FOOTBALL BEHIND BARS AND OUT

I haven't yet watched the TV documentary about Ian Wright and his life, shown last night, but reading the papers today, the England forward clearly had a story to tell, especially about a very difficult upbringing and then great success, no doubt with scars from the past. Ian has since put back much into other people's lives.

I wrote a blog about Ian (a close friend of Gary Lineker, a parent at my school) and his story after the two arranged to take my U18 schoolboy footballers (including George Lineker) to the Portland Young Offenders' Prison in Dorset to play a game against the "inmates", on Sunday June 28th 2009. The result was a 1-1 draw!

Ian's story is below:

https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/3994718670252035536/7010670822272256054

The documentary was called "Football Behind Bars" shown in 2009 part of his series "The Wright Stuff" on "Popcorn TV".

https://mail.google.com/mail/ca/u/0/#inbox/FMfcgxwLtstFfHLTDnRKlnLkMJlpkwXw

Keeping in line with important dates in early May, here are May 7th dates: the FA Cup Final, 1960 at Wembley between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Blackburn Rovers, described by the Daily Sketch as "The Dustbin Final". It was bitter and one sided, with Rovers' Dave Whelan breaking his leg just before half time and the Rovers' fans pelting the Wolves' players with rubbish at the end of the game. Dereck Dougan chose to put in a transfer request on Cup Final day, suggesting some bad feeling amongst the club players. Mick McGrath deflected a low cross into his own goal after 41 minutes, two mins later Whelan was carted off and Norman Deely scored two to finish off the Lancastrians. Score 3-0.

Another May 7th Final was in 1955 when Newcastle United beat Manchester City 3-1. Geordie hero, Jackie Milburn, scored in 45 seconds and this was the fastest Cup Final goal until Roberto di Matteo scored in 1997 after 42 seconds against Middlesbrough. 

"Wor"Jackie Milburn from 1943-1957, played 353 times for Newcastle, scoring 157 goals. He played 13 times for England scoring 10 times.

Newcastle had also beaten Blackpool in the 1951 Final 2-0 and Arsenal in 1952. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLO3IGefyAg

Milburn has two statues to remember him, one at St James' Park, another in his birth place, Ashington (also the Charlton's b.p). He is also remembered by a colliery steam train.