Tyrone Shoelaces

Who was it said “ the only thing square about boxing is the ring “ ?

I used to get my copy from the Boulevard and then read it from cover to cover on the bus back to Rochdale.

It was still the “ Last Sports “ and on white paper when I was buying it. I was playing on Saturdays myself in the mid to late 1960’s so the only time I could get to Ewood in that era would be for night matches.

The reports Alf did back then ( before your time I presume ? ) were more of a detailed play by play account starting with who kicked off and which way Rovers were playing. IE Rovers kicked off attacking the Darwen End. Alf then gave you a running account of who did what as the game evolved. Today’s reports are more of a general summary of what happened.

Thanks very much Tony. I enjoy your “ blow by blow “ account of the game a lot . It reminds me of Alf Thornton’s match reports in “ The Last Sports “ back in the day.

Todays paper has the Villa formation as 3-5-1-1.

With any team you need to play to your strengths and not impose ways of playing that don’t suit the players skill set.

I agree. Forget the possession based dull football of last season and get the ball forward earlier. We aren’t Barcelona but we do have plenty of willing runners in the team

I see Wyke scored again.

We’ll know a lot more this time next week. Two tough away games coming up but our away form is decent so far. Four points would be really good, Two wouldn’t be the end of the world.

You know it’s going to be your day when you dummy the keeper with a miss kick, and then the defender kicks the ball against your shins for a goal. They all count the same though. Quality penalty for the hat trick.

Football isn’t what it was. Too much possession based nothingness. If they put the goals at the sides of the pitch instead of at either end it would be more exciting.

I didn’t want them to go out of the league. Where’s the fun in that ?

Having experienced life under the chicken chokers for the past decade I’ve plenty of sympathy for other clubs who get taken over by the wrong sort of people. It shouldn’t happen but unfortunately it does.

That didn’t have to be the case.

There’s fast and then there’s quick. IE fast is first in a 50 yards race and quick is first in a 10 or 15 yards sprint. It’s nice to be both fast and quick but for a goal scorer quick is vital.

The Rochdale fans weren’t too impressed with the stewarding at last night cup tie at t’Turf. When Rochdale fans are saying you’re a tin pot club it’s time to worry.

Only £50 million, some guys have all the luck.

I went on one called “ The Bee Hole End “. Last night there wasn’t a mention of the series and we’re on episode 3.

When Darren Peacock actually scores a goal that isn’t an own goal then you just know it’s not your night.

“ You are number 11 in the queue “.

I went on the dingle site just to see what their feelings were regarding “ Fever Pitch “, the history of the early days of the Premier League. Guess what - this excellent programme doesn’t even get one mention. As far as the dingles are concerned it doesn’t exist. There’s plenty of chat about tonight’s “ Panorama “ programme about young players but “ Fever Pitch “ ? Not a flicker. Rovers winning the big one must still rankle over there.

I saw him play as a kid in a pre season friendly at Rochdale. All the other kids were playing, Beckham, Scholes, Butt, the Nevilles etc. Gillespie was head and shoulders above all those, he was first team ready then. He was taking the defence on at warp speed, going inside or outside , they couldn’t get near him. He could have been anything he wanted to be. What a waste.

Keith Gillespie features a lot tonight. What a player he could have been.

Jimmy was a bit of a dog whisperer. During the World Cup game against Brazil in Chile in 1962 he managed to catch a dog that had run on to the pitch and had evaded everybody else. The dog promptly peed on him ! Dogs running onto the pitch was a common occurrence back in the day, it never seems to happen nowadays. I recall Noel Dwyer, an international class goalkeeper, got injured trying to catch a dog and was never the same player again.