Tyrone Shoelaces

Yeah he got a hat trick that day. He ran their big money signing Scottish international centre half Ian Ure ragged. I remember one of them clearly. Again I was right behind the goals at the Blackburn End. Fred had a shot a goal but he kicked the ground as much he kicked the ball. It just rolled towards Jim Furnell in the Arsenal goal who inexplicably let the ball go through his legs. The ball just made it over the line. Andy Mac stood in for Dougie that day and he was brilliant. We never missed Bryan. Reg Blore stood in for Andy. I was standing behind the Darwen End goals before the kick off. When Rovers started playing towards the Blackburn End I was making my way along the Riverside to get behind the Blackburn End goals when Arsenals Joe Baker raced through the middle of our defence to slot the ball past Fred Else in the Rovers goal. That must have been after 2 or 3 minutes. I thought “ We’re going to be up against it today. “. Little did I know. We just went out and battered a very good Arsenal team. Fred was unstoppable that day. When he was in the mood he was Shearer level without a doubt. I consider myself blessed to have seen that team play at their best. They were a goal scoring machine when they were in the mood. They just demolished teams. No team since has been quite as entertaining.

I was at the Blackburn end right behind the goals. So I got a perfect view of Fred’s “ wedding gift “. Funnily of all his goals that’s the one I remember best.

As I said, it was the first game after the big freeze in 1963, we did well to have any grass at all. Widnes RL club tried to beat the freeze by putting some fancy chemical on their pitch. That killed all the grass !

Me too, it was the first game after the big freeze in 1963. Fred Pickering had got married that Saturday morning and both teams gave him a guard of honour when they came out. They really gifted Fred a goal later on. We’d been on the attack and it broke down with the Utd goalie getting the ball in his hands. He threw it out to Albert Quixall about 30 yards from goal. As he did that Fred was crouching down tying his boot lace. Quixall got the ball under control but he was quickly closed down, so he turned around and passed the ball back to the keeper, just as Fred stood back up ! The ball went straight to him and he just turned and banged the ball past the keeper into the back of the net. Matt Woods, Denis Law, Fred Else and John Bray in the photo.

It wasn’t just that they won those World Cups it was how they did it. The 1970 team was the best team I ever saw.

A great game run by idiots.

Always with his head up.

I take it you never saw Brazil between 1958 and 1970 ?

Rufus Thomas - Do The Funky Chicken

That was when teams only needed one centre half. Number 5.

I can’t see what Rogers did the other night apart from one or two little passes. He was just making up the numbers.

Bobby Moore said Byrom was the second best British player he ever played against and he played against some top class centre forwards.

He lost me after the Burnley game. To not come out and apologise after that shambles told me a lot.

It’s really hard to judge against this quality of opposition.

No, but I was expecting to see the “ something “ that special players can do. Just now and again. I haven’t seen anything yet.

Willie Tee - Walking Up A One Way Street

Back in the day Wales had three really good centre forwards. John Toshack, Ron Davies and Wyn Davies. Because the fans were agitating to play all of them the Welsh coach at the time did it - once. It just didn’t work.

John Byrom was scoring hat-tricks for us in the old First Division at a similar age. I was expecting to see a player with similar levels of ability as John had. I haven’t seen them yet

Not enough end product from Gordon for my liking. He runs across the field more than he runs down it. Top defenders will have his number.

One where too many. However. Don Covay - Have Mercy

I think we learnt a bit about some of the players. Gordon for one, I learnt he always takes a touch too much and he’d rather shoot than pass to a better placed team mate. Watkins isn’t the next Harry Kane. Saka has got a good left foot but is weak on his right, I’d have thought the Welsh players might have known that. Spence can play in both full back positions. Rice is a good box to box player. Etc etc.

I think the subs made us worse not better. There’s more than one or two players I’m still not convinced with.

England moving the ball around really well. Wales haven’t turned up yet.

I used to get “ LoadsAMoney “ from the late and much lamented “ Sportspages “ just off St. Ann’s Square in Manchester. My mate was a Darlo fan and I used to get him their fanzine “ Mission Impossible “ from there also. Great title for a Rovers fanzine these days.

Candi Staton - Stand By Your Man