO!

Qarabag Futbol Klubu play in the UEFA Champions League tonight, the first team from Azerbaijan to reach the qroup stages. They beat FC Copenhagen on the away goal in their qualifying tie to make history.

The club was formed in 1951 and they no longer play "at home". It is 27 years since they were at home in Agdam City which eventually was destroyed by Armenian forces in the 1990s during the Nagorno-Karabakh war when 30,000 were killed and many more made homeless.

The Karabakh horse is part of the club's badge.

The refugees from Agdam fled to Baku in 1993 and that is where Qarabag plays some games. Needless to say their stadium back home was destroyed. In August 1993 the club won their first national title, playing 230 miles away from their roots at the Tofiq Bahramov National Stadium, that holds 33,000 and matches up to UEFA requirements.

The club has been financially backed by the state food company Azersun since 2001, a move that hinted at money laundering, a suggestion not proven.

Manager, Gurban Gurbanov, is the country's best known player, Dino Ndlovu at 27 years old, is the team's top scorer, who has played in South Africa, Israel and Cyprus. Sadly, their most loved "coach" Allahverdi Bagirov was killed by a land mine trying to save refugees during the conflict.
I have mentioned this lot before when they played the Spurs.
http://baileyfootballblog.blogspot.co.uk/2015/09/tottenham-spurred-on-to-beat-horsemen.html

PAY THE PENALTY OR THE PANENKA

Having seen goalkeepers in the Premier League news this weekend either being knocked out by a high boot or bursting the ball in a fumbled back pass moment, I thought you would like to see goalkeepers having fun facing the spot kick.

This first one is memorable:-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1MRrwn3O3ZM
and then there are the Top Ten Spot Kicks, according to some editor on You Tube!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rv3v7ZfYp-g

ALBION v ALBION

Football clubs have many additions to their place name such as Rangers, Rovers and Albion. Yesterday it was the clash of the Albions, two teams that carry that "addition" in the Premier League (and indeed in the Football league), Brighton and Hove Albion (founded 1901 joined the Football League in 1920) v West Bromwich Albion (founded 1878 as the West Bromwich Strollers) became Albion 1880 and were founder members of the Football League in 1888.

Albion comes from an archaic or poetic word meaning Britain or England although there are other associations such as "alb" meaning mountain  (Albania), the Latin Alpes, albus meaning white (cliffs possibly "people") as first seen by European invaders as they reached Kent and Sussex across the Channel!!!

Other "Albions" come from:-
Burton Albion in England,
Albion Rovers FC, Scottish League One from Coatbridge, founded in 1882,
Stirling Albion, founded 1945, in the Scottish League Two,
Forfar Albion, a Junior club in Angus, Scotland,
Ossett Albion in the Northern Premier League based in West Yorkshire founded in 1944,
Tadcaster (North Yorkshire) Northern Premier Div One North founded 1892 originally known as John Smith's after the brewers, the club was renamed in 1923.
Witton Albion (Cheshire) in the Northern Premier Div One South, founded 1887. Comedian John Bishop played for the club in the 1980s.
Albion Rovers in Newport Wales.
Albion in Montevideo founded in 1891 in the oldest club in the country and plays in the third tier of the Uruguayan football League. Formed by students at the English High School, the first match was against the Montevideo Cricket Club on the 1st of August. An English immigrant (arriving in 1885) and Cambridge University graduate, William Leslie Poole, taught at the school and encouraged the game to be played, so he was regarded as the "Father of Uruguayan Football". He refereed and was an important member of the national association.
Left is the Albion Club in 1898.

The MCC also claims to have founded the first Rugby Union club in the country in 1861, the first club outside the UK and Rowing began in 1874. An area in the city is named after Poole. With such an "early start" it is no wonder that Uruguay dominated the early World Cup Finals.

I suspect there are others but life goes on.

LOFTUS ROAD, A GROUND OF MANY USES

Having celebrated White Hart Lane yesterday why not get excited with Tony Incenzo whose beloved QPR have their own 100 years anniversary. Loftus Road is the home of QPR located at South Africa Road, Shepherd's Bush W12. The Shepherd's Bush FC team first played at Loftus Road on 11th October 1904 and in September 1917 QPR made its home there.

Tomorrow the club hosts the anniversary game against Ipswich at the ground, which still has a capacity of only 18,500. In the past the club record for attendance reached over 35,000.
Time for a move maybe?

The club played at Park Royal until the Army commandeered their ground during the First World War. Unsure of their location at Loftus Road, the club moved to the White City athletic's stadium between 1931-8 and they had another season there in the 1960s, when there was some development at Loftus Road and during the 1970s and 1980s substantial improvements were made to the stadium, although the capacity has not been enlarged.

In 1981-8 the pitch was turned into an artificial surface, which proved controversial and it became an all seater stadium in the 1990s having relied on the Ellerslie Stand only from 1919 as seated accommodation.

The Wasps rugby club played there from 1996-2002. Fulham "shared" the pitch between 2002-4 whilst Craven Cottage was redeveloped.


Most recently the ground has hosted American Football games, internationals between two foreign nations, the Cambridge-Oxford University annual Blues' match, Testimonials for the great Rodney Marsh and the Grenfell Tower Charity, which is visible from the stadium.

Always regarded as a "people's club", Tony Fernandes, the club's chairman has paid for 83 year old Mike Montague to fly from Australia to the ground to watch a match. The last time Mike saw his beloved club play was on 26th March 1966 when Rodney Marsh scored a hat trick in a 6-1 win over Millwall. The next day he emigrated to Oz.
The club has visions of moving to a larger capacity stadium in the Old Oak area of west London. Recognise it?

SPURS' ANNIVERSARY

Named after the Shakespeare rebel Sir Henry Percy Hotspur from Henry IV Part 1  Hotspur FC was formed by local Grammar School boys who were only 13-14 years old. They decided to form a football club to keep them trim during the winter, having previously been cricketers with the Hotspur C.C. The Cockerel became a symbol apparently to mark the interest that Sir Henry had in cock fighting. This is the original.

On the 5th September 1882 a subscription of 6d (5p) per member helped buy equipment for the newly formed club.

Originally known as Northumberland Rovers, being sited near Northumberland Park in North London, they were organised by John Risher, a YMCA warden and Bible Class teacher, who became president of the club. In April 1884 the club changed its name to Tottenham Hotspur FC.

The club played on the Tottenham Marshes and on 30th September 1882 the first friendly match was played against the Radicals, a local team. The next recorded match in the "press" took place on the 6th October 1883 against Brownlow Rovers and on the 17 October 1885 their first "official" match was played in the London Association Cup against St Albans. 400 attended and Spurs won 5-2.
In December 1885 they turned professional. During the 1894-5 season Tottenham played the Old Carthusians twice, in the FA Amateur Cup at Northumberland Park (March 13th OCFC won 5-0) and 3,000 watched this cup tie and five days later, in the London Charity Cup semi-final (OCFC won 3-0) in front of 1200 people. Between this two matches, OCs, GO Smith and the Walters brothers played for England in an international against Wales.

By 1888 Tottenham moved to Northumberland Park and in 1892-3 the club joined the Southern Alliance briefly. In 1899-00 the club chose white shirts and blue shorts mimicking the most famous club in the country, Preston North End. By the Summer 1896 Tottenham joined the Southern League and during that period they won the FA Cup (1901) as non-league members. In 1908-9 they were eventually elected to the Football League, Division Two.

After the realisation that their "ground" at Northumberland park was inadequate, the club moved to an old garden nursery owned by Charringtons in Tottenham High Road, near the White Hart pub.

The first match at White Hart Lane was played as a friendly on 4/9/1899.
v Notts County.

The rest, they say, is history!

MOTD, MOTTY

I don't know what John Motson would have made of Delle Ali and his gesture, perhaps he would have given the commentary his classic "Frankie Howard" response of "My Goodness" and "Oh I say!" Definitely, Motty would have had a very good phrase ready and a mature piece of advice for the young man to chew over during MOTD.

John Motson, born in Salford in 1945, played football, gently, and was part of the Football Commentators XI that would play friendly matches against anyone they fancied and one year Charterhouse School in Godalming got the commentators to play against the teachers and sports' coaches on the famous Charterhouse football pitch "Big Ground". Motty played along side Martin Tyler, Jim Rosenthal and other recognisable "voices". I don't remember the score, probably a gentlemanly draw, but we had a lot of fun and Motty played gently on the "wing", commentating through the game. Motty came over as a nice man, always interested in facts and figures and other people.

Motty, since 1968 as a sports' presenters on Radio 2, has called 10 World Cups, 29 Cup Finals, 10 European Cups, over 200 England matches, over 2,000 matches and he will commentate Brighton v WBA before he begins his final count down towards the end of this season. He has worked on MOTD, Radio 5, Football Focus and Grandstand and before every game he would visit the selected venue and familiarise himself with the local area and grab a few homely facts. He took over from Kenneth Wolstenholme and worked along side David Coleman and then had a rivalry with Barry Davies.

One of his most famous moments was at Hereford United v Newcastle United when Ronnie Radford scored that famous goal. After the match Motty was driven away from the ground by Hereford players Bill Meadows and goal scorer Ricky George where he enjoyed the TV highlights with the two "Bulls".

Motty also had his run ins, famously with Brian Clough, who told him on screen to get on with commentating and not think that he knew more about football than "professionals". Motson reminded Clough that he  had done very well out of punditry.
Motson asked Dave Beasant in a TV interview before the 1988 Cup Final, what he might do if John Aldridge was given a penalty! There are other moments.

He was at Hillsborough when the disaster happened and subsequently gave evidence at the inquest in 1991.
Given the OBE in 2001 for services to football, Motson began his career with the Barnet Free Press and then the Sheffield Morning Telegraph. By all accounts, he answers all letters sent to him and gives sensible advice about making a future out of commentating. He will no doubt be involved in TV somehow and presently does voice overs for a childrens' TV programme called Footy Pups, dearly loves his wife and one son and supports Barnet FC.

BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU.

Dear old Dele Alli, in trouble again? Is he quickly developing into one of our best loved "Mavericks", or is he just going through a phase? He is not the only one to have gestured inappropriately during match. I wonder if there any others?

Dele's excuse, he and Kyle Walker are highlighted and you can also see the ref! You choose.

Louis Suarez must be one of the most famous finger men who was charged with "improper conduct" when he gave the finger to Fulham fans in December 2011 and inevitably was caught on camera. You can't get away with it!

This is why footballers walk around the pitch with their hands over their mouths chatting to their mates or giving "improper words" to an opponent! Needless to say Suarez's team lost at Craven Cottage; he was banned for 8 games and fined £20,000. There was other misconduct to consider, involving racial abuse of Manchester United's Patrick Evra. So he thoroughly burnt his fingers.

Add to these, Stephen Carr with Birmingham City was caught out at Aston Villa in April 2010. Tom Ince was banned for two matches at Blackpool against Preston in 2012.

Jack Wilshere was banned for two games in a December 2013 clash with Manchester City fans when the Gunners were getting bashed 3-6 at the Etihad.
It was discovered retrospectively, so YOU CAN'T GET AWAY WITH IT.

When will they ever learn?

And to complete the "suit", Anita Lovren gave the press the middle one when she was hounded at the Liverpool training facility when her affair with a forestry worker was exposed by The Sun (who else?) in 2016. Her husband Dejan regarded as a calm and composed defender kept his head whilst everyone else lost theirs-well their fingers at least.

Seriously it is just above the steering wheel!

These are just a few.......

HOPEFULLY, NO FALCON ABOUT TONIGHT

Exactly a year ago today, on the first round of qualifying matches, England beat Slovakia 1-0 (Lallana scored after 90 + 5 mins) in Trvana. Slovakia, known as the Slovenski Sokoli, the Slovak Falcons,  but in casual conversation the locals will talk about the Repre when they talk about their national side. The country has a population of 5.5 million.
On the same day Scotland beat Malta 5-1 in Ta 'Qali, where England won 4-0 on Friday.
I wrote this Blog to celebrate the occasion and of course, Sam was England manager then. Much has changed, although the map of Slovakia has not and needs to be looked at to check on Trvana.
http://baileyfootballblog.blogspot.co.uk/2016/08/into-falcons-nest.html

The team that day was:
Hart, Rose, Walker, Cahill, Dier, Stones, Henderson, Sterling, Kane, Rooney, Lallana.
Subs used Walcott, Sturridge, Alli.

Today, under the guidance of Gareth Southgate, England engage in the return fixture at Wembley. Winning this will guarantee, barring a disaster! first place in the group and thereby avoid the need to go into a play-off.

Slovakia in qualifying have also:-
Lost to Slovenia away 1-0,
Beaten Scotland 3-0 at home,
Beaten Lithuania 4-0 at home
Beaten Malta 1-3 away
Beaten Lithuania 1-2 away
Beaten Slovenia 1-0 at home
So                P7 W5 L2 F13 A 4 Pts 15
ENGLAND P7 W5 D2 F14 A 2 Pts 17

WAYNE CONFESSES

Have you been listening to Talksport today or have you been distracted? I have been at Far Lane, the Hepworth United home ground, where in front of our nearly finished Club House, the Junior club came together as one from 9 am through to 4 pm as part of our Club Day. This was sponsored by the McDonalds' Community Foundation and a jolly good time was had by all.

Towards the end of the afternoon when our Ladies XI was playing their first league match of the season, it occurred to me that today was an anniversary, the day that Manchester United played their first match in the Football League in 1892, under the name of Newton Heath FC. They played at Blackburn Rovers and lost 3-4, eventually finishing last in the division and as a result they played Small Heath (Birmingham City) who were Division 2 champions in a play off. "Manchester United" won and stayed in the division until 1893-4, when they came last again, lost to Liverpool in the play off and dropped into Div 2. "Manchester United" became Manchester United in 1902-3 in Division 2. In 1905-6 Manchester United rose to Division One.

Today, on such an auspicious anniversary! the club's historic player, Wayne Rooney, has spoken on Talksport about his attitudes to football, his future etc. assuming that he gets out of jail! Worth a listen?
https://talksport.com/wayne-rooney

CHURCH BEAT ABBEY BOYS

It is the First Qualifying Round of the FA Cup (the 137th year) and 737 teams will compete in cup ties as minnows are jettisoned from the Preliminary Rounds and the richer gradually get knocked out. It is, as you know, the dream of every footballer to play at Wembley Stadium, in the FA Cup Final and whilst these lower pyramid teams are miles away from the big one, the players dare to dream.

Arriving at the Memorial Ground this afternoon for the Penistone Church v Whitby Town game, it was clear that there was going to be a biggish crowd...496 to be accurate. Two coaches had come from the Yorkshire coast and the club had sold out of programmes already. £4 to get in (OAP) and I stayed away from the clubhouse which was heaving.

PCFC have had their issues so far this season, having just been promoted to the Step 5 North Counties East League Premier, a challenging division and suffering some vital injuries recently.

Whitby Town FC, in Step 3, the Northern League Premier, were favourites and it looked as though they might run away with the tie when early in the game they went 1-0 up and Church had their captain sent off from a vigorous tackle. Down to 10 men. An up hill task.

Whitby should look very carefully at their defending which let them down throughout the game and Church equalised. Whitby then went ahead, 2-1, as the 10 men waned but Church scored a second (2-2) and battled away despite tiring legs. The game went on in true cup tie fashion.

We tend to walk round the pitch as the game comes to its conclusion, heading towards the exit before the mobile "tunnel" is put in place blocking our route. So as I was near the rowdy lads at the clubhouse door, with the car park in view, in the dying minutes, Church scored their winner, another aerial goal. Whitby was all at sea.
The motto is "We have been and We are".

Brilliant! The "penguin" mascot lost his head and his foot, the Church players formed a ruck mid pitch with goal scorer, veteran, sub Andy Ring at the bottom and the relieved Richards' Boys (one a boss on the pitch, one a boss in the dug out and father, a boss on the touchline) looked forward to a celebratory evening.

Well done Church; making more history, more £££s from the Emirates and the excitement of another "balls in the bag", cup draw on Monday.

I have written about Whitby Town FC twice before-these might entertain you?
http://baileyfootballblog.blogspot.co.uk/2014/12/ups-and-downs-along-coast-road.html
http://baileyfootballblog.blogspot.co.uk/2016/05/get-yer-teeth-stuck-into-this.html

Church's motto could be "We are and You have been"!! Next Qualifying Round 16th September.

MALTA-THE WHIPPING BOYS

International football takes over briefly as England meet Malta, FIFA ranked 150th, in the Ta 'Qali Stadium in Attard on the island. The Maltese managed to get to 66th once! Luke Gambin (24 years old) playing for Luton Town and Sam Magri, 23, of Ebbsfleet Utd are included in the Maltese squad.
If you want to find out a bit about the opposition then here are two previous links, both associated with the World Cup qualifiers.
http://baileyfootballblog.blogspot.co.uk/2016/09/how-to-make-maltese-cross.html
http://baileyfootballblog.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/maltesers-mellt-in-our-mouths_98.html

The Maltese go to Scotland next which might be a dead rubber if the Scots have not progressed this weekend against Lithuania. Malta have played Slovakia in the World Cup at home, losing 1-3, beat Ukraine 0-1 away in Graz and lost to Slovenia 2-0 in Lubljana last.

England top the qualifying group with 14 points from 6 matches, Slovakia have 12pts, Slovenia 11, Scotland 8, Lithuania 5 and Malta unsurprisingly NIL points.

Europeans also lowest ranked are San Marino 204nd, Gibraltar are ranked 206th and the last country in the world, Tonga is 206th (the lowest)...lying last in their Oceanic group, Played 3 Lost 3.