Could Chelski End Up Fifth in the Premier League?
That’s where they are this morning and they look good to me in that position. Hopefully, the two Manchester clubs, Tottenham and Arsenal will keep them there!
Let’s hope so and perhaps Chelski’s dip in form will give Ipswich a chance in the FA Cup.
Crying in Their Beer
As an Ipswich suppoter, I hate to say it, but Norwich City have given me one of my best football moments.
It was the 18th February 1967 and C and myself went for a drink in a Greenall Whitley pub, called something like the Royal Oak on the East Lancashire Road (A580) by St. Helens. C wasn’t into football much, although she used to go to Barnet as a child with her father. But she was so amused at a table full of disgruntled Manchester United fans, crying in their beer, after Norwich had beaten them 2-1 in the fourth round of the FA Cup.
She actually remembered this incident a few months before she died. I’ll never forget it!
Memories of Some Late Goals
On the coach to Ipswich today, we were thinking that no-one could ever remember Ipswich scoring any late goals. They certainly could have done with a couple today!
In the 1960’s I used to cycle from my home in Sussex Way, Cockfosters to White Hart Lane, parking my bike in a garage near to the ground, that charged a half-crown. My father always said that he went to Spurs before the First World War with his father and they used to give a kid, a shilling to hold the horse’s head for the duration of the match. It seems that nothing has changed except the price and parking costs near Portman Road is now about a fiver.
I think that on the day of my tale, I must have gone to see Spurs entertain Manchester United on the bike as I got back fairly quickly and the alternative of the train from White Hart Lane to Enfield Town and a 107 bus, always got me in quite a bit later.
In this match, which according to this page, most probably was on the 10th September 1966, I was home reasonably early and met my next door neighbour, a Mr. Gibbon, who had been to the same match, but had driven in his car. Note that I never had a lift.
He was a Mancunian, who supported United, although he had season tickets at both Spurs and Arsenal, and went to each when they were at home. They alternated home matches in those days, so you could do this.
He said that it had been a great match especially as United had won by the only goal. I also knew that he always left with about ten minutes to go, so I said that I thought it had been a good game too, especially as Spurs had won 2-1 with two goals by Greaves and Gilzean in the last few minutes. He obviously missed them and as he didn’t have a radio in his car, it was myself, who had given him the news.
Have Manchester United Done the Right Thing?
Today Manchester United bought Nobby Stiles’ medals from the World and European Cups.
Nothing has been said yet about what they are going to do with them, but I hope that they put them on display in a suitable museum, as they are part of our footballing history!
I would hate to think of them being kept in a safe or a trophy cabinet with no access to the general public.
Wayne’s Crazy World!
Why is it that when we get a home-grown football superstar, in many cases it all ends in tears?
It’s not just the Paul Gascoignes and George Bests of this world, but every decade has had its fair share of footballers with drink, drugs, gambling, marriage or other personal problems. But there are many others, whose indeiscretions and problems are just those that effect us all. I remember talking to one ex-footballer, who said that he’d kept his nose clean, saved a lot of his money wisely and been able to get a good life after he retired. He felt that life had been good to him.
So why when Wayne has it all at his feet, does he throw a big wobbly at Manchester United. If I were Sir Alex, I’d seriously give consideration to letting him go to another club. But then, that club might just be Manchester City, who let’s face it could afford any player, who thought money was more important than playing football.
But Rooney has often struck me as a bit of an idiot. I seem to remember that he recently took up smoking. If that is true, my case is proven!
So perhaps, Sir Alex should sell Wayne Rooney to Manchester City and let them have all the problems! Unfortunately, there is a sell-on clause in Rooney’s contract, that would mean that Everton would get quite a bit of any transfer fee!
The Special One
They say what goes around comes around.
It certainly did last night, as a couple of years after he was sacked by Roman Abramovich at Chelsea, Jose Mourinho returned to triumph. Not a bad result for a man, who used to be ridiculed as Booby Robson’s translator. Perhaps, he learned a lot from the master.
Of the four major clubs of the past few years in England, Chelsea and Liverpool are the ones that seem to be showing the strain. Could it be because they are the two who’ve tried to buy success more than Arsenal and Manchester United? Or could it be that Chelsea are the two clubs with smaller stadia and hence a reduced cash flow?
We’ve not seen the last of Chelsea this season, but I’d be putting my money elsewhere if I was a betting man.
The Anonymous Widower 