PLYING THE TRADE ABROAD

It is good to read that some (quite a few) of our young English footballers have taken the decision to play abroad and are being accepted, enjoying their spell in Europe and beyond. At AC Milan is Fikayo Tomori a 23 year old defender bought from Chelsea for 36m Euros. 

Has everyone heard of Luis Binks? Born Rainham, played at Englan d level in his teenage years, went to Spurs' Academy, moved to the Club de Foot Montreal in the MLS, a 20 year old defender, signed with Bologna and loan back to Montreal. 

At Roma are the well known Chelsea's Tammy Abraham (49m Euros @ 23) and Man Us Chris Smalling (a 31 year old defender, who cost 18m Euros), both of whom have settled; why wouldn't you.

At Sampdoria is Ronald Vieira, a 23 yar old, from Leeds Utd who cost 8.6m Euros.

Do you know Marcus Edward at Vitoria Guimaraes? Omar Richards at Bayern Munich? and of course we all know Kieran Trippier at Athletico Madrid, who is one of our better known players along with Jordan Sancho at Borrusia Dortmund. Remember Aaron Ramsey, Reece Oxford and Ashley Young?There are English footballers further afield.

Name a country and there will be an English footballer earning money. Australia and the Scandinavian clubs probably attract most-have you seen their Women teams? There are 15 players in German teams (Jude Bellingham @ Borussia Dortman), 14 in Dutch clubs, 13 in French, 12 in Belgian, 8 in Austrian but then Bosnia has been an attraction, Brunei, Bulgaria, Canada, Albania has 2....virtually name any country (Panama, Qatar, Russia, Slovenia, Turkey, Ukraine...haven't found any in a "Z" country YET). There will be an English footballer signed on, male or female in many countries. Helen Nkwocha, not just our male footballers, and Richard Goffe are coaching and playing in the Faroe Islands! Goffe is 39 years old. 

Have a look: https://uk.soccerway.com/players/players_abroad/england/

These few are some of the British footballers plying their trade abroad. The chances are the average football fan will not have heard of Herbert Kilpin (pictured). Kilpin went down in history as the first British footballer to play abroad professionally.

In 1891 Kiplin began his foray into the foreign leagues by turning out for FC Torinense of Italy. This was a whole seven years before the Italian FA had even devised Serie A

Not only did Kilpin play professionaly in Italy until 1907, he also was a founding member of one of the most famous clubs the world has ever seen.

In 1899, with the assistance of two friends, Kilpin founded Milan Cricket and Football Club, known today as AC Milan.

The Italian league, until recently, has seen some of the best footballers produced by the British Isles grace it. Many of the pre-war players who played in Italy would turn out for the teams founded by Britons living in Italy, teams like Genoa CFC and Calcio Padova. The post war period saw John Charles become a cult hero at Juventus during the 1960s. In 1997 Charles (central), a giant of a player, was voted Juventus’ best ever foreign player, beating stars such as Zinedine Zidane and Michel Platini.

The 1980s saw Trevor Francis, the first ever £1million player, featuring for Sampdoria and Atalanta.

Kris Thackray was released by his boyhood favourite, Newcastle United when he was 16. After two years of playing part time he was picked up by second division Italian side Reggina after impressing during a tournament featuring an England Colleges XI. After a loan spell at fourth tier club Monopoli in 2008/09 and featuring in 10 games for Serie B club Ancona last season, Thackray was sold in a co-ownership deal to third division club Andria before being loaned out to Cosenza of the same league.

After making a number of appearances in the 2010/11 season, Thackray was released from his contract. A lot of players who take up the offer of playing in a foreign league will not last as long as they hoped. Homesickness can be a key factor in their decision to return to the British Isles.

The different style of play can also cause their return. Although Thackray suffered from this at first he did learn to adapt. He admitted: “Leaving home and settling in was difficult, the complete change of culture from food, people, climate and mainly the language was challenging. "The language is the most important, not knowing it isolates you and stops you from expressing your personality and prevents you from understanding simple messages on and off the pitch.”

Remember him?

ROGER HUNT MBE

 Sad news AGAIN, I'm sorry to say, as we hear of Roger Hunt's death. This news' item tells his history.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nAhNqoggQV8 

Born in Culcheth and Glazebury in Warrington, Cheshire, he was 83, when he passed away today.

Somehow, Roger Hunt became the almost-forgotten man of English football's finest hour. Not by Hurst, who never fails to credit his strike partner for his contribution to the making those three unique World Cup Final goals. Not by Liverpool supporters, by whom he remains so beloved that the official website still insists on calling him Sir Roger at every opportunity. Although, like Moore, he was never knighted.

During that World Cup tournament, Hunt was overshadowed by the majesty of Bobby Moore, the genius of Bobby Charlton, the miracles of Gordon Banks, the over-drive of Alan Ball, the deterrent called Nobby Stiles, that unique hat-trick by Geoff Hurst, even the ghostliness of Martin Peters. So somehow Roger Hunt became the almost-forgotten man of English football's finest achievement. BUT, not by Hurst.

Team manager, Alf Ramsey, made it clear that if Jimmy Greaves recovered from injury then the choice for second centre-forward would be between him and Geoff Hurst. Greaves was never fit! Hurst scores.....

Hunt played for Stockton Heath and then Devizes Town before he went to Liverpool, playing between 1958-64 and then he went to Bolton Wanderers 1969-72. Hunt made his Liverpool debut and scored his first goal for the club on 9 September 1959 in a Second Division fixture at Anfield against Scunthorpe Utd; Hunt scored in the 64th minute to give the Reds a 2–0 victory. No-one at Anfield ever forgets that his 244 goals in 404 league appearances, had much to do with raising them from the muddy trough of the old Second Division, to two English championships and their first FA Cup for years in 1964-65.* 

In August 1964, Hunt also scored the first ever goal seen on the BBC's Match of the Day.

That tally remained the Liverpool scoring record until Ian Rush came along. Even then Hunt stayed ahead of the Welsh wizard on Football League goals.

But how many football fans beyond Merseyside can honestly say they remember how many Hunt scored in that halcyon World Cup tournament? He scored as many goals, as Geoff Hurst in the Final itself. One in the 2-0 win against Mexico. Both in the victory over France, also 2-0. I remember seeing those goals (on telly of course) and I don't remember much over excitement as Hunt went about his business. Hunt, the reliable, played every minute from the first kick of the opening match.

*Liverpool have been FA Cup winners in 1964-5, 1973-4, 1985-6, 1988-9, 1991-2, 2000-1, 2005-6: AND Runners Up 1913-4, 1949-50, 1970-1, 1976-7, 1987-8, 1995-6, 2011-12.

Hunt is back row: on GK Banks' right

WIMBLEDON'S REVIVAL

 On September 27th 2003, the South London club, Wimbledon AFC, played their first "Home" League match in Milton Keynes, National Hockey Stadium, drawing with Burnley 2-2. At the start of the next season they changed their name to MK Dons. Their season looked like this:

Played 46: Won at home 3, Drew 4, Lost 16, Goals For 21 Against 40.                                                    Away was: W5, D1, L17, F20, A 49 Points Total: 29 Division POsition 24/24.   

AFC Wimbledon is now based in Merton, London, which has played in League One, since winning promotion in 2016. The club's home stadium is Plough Lane, close to the A3.

The club was founded in 2002 by former supporters of Wimbledon FC after the FA allowed that club to relocate to Milton Keynes in Buckinghamshire, about 60 miles (97 km) north of Wimbledon. Most of the Wimbledon F.C. supporters were very strongly opposed to moving the club so far away from Wimbledon, feeling that a club transplanted to a distant location would no longer represent Wimbledon or the club's historic legacy and tradition. Wimbledon F.C. moved in 2003 and formally changed the name of the club to Milton Keynes Dons in 2004.

When AFC Wimbledon was formed, it affiliated to both the London and Surrey Football Associations, and entered the Premier Division of the Combined Counties League the ninth tier of English football. The club has since been promoted six times in 13 seasons, going from the ninth tier (Combined Counties Premier) to the third (League One).

AFC Wimbledon currently hold the record for the longest unbeaten run of league matches in English senior football, having played 78 consecutive league games without a defeat between February 2003 and December 2004. They are the first club formed in the 21st century to make it into the Football League.

The club was initially based at Kingsmeadow a ground bought from and then shared with Kingstonian FC from the Isthmian League until 2017, and with Chelseas FC Women from 2017. In November 2020, the club moved to Plough Lane a new stadium on the site of the defunct Wimbledon Greyhouse Stadium, only 250 yards away from the oroginal Plough Lane, Wimbledon F.C.'s home until 1991. The new stadium has an initial capacity of 9,300, with the option of expansion to a maximum 20,000 at a later date.

The badge's emblems represent the historic fact that Julius Caesar once camped on Wimbledon Common, sometime before the Wombles got there. Here's Haydon, the Womble mascot.

This link tells more of the Wombles and their link with one or two famous clubs!

https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/3994718670252035536/8433012622447644608?hl=en-GB

SEPTEMBER 26th

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9CLiDqYfLc 

On this day in 1998, Sheffield Wednesday beat Arsenal 1-0 in the league at Hillsborough. Paulo di Canio, of Wednesday, lost the plot following a decision by the ref and was sent off by referee Paul Alcock. Di Canio objected to this and pushed the ref as shown above, the referee fell dramatically. Di Canio was fined £10,000 and banned for 11 weeks.

In 1960, the 26th of September was a Monday and for historians, the first matches in the new Football League Cup were played with some shocks; Bristol Rovers winning 2 v 1 Fulham (Fulham's Maurice Cook scored the first goal in the history of the competition). West Ham scored 3 v Charlton who could manage only one. 

 

West Ham lost their next round game 2-3 at Darlington and Rovers lost at Rotherham United 2-0.

Rotherham marched on to the two legged League Cup Final winning the first leg 2-0 v Aston Villa, but losing at Villa 3-0 in the second leg.

The first European Cup match was played in England at Maine Road, when Manchester United took on Anderlecht from Belgium. 40,000 fans saw United take the lead after 9 minutes with a wonder goal from Tommy Taylor. United went on to win 10,000, making their winning aggregate 12-0.

FINNEY, CHARLES-GIANTS AND GENTLEMEN

25th September 1963: Many will remember Tom Finney as a loyal one-club player, but on September 25th 1963, he made his only competitive appearance for a club other than Preston North End - in the European Cup. Three years after playing his last Preston game, George Armstrong (not the GA!), the manager of Northern Ireland champions, Distillery, coaxed the 41-year-old Finney out of retirement to play for Distillery in their European Cup-tie against the Portuguese giants Benfica. On this day in 1963 a 19,326 Belfast crowd witnessed a memorable 3-3 draw between the sides but without Finney in the return leg Benfica ran out 5-0 winners.

Definitely worth One Shilling (these days 5p!) to have this programme and it would not have cost much to see him play in 1963. I did see Finney in a Charity Match at Elland Rd, Leeds United (1973/4) when he played for a World XI as part of the "Billy Bremner Testimonial".  Along side Finney was John Charles, a mountain of a man, a Welsh international, who also became one of the first Brits to be lured by the Italians to venture abroad to Juventus. John Charles could play anywhere on the pitch and was regarded as a "gentle giant". You would not argue with him.....6' 2" + 80 kg

Surprise League champions in the 1960-1 season was Ipswich Town, who showed they had no fear of the European Cup (the modern Champions League) when beating Floriana of Malta 10-0 at Portman Road to complete an aggregate 14-1 First Round victory. Ray Crawford scored five of the goals at Portman Road – Ipswich were knocked out by AC Milan in the next round.

Crawford was a Portsmouth lad who played in 1957-8 at Fratton Park but made his name appearing 197 times for Ipswich Town and scored 143 goals for them, from 1958-63 and again in 1966-9- 123 apps/61 goals. He was a prolific goalscorer who only played TWICE for England scoring 1 goal. He also sneaked one international cap for Malaya in 1956 (don't ask?)

Overall 482 apps/290 goals. He managed this lot, in Hampshire, at the end o this career.

He is now retired but still plays a big active role within the community of Portsmouth, appearing at a lot of charity events and is a popular figure at Fratton Park every home game.

THE FA CUP 2021-2 EARLY DAYS

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBvgqc4VZag&t=272s Carshalton Athletic FC (in red. Their nickname? have a guess)

were playing  Ebbsfleet Utd in the FA Cup 2nd Qualifying Round last weekend. Crowd 497 (owned up to!) That made it 1-1 and Ebbsfleet scored in the 89 minute, to win 1-2.

Nickname? The Fleet! Once Gravesend & Northfleet F.C., the club was formed in 1946, following the Second World War, after a merger between Gravesend Untd (originally formed in 1893) and Northfleet Utd (originally formed in 1890) with the new club retaining the red & white, home colours (playing at the Stonebridge Road Stadium) of Northfleet United. From 1969 and 1971, Roy Hodgson who later became manager of the national teams of Switzerland, UAE, Finland and England, was a player at the club, making 59 appearances.

The lowest crowd in this FA Cup round (so far) was 104 for the Barking FC v AFC Dunstable tie that ended 1-3. Closely behind this was Squires Gate 2-3 Pontefract Collieries: attendance 122. 

Highest attendance 1648 for York City v Hebburn Town, a 3-0 win for the club recently exited the Football League. York City, of course, was once a Football League club of some note.

The club was founded in 1912 as a works' for the Reyrolles Company. Playing under the company name, they joined Division Two of the Jarrow and District Junior League. PLaying in the Northern Premier League, the club won the FA Vase Final beating local rivals Consett, in the 2020-delayed to May2021!

Dulwich Hamlet FC, a London club of some historic note, raised a 1605 crowd; the club has a loyal following through its past achievements! It's a bit trendy to follow the Hamlet in South London! They lost to Bedfont Sports 0-1.

1169 saw Blyth Spartan from the North-east, at home, draw with FC United of Manchester from tzhe North-west, (you should know the history of this fledgling club?). The tie ended 1-1 and a large crowd will visit the next match, no doubt.

A 1003 crowd saw a north-west clash between Marine and Warrington-3-0. 

Marine FC is based in Crosby is notable for having the longest serving manager in post-war English football. Roly Howard occupied the post from 1972 to 2005 and oversaw a total of 1,975 games. 

In 2021, Marine reached the third round of the FA Cup which they lost 5–0 to Tottenham Hotspur. With Marine 161 places below Tottenham, the gap between the two teams was the biggest in FA Cup history. The match raised over £300,000 for the club from the selling of 30,697 "virtual tickets" to fans of Tottenham and other clubs who wished to support Marine but were unable to attend the match due to the Covid-pandemic.

CHAIRBOYS AND SWANS-A BYE TO THE FINAL

23rd September 2000

Wycombe Wanderers Football Club is based in the town of High Wycombe in Bucks and compete in League One the third tier of the Football League. They play their home matches at Adams Park, on the western outskirts of High Wycombe, having moved after 95 years at Loakes Park in 1990. The stadium was named Adams Park in honour of benefactor and former captain Frank Adams. The club's nicknames are "The Chairboys" and "The Blues". On 30 June 2012, the Wycombe Wanderers Trust (Supporter owned) formally took over the club. The season also included their 125th anniversary, and the shirt design was an adaptation of their first-ever kit, in Oxford and Cambridge Blue halves (instead of quarters).

Wycombe Wanderers Football Club, originally called North Town Wanderers, is sited in the Chiltern Hills, a well wooded area of Buckinghamshire, was founded around 1884 by a group of young furniture trade workers, who called a meeting at the Steam Engine public house to form a football club and enter junior football. Hence the nickname Chairboys. 

The suffix Wanderers was adopted in honour of the famous FA Cup winners, The Wanderers**, who had visited the town in 1877 for a Round Two tie with the original High Wycombe, as the club was called then. They had beaten Wood Grange 4-0  in Round One. They then lost 0-9 to The Wanderers in Round Two. The Wanderers were made up from some of the top amateur footballers in the south of England, and went on to beat Barnes 4-1 after a 1-1 draw in Rd 3. In Rd 4 they beat the Sheffield club 3-0 and then got a BYE in the semi-final and won the 1878 final beating the Royal Engineers 3-1. The RE had beaten the Old Harrovians (old boys of Harrow School) in the semi-final 2-1.

In the final, Old Carthusian, Edward Hagarty Parry, was captain. He later played for England and in 1881 captained the Old Carthusians to FA Cup victory over the Old Etonians 2-0. The Wanderers, by this time had dissolved as a club.

Their first colours were the “Varsity” combination of Oxford and Cambridge blue. Originally the team played in halved jerseys, changing to stripes sometime early in the twentieth century. The present quartered shirts were introduced around 1930. The club's nickname of "The Chairboys" is thought to have been coined because the young men who formed the club were apprentices in the furniture making industry, sited in a well wooded area of the Chiltern Hills.

At the time of being a third tier side in 2000, Wycombe Wanderers (The Chairboys) got their name into the record books by reaching the FA Cup semi-final in 2000/01, but earlier in the same season they had made the headlines for another reason. Against Peterborough United at Adams Park in a Division 2 match on September 23rd 2000 Wycombe's Jamie Bates scored with the last kick of the first half. A Wycombe kick-off started the second period and seconds later, before a Peterborough player had touched the ball, Jermaine McSporran hit the Chairboys second goal. Two goals in just nine seconds of playing time without an opposition player touching the ball - unique or what!

The Swan has played a significant role in the history of the county of Buckinghamshire, so it comes as no surprise that a swan with a silver chain round its neck, is depicted in the crest of Wycombe Wanderers FC and appeared on shirts as early as the 1898-99 season. It has probably been associated with High Wycombe and the county and the ancient borough towns of the county since the time of Humphrey, 6th Earl of Stafford. He became the first Duke of Buckingham in 1444 and bore the Swan as his personal badge or crest. The association of a Swan with the county of Buckinghamshire had probably become well established by the time of his death in 1460.

** The club was initially formed as Forest Football Club in 1859 by a number of former public school pupils, primarily recent Old Harrovian school leavers, who wanted to continue to play the sport. Founder members included Charles W Alcock, who had a major part to play in the development of football. Several Old Foresters also played for the Forest club, old boys of Forest School which was located less than a mile north of the ground. Forest School is now a member of the Independent Schools FA.

DODOO DOES, EDOZIE DOESN'T QUITE. PAPA JOHN DOES PIZZA

I have just got back from Brodworth Hall, a stately home near Doncaster. It is hosted by English Heritage; it's not a million miles from Hooton Pagnell. Could almost be talking in a foreign language, couldn't I. Look them up, you might learn something.

Last night, the Papa John's Trophy, known as this for sponsorship reasons, got underway: The English Football League Trophy is an annual England FA knockout competition open to the 48 clubs in EFL Divs One and Two, the third and fourth tiers of the English Football League and, since 16 under-21 sides from the Premier League and Championship. It is the third most prestigious knockout competition in English football after the FA Cup and EFL/League Cup.

It began in the 1983–84 season as the Associate Members' Cup, but in 1992, after the lower-division clubs became full members of the Football League. it was renamed the Football League Trophy. It was renamed again in 2016, as the EFL Trophy.

The current (2020–21) champions are Sunderland who beat Tranmere Rovers 1–0 in 2021, which was played just one day after Salford City had won the PREVIOUS SEASON's competition, which had been postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The most successful club is Bristol City, who have lifted the trophy three times, in 1986, 2003 and 2015, and were finalists in 1987 and 2000.

This season, the Northern Section, Group E saw Manchester City's Under 21s grouped with Rotherham, Doncaster (Donny) and Scunthorpe. Donny FC, with Dodoo scoring in the 14th and 58th minutes dragged themselves back from a 0-1 deficit, after Edozie had scored for The Citizens after 8 minutes. I suspect Man City had fielded a "young" side. Rotherham now top their group with 3 pts and Goal Difference; City are 2nd with 3 points from 2 games. Donny 3rd and Scunny 4th. 

It's a nice competition; in Group F, Bradford City hosted Man Utd whose goalscorers were Songo'o, Hugill and Hoogerwerf; beautiful British names. But what an experience for these "lesser clubs" and their young players?

Typically Spurs in the Southern section, Group H (Hopeless?) lost to Cambridge United, whose goalscorer was SMITH. No mucking about there then. (2,025 watched).

In more serious football, the Carabao Cup, played since 1960, always entertaining, allowed Brentford the opportunity to sting Oldham 7-0. Burnley to beat Rochdale 4-1, having gone 0-1 down, Man City  thumped Wycombe Wanderers 6-1 with a proper side (De Bruyne, Mahrez, Foden, Torres and Palmer on the score sheet), after Wycombe had the cheek to take the lead at 22 mins. 

Liverpool had a tougher 0-3 away win at Norwich, Preston beat Cheltenham 4-1 and QPR beat Everton 8-7, granted on penalties, after a 2-2 draw. Leeds did the same winning 6-5 on pens after a 0-0 v Fulham and Sheffield United drew 2-2 with Southampton but lost 2-4 on pens. 

Manchester City are holders and they and Liverpool have won the trophy more times than any other. It enables qualification for the UEFA Europa Conference competition.

THE DERBY RAM and A MILLWALL BRICK

 

The first instance of violence associated with modern team sports is unknown, but football related violence can be traced back to 14th Century England. In 1314, Edward II banned football, which at that time, a violent, unruly activity involving rival villages kicking a pig's bladder across the local heathland or from one part of the village to another. He believed the disorder surrounding matches might lead to social unrest or even treason. 

Conflict at an 1846 match in Derby, (note...adjacent NOTE) England, required a reading of the RIOT ACT and two groups of dragoons (soldiers) to respond effectively to the disorderly crowd. This was identified as "pitch invasions", a common occurrence during the 1880s in English football. The team has its nickname, The Rams, as a tribute to its links with the First Regiment of Derby Militia, which took a ram as its mascot. Additionally, the club also adopted the song "The Derby Ram" as its regimental song. Rammie is the first FULL TIME mascot in the Football League.

1,500 saw this drubbing. Derby Football Club officially formed in 1884, out of the Derbyshire County Cricket Club where the players wanted to keep fit, playing the winter sport and so the club was almost named Derbyshire County FC. The club's first official competitive match came in November 1884, in the FA Cup 1st Rd, where they lost 0-7, at home to Walsall Town. 

Arguably the most important match in the club's history (so far) came a year later, on November 14th 1885, in a Second Round FA Cup tie, when 6,000 saw a 2–0 victory over Aston Villa, already an emerging force in English football. This victory established Derby County on the English football map, helping the club to attract better opposition for friendlies. Unfortunately, they lost their next Round match to Small Heath Alliance (eventually Birmingham City FC) 4-2. During this 1885-6 FA Cup campaign, the Old Carthusians, the old boys of Charterhouse School, lasted two rounds longer, eventually losing to West Bromwich Albion 1-0 in Rd 5. West Brom went on to lose the final in a replay to Blackburn Rovers, as the growth of professionalism took over Cups and Leagues.

In 1888, an invitation came to join the inaugural Football League. The opening day of the first ever league season was 8 September 1888, when Derby came from 3–0 down, away to Bolton Wanderers, to win 6–3. The club ultimately finished the season 10th out of 12 teams. From 1895 they played at the Baseball Ground, where unsurprisingly, Baseball had previously been played and the club stayed there for 102 years. 

The first recorded instances of football hooliganism in the modern game allegedly occurred during the 1880s in England, a period when gangs of supporters would intimidate neighbourhoods, in addition to attacking referees, opposing supporters and players. In 1885, after Preston North End beat Aston Villa, 5–0 in a friendly match, both teams were pelted with stones, attacked with sticks, punched, kicked and spat at. One Preston player was beaten so severely that he lost consciousness and press reports at the time described the fans as "howling roughs". The following year, Preston fans fought Queen's Park (Scotland) fans in a railway station—the first alleged instance of football hooliganism outside of a match. In 1905, a number of Preston fans were tried for hooliganism, including a "drunk and disorderly" 70-year-old woman, following their match against Blackburn Rovers.

Although instances of football crowd violence and disorder have been a feature of association football throughout its history, (e.g. at Millwall's ground, The Den, was reportedly closed in 1920, 1934 and 1950 after crowd disturbances), the phenomenon only started to gain the media's attention in the late 1950s due to the re-emergence of violence in Latin America. In the 1955–56 English football season, Liverpool and Everton fans were involved in a number of incidents and, by the 1960s, an average of 25 hooligan incidents were being reported each year in England. The label "football hooliganism" first began to appear in the English media in the mid-1960s, leading to increased media interest in, and reporting of, acts of disorder. It has been argued that this, in turn, created a "moral panic" out of proportion with the scale of the actual problem.

Fans have been permitted to bring in newspapers but the larger broadsheet newspapers work best for a Millwall brick, and the police looked with suspicion at somne football fans (particularly at Millwall) who carried such newspapers. Because of their more innocent appearance, tabloid newspapers became the preferred choice for Millwall bricks. "Newspapers were folded again and again and squashed together to form a cosh, so-called The Millwall Brick, Another trick was to make a knuckleduster out of pennies held in place by a wrapped around paper. You could hardly be pulled up for having a bit of loose change in your pocket and a Daily Mirror under your arm." 

YELLOW CANARIES, TURKEY

https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/3994718670252035536/2725186489267472998 

When Fenerbahce SK fans invaded a pre-season friendly against national rivals Ukraine's Shaktar Donetsk, of Istanbul (for those who are not familiar with Eastern Europe, get an Atlas) the clubs expected to be playing "behind closed doors" for a while, as a punishment, the Turkish FA ordered that the match must be played with NO MALES over the age of 12. On September 20th 2011, 41,000 women and children turned up to the club's league match with Manisaspor. Players from both clubs "flew" flowers before the match and there was no crowd trouble in a 1-1 draw.  

Fenerbache Sports Klub hosts a variety of sports (rowing, boxing, E Sports,  and many more) was founded in 1903.

They are nicknamed Sarı Kanaryalar, Turkish for "Yellow Canaries") and play their home games at Sukru Saracoglu Stadium, their own traditional home ground in Kadikoy, Istanbul. The club's name translates as "Lighthouse in the Garden" and comes from the location of the clubdistrict in Istanbul near the Bosporus (for those not familiar with this area, look at map below-get magnifying glass? or Atlas)

Fenerbahçe holds the record for most national championship titles won. Fenerbahçe's longest-running and deepest rivalry is with their nearest major neighbours, Galatasary.

Fenerbahçe were founded in 1907 by local business men. This group founded the club secretly in order to keep a low profile and not get into any trouble with the strict Ottoman rule, so strict that the Sultan forbade the Turkish youth to set up a club or engage in the game of football played by the English families that was watched in envy. The three men came together and concluded that Kadıköy was in desperate need of its own football club, where locals would get a chance to practise the game. 

The first team in 1908

The lighthouse situated on the Fenerbahçe cliff was a big influence on the design of the club's first crest, which sported the yellow and white colours of dafodills around the lighthouse. The kits were also designed with yellow and white stripes. Fenerbahçe's "activities" were kept in secret until a legislation reform in 1908, when, under a new law, all football clubs had to register to exist legally.

Fenerbahçe played against the staff of the Royal Navy that occupied Istanbul during the Turksh War of Independence. Some British soldiers formed football teams that were named after the players' speciality, for example Essex Engineers, Irish Guards, Grenadiers and Artillery These teams played against each other and against local football teams in Istanbul, including Fenerbahçe The most known match played against the British was the match that would determine the winner of the General Harrington Cup. Fenerbahçe won the match held on 29 June 1923.

At the end of World War 1, the Ottoman Empire's lands had been invaded by Italians, French, Greek and British troops. On 13 November 1918, British troops entered Istanbul and the invasion was official. During the course of invasion, British troops arranged football matches with local teams. Fenerbahce participated in many such games, winning 41, losing 5, and reaching a tie in 4 games.

General Harington (above) wanted to leave the Turks with a memory of a heavy defeat whilst the British left, so he called in the best players of the troops, along with four professional players called in from the homeland. 

On June 23rd 1923, the team was collected under the name Coldtream Guards and the British General issued an announcement in the newspapers: "Gardler Muhteliti Türk kulüplerine meydan okuyor. Galibine, Başkumandanın adını taşıyan büyük bir kupa verilecek bu maça Türk kulüpleri diledikleri gibi takviye de alabilirler." ("Guards Joint is challenging the Turkish clubs. The Turkish clubs can gather any reinforcements to their clubs for this game whose winner will be awarded a trophy which will be named after the Head Commander.") Fenerbahçe replied briefly, with another announcement which was printed in the newspapers the following days: "Fenerbahçe Kulübü yalnız kendi kadrosuyla bu maçı şartsız olarak kabul eder." ("Fenerbahçe Club accepts this proposal with only its own squad, unconditionally.")

The only Scot in the "British" team, was Willie Ferguson, who scored the only goal after 30 minutes. The rest of the team were English. The home side scored two goals in the second half and won 2-1. 

JIMMY GREAVES

James Peter Greaves MBE (20 February 1940 – 19 September 2021) was an English professional footballer who played as a forward. He was England's fourth highest international goalscorer (44 goals), Tottenham Hotspur's highest ever goalscorer (266 goals), the highest goalscorer in the history of English top-flight football (357 goals), and had also scored more hat-tricks (six) for England than anyone else. He finished as the First Division's top scorer in six seasons. He was a member of the English Football Hall of Fame.

Greaves began his professional career at Chelsea in 1957, and played in the following year's FA Youth Cup final. He scored 124 First Division goals in just four seasons before being sold on to Italian club A.C. Milan for £80,000 in April 1961. His stay in Italy was not a happy one and he returned to England with Tottenham Hotspur for a fee of £99,999 in December 1961. Whilst with Spurs he won the FA Cup in 1961–62 and 1966–67, the Charity Shield in 1962 and 1967, and the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1962–63; he never won a league title but did help Spurs to a second-place finish in 1962–63. He moved to West Ham United in a player-exchange in March 1970 and retired the following year. After a four-year absence he returned to football at the non-league level, despite suffering from alcoholism. In a five-year spell he played for Brentwood, Chelmsford City, Barnet, and Woodford Town before retiring for good in 1980.

Greaves scored 13 goals in 12 England under-23 internationals and scored 44 goals in 57 full England internationals between 1959 and 1967. He played in the 1962 and 1966 FIFA World Cup, but was injured in the group stage of the 1966 World Cup and lost his first team place to Geoff Hurst, who kept Greaves out of the first team in the final. England won the World Cup, but Greaves was not given his medal until a change of FIFA rules in 2009. He was also part of the squad that finished third in UEFA Euro 1968, although he did not play any minute in the finals.

After retiring as a player Greaves went on to enjoy a successful career in broadcasting, most notably working alongside Ian St John on "Saint and Greavsie" from 1985 to 1992. During this period, he also made regular appearances on TV-am. He worked on a number of other sport programmes on ITV during this period, including Sporting Triangles (1987–1990).

During retirement he didn't fair too well and alcohol got the best of him. We won't dwell on his later life, but want to remember him at his best.

I met him in WH Smith Guildford High Street at his book signing!!

IT IS THE FA CUP 150th ANNIVERSARY

This weekend sees the remaining sides in the 2021-22 Emirates FA Cup battle it out for a place in the next round of the historic competition. The FA Cup was first played for during the 1871-72 season, the oldest cup competition in the world celebrates its 150th anniversary this year. And while some clubs meet for the first time, others will renew long-term rivalries and attempt to build on their own legacies.

New history will also be forged for clubs up and down the country, and perhaps none more so than Frome Town and Oxford City who meet in the 2nd Qualifying Round of the FA Cup. The last encounter between the two clubs in the competition was prior to the First World War on 18 November 1911, with the side from Somerset coming out as 4-1 winners at their home stadium of Badgers Hill. This victory for Frome Town was seen as a ‘giant killing’ at the time, with Oxford City one of the more well-known non-professional clubs in the country having won the FA Amateur Cup in 1906.

Now, Oxford City will be returning to the Aldersmith Stadium, 110 years later, and hoping to avenge their loss while ensuring it is their name in the hat for the third round qualifying draw on Monday.

For clubs such as Frome Town, which was founded just after the turn of the century in 1904, the Emirates FA Cup still represents an opportunity to test themselves against opposition from across the country in the hope of going further than ever before. Present holders are Leicester City and Arsenal have won the cup more times than any other club, 14.

"The Emirates FA Cup gives clubs like Frome Town the chance to dream, and pursue the holy grail of an appearance in the first round proper," said Steve Jupp, Frome Town’s club historian. "The next tie is always the biggest game of the season."

While Frome Town are dreaming of an appearance in the first round proper this November, for Oxford City this reality was achieved in the 1999-00 edition of the competition and then the second round last term when they lost to Shrewsbury Town having seen off Northampton Town in the first round.

Oxford City will be hoping to go one step further towards replicating that feat of reaching that stage this season by avenging their loss to Frome Town back at the start of the Twentieth Century. Even after 150 years, the historic competition continues to throw up all manner of meetings, whether its clubs facing each other for the first time or those that last met over a century earlier.

Every team that has progressed to the second round qualifying will be aiming to build on their own histories within the Emirates FA Cup and progress to its third round qualifying draw which is due to be announced on Monday 20 September.

Other exotic ties involving some of the 736 Cup entrants include; Weston Super Mare 5 v 1 Taunton Town, York City 3 v 0 Hebburn Town, Prescott Cables 0 v 3 Whitby Town and Kingstonian 1 v 1 Horsham Town.

HEADS UP CHARITY..... HEADS4CHANGE

The Spennymoor football club, from County Durham, was formed in 1904, chiefly at the instigation of local councillor and businessman Thomas Grant, who negotiated use of the Brewery Field, used previously by Tudhoe Rugby Club.

The club began playing in the Northern League in 1931–32 as Evenwood Town, reaching the first round of the FA Cup in the 1956–57 season. In 2005, the club merged with Spennymoor United, who had folded earlier that year and changed their name to Spennymoor Town.  After the merger with Evenwood Town, Spennymoor Town was granted the lease from the town council and decided to carry on using The Brewery Field for their home games.

Spennymoor United were six times Northern League Champions, four times winners of the old North Eastern League, on 16 occasions Durham Challenge Cup holders.

The club currently competes in the National League North, the sixth tier of English football.

They reached the FA Cup first round 18 times, twice the second and in 1937 at West Brom in front of a 23,000 crowd, the third. Spennymoor have since faced Wigan Athletic, Tranmere Rovers, Chesterfield & Rotherham United in the same competition.

Spennymoor United also reached the semi-finals of the F.A.Trophy in 1978 (the first North East and the only Northern League side to do so), Won the Northern League Cup five times, JR Cleator Cup, Northern Counties East Premier Division and the UniBond League Cup.

Following the Northern League’s decision not to be part of the pyramid, Spennymoor joined the Northern Counties East League and won the Championship at their second attempt in 1993 for promotion to the UniBond First Division, before promotion was secured on the last day of the season to the UniBond Premier Division with a victory over Ashton United in front of a near 1,000 Brewery Field crowd.

The same season, Spennymoor became the first club from the First division to win the UniBond League Challenge Cup, beating Hyde United 3-1 in the Final at Harrogate Town. Bad news followed at the end of the century when the club lost its main sponsor and faced two disastrous seasons without financial support which told on the field as the club was relegated into the UniBond First Division.

The club did, however, bounce back under the leadership of Jamie Pollock to gain promotion back into the Premier division in 2003 and the season after the Moors were in the play offs for entry into the newly formed Nationwide Conference North, but lost to Bradford Park Avenue 3-1. The Moors social club was burned to the ground in an arson attack on Christmas Day 2003 and from then on the club had no income which caused a stutter in the club’s progress.

In late 2012 and early 2013, a lot of upgrades were made to the ground, including new floodlights, manufactured by local company, Thorn Lighting, replacing the original ones that had been used for over 40 years. Other improvements were made, such as a tunnel for the players leading into the home and away dressing rooms and new dugouts on the far side of the pitch, as well as new terracing and access for disabled fans.

A portfolio of players have played for the club and moved onto the Football League over the years, most in particular Johnny Dixon who captained Aston Villa in their 1957 F.A.Cup Final victory over Manchester United, meanwhile John Collins – the father of comedian Frank Skinner – also played for the club just before the Second World War.

This weekend, Spennymoor Town are set to host a unique and ground-breaking fixture in association with Head For Change and the Solan Connor Fawcett Trust which will feature a game with NO heading.  https://twitter.com/Head4Change

The game will involve a host of former professionals and aims to show how 11-a-side football works with heading restrictions and continue an “ongoing conversation about the safety of players.”

The match, organised by charity Head for Change, will only allow headers in the penalty box for the first half and then restrict all heading during the second half.

Head for Change’s team on the day will be made up of former players who have connections with Middlesbrough FC, while a mix of Spennymoor Town and former professionals and semi-professional players will be on show for Team Solan.

Press and coverage on the fixture has gathered serious momentum in recent days, with national newspapers, radio stations and websites covering the story.

Head For Change Co-Founder Judith Gates, who’s husband Bill Gates played for Spennymoor United, has been the driving force behind the project.

She said: “When I founded Head For Change, I approached Debra Swinburn, Board Member at Spennymoor Town, and asked is there any chance of Bill’s first club hosting a game in support of the charity. “Bill and I were both school kids together at Spennymoor Grammar School, where he played for both the school and Spennymoor United. It’s held a very special place in his heart. See this:

https://spennymoortownfc.co.uk/2021/09/17/the-brewery-field-set-to-host-ground-breaking-charity-fixture/

This weekend, fresh from a 6-0 thumping of Farsley Celtic, in the league, the club travels to AFC Fylde in the FA Cup, Second Qualifying Round.

GAVIN CHESTERFIELD-BARRY, ELMORE, MERTHYR, WALES, EXETER

Gavin Chesterfield

Don't get too excited about the reference to Chesterfield-I am not going to chat about the "Twisted Spire Men", you know, Chesterfield FC. This is about......

Gavin Chesterfield, who is a course leader for the MSc Advanced Performance Football Coaching Degree. He has a wealth of higher education experience and has led programmes at Foundation Degree, Honours Degree and Masters' Degree level, and holds external examiner roles at other higher education institutions. Just shows you what can be achieved academically in Football.

 Professionally, Gavin is a UEFA "A" Licensed coach and former professional football player, who proudly works at an international level, coaching at U15/16 age-grade with Wales and was a part of the coaching team that recently retained the Victory Shield, the historic annual tournament competed for by the under-16 teams of Scotland, Eire, Northern Ireland and Wales, traditionally a competition for the Home Nations. The competition was originally competed by under-15 teams until 2001, when it switched to under-16 to fall in line with UEFA competitions. This included England of course, until The FA withdrew their team** from the tournament "for the foreseeable future" in 2015. The competition was continued after England's withdrawal, with the Republic of Ireland taking their place. 

**This was part of the FA's programme to improved English football! Well 6 years later.....? BELOW      Northern Ireland win for only the second time in 2018.

Gavin is now the manager at Barry Town United, a position he has held successfully for around 300 senior games, and works with the FA Wales Trust as a UEFA "A" and "B" license coach, educator, mentor and assessor, as well as as a consultant in coach education.

He was a youth team player at Exeter City in 1998 and was part of the FA Youth Cup team that drew with Arsenal in the 4th Round. He played 1 game in the South West Counties League in 1996/97 and 

and he later  played for the 1st team in the "Devon Bowl" against Plymouth Argyle in May 1999.
After leaving Exeter he had a short spell at Elmore FC in the South-west Peninsular League, before signing for Merthyr in 1999/2000. 

In addition to these roles, Gavin works as a UEFA coach educator, mentor and assessor on behalf of the Football Association of Wales Trust (FAWT) and delivers a combination of theory and practical content across the coach education spectrum (UEFA B, through to UEFA Pro Licence). 

On the 14th of June 2020, the following was reported on the Barry Town website: "Barry Town United were delighted to announce that manager Gavin Chesterfield has agreed a new two year contract at the football club. 2020/21 will be Chesterfield’s 14th season in charge of the team, having first joined in the summer of 2007. Since then he has taken charge of exactly 450 games and become synonymous with Barry Town United. His results this season have been P7 W5 D1 F16 A5. Next up, an away Premier League match at The New Saints.

Chesterfield won promotion from Welsh League Division Two in his first season at the helm and helped stabilise the club in the second tier. When the club were withdrawn from the league by a previous owner in 2013, Chesterfield and the Barry Town Supporters Committee fought to ensure the club’s survival and continued existence. Having won a court case, Chesterfield then guided the team to three promotions in four years, ensuring a return to the top-flight in 2017.

The revival was complete in 2019 when the club finished third in the Welsh Premier League, qualifying for European football for the first time in 16 years, something which would again be achieved this year with a fourth place finish. Chesterfield’s tenure has also included an appearance in the Welsh League Cup final in 2017 and two Welsh Cup semi-finals in 2013 and 2019. The club and town crest is:

Here is the explanation!!

The Official blazon: Arms : Or three Bars gemel Gules between in chief two Fleurs-de-Lys Azure and in base a Dragon passant of the second.

Crest : On a Wreath of the Colours upon Water Barry wavy proper, a Lymphad Sable sail set "Argent lozengy" also Sable pennons flying Gules.
Supporters : either side a Unicorn Argent armed crined and unguled Or gorged with a Chain of the last pendent thereform by a like Chain an Escutcheon that on the dexter Argent three bars gemel Gules and that on the sinister as the Arms.
Motto: 'CADERNID CYFIAWNDER CYNNYDD' - Stability, justice, progress.

Origin/meaning The arms were officially granted on October 31, 1939. The bars gemel or pairs of barrulets are from the arms of the De Barri family and the fleurs-de-lis are from the heraldry of Lord Davies of Llandinam. The red dragon is that of Wales. The ship with the black diamonds on its sail alludes to the coal exported from Barry. The supporters are derived from those of the Earl of Plymouth.