Tyrone Shoelaces

Darwen.

What was life like in Div 4 Longers ? Give us the benefit of your extensive experience.

Trouble is the lad will probably want to play. Brazil in the Maracana ? It’s everybody’s dream.

Does Tony know he’s wearing ear rings ?

Anybody think Hedges worth a start ? If not why did we pay a fee to sign him ?

A long way back then. A bit like a good pal of mine who is a Darlo fan. We had many happy hours at Feethams. They had a fanzine back in the day called - “ Mission Impossible “.

What league are Macc in now ?

By the way I’ve seen Rovers play in the league at Rochdale and lose. The Monday morning afterwards at work was interesting. That was in the old div 3. Not to mention the League Cup semi final when they were an average 4 div side and we were flying high in div 1. We lost 3-1 ! ! School next day was also interesting. Rovers eh, so un predictable.

This should have a thread of it’s own.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen City play at Rochdale in the league. When City were in the old third div Rochdale must have been in the fourth. I remember a pal of mine who was a City fan being gutted when they lost at home to Bury !

Shouldn’t that be grammar ?

The apartments were built on the site of the old “ John Bright “ textile complex. Actually part built on the site of the nursery for workers children , and part built on the site of the company football pitch. I played there a time or two in the mid 1960’s. I presume he had a son called Jacob. They lived in a mansion adjoining the site called “ One Ash “. The semi I live in is one of a row close by to the complex that were built for “ John Bright “ mill managers in the 1920’s. They believed in really being “ hands on “ then. When did you last see a company nursery ? Or a company build a football pitch for the employees ? it all got bought out by asset strippers ( Peel Holdings ) years ago. That’s who I pay my £4-40 a year ground rent to !

Back in the day Norwich we’re a pretty average second division team, Watford ditto in the third and Brentford in the fourth. Rochdale have never been higher than the old third division but it’s amazing how many current Premier League teams I’ve seen playing there in the league. Some, like Wolves, Brentford, Brighton and Burnley in the old fourth.

I don’t know to be honest. She’s gone out at the moment, I’ll ask her when she gets back. When she criticises my English I always say “ We’ll it’s better than your Engineering “.

Games like the one against Chelsea you know that you won’t get many chances so when they come along you’ve absolutely got to take them. Especially when it’s still 0-0. I thought MacNeill should have at least hit the target, with it being on his favoured foot.

The second tier of English football, that’s were we’re at for the moment. Never mind banging the ball into the far top corner I’d be happy if the buggers could actually land a corner in the danger zone. They’ve got enough to aim at !

Quite possibly. On the other hand could it be that the English language is pretty complicated when you go into detail ? There’s a big block of posh new apartments that have been built near me. “ Jacob Bright Mew’s “ . Every time I walk past I think should I get some “ Tippex “ and whiten out the apostrophe?

Chaddy, they are world class players not Div 2 journeymen. Just because Arjen Robben could cut inside and put a 20 yarder into the far top corner regularly it doesn’t mean that Giles can.

Thanks Tony. That’s an excellent report. We seem to have exactly the same ideas about the game and how it should be played. I saw it just as you wrote it there. I thought the ref gave us very little but maybe that’s because Fulham played him much better than we did. Van Hecke had his hands full with Metrovic but at least he kept him scoreless. He’ll be a better player for that experience. He never stopped trying. If you’re going to go deep with the centre forward you’ve got to stop the pass being made at the least. It’s like in rugby league, if you come out of the defensive line you’ve got to make the interception.

That James is one hell of a player.

Or “accidentally “ bumped into him as he did with Van Persie.

I’ve just quizzed Mrs Shoelaces about this and she agrees with you. I’m still not 100% with punctuation, I’d have either not used an apostrophe or put it between the r and the s in Rovers. More teaching required.

That’s one of his major failings. He doesn’t gamble, but he only reacts.

That’s what I thought. Aren’t - Mrs Shoelaces is a retired English teacher. She’s drummed it into me. The apostrophe replaces the missing o.

Like any striker he needs service. With the five at the back and Travis and Johnson in midfield it’s not happpening.