WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

On July 15th 2017 the England U19s won the UEFA Championship in Georgia beating Portugal 2-1. Suliman and Nmencha scored either side of Sterling's own goal (not THE Sterling) in the second half. Edun received a second yellow card and left his team mates short for the final few minutes. Keith Downing from the FA ran the side having worked for the FA previously and having played 280 times for Wolves as well as one or two other clubs and having managed Cheltenham and West Brom as caretaker.
The players are as follows with what they are up to now, having been ENGLAND'S internationals!
Aaron Ramsdale: then at Bournemouth-now on loan to Chesterfield, AFC Wimbledon 7 @ U21 caps
Dujon Sterling: Chelsea- Coventry now to Wigan on loan 29@ U19 Caps
Jay da Silva: Chelsea, Charlton Athletic now Bristol City with 13 @ U21 caps.
Tayo Edun: from 2016 at Fulham, Ipswich + Lincoln City with regular 34 England caps  each season
Ryan Sessegnon: Tottenham 6 apps from Fulham 106 apps. England "Youth" regular from 2015
Darnell Johnson: Leicester City still with regular Youth internationals from 2013
Easah Sulliman: Aston V, Cheltenham, Grimsby, Emmen, Vitoria de Guimares (Portugal).regular caps
Issac Buckley: Ricketts Man City. Twente, Oxford Utd now Peterborough Utd
Andre Dozzell: Ipswich still 39 apps and regular England caps from U16-U20.
Mason Mount: Chelsea, Vitesse and Derby still regular Youth caps and 6 full caps.

Lukas Nmecha: Man City, PNE, Wolfsburg now Middlesbrough-regular England Youth and now 8 caps for birth place Germany U21
Ben Brereton:Nottingham Forest to Blackburn Rovers and England Youth 19 caps.
Josh da Silva:Arsenal to Brentford 53apps. England 2017-19 9 caps
Marcus Edwards:Tottenham, Norwich on loan Excelsior Rotterdam to Vitoria with Easah. England U16-20 49 caps.

THE SHIRES-Part One

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UY1SlnLXh6A

The play off yesterday for promotion to the Championship was between Wycombe Wanderers from High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire and Oxford United, obviously from Oxfordshire. We are truly in the "Shires" here, hardly the hot bed of professional football, more the undulating and wooded hills of middle England. These "rural" county towns are known for other "familiars" such as a famous university and a rural industry in chair making using local wood and skills.

Oxford United displays the dark blue of the local university in its kit and Wycombe Wanderers are fondly known as the "Chairboys".

Wycombe Wanderers were founded in 1887, attracting players from the two Varsities (Oxford and Cambridge) and using the name Wanderers after the famous amateurs, The Wanderers were an amateur team. "homeless", largely made up from Oxbridge footballers and other amateurs, playing friendlies away. Yes, even W.G.Grace played for them!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wanderers_F.C.

The link below covers the remarkable history of the club from its "friendlies" between 1887-1896, then joining the original Southern League Division 2 in 1896 and the progress made to the recent promotion to the Championship yesterday at Wembley.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wycombe_Wanderers_F.C.#History_2
There are also various successes in the FA Cup, FLeague Cup, FA Amateur Cup and FA Trophy.

Wycombe Wanderers won promotion to the Football League in 1993 and played at Loakes Park, a seriously touchline to touchline sloping pitch (Yeovil style) and now have a flatter Adams Park to play on, donated by past player, Frank Adams. If you want to know why the SWAN is on the badge....its not an easy explanation, so stick your neck out, here goes:
https://thebeautifulhistory.wordpress.com/clubs/wycombe-wanderers/
It goes back a bit!


Tomorrow...Oxford United FC.

THE DON

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTiIdbDBmZc from September 1974. Not an anniversary for everyone, (it is me and my better half) but what the heck?

AND Don Revie??? on July 12-13th 1977, The Daily Mail reported that "Revie quits over 'aggro' " AND "Revie hits jackpot".

Revie had been manager of England since 1974, leaving the Leeds Utd team in Clough's control. Many said that Clough should have run the national side! Not a chance with the FA making such decision.

He led the England team to 14 wins in 29 games with 7 defeats. The England side didn't make the finals of the European Championships. Prospects for competing in the 1978 World Cup were improbable.

At one point England had gone 6 games without a win, its worst run in 19 years.
Revie played for England 6 times, beginning his playing career at Leicester in 1944-9 where he should have played in the 1949 FA Cup Final v Portsmouth. He was injured and missed the game. He was then next going to Hull (1949-51) and Manchester City, where he was named Footballer of the Year in 1955, the year they were runners up in the FA Cup Final.
A year later his "deep lying centre-forward" scheme led his team to victory, named "Man of the Match".
He stayed there until 1956, playing nearly 150 times.

From City, Revie went to Sunderland (1956-8) where he did not fit. He nearly joined Middlesbrough where he would have come across Brian Clough and Peter Taylor.

Next came Leeds Utd (1958-62), who then were then teetering on the brink of the Third Division. Revie knew his playing days were over.

He took over as Leeds' player-manager, in 1961, with the average attendance at Elland Road 7,000. Things were grim!
The rugby league team was attracting 50,000. Times were tough. Radical changes were necessary and Revie soon based his progress on Billy Bremner and Jack Charlton, revitalising the playing squad, with youth players, such as Reaney, Hunter and Lorimer. The mature Bobby Collins was signed from Everton to bring stability to a youthful side.

He made many changes to the playing formula and he even regarded "birds" in the club as bad luck, so he got rid of the Owl on the club badge and also the nickname "The Peacocks". Leeds became known as "The Whites".

Revie invested in youth and even drove to Scotland to meet Billy Bremner's girlfriend to persuade her to encourage the Scot to move south.

Leeds eventually won two League championships and the FA Cup and were losing finalists three times.They reached the European Cup Final, losing to Bayern Munich and in 1971 they were runners up in the European Fairs Cup. This reign lasted until 1974. He was the most successful manager in  England and also the most divisive, disliked by many, who didn't like the way Leeds played. They were ruthless.

He then managed England from October 1974 through to June 15th 1977. On 12th March 1975, England hosted West Germany in a friendly to celebrate the 100th international at Wembley. Alan Hudson was man of the match!

With a crucial World Cup game against Italy, Revie resigned. There was Manchester United's vacancy with Tommy Docherty's hasty departure...anyone know why?....attracting him.....possibly BUT...

July 13th, 24 hours later, Revie was off to the Persian Gulf with a £340,000 tax free deal to manage the UAE National side from 1977-80).
The FA slapped a 10 year ban on Revie but he later successfully challenged that, although he stayed in the Gulf until 1985.

Needless to say Ladbrokes ran a "book" on who should be the next England manager....who else??
Brian Clough was the people's choice! Apparently 84% voted for him and Jackie Charlton got 6%.

Ron Greenwood...a safe bet??...was appointed by the England FA, on 7th September 1977!

Born in Middlesbrough on July 10th 1927, to a poor family, Revie had a tough start to life. Footbball was his "way out" and it worked.  He died on May 25th 1989.
Name them!

NORTH LONDON DERBY

It is the North London Derby. Arsenal founded in 1886 at the Woolwich Armoury, the club became the first club from the south to join the Football League in 1893.
The Gunners (nickname choice obvious) moved North of the River in 1913 creating a rivalry between then Gunners and the Spurs.

Arsenal's homes have been in Plumstead 1886, The Sportsman Ground 1887, The Manor Ground 1888, The Invicta Ground 1890, The Manor Ground 1893, Highbury 1913 (4 miles from White Hart Lane) and The Emirates 2006.

The full history of the
Arsenal Club:   WON 2696 DRAWN 1362 LOST 1599 FOR 9651 AG 6891
For Tottenham:WON 2538 DRAWN 1334 LOST 1785 FOR 9626 AG 7446

Tottenham has been at Tottenham Marshes when they were founded in 1882, then Northumberland Park 1888 and White Hart Lane 1882.

The first meeting was on November 9th 1896 (see above for venue) when Woolwich Arsenal won 2-1 in the United League. The return match was played on February 25th 1897 in a draw 2-2.

The next game was on Christmas Day 1897 at The Manor Ground with Spurs winning 2-3 in the United League.

The teams then met in the revised Southern and District Combination League in 1900.
First game 17th April TH 4 v 2 WA.
Then in The London League in 14/9/1901: WA 0 v 2 TH
Then the English Football League Division One game 4/12/1909: WA 1 v 0 TH
Their first meeting in the  FA Cup  as late as....8/1/1949: A 3 v 0 TH
The Football League Cup on 20/11/1968: A 1 v 0 TH
The Premier League 12/12/1992: TH 1 v 0 A.
Their last meeting was on September 1st 2019 at Arsenal, drawing 2-2.

First class match results between the two clubs are Arsenal: Won 82 Draw 53 Lost 64

Mourinho has never lost an away game against Arsenal, apparently. Watch!!

FA Cup ties after their first meeting:
see above
2/1/82 TH 1 v 0 A
14/4/91 TH 3 v 1 A
4/4/93 A 1 v 0 TH
4/4/93 A 1 v 0 TH
8/4/01 A 1 v 0 TH
4/1/14 A 2 v 0 TH

JACK CHARLTON

July 11th 1966 saw the hosts in the FIFA World Cup, England, play the opening game in their group and the tournament, against Uruguay at Wembley, kicking off at 7.30. I remember it well!
With John Connelly from Burnley and Jimmy Greaves of Chelsea in the team, Alf Ramsey's chosen eleven,  played in a dull 0-0 draw, playing against an opposition that put 8 men behind the ball and in a game the South American side did not come to entertain.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79lrer93xqU

Their goalkeeper, Mazurkiewicz, earned the remarkable distinction of becoming the first foreign goalkeeper to prevent England from scoring at Wembley.

Uruguay beat France and drew with Mexico earning second place in the group. England won twice and drew this game, topping the group. Uruguay went on to lose 0-4 to West Germany in the quarter-finals at Hillsborough, refereed by Jim Finney of England, who dismissed two Uruguayans and South American temperament got the better of them. EWe know what England did.

Jack Charlton's death was announced today. He was in  Leeds United's team from 1950-73 and was a late starter in international football playing 35 times and scoring 6 goals, usually from set pieces. Alf Ramsey plucked him from league football and made a World Cup winner out of him at the age of 30. He played alongside his brother during the World Cup, a rare pairing. Here he is with Bobby Moore.


In club football, Jack won the Second Division title in 1963-4, the First Division title (top one) in 1968-9, the FA Cup in 1972, The League Cup in 1968, the Inter Cities Fairs Cup 1968 and 1971 (and two runners), 5 runners up in the 1st Division, 2 FA Cup Final defeats and 762 appearances for his club. Here's young Jack at Leeds in tgheir other colours....yellow and black.


His famous fag before training, in the documentary about Leeds United and Clough.

He first made his club managerial debut in 1973 for Middlesbrough, was Manager of the Year. He was given the OBE in 1974 and was adorned with many other awards: Honorary Irish Citizenship, Freeman of Dublin, Honorary Doctorate at Limerick University, Deputy Lieutenant Northumberland, English Football Hall of Fame and a Statue at Cork Airport displaying him and a fish! He loved fishing. Appeared on Desert Island Discs twice!

Jack went to Sheffield Wednesday to manage in 1977-83, back to Middlesbrough as caretaker manager in  1984, Newcastle in 1984-5 and then the Republic of Ireland taking them the a World Cup between 1986-96, probably his greatest achievement.

Jack died on July 10th 2020.

SPITFIRES

It's Spitfire Friday and the great war weapon has been celebrated today on the media and elsewhere, so well done Vera Lynn!
Yes, the iconic war weapon meant so much to the soldiers, sailors and airmen and those being fought for. "There will be Bluebirds over...... ".
Joking apart, whenever there is Vera singing there will be "Supermarine" Spitfires flying over the Channel.

So, we have to celebrate her and the Spitfire, which had its origins in manufacturing at Castle Bromwich in Birmingham and at Eastleigh near Southampton, with the first flight from Eastleigh Aerodrome, now Southampton Airport. Today they flew to honour Dame Vera's funeral.
https://twitter.com/RoyalAirForce/status/1281572586510573570?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet

The iconic plane, designed by Reginald J.Mitchell had its first flight in March 1936 and the first pilot to test the plane was Joseph "Mutt" Summers, for 8 minutes!!! The nickname reputedly after his habit of having a "wee" on the wheel of his plane before take off....yes, before he got in the "cock pit".

Over 20,000 were manufactured and named after the manufacturer Chairman; Sir Robert McLean's daughter Ann, whom he called the "Little Spitfire".
The design has another story:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-53352233/battle-of-britain-the-schoolgirl-who-helped-design-spitfire  There is some good maths in here!

Typically, the local football club Eastleigh FC, is nicknamed "The Spitfires" and indeed had a mascot called Sammy Spitfire, a dog, until 2015, when the club decided to honour Derik Brooks, who founded the club in 1946, so they came up,  obviously, with Brooksy the Bear. ????

The club was originally known as Swaythling Athletic and played in the Hampshire League (county standard). The named changed to Eastleigh FC, the club joined the Wessex League in 1986, then the Southern League in 2003, promoting to Conference South and then the Conference Premier in 2014, leading to the National League since 2016, Step 5. Crowds at their Silverlake Stadium (originally known as Ten Acres) top 1000 per game and reached over 5,000 when they met Bolton Wanderers in the FA Cup 3rd Round in January 2016. They drew 1-1 at home and lost 3-2 away.


Spitfire Ale is brewed by Shepherd Neame in Faversham, Kent (reputedly Britain's oldest brewer) and celebrates the 50 years since the Battle of Britain in 1940.

Get on the Spitfire Ale website and go to images, if you need cheering up.

QUEEN'S PARK FC

Queen's Park FC was founded on July 9th 1867 and is the oldest football club in existence in Scotland and therefore the oldest outside England and Wales. Notts County, of course, is the oldest in England founded in 1862 and Newtown in Wales founded 1875 originally as Newtown White Stars.

Known as The Spiders, Queen's Park now play in League 2 in Scotland, with their home ground at Hampden Park, the national stadium in Glasgow, that holds nearly 52,000. They move to a purpose buoilt stadium at Lesser Hampden, Glasgow, which has a capacity of 1774.

 Queen's Park in its early stage, wearing blue!
Queen's Park wearing their white and thin black stripes-named the Spiders after the passing game they played-weaving a web around their opponents (not the kit!!).

The Spiders played in the English FA Cup Final in 1884 and 1885. Blackburn Rovers beat them both times 2-1 (on March 29th) watched by 14,000 and 2-0 (April 4th) watched by 12,500 at the Oval. The Scottish FA later banned their clubs from playing in the English tournament.

They are third in line for most wins in the Scottish FA Cup, with 10 wins, the last in 1893!! Such a victory is unlikely to happen again with Rangers and Celtic dominating the tournament. Queen's Park have also been runners up twice, the last in 1900.
Celtic have won the Cup 39 times and Rangers 33. Remarkale Queen's Park are third in line with Hearts, Aberdeen, Hibs and Kilmarnock coming next.

In 2019 the club ended their stand on amateurism, joining the all inclusive game of "professional" football. "Ludere Causa Lundendi" is their motto-To play for the sake of playing. and a previous...
https://baileyfootballblog.blogspot.com/2019/07/the-oldest-scottish-club.html

The first club in Britain is claimed to be the Edinburgh Foot-ball Club 1824, that played a form of football in the summer months, dissolving in 1841. It claims to be the oldest club in the world with its hand written records held in the National Scottish Archives. In 2017 in an historic ledger, the club's "rules" were found, dated 1833......the oldest set of rules known. The club has been reformed in an Edinburgh Sunday Premier League and has a team in the Scottish Women's Football League 2nd Div South East
Thistle FC formed in 1868 and was defunct by 1894.