MULTIPLE USE OF WEMBLEY

This is Wembley! Not quite prepared for a World Cup Final or for Spurs' next home game (if needed). On May 31st 1961, a huge tower 150' high was built with scaffolding and then tons and tons of ice was crushed in "snow" and yes it became a SKI JUMP! Spectators came in to watch over two days and paid for the pleasure.
http://www.wembleystadium.com/Press/Presspack/Stats-and-Facts

Built in 1923 the stadium hosted its first Cup Final between Bolton Wanderers and West Ham that year. The crowd was so huge that police had to try to clear supporters back to the touchlines-hence it was known as the White Horse Final, when an iconic copper on his beautiful white horse shoved the crowd back to the edge of the pitch.

Greyhound racing took place from 1927 until 1998 and in 1966 the organisers of the greyhound racing refused to cancel a meeting during the World Cup tournament, so the group match between Uruguay and France ( a group that England was in) was moved to the White City-an athletics' stadium! I wonder if they would have done that if it had been an England match?

Rugby league finals were held there from 1929, curious considering the distance between the heartland of rugby league and the "national stadium".

American Football appears from time to time-the first in 1984 and in 2007 the "Race of Champions" was held around the pitch-a sports' car race and involving various others souped up vehicles.
Boxing and pop concerts are well served by the stadium which was revamped from 2002-3 through to 2007.

The stadium acts as the office for the Football Association; an organisation that controls its future, Spurs, Chelsea, Fulham.........

WORLD FOOTBALL GEOGRAPHY LESSON

The 2018 CONIFA (Confederation of Independent Football Associations), is Non-FiFA World Football Cup takes place now in London. It is run very much by volunteers.

The previous two hosts were in 2016 Abkhazia (NW Georgia by the Black Sea), winners from 2016 who beat Ellan Vannin (Isle of Man) and in 2014 in Ostersund, Sweden (we have heard of the local football club haven't we?).

The major sponsors include PaddyPower, Goal.com, Eventim, and Bateman's Sports.

Matches are played on Non-League grounds, such as Sutton United's Gander Green Lane, with the final on June 9th at 6pm at Enfield Town's Queen Elizabeth II's Stadium, with Mark Clattenburg in charge.
Mark will be able to introduce the "Green Card" which means the offending player will be substituted (only)-the idea of sponsor Paddy Power.
https://thesefootballtimes.co/2018/05/23/mark-clattenburg-green-lighted-to-use-green-cards-at-conifa-world-football-cup/
Other matches are hosted at clubs like Slough Town, Bracknell Town, Fisher and Carshalton Athletic.

The competition is for 16 stateless "people's", unaffiliated regions with FIFA, minority states and so on.  who have little finance and who have some players who could play at the higher level. The "scouts" will be out.

Mat Guy is an author who has taken an interest in this tournament and his latest book, "Minnows United-Adventures at the Fringes of the Beautiful Game", alerts us to the plight of some states. Finance being a main issue.

Accommodation is mainly at student residences and other cheap and available places.

Northern Cyprus might be regarded as one of the best and inevitably there are occasional mis-matches such as Abkhazia v Chagos Islands was a definite one way game but the crowd supported this and supported the Islanders, who thought this was a wonderful occasion and experience.

In Group A are: Barawa a Somali diaspora in England, Ellan Vannin (Isle of Man), Tamil Eelam (a diaspora of  Sri Lankan Tamils from various parts of England, Canada and Switzerland and Cascadia (USA/Canada).
B: Abkhazia, Northern Cyprus, Karpatalja (Hungary) and Tibet.
C: Padania (N Italy), Szekely Land (Romania), Tuvalu (S.Oceania), Matabeleland (S Africa).
D: Panjab, United Koreans of Japan, Western Armenia (Turkey) and Kabylia (N Algeria)

SEWING MACHINES AND CATHEDRALS

Yesterday at Wembley, two bomb damaged English cities came to "war" in the League Two Play-off.

Coventry City, a Midlands' city was targeted in November 1940 by 400 bombers from the Germans' Luftwaffe, because it held many manufacturing sites. The Sky Blues, formed as Singers FC in 1883, gives a clue as to the type of engineering the original Coventry players were involved in. Even these factories were described as  "legitimate war time targets". Nearby Coventry Cathedral inevitably suffered as shown here.

Exeter City, hardly a hive of industry in the South-west, appears to have been blasted in the "Baedeker Raids" in April/May 1942, an attack to affect morale, as many historic buildings were brought down. Talk about getting under their finger nails. Apparently, this was done in retribution to the Lubeck bombing earlier in the year.

Either way, both English cities (and Lubeck eventually) were rebuilt with their traditional businesses and buildings re-established.

On Monday the football teams of Coventry and Exeter played each other in an attempt to "build morale" by earning  the heady wealth of promotion to the English League One. Just as these two cities were rebuilt after the war, so would their football club be rejuvenated with a step up the football hierarchy. But only one team could win.

In the end, once the dust had settled, Mark Robins took Coventry back to League One, their first promotion for 51 years, following last season's relegation. The last time the club went up was under Jimmy Hill, rising into the old First division in 1967. Surviving in this top tier for 34 years and of course winning the FA Cup in 1987, there came a steady decline.

Last season, ending in 2017, they won the Checkatrade (EFL) Trophy, playing at Wembley against Oxford United. That season Coventry were relegated to the fourth tier EFL 2, the first time since 1959.

Exeter, who got back into the Football League in 2008, sadly will suffer even more after this loss, as manager, Paul Tisdale, and Director of Football, Steve Perryman, are due to leave the club. What will happen to the Grecians next year and who will snap up Tisdale and Perryman??
Maybe there is a German club in need of new life?

WOOD HAS LAST BARK

I did warn you that the Millers were in vogue and sure enough "The Sunday Times" paid homage to the club captain, Richard Wood, captain and centre-back of the South Yorkshire side.

He allowed his "diary" of the week to be published, before yesterday's Wembley play-off against Shrewsbury. On Sunday he was getting over beating Scunthorpe in the semi-final by eating a full English and washing it all down with a latte and friends' company, He played footy as a goalie with his kids and guests in the garden but didn't dive around just in case....he brought up his breakfast? tweeked a muscle? was embarrassed? One young son is on Sheffield Utd books.....

Monday was a day off and he did the kids' breakfast, packed their satchels and took them to school. With young child suffering Type 1 diabetes he is a caring and watchful dad and indeed an ambassador for a charity raising awareness for the "illness". He then helped out at his and his partner's business, a soft play centre with a "cafe". He likes coffee.

Tuesday was a Scunthorpe debrief, a constructive session on possession, followed a trip to the kids' swimming lesson and some time in the kitchen; he loves cooking.

Wednesday had arrangements for the day at Wembley with news of a "family bus" being provided and tickets for the big stadium, a venue he has never played at, although he did see "Madagascar" there. (a band?). Training included "patterns of play".

His children are making a banner for the big match. Thursday was a day off so "some of the lads have a haircut and a sunbed". I can just imagine the lads from Scunny doing that?....Then there was a Sunday Times photo shoot!

Friday-training all about the opposition, videos and a team meal arranged by Wood at a local Italian. He had to leave early to Sky and ITV interviews.  Banner almost finished although the felt pens have run out!

Saturday-drive to London-captain Wood has a special seat on the coach. If anyone sits in it they are moved on!! Cards make the journey go faster, his room mate is colleague Lewis price-who doesn't snore but Wood does sleep walk! He has frightened a few mates in the past.

Well it all worked! Richard Wood led his team to victory and back to the Championship. At 32 he has never scored a brace in his career; he did at 32 minutes and in extra time. Both his children wept with joy.
Shrewsbury have lost 5 times out at five at Wembley and were 8 points higher than Rotherham in the division. Final score 2-1.

OLD FIRM 100+

On May 27th 2000 Rangers, then in their pomp, met Aberdeen in the Scottish Cup Final and won 4-0. Aberdeen had beaten Rangers previously in the season. Here is the 1877 Scottish Cup winners.

The victory over Aberdeen made Rangers the first club in the world to win 100 major trophies (what ever that means). They started the season with 98 trophies in the cabinet. Since then, there have been a dozen or so more "awards".

Founded in 1872, the club has a long history of success among the "less challenging" Scottish leagues and cups, but they did win the European Cup Winners Cup in 1972 beating Moscow Dynamo. They have been "runners-up" in Europe 4 times in history

There have been 48 League titles, 28 Scottish Cup wins, 21 Scottish League Cup wins, also. The 2000 League title was decided on April 22nd 21 points clear of the rest, including Celtic.
Here is a short reminder of Rangers at their best;
http://tdifh.blogspot.co.uk/2016/05/27-may-2000-century-of-silverware.html

LIVERPOOL AND ROTHERHAM LINKED OVER THIS WEEKEND

I spoke to Bob Chappel today, a colleague from teaching and coaching days. He has an interest in Rotherham and although I have mentioned the Yorkshire club a few times in the blog, I wanted to look up Rotherham on a weekend when they are playing in a League Play Off against Shrewsbury tomorrow at Wembley.
What a great moment for their loyal fans (and the others who decide to hang on once their is a sniff of glory).
On this same weekend Liverpool Football Club are playing in the European Champions' League Final against Real Madrid; "tiers" apart from Rotherham's special match!


Liverpool and Rotherham first played each other in a friendly at Anfield in September 1892 (see above). It was controversial, for John Houlding left the Everton FC "board" to form his own club in Liverpool, made entirely originally of Scotsmen. Liverpool played Rotherham Town, as they were known then and thumped them 7-1 in a friendly at Anfield. Charlie Leatherbarrow scored the Town goal, the first to be scored by any opposition at Anfield.

This animation covers that historic match.
https://www.irishnews.com/magazine/daily/2017/09/01/news/this-animation-of-liverpool-s-first-game-125-years-ago-is-completely-gripping-1126271/

In 1878 Lunar Rovers (don't ask) was formed and this club became Rotherham Town. They joined the Football League Second Division from the Midland League in 1893, coming second to bottom in the division in the first season. The original colours of black and yellow! and this changed in 1928 to the well known red and white.

Rotherham United was formed in 1925 when Rotherham County (founded in 1870 originally at Thornhill playing in the Sheffield and Hallamshire League-in which Hepworth United play now) and Town merged.

The  Millers and Liverpool first met in the Football League in October 1954 at Anfield with a 3-1 win to Liverpool and the return match in May 1955 ended up 6-1 to Rotherham at their home ground, Millmoor. Nearly 18,000 watched the game.

The clubs have met once in the League Cup in November 1982 with Liverpool winning at Anfield 1-0 and once in the FA Cup in January 2001 Liverpool winning 3-0 again at home.

So we don't yet know the fate of Rotherham or Liverpool, but shortly I shall know the fate of Aston Villa and Fulham...another play off.

YOUNG REF BROUGHT DOWN

In 1583 Phillip Stubbs, an author, wrote in "The Anatomy of Abuses",
"I protest unto you that it may rather be called a friendly kind of fyghte (fight) than a play or recreation. A bloody and muthering practice than a fellowly sport or past time. For doth not everyone live in wait for his adversary, seeking him to overthrow him and picke (punch) him on the nose, though it may be on hard stones. In ditch and dale and in valley or hill or whatever place, it be he careth not, so he can have him down."

Stubbs describes the game of football as it was in the 16th century, very much a mob game played over no bounds, probably between two villages.

As we move into the 21st Century, this film footage from a Cup Final in London shows some horrid violence performed by two teams onto the referee. The rest of the "page" tells the story.
https://talksport.com/football/watch-shocking-footage-amateur-referee-being-attacked-following-game-north-london

The young man, a volunteer, in his early 20s suffered bruising and nothing more serious but the local FA and the police are investigating. Refereeing in a Cup Final should have been a highlight in his career and perhaps a step towards something like Howard Webb achieved.

25th MAY? ONE OF THE VERY GOOD DAYS (24TH) BEFORE THE ACTUAL DAY(25TH)!!

BIT OF A TANGLE HERE, BUT I THOUGHT THIS 25th MAY TREBLE MIGHT AMUSE YOU.

THESE ARE REPEATS BUT I'M WORKING ON THE PRINCIPLE THAT YOU MIGHT NOT HAVE READ THESE BEFORE!!

England beat Portugal 10-0 on May 25th 1948 in Lisbon, with Tommy Lawton scoring the first of his four goals after 17 seconds. Stan Mortenson, yes the Blackpool FA Cup hat trick hero from 1953, scored on England debut and notched three more during this rout. Wingers, Tom Finney and Stanley Matthews added the others.

Getting to the FA Cup Final on the 25th of May 1963 took Manchester United only 82 days from their Third Round tie. Bad weather delayed many ties and league games. From March 4th to May 25th United played 6 Cup Ties and 17 league matches. United beat Leicester City 3-1 at Wembley against the odds, with Leicester 4th in the Division One and United struggling to avoid relegation. United were a very expensive team (at that time) and included Charlton, Law and Albert Quixall.....remember him?

On this day in 1967, 46 YEARS AGO, Celtic beat Inter Milan in the European Cup Final in Lisbon, becoming the first British side to take the cup 2-1. DID TOMMY SHOOT FROM 25 YARDS OUT?
http://int.search.mywebsearch.com/search/video.jhtml?enc=0&id=XNxdm019YYgb&n=77edc526&pg=video&pn=1&ptb=308DCB58-2A13-42C4-993A-77A59B6C34C6&ptnrS=XNxdm019YYgb&qs=&searchfor=Celtic+v+Inter+Milan+1967&si=CJeTnrb1k7ECFZMctAodh14dkA&ss=sub&st=sb&tpr=sbt

On this day, 24th in Turkey in 2005, (YES 18 YEARS AGO) Liverpool stormed the Ataturk Stadium beating AC Milan after extra time, on penalties in one of the great games of European Cup history. From 3-0 down at half time, the Reds clawed it back with Gerard at the fore and Jerzy Dudek doing his stuff in goal for the 'Pool during the shoot out. Watch the film to get the best view.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_yO2_mjP34

KEANE TO CARRY IRISH FLAG

Roy Keane is an outspoken Irishman and you would not like to cross him on or off the pitch. He came to verbal blows with Irish international manager Mick McCarthy, on this day, when on a training camp before the 2002 World Cup in South Korea. The training camp was held in the Northern Marianas Islands (US) at Saipan.
There had been a confrontation before over training plans and facilities after which Keane was persuaded to stay but the second head to head was the last straw.

Film footage appeared on television and both members of Eire's World Cup team spoke openly about their coming together. Mick was the boss, Roy the perpetrator who left the training camp. The Irish had to enter the qualifying league with 22 out of the 23 squad members.
https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/mccarthy-vs-keane-moment-two-13772733
A 1-1 draw with the Cameroon in their opening game suggested that they were not going to suffer without Roy. Name sake, Robbie Keane scored in overtime against Germany to create another 1-1 draw in match two and Keane scored another against Saudi Arabia as they won 3-0. They came Group E runners up.
In Suwon, Keane did it again against Spain but the Spaniards having gone ahead saw the Irish force a draw with a last minute penalty. The game went through extra time and beat the Irish on penalties. Spain then lost to South Korea.
England lost to Brazil in the quarter-finals but an odd goal and of course the Germans soldiered on beating a surprising hosts, South Korea, in the semis. Brazil met another curious member of the last four, Turkey and beat them.
The Brazilians and Germans met in the final, winning 2-0 and Turkey beat South Korea, 3-2.

CAPTAIN KANE AND OTHER CENTRE FORWARD CAPTAINS

Harry Kane, a centre-forward, is Captain of England; if you want to get more stuff on Captains of England since time began then here is the link:
http://www.englandfootballonline.com/TeamCapt/CaptainIndex.html

Billy Wright, a centre half, held the record number of appearances in an England shirt between 1946-59 with 105 caps and 90 captaincies. Bobby Moore made 108 apps with 90 as captain. These were both defenders of course.

I had a look at other centre-forwards who held the post especially recently and of course Alan Shearer came to mind quickly; (72 apps with 34 as captain). Keegan, Owen, Rooney and Lineker captained from the front and I guess they all might be considered as CFs.

There are 119 captains in 972 England international matches; Vivien Woodward 1903-11, GO Smith Old Carthusians (around 1896), Tinsley Lindley 1886-91 played at Cambridge University, the Corinthians and Nottingham Forest and captained England 4 times, possibility the youngest at 25 years and 131 days old.

Cuthbert Ottaway, of Old Etonians, Oxford Uni, Crystal Palace and Marlow was the first international captain when England took on the Scots in November 1872 and John Goodall of Preston North End and Derby (amongst other clubs) was leader between 1888-98.



The oldest captain happens to be Alexander Morten a goalkeeper who led England against the Scots in March 1873 at 41 years 113 days old. Morten had played for Scotland between 1870-3 before changing his allegiance. He played for Crystal Palace between 1866-74.

THE BROMLEY BOYS

I am afraid I was hoping for a better result than Bromley's defeat in the FA Trophy Final yesterday at Wembley, part of Non-league Day. 

9th in the 5th tier, The National League, they lost 5-4 on penalties to Brackley Town following a 1-1 draw aet.

Why have I a soft spot for Bromley FC? Well I did play against the Ravens (or the Lilywhites) from time to time and amidst the press stuff around the Trophy, they interviewed the author and mastermind behind a film, The Bromley Boys, based on the London club. Here is a trailer;
https://vimeo.com/263038468 It's one of those feel good films, produced by "The Itchy Fish Film Ltd" from Beckenham.
http://www.thebromleyboys.com/

The Saints, Brackley Town FC from Northants, playing in the National League North (5th tier), were hoping for promotion to the National League, but failed when they lost a vital game to Harrogate Town, seven days earlier. facing another set back, The Saints were seconds away from defeat when they forced a late equaliser to take the game into "over time".  A deflected shot rebounded off the post and struck Bromley defender, Roger Johnson ending up in the net, cancelling out Omar Bugiel's earlier goal. Bugiel later missed a penalty in the shoot out, which Brackley won 5-4.
Nearly 31,500 watched this game.
Brackley, founded in 1890, are from the higher sixth tier and play at St  James' Park.
In the Buildbase FA Vase, Thatcham Town beat Stockton Town 1-0. Thank goodness the grip from the North-east has been broken at last.
Since 2009, 8 out of the past 9 winners have come from the North-east;
Whitley Bay (3 times in succession), Dunston UTS, Spennymoor Town, North Shields, Morpeth Town, South Shields.

NON-LEAGUE DAY 2018 AND FA BONANZA

I was at Little Wembley this morning watching thre Hepworth united Junior U14s lose to Upperthong in an end of the season league game; trying to catch up fixtures after the beast from the east. Hope, ref didn't turn up, I had the grandchild on the touchline and so on. Nice game though and our lads played well.
At big Wembley this afternoon the Non-league Finals take place with the FA Vase kicking off at 12.15 between Stockton Town from the National League who beat "locals" Marske United 3-2 on aggregate and Thatcham Town from the Hellenic who beat 1874 Northwich Victoria 3-2 also on aggregate.

At 4.15 the FA Trophy Final takes place with Brackley Town from the National League North from the National League meeting Bromley from the National League.

Tickets for both games were £25 for adults, £10 for concessions and £1 for children. Value for money!

Meanwhile the FA continue to make themselves felt in the nation and beyond, by hosting the UEFA U17 Finals in and arond the Midlands. i am going Rotherham FC to watch the Final between Italy and the Netherlands at 6.15pm. As you know England lost their semi-final on penalties. Doh! Dont know outcome of this final YET! Who cares anyway? It's a freebee!

PENSIONERS v RED DEVILS

Cup Final day and after having recovered from the dresses and hats this morning, what more than seeing the toffs in the hospitality sections of Wembley. United in the traditional grey suits, white shirts and red ties; Chelsea "darker".
Winners of 18 cup finals so far, the Blues and the Reds face each other today with Chelsea winning 7 finals all since 1970.

United have won 12, the first in 1909 when they beat Bristol City at the old Crystal Palace in 1909.
In all matches since the first meeting in 1905, which ended 0-0 in Division 2, United have won 77, Chelsea 53 and 49 are drawn.

The first cup tie between the two was in the 2nd round 1908 at Bank Street Clayton, when home team United won 1-0.
It took until 1950 for the next meeting in the Quarter-final when Chelsea won 2-0. as the two clubs became more successful in all areas their meetings came more regular.
1963 5th Rd 2-1 United
1979 3rd  3-0  United
1988 4th 2-0 United
1994 Final 4-0 United
1996 S-f 2-1Utd
1998 3rd 5-3 Utd
1999 Q-f 2-0 Utd after 0-0
2007 Final 1-0 Chelsea first at the new Wembley
2013 6th Chelsea 1-0 after 2-2 three weeks before
2017 Q-f Chelsea 1-0
Today marks the 80th year since the first live tv broadcast of the Cup Final.

NEARLY THE CUP FINAL OR THE WEDDING?

I have been grandchild sitting, so I missed a day's blog! He has a natural left foot and runs like mad; we are hoping he will make a fortune playing the game! giving his grandparents a comfortable final few years.

You would think that the "Royals" (not Reading FC) would have arranged for the Wedding to be on another day....a week later maybe. It would have given the bride's father a chance to recover from his heart op!

On this day in 1991 I was at Wembley with my son and saw Paul Gascoigne sacrifice himself in a horrendous tackle against Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup Final. I knew as soon as he took out Gary Parker, then Gary Charles, that "that was that"; Gazza's career was immediately thrown into turmoil after these terrible tackles; he had a torn cruciate knee ligament.

The Spurs won 2-1 aet, and became the first club to win 8 FA Cup Finals; this record has of course been surpassed since. This victory also continued Spurs' record of winning the Cup in a year when the year ended in a "1"! 80,000 saw the game and the Spurs were triumphant. By the way David Howells, a friend of Hepworth United FC was in the Spurs'side. I hear it is his wedding today!!

En route they beat Blackpool 1-0 away, Oxford Utd 4-2 home, Portsmouth 2-1 away, Notts County 2-1 home and Arsenal in the semi-final 3-1 with a Gasgoinge goal the inspiration at Wembley. An easy path and capped by the humiliation of the Gunners.

In the Final Gary Lineker was brought down by goalkeeper Mark Crossley, who then saved Lineker's penalty.

Only two keepers have achieved this; the other in 1988 on May 14th, when Dave Beasant of Wimbledon FC saved from Liverpool's John Aldridge.
Beasant as the first goalkeeper to captain a winning FA Cup side. I was there also to see the victory by the "crazy gang".

This game was the last to be televised by both BBC and ITV which had happened since 1958.

THE SQUAD

Although most of the World Cup squad has been leaked, I thought I would do a survey of those players chosen by the pundits in a distinguished national newspaper. I write this minutes before the announcement.

Six sports' writers from the Daily Telegraph listed their predictions which can be summed up thus:
Prediction:
6/6 Butland, Walker, Stones, Jones, Dier, Henderson, Lingard, Alli, Sterling, Lallana, Loftus-Cheek, Kane, Rashford, Vardy.
5/6 Pickford, Trippier, Maguire, Bertrand.
4/6 Pope, Rose.
3/6 Cahill.
2/6 Walcott, Young, Delph, Wilshere, Tarkowski, Alexander-Arnold.
1/1 McCarthy, Sessegnon, Sancho (all from Jason Burt); Winks (Paul Hayward); Welbeck, Lookman (Sam Wallace), Hart (Matt Law), Cork (Jeremy Wilson), Heaton, Shelvey (James Ducker).

Actual squad:
Butland, Pickford, Pope:
Alexander-Arnold, Cahill, Jones, Maguire, Rose, Stones, Trippier, Young, Walker, Delph,
Dier, Alli, Henderson, Lingard, Loftus-Cheek,
Kane, Rashford, Sterling, Welbeck,  Vardy.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2018/05/16/englandworld-cup-squadannouncement-live/
Stand by: Heaton, Tarkowski, Cook, Livermore. Lallana

Five players from the past 2014 squad survived. Cahill, Jones, Henderson, Welbeck and Sterling from Brazil.

All this announced as we hear of the death of Ray Wilson at  83 years old.
Another of our great World Cup winners.

JLLOYD SAMUEL

JLloyd Samuel died today at around 8am today after dropping his children at school. He was involved in a road collision on the way home and never recovered. How awful is that?

Born in San Fernando, Trinidad and Tobago in March 1981 he migrated to England and attended St Joseph's Academy, Blackheath.

It was here that he was selected for London Schoolboys and England Schools' U18. He joined the well known SENRAB Sunday side, West Ham United, where he was released at the same time as Lee Bowyer, Konchesky and Bobby Zamora, and Charlton Athletic FC Youth.

He was picked up by Aston Villa in 1998-2007, playing 169 games, scoring 2 goals!  with a loan spell at Gillingham in 2000-1.
He joined Bolton Wanderers in 2007-11 (83 games) after a loan spell at Cardiff (2010-11). Towards the end of his career he played for Esteghal and then Paykan in Iran (2001-15). They have nice badges.



JLloyd was selected for England U18, U20, U21 XIs but settled for Trinidad and Tobago as his "full" country, only playing twice.

Last in his career he was been associated as player manager for Non-League Egerton from 2015. Egerton was the place where Bolton Wanderers FC was formed originally as Christ Church FC in 1874.

NORWOOD AND ROVERS-LEAGUE WARD

Well done Tranmere Rovers led by chairman Mark Pallios and manager, Micky Mellon who have led the Rovers back to the Football League after 3 years. Dropping down meant that the club had to lay off staff and close their academy, since funds were short.

The Rovers were also "short" of a player, losing Liam Ridehalgh for a terrible tackle after 53 seconds! Down to ten men for most of the game surely must have given opponents Boreham Wood hope of a victory at Wembley over the weekend.
Coach seat buddy James Norwood explained that he had a feeling that the rest of the day was going to be a disaster as Liam would be suicidal on the coach home!

Norwood played for Bede's School, Hailsham, in Sussex, a school that Charterhouse played annually and always had terrific games against. Norwood was clearly a player of considerable talent. Any of my old 1st XI centre backs will be thinking about games against Norwood and remembering how they got on! he played for the Independent Schools FA and the English schools FA (v France in 2009 at Wembley, when he scored in a 4-2 win) before being selected for England "C".

Born in Eastbourne, James played at Eastbourne Town, Exeter City, on loan at Sutton Utd, Eastbourne Borough, Forest Green Rovers-see photo (149 games 48 goals) and for Tranmere (107/46)

As the game wore on, Tranmere found themselves having to use up their subs tactically once they were reduced to ten and the prospect of fatigue creeping in, legs would be heavy.
Norwood had scored a "sizzling" free kick in the Play Off semi-final against Ebbsfleet and then the winning header in the final.

Last year Tranmere lost to Forest Green Rovers in the final and eight of that team enjoyed the rewards of this year's victory. Get ready for the Football League! AND WHAT ABOUT GETTING READY FOR CHINA?
https://tranmererovers.co.uk/news/category/china/

COCKS AND FOXES

Tottenham beat Leicester City 5-4 at Wembley today and that was both clubs last game of the season. The game fluctuated from Spurs 1-3 down to 4-3 up 4-4 and then 5-4 to Spurs and this is not the first time the fixture has amassed more that 5 goals in total. In 19 games between the two clubs there have been 6 or more goals scored in aggregate.

This match did give Harry Kane his 30th goal of the season.

Overall Spurs have won 54 games against the Foxes and drawn 21 with Leicester winning 35.
One Spurs victory includes an FA Cup Final on May 6th 1961, when Spurs did the Double winning the league with 8 points to spare and 19 days before the final. Leicester lost their accomplished full back Len Chalmers after 18 minutes and there were no subs in those days. Bobby Smith and Terry Dyson scored.

The first time the two clubs met was the 10th January 1914 and it was Leicester Fosse FC that played at home against Spurs in an FA Cup tie which resulted in a 5-5 draw. Spurs won the replay 2-0. Below are the Fosse in 1892.
Founded in 1884 the club played on Fosse Road and moved to Filbert Street in 1891, playing in the Midland League.
Three years later they were elected to the Football League and were renamed "City" in 1919, losing their first league game 3-4 against Grimsby Town.

Their first win in the FL Division 2, was over Rotherham United at Filbert Street.

The first league match between the two clubs was a Division 2 game in 1919 after the war break and Tottenham won 4-0.

They then met in Division 1 for a while from 1925-35 but between 1935 and 1950 all league games were in Division 2. The clubs then met each other in Division One with their last contest on 25th February 1987 when Spurs won 5-0.

Seven years later their first Premier League meeting was in September 1994 when Leicester won 3-1. In 2004 the clubs played out a 4-4 draw and on 18th May 2017 Spurs won 6-1 in a league game.
 Tottenham's 1st and 2nd team in 1885.

SCUNTHORPE UTD v ROTHERHAM UTD

Not the most glamorous of play offs but any team playing any play off, dreams of greater things. Today The Iron play The Millers in the SKY Bet League One Play Off semi-final 1st leg at Glanford Park. Score 2-2 in what seemed to be a fairly pulsating game.

Having played at the Old Showground since 1899, Scunny moved to a purpose built stadium in 1988 when new regulations after the Bradford City fire occurred. The site of the old ground was sold to Safeway.

Coincidently Rotherham moved from their stately home of Millmoor since 1925 to the New York Stadium in 2008.

Prior to 1925 it was Rotherham County, that eventually represented the lower Don Valley team, founded in 1870 as Thornhill. They played in the Football League starting out in 1919 when the FL expanded after the War. The County merged with Rotherham Town (founded in 1899) and became United in 1925.

Their present Stadium is built in the New York sector of the town and on the site of the old Guest and Chrimes iron foundry where fire hydrants were made for new York City (USA), yes those things that get driven into by an escaping car chased by the cops. The club hoped that the investors in New York City FC might boost their coffers-not yet!

Scunthorpe United FC only joined the Football League in 1950. That is hard to believe. They applied to join the FL in 1921 when it expanded but to no avail and after over many applications by what was known as Scunthorpe and Lindsey United FC,  they drew a blank. 1950 saw their promotion to the FL.
Notable past payers include Kevin Keegan, Ray Clemence and Ian Botham!
NEXT LEG, WEDNESDAY AT THE NEW YORK STADIUM

TODAY'S LEGENDS

If I rummage through my scrapbooks and find more stuff on Roger Steer then I am going to include his luscious career again on this blog....I had a record number of hits yesterday.....so cheers Roger and by the way Sutton did beat Woking 4-2 in the FA Trophy 1st Round Proper. But it was nice to see you there Roger!

From one legend to another; today would have been Jackie Milburn's birthday, born in 1924. No idea who "Wor" Jackie is? Shame on you. "Our Jackie" played for home club Newcastle United between 1943-57 in over 350 games scoring one in two games. Jackie ended his career at Linfield in Ireland where he "added thousands to the gate". He scored 68 goals in 54 appearances.
Remarkably he only won 13 England caps...if your face doesn't fit? Milburn died from "lung cancer" in October 1988.


Another great centre forward wearing an England shirt in the 1920s was Dixie Dean. This won't be the first time I have mentioned him, but on May 11th 1927 Dean scored a hat trick against Belgium in Brussels helping England to a 9-1 win in a friendly. He was a prolific forward who played for Everton and scored 60 goals in 39 club games in 1927-8. His final games were in 1938. He died in 1980.

Between 1909 and 1921 matches were held between an England amateur XI and the Belgian national side. Games were mainly one sided as the "tuned in" England side outplayed their opponents.
In 1923 the first "official" international took place in Belgium and ended in a 2-2 draw.

On this day in 1984 Johan Cruyff retired from football having been part of the "Total Football" era in Holland. He carried on from his successful career with Ajax to Barcelona, then the USA (piloting the development of football there), back to Holland and became a successful manager of Ajax and FC Barcelona. He died in 2016, having been a regular smoker.
Stick with the film!!
http://int.search.mywebsearch.com/search/video.jhtml?enc=&id=XNxdm019YYgb&n=77edc526&pg=video&pn=1&ptb=308DCB58-2A13-42C4-993A-77A59B6C34C6&ptnrS=XNxdm019YYgb&qs=&searchfor=Johan+cruyff&si=CJeTnrb1k7ECFZMctAodh14dkA&ss=sub&st=sb&tpr=sbt

ROGER STEER-ANOTHER LEGEND

Looks like legends' week this week, with Dennis Bergkamp celebrating his 49th birthday today. But I am delighted to highlight the "retirement" of Roger Steer, whom I played with and against in Surrey for a number of years at a variety of clubs, turning out for over 2,000 games. He has not yet given me the complete run down of these......I wish I had kept a full record of my matches, but university got in the way!
Roger retired this week having completed his "season" and his career at  Westfield FC.
He played for his local West Byfleet School and Woking Schools where he joined in a tour of Canada. Surrey Schools selected him up too.

Roger was a Chelsea Youth player in the 1960s and he joined Woking FC in 1972, playing over 250 games.

He moved to Sutton United and did a little bit of journeyman stuff around Surrey and the home counties at Walton and Hersham FC,  Wokingham Town, Wycombe Wanderers, Addlestone and Weybridge, Camberley Town before joining the Corinthian Casuals, probably the World's best known historic club.

Roger took his Coaching Badges at the Casuals and spent 9 years there, the last 3 as player-manager. He helped the club to promotion to the Isthmian League which then was remarkable as the CCFC are a truly amateur club. They were also founder members of the Isthmian League.

Roger then managed Godalming Town, near Charterhouse and was helpful in letting me bring our school teams to play against his youth teams. GTFC earned an important promotion from "County League" to the Isthmian and they won Combined Counties League Cup in 2007.
To keep himself slim he continued to play, until 63 years old, for the Corinthian Casuals Schools' XI, who were "Vets", taking the true standards of the great game to young players all round the south of England and occasionally on tours abroad, including the celebratory visit to the Corinthian Club in Brazil in 2014, playing in the Corinthians brand new stadium.
Amusingly named at the "Peter Pan" of Football, he is now Football Director of Westfield FC where he helps with coaching and gives advice to all ages. Good Luck, Roger...Veterans Football Calls...I'm just off to Penistone Church FC for an hour.

MORE THAN A MANAGER

Another legend to acknowledge, is Sir Bobby Robson CBE, whose great career in football is being shown in film and the following link will tell you a bit about it;
https://twitter.com/bobbyrobsonfilm?lang=en

Radio today has been giving this film air time and Sir Bobby's life is being remembered by those who were lucky enough to meet him. I met him twice; once at Cambridge when he came with an Ipswich XI to play the University. Ipswich annually supported the university in their progress and would provide several first teamers to have a run out against the students; Arnold Muhren, Graham Souness, Kevin Beattie; they were youngsters then! many others from that era graced our university pitch.
Remember where Ipswich were in the early 1970s?

Later, I went with the Surrey Football Coaches Association to Ipswich Town FC on a courtesy visit and took my dad. It was longish journey from South London. Bobby had been part of the SFC Association when he worked at Fulham and then became "President".
We spent the day there being entertained by Bobby and his coaching staff. We watched some coaching sessions and played a short game; Surrey Coaches v Ipswich Coaches, on Portman Road before lunch. Then my Dad sat opposite Bobby and was entertained very nicely through the meal.

Bobby came over as a real gent and he had all the best attributes of a national coach, especially humility.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALsyAnWWLV4

Here is a reminder of the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation Charity;
http://sirbobbyrobsonfoundation.org.uk/bobbys-story/

DEAR OLD MOTTY, OBE

I have given John Motson OBE, 72 years old, a bit of a send off previously, so there is no need to go potty over Motty, but he is a real character and a loss to the art of commentating. Needless to say, as modern as he always is, he is having an Twitter Emoji image created in his honour. Try #JohnMotson or #ThanksMotty

BBC2 is dedicating a night of programmes to him on May 19th alongside a special addition to Twitter which will show a picture of him when a particular hashtag is used. The BBC says this is a unique way of celebrating his 50 years on the job. He has been involved in over 2000 games from the World Cup through to the more mundane!
There will be the inevitable tributes from his wife Annie and son Fred, a documentary "The Man Behind the Sheepskin" and of course the usual lot; Lineker, Brooking, Rod Stewart, Noel Gallagher...... there is also Motty Mastermind, Countdown, Full Motty etc etc Motty's last commentary will be at the Palace...v Baggies on May 13th.
Then there is a Special Award at the BAFTAs later that evening at the Royal Albert Hall.

Here is one I did earlier on JM!
http://baileyfootballblog.blogspot.co.uk/2017/09/motd-motty.html

Born in Salford in 1945, he started his newspaper career in 1963 on a local paper in Barnet, where his local club benefited from his support.
By 1967 he was on the Sheffield Morning Telegraph as a sports' reporter. The BBC hired him in 1968 and he joined MOTD in 1971. February 5th 1972 saw his life change at the Hereford United v Newcastle United FA Cup tie which the non-league side won 2-1.
First Cup Final 1977; in April 1989 he was at Hillsborough when the tragedy struck.
As you may have read before he did play in a match at Charterhouse for "A Commentators' XI" against a Charterhouse XI. He commentated all through the game and hung around on the wing!