CHICKEN WINGER IN GRIMSBY?

10th February 1996 When a player moves from Italy's Serie A to join Grimsby Town - and pays half the transfer fee out of his own pocket - you can imagine he would become a fans' favourite. Sadly though the main memory of Ivano Bonetti's experience in darkest Lincolnshire wasn't of him on the pitch but the infamous 'chicken wings' incident. After a 3-2 defeat away to Luton Town on Saturday 10th February 1996 (just a month after they had beaten Luton 7-1 in an FA Cup tie) Grimsby manager Brian Laws confronted the former Juventus player about his lack of effort and the confrontation ended when Laws threw a plate of chicken wings at Bonetti, breaking his cheekbone. And that certainly made the headlines!

In May 2008 Rochdale striker Lee Thorpe (senior career below) could only watch his team-mates from the sidelines when they played their League 2 play-off final against Stockport at Wembley, Rochdale's first-ever match at Wembley. He had broken his arm in three places a couple of weeks earlier. He did it in an arm-wrestling contest with team-mate Rene Howe on the coach to the semi-final against Darlington! Striker Chris Dagnall was seemingly full of sympathy when he later described the incident. 'Everybody on the bus heard the snap, it was that loud.' Ouch!

Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1994–1997	Blackpool	12	(0)
1995	→ Bangor (loan)	3	(1)
1997–2002	Lincoln City	192	(57)
2002–2004	Leyton Orient	55	(12)
2004	→ Grimsby Town (loan)	6	(0)
2004–2005	Bristol Rovers	35	(4)
2005–2006	Swansea City	18	(3)
2005	→ Peterborough United (loan)	6	(0)
2006	→ Torquay United (loan)	10	(3)
2006–2007	Torquay United	41	(8)
2007–2008	Brentford	19	(4)
2008–2009	Rochdale	32	(6)
2009–2010	Darlington	8	(0)
2010–2011	Fleetwood Town	28	(3)
2011	AFC Fylde
Total		478	(105)

He was patched up and sent out for the second half and asked 'to make a nuisance of himself' on the left wing. He did that and scored the winning goal in Stoke's 3-2 victory over Aston Villa. His injury - a broken arm!

Before substitutes were allowed, Stoke goalkeeper, Dennis Herod (below)made history on 16 February 1952, in a First Division, away match at Aston Villa, when he suffered a first half injury. He dislocated his shoulder in a brave challenge and spent the rest of the match at right wing with Stoke defending a 2–1 lead. 

Not considered a threat by Villa's defence, Herod was left unmarked and found himself one on one with 'keeper Con Martin and calmly slotted the ball past him.   

Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1940–1953	Stoke City	191	(1)

However, the following season, new manager, Frank Taylor, signalled his arrival with the signing of Birmingham City's, Bill Robertson. In December, Robertson broke his leg and Herod was recalled, although he himself broke his leg against West Bromich Albion, a month later. He later became a popular greengrocer with his wife on the markets in Manchester.