AN ARM OR TWO

Just over 3,000 supporters turned out for the Scunthorpe Utd v Bristol City Division 2 league game at Glandford Park on January 17th 2015. After 37 minutes Sam Slocombe the Scunny goalkeeper broke his arm in a challenge and was replaced by sub keeper, Jamie Severn. Unfortunately  exactly the same thing to Severn before half time, so defender, Andy Boyce had to replace him and City took advantage of their disarray winning 2-0, with goals from Emmanuel-Thomas and Luke Freeman. To give City some credit they did hold Scunny to 1-0 until the dying minutes.

A larger crowd set a record for the Football League on this day in 1948 when Manchester United played Arsenal at Maine Road, which was shared after Old Trafford had been bombed in the war. 83,260 attended the game and saw a 1-1 draw. John Aston (father of 1968 star), Charlie Mitten and Johnny Carey were starring for United and Jack Rowley scored. For Arsenal Joe Mercer, Wally Barnes and Les Compton (the cricketer too) enjoyed Reg Lewis' equaliser. Here are United, who went on to win the FA Cup that season.


and Arsenal below with names present. Dennis Compton is amongst them!

MIKE BARNARD RIP

Richard V Lewis, a retired Hampshire cricketer and no mean footballer, knew Mike Barnard and writes that he "travelled with Barney in my early days, a very funny man, who nearly died in a minibus accident when it hit a tree, on a tour with the "Pioneers". It was a tour that Lew nearly went on, so heavens knows what the outcome may have been for him.
Barney was confined to a wheelchair after that accident and Lew hadn't seen the obits, so his death was a shock to him today.

Mike had a successful life before the tragic accident. He was 85 when he died. He had played cricket for Hampshire and was part of the county's Championship win in 1961. A boy at Portsmouth Grammar School, he played his local cricket, made a career with the county and then went into coaching. In 1969 the minibus accident caused him to suffer a broken neck and severe spinal damage. Despite this set back, he rebuilt his career and ran sport at the Merchant Navy School of Navigation, commentated on football and cricket on behalf of Radio Solent and was, in that time, described as "an indelible part of Hampshire cricket history".
His contribution to football started when just before his 18th birthday when he was playing for Gosport Borough. He signed for Portsmouth in 1951, playing at inside-left, he made his debut against Tottenham Hotspurs on december 26th . Pompey had been on a successful streak in the late 1940s, winning the Football League in the previous two seasons, the only club south of the Thames to achieve this. 

In those days it was possible to play the two sports in a "year".
Portsmouth had Barnard in their squad until 1959, when he made 129 apps for the club and scored 27 goals. After Portsmouth he played for Chelmsford City in non-league football.
I watched Pompey play at Fratton Park in the late 1950s and would have seen him play along with Ron Saunders, Jimmy Dickinson and co.

O'NEILL TO TAKE ON THE FOREST

After a lunchtime seafood platter, my old room mate was greeted with the news that the next manager of his long loved club, Nottingham Forest, is to be Martin O'Neill. Sick bag ready, smelling salts, comfy chair; the news was not greeted with much enthusiasm.

Since May 30th 2006, Forest have had 18 managers, granted Billy Davies pops up twice and Gary Brazil thrice like comfort blankets, but their stay was not for long-caretaker.
The list reads: Colin Calderwood, John Pemberton, Billy Davies, Steve McCLaren, Steve Cotterill, Sean O'Driscoll, Alex Mcleish, BD again, Gary Brazil, Stuart Pearce, Dougie Freedman, Paul Williams, Phillippe Montanier, GB, Mark Warburton, GB!!, Aitor Karanka and presently the old retainer Simon Ireland as caretaker.

Forest's first manager (actually an administrator) was Harry Redford appointed in August 1889 and he served until May 1897. Harry Haslam served from 8/97 till 5/09 and there have been 46 managers overall (so far).
Bob Masters did 8/12 through to 5/25
Billy Walker proved a man with stamina 5/39 to 6/60 including that FA Cup victory.
Brian Clough of course was at Forest from June 1975 till May 1993.
O'Neill on the left.
In the Premier and Football Leagues the longest serving manager is Jim Bentley of Morecambe 7 years 244 days, at least that was real news today, and then we have: Gareth Ainsworth at Wycombe (6/110), Eddie Howe (6/91), Sean Dyche (6/74), Keith Hill at Rochdale, Mauriccio P, Darren Way @ Yeovil.

The most recent appointment of one day, alongside O'Neill, is Mick Harford at Luton Town.

A group of Shinty players joined together at the Clinton Arms on Shakespeare Street, Nottingham in 1865 and decided to form a sports' club which was to include association football. JS Scrimshaw ordered twelve tasselled caps of "Garibaldi red" and they wore these as their distinctive colours, which was "borrowed" by the Arsenal. They also supported Everton get going by donating a set of shirts and Brighton by helping secure a ground to play on. The club joined the Football League in 1892.
The sports' club was also British Baseball champions in 1899!
The rumour is that his mate might join him!
AND just now I hear for the resignation of the Huddersfield Town manager.

TRACTOR BOYS REAP HARVEST FROM MILLERS

Yesterday was Match Day and I was surrounded by supporters of the great game in Suffolk. It's grand and the North Sea is gently lapping against a sandy shore. Today's spectator possibilities are enormous amongst the local leagues but it is to Portman Road that we are heading as I choose to ignore Beccles FC or AFC Southwold.

I played at Portman Road once! Wait for it...it was the Surrey Football Coaches' Association annual trip to the club, an invitation from Bobby Robson, the Association's president (earned from his early days at Fulham FC). We had a guided tour, chat from his coaches and then a match against the "staff" on the main pitch. No pros allowed of course.
Yesterday I met a talented musician, Mark Blatchly, who is a Tractor Boy Fan; he loves Ipswich Town FC and is concerned over their present form.

Rotherham United, the Millers, were visiting from the New York Stadium. Their Stadium name comes from the local district in Rotherham where iron foundries forged the fire hydrants you may see knocked over and spouting in car chases in gangster films.
The two clubs first met as late as August 1954 in Division Two and the Millers won 3-2.

Ipswich AFC was formed in 1878 and then became Ipswich Town FC following an amalgamation with Ipswich Rugby Club in 1888. The club turned professional in 1936 having gone through the various local and regional leagues. In 1938 on May 30th the club joined Division 3 North and won promotion to Division 2 in 1951.

This season on August 8th Rotherham won in South Yorkshire 1-0. Since 1954 Ipswich have won 14 times, drawn 8 and lost 9 meetings.

Ipswich were managed by Alf Ramsey in August 1955 and he transformed the club to win the First Division Championship (old top division) in 1961-2. Ramsey was called to manage England prior to the 1966 World Cup and Jackie Milburn inherited the squad! It went downhill a bit from there.

Paul Warne, Rotherham manager, is Norwich born which adds a bit of spice to the dual.

Well the game was a mixture of rubbish football and very exciting drama. The Blues scored their goal through Will Keane, on loan from Hull, after 31 minutes. Keane a product of Manchester United's academy was born in Stockport, the birthplace of Fred Perry; as one great tennis player reaches the local news, one leaves- so farewell Andy Murray.

Manage the game was the cry but as the minutes ticked past, Ipswich fell back into their final third as Rotherham laid on the pressure. It was actually a very exciting final period as Ipswich defended as though their lives were at stake and Rotherham tried many attacking ploys to no avail. It lacked class from both sides and for me, debut senior, James Collins was the difference. A much needed defender and MOM for me.
Ipswich had 53% of the possession and 3 shots, (in the whole 95 minutes) one on target. The Millers had 18 on target/2 on target and 4 corners to 1. The 18 attempts on goal were probably part of several six yard box bagatelles, where Ipswich defended a though it was the Alamo.
So 3 points gained...some hope for the future??
Since 1902 Ipswich have played local rivals Norwich City 139 times.

In 1961 Rotherham lost over two legs to Aston Villa in the first Football League Cup Final, losing to a Peter McFarland goal in extra time having been 2-0 up after the first leg at the old Millmoor.

THERE WILL BE BLUEBIRDS OVER.....

In the 2012-13 season the Bluebirds, yes Cardiff City FC, were re-branded by their Asia owner Vincent Tan. He made the club change their colours from blue to what is considered lucky in Asia, red. It seemed a good idea since Wales play in red but this was not received with enthusiasm by the Cardiff crowds. For a 3rd Round FA Cup tie
Vincent wanted to raise the image of his club in Asia and so the Bluebirds, Cardiff, turned out in red kit and just under 4,200 made the effort to watch the game.

On January 10th 2015 Cardiff reverted to their familiar blue and guess what 22,515 celebrated by watching their team beat Fulham 1-0 in the Championship.
There was a compromise with Cardiff sporting red in the event of a clash. There is a hint of red! Can you spot the difference?

In 2010 Tan took over the club's finances and wished to stamp his authority in South Wales, including changing the club badge to a dragon replacing the bluebird. Aaargghh! Apparently this was part of the agreement for him to invest $162 million into the club! Read the flag!
Cardiff City FC was originally known as Riverside FC when founded in 1899. They joined the Southern League in 1910 and the Football League in 1920. They are of course the only club outside England to win the FA Cup.....1927!  Beating Arsenal!
They lost 0-1 to Sheffield United in the 1925 Final and again 0-1 to Portsmouth in 2008. They also lost to Liverpool in the Football League Final 2012.

THE CITY v THE BREWERS 1-60 ODDS

The Brewers, Burton Albion, meet The Citizens, Man City, tonight in the Carabao Cup Semi-final and by form should be on to a bit of a hiding. But there is the Clough factor which might just stand for something. The club has made rapid progress through the pyramid having been Champions in the Northern Premier League (Level 6) in 2001-2, Champions in the Blue Square Conference (Level 5) 2008-9 and then winners into the Football League Division 2 in 2014-5 and Runners Up in FL Division 1 (Level 3) in 2015-16. They are presently in League 1 having been relegated last season.

Nigel Clough led the famous "charge" from 1998 and of course due to his success he was recruited by Derby (Clough history!) in January 2009 when the Brewers club was 13 points clear in the Conference. At this stage in the season, with Roy McFarland as manager, Blue Square paid out all bets assuming Burton would be promoted as Champions and then the players took their feet off the gas and eventually won the Championship on the last day of the season with a little help from their competitors!

City are 51 league places higher than Burton. Nigel Clough, who was recalled to the club in December 2015, is hoping to get to another final after he experienced wins with Nottingham Forest in his playing days. He scored twice in the 1989 defeat of Luton 3-1 and won a second medal in 1990 beating Oldham 1-0.
His father, Brian, won two consecutive finals in 1978 (replaying and winning over Liverpool 1-0 with Kenny Burns) and in 1979 when Gary Birtles two goals sunk Southampton 3-2. Before the Liverpool final, Nigel tossed the coin to decide which finalist would wear red and he won. Liverpool played in the yellow in the drawn first final.

Tonight Liam Boyce in the Burton squad is an international with 17 caps with Northern Ireland. Stephen Quinn has 18 caps with the Republic of Ireland, but is unfit. Marvin Sordell played for Great Britain in the 2012 Olympic team and Dimitar Evtimor was on Bulgaria's bench in the UEFA nations' league, but isn't picked. City have 979 caps! Albion are worth £6 mill and City £1 billion.

Burton, founded in 1950, have beaten Shrewsbury, Burnley, Villa, Middlesbrough and Forest on the way through this campaign. City Leicester, Fulham and Oxford Utd.

A defunct club, Burton Wanderers, have played Manchester City around 1894-7, winning a Boxing Day match 8-0! Albion have not had the privilege.

Founded in 1871 the club played in the Midlands League and joined the Football League 2nd Division, for three seasons in the 1894-5. In 1897-8 Burton Wanderers and Burton Swifts finished 14th and 15th out of 16 in the bottom of the Second Division. Swifts founded in 1871, survived until 1901.

In 1901, Wanderers merged with Burton Swifts to form Burton United, who once beat Newcastle United 9-0 in a League game, the worst the Toon have experienced. United fell out of the league in 1907.

VASE DRAW COVERS THE NATION

The crest of Irlam FC, a club from Greater Manchester, will play at their home ground, Silver Street, against Chertsey Town who put St Austell FC out of the FA Vase at the weekend. The Vase at this late stage (last 16) still contains some fascinating clubs and names.
motto: ingenio et consilio = by natural ability and council

Irlam FC founded in 1969, play at Silver Street, the former home of now defunct Irlam Town FC. This club was dissolved in 1995. The present club plays in the North-west Counties Premier.
Irlam FC is nicknamed the Mitchell's or the Shack after the factory that was the base of the original club Mitchells and Shackleton, an engineering firm that made munitions for the First World and Second World Wars. The factory was sited in Patricroft, Eccles and it was from this area that was the home of Sir Edwin Roe, born 1877, who flew the first "powered flight" at Brooklands Air Field, Weybridge in Surrey. He was also the first Briton to fly a powered flight over the Hackney Marshes.

Winners in this next round, to be played on February 2nd, will earn £2250.

Other ties:
Canterbury City v Coventry Utd a club founded in 2013.
 

Cray Valley Paper Mills (based at Eltham) v Abbey Rangers (Combined Counties)
Histon (Eastern Counties) v Northwich Victoria (NW Counties, Cheshire)
Sholing FC (Southampton)
v Godmanchester Rovers from Cambridgeshire. Record attendance 252.

Hebburn (Northern League) v West Auckland (NL) holders of the Sr Thomas Lipton Trophy

Biggleswade FC (not Town FC!) from the Spartan South Midlands v Windsor (Hellenic League) once Windsor and Eton that folded in 2011.
Willand Rovers (Exeter based-Western League) 
v Deeping Rangers from Market Deeping, Lincs (United Counties League)