Tyrone Shoelaces

I remember a reporter asking Bill Shankly why Liverpool hadn’t tried to buy Trevor Francis when he went to Forest. Shankly said, “ His style of play ? he’ll always be on the treatment table “. He wasn’t far wrong. The lad Chapman we had recently was truly seriously quick when he came at first. He didn’t know how to temper that raw pace with common sense, had a series of muscle injuries, now he’s at Bradford. I saw him come on as sub, the first time he got the ball he took it to within 15 yards off the fullback, shoved it past him, and tried to out sprint him to the ball. He very nearly did it too. You can’t expect to give a full back a 15 yards start. Just an example of not using your common sense.

Rapid usually = injury prone. We’ve had a few.

He looked very average last season when we played them away.

Just any one of those five would be handy at the moment.

And Matty Platt.

Play Brererton right up front and you lose his main asset, running with the ball from deep.

It’ll be a real test for JDT and the boys. I’m optimistic we’ll get something from the game, probably a draw.

I thought Batty was a left back.

Or Utd a year or two later.

Yes, pronunciation is everything. I was in a Shakespeare play once at school. One of my lines was “ Go get him surgeons “ but as I was reading it from the page it came out as “ Go get him, surgeons “.

I see Hamza Choudry has gone on loan to Watford. That’s a very good signing.

When Dougie scored his wonder goal against West Brom in 1963 the West Brom players gave him a standing ovation. The ones that were still standing that is. He’d left most of them on their arses.

My youngest lad went to a pre season friendly the season we bought Tugay. Bradford away ? He said “ We’ve got a good ‘un there dad “.

There used to be a big textile engineering company near me when I was lad. “ Tweedale & Smalley’s “. They were part of a consortium with “ Howard & Bullough “ of Accrington and “ Platt Bros “ of Oldham. In the early 1960’s the group had a rationalisation and decided to close “ Tweedales “. As was usually the case in those days they had fantastic sporting facilities. Two great football pitches, one with a stand. Most local cup finals were played there, I played on it as a schoolboy. Plus a cricket square. They also had a sports and social club with an adjoining fully enclosed bowling green. When the company closed down all this was abandoned apart from the bowling green . They tethered a goat on it to keep the grass down. We used to tie the goat to a tree and play 4 a side on it. It was better than playing on Wembley. If you can’t control a ball on that surface it’s time to give up. They put a small factory on the bowling green later on and both pitches are built on now.

Yes you’re right about having no confidence in your keeper. Nothing is more demoralising for an outfield player than seeing your keeper throw one in.

Brad’s finest hour, tops among many, many great games he had.

No, he’ll be gone shortly I expect.

A workmate of mine was a big odds on better. He backed France to beat Senegal in the opening match of one World Cup. I think France were about 10 to 1 on to win, they were playing at home. He put over £600 on them, a lot of dosh back in the day. Senegal won 1-0. He wasn’t a happy bunny that day. Anybody who remembers the best Rovers team I ever saw lose 5-1 at home to Workington in this competition would never back us to win in any game.

He’d do for me.

The kiss of death.

When do we play Hudds ? Soon hopefully. Before they fire the new manager

Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman were in that league also.

He’d no right to do that. I hope we complained officially.

Just look at the reaction of the players.

I remember being in the pub on the Saturday night they first showed that excerpt from “ Grease “ on TV. The one with her and John Travolta doing “ You’re The One That I Want “. My mates wife, who was very attractive on her own account, had seen it and she said “ I’d give £100 to fit into those trousers she was wearing “.