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Blast from the past


stevieb

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I know we have had a few trips down memory lane tacked on to the Capital One cup post ,but to be fair to spuds I thought why not start a separate post , my memories of past football , the back pass,my god did Liverpool love that one , only one substitute ,keepers without gloves , olders favourite Jumpers for goal posts ,come on guys give it a go if you can remember ha ha

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Leather footballs with a lace,if you headed the ball on the lace you knew about it the lace impression lasted hours, also when the ball was wet and heavy when I headed the ball being quite light in those days I went as far backwards as the ball went forward, Back in those days you had respect for the referee, I never even spoke to the ref let alone show dissent and I never ever got booked or sent off.

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I remember playing for Hendra v Trelander, the Trelander player shot for goal from the six yard line, I headed the sodden leather ball off the line, poleaxed I staggered about for quite a while until I was taken off to hospital (no subs in those days), after a short time I was allowed to go home - fast forward - it's Sunday lunchtime, a friend came around to the house beaming, what a great night last night he said, great night I queried, yes he said you were dancing and disappearing with quite a number of the girls, but I can't dance I said, he replied you did last night - according to him I had one of the best nights of my youth and knew nothing about it.

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Dave Sweet's "goal" vs Bodmin in 1997.

 

Going back further, when Porkellis were going, there was a player who wouldn't get to the ground until the referee blew the whistle at kick off. Then he would come bounding over the neighbouring fields dressed in his kit.

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Early 1970, London, snow suddenly thawed too late to rearrange the games cancelled so we mixed up the 1st and 2nd XIs for a post Christmas training game. 1st half, just in front of me, a challenge and "CRACK!", a lad's leg broken. I was one of the players stretchering him off. 2nd half, corner to their side, ball half cleared out of the box towards me. I got to the ball just before my mate Micky whose lunge for the ball got my shin and "CRACK!" - my leg gone. End of game! Lying on the stretcher in the tea room, in kit, of course: Ambulance men walked past me to the servery and asked where the victim was! As I was being lifted into the ambulance, a mate ran up to tell me Chelsea had just lost 5 - 2 at home to Leeds! Micky used my boots for the rest of the season!

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Just been watching footie on the tele,,, have you noticed the number of players who wear "gloves" these days,, not amused !!!!

 

Nothing worse than that. Man up people!! I saw a game recently were the referee was the only one wearing gloves. I played in one game where a popular referee, still officiating in west Cornwall wore trousers on a cold Sunday morning!

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Christ, some of you guys have been going for a while. Respect! Can't claim to have played with the old laced up footballs when I started playing back in 1983. However, no shin pads back then, which led to a few bruised shins! Some of the pitches were atrocious in those days, clearing cattle off the field on more than one occasion before a game. And "facilities" did not exist. Changing up in a leaky tin hut, mud everywhere, no showers of course. Used to take a flask with hot water in it (when remembered) just to see if you could pour some of it over yourself before putting your clothes back on after the game!

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Very true Mangle, changing facilities were non existent, and as B Manning says, we didn't chat to the ref, I would have been too scared !!!

Quite often, we would be on the wrong end of a ten nil thrashing,, but players tended to stick to one club through thick and thin and as we got changed in a hedge,,, we would chat to find out who we were playing next week . I took up reffing  before you started playing, and only had to give it up because of work commitments on Saturdays,I  would recommend any of you players to take up one of these basic referee courses  , the game needs you ! ,

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Was a late starter started playing when 25 1987 ,last competitive game at 39 when my old club Long Rock packed up played in goal as the legs were gone played on a pitch near the courts in Truro , like Mangle can rember the cow pats at Heamoor ( Bone Valley) no running water just a algae filled cow trough , the various foreign students at Porthcurno Exiles played against we were told. A Nigerian international I could not even get close to him to have a kick lol , no medals no finals just some great friends and memories left ,and I would do it all again

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I am up country at the moment and back today, but looked up an old friend who like me is still refereeing, I ended up running a club line for him afterwards we added up our years and between us we have 85 years refereeing and it must be close to 100 years of playing and then officiating and we still carry on . We certainly did some reminiscing yesterday.

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I can't say for certain but remember being selected for county schoolboys in 1949.

 

First big Wembley game was the 1953 FA Cup Final Blackpool 4 Bolton Wanders 3. Stan Mortensen got a hat trick and they call it 'The Matthews Final'

 

Again a spectacle ruined through injury, Bolton were so much better than Blackpool, Matthews hardly got a kick first half, Bolton got two injuries where the players could badly hobble they stayed on victims for that well used term in those days 'nuisance value', it was 9 v 11, eventually Bolton's remaining players were reduced to a slow trot, Matthew's had a free run down the right from the halfway line whilst Bolton packed their goal, I had a great seat 8 rows back in line with the penalty box half circle, I am convinced if substitutes were used in those days Bolton would have won by a cricket score. Losing two players was too much.

 

It was 1959 when I was at the Nottingham Forest 2 Luton 1  FA Cup Final, Forest were light years better than Luton until Ray Dwight broke his leg after 33 minutes - Forest although playing the remaining 57 minutes with 10 players had enough class to still win the game.

 

SO here's another talking point, are substitutes good for the game I say yes and no, good to replace injured players and tactically, not good when used to time waste. I would like it to be no substitutions after 80 minutes - too often good games are ruined through time wasting.   

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I played for the Porthcurno Exiles (or just "Exiles" to give us our proper name). Some of the guys were outstanding, no internationals that I recall, but one guy had played in the Belgian second division (we made him captain that season), and others had represented their countries in the Olympics......many stories from playing down there, a great part of my footballing days. The pitch at Bone Valley was horrible. Can't actually recall where it was. And another really bad one was over behind the Buffalo Club in St Ives. Can't recall the team who played there, but actually got changed in a barn, with straw bales for "benches". Luxury!

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Back in the 1950's I played for Probus at Tregoney, we won, We did not change, as the referee blew his whistle for full time our captain shouted run, we piled into the cars that already had their engines running and departed with bricks bouncing off the back.

 

I remember playing cricket for Tresillian against Tregoney, we had 5 players retired hurt.

 

Happy Days.

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SO here's another talking point, are substitutes good for the game I say yes and no, good to replace injured players and tactically, not good when used to time waste. I would like it to be no substitutions after 80 minutes - too often good games are ruined through time wasting.   

 

The good old days when only two subs were allowed and no sub goalie so an outfielder had to take over. Rio Ferdinand and John Terry were two who did cover after all the other subs had been used

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Was a late starter started playing when 25 1987 ,last competitive game at 39 when my old club Long Rock packed up played in goal as the legs were gone played on a pitch near the courts in Truro , like Mangle can rember the cow pats at Heamoor ( Bone Valley) no running water just a algae filled cow trough , the various foreign students at Porthcurno Exiles played against we were told. A Nigerian international I could not even get close to him to have a kick lol , no medals no finals just some great friends and memories left ,and I would do it all again

as my post we were told ( urban myth) ha ha ,as we have all heard in the past he was on utd,Liverpool's books etc with players new to the area he was still quick though ,and can remember some of the exiles wearing gloves and hats in the bracing porthcurnoe air ,but great hospitality after the game in a fantastic clubhouse
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Mangle - i think the Nigerian International that steveb referred to was called Eno Udo who lived in Cornwall for a few years.
 
I also think a team called "Shirehorse" played,maybe for a season,on the field behind the Buffalo Club in St.Ives.

shirehorse definitely had a record score against them in the old west penwith league about 33 nil a previous post said it was against mousehole, another blast the old Halstown pitch opp the pub lovely slope and a copper piping with holes punched in for a shower ,but great food .
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Thought I'd add it on here since there was talk of the Exiles from Porthcurno. A team photo from February 1972 listed the following names:

A, Outbridge, N. Fisher, M. Wilson, R. Doherty, S. Price, J. Plews, D. Wales, J. Stone, M. Tavares, B. Asquez, A. Robert

Edited by Guest
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Thought I'd add it on here since there was talk of Penwith Exiles. A team photo from February 1972 listed the following names:
A, Outbridge, N. Fisher, M. Wilson, R. Doherty, S. Price, J. Plews, D. Wales, J. Stone, M. Tavares, B. Asquez, A. Robert

No, not Penwith Exiles. They were a Penzance based team from late 80s and 90s. The Exiles were the team from Porthcurno where the Cable & Wireless college was. However, John Plews was the guy that ran the sports team at PK. So maybe the team you mention above was The Exiles?
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Apologies, recently writing and typing Penwith Exiles I haven't gotten out of the habit. I did mean the Exiles of Porthcurno. The team photo was in the Cornishman, J. Stone was the captain and Tavares was the keeper.

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I can't say for certain but remember being selected for county schoolboys in 1949.

 

First big Wembley game was the 1953 FA Cup Final Blackpool 4 Bolton Wanders 3. Stan Mortensen got a hat trick and they call it 'The Matthews Final'

 

Again a spectacle ruined through injury, Bolton were so much better than Blackpool, Matthews hardly got a kick first half, Bolton got two injuries where the players could badly hobble they stayed on victims for that well used term in those days 'nuisance value', it was 9 v 11, eventually Bolton's remaining players were reduced to a slow trot, Matthew's had a free run down the right from the halfway line whilst Bolton packed their goal, I had a great seat 8 rows back in line with the penalty box half circle, I am convinced if substitutes were used in those days Bolton would have won by a cricket score. Losing two players was too much.

 

It was 1959 when I was at the Nottingham Forest 2 Luton 1  FA Cup Final, Forest were light years better than Luton until Ray Dwight broke his leg after 33 minutes - Forest although playing the remaining 57 minutes with 10 players had enough class to still win the game.

 

SO here's another talking point, are substitutes good for the game I say yes and no, good to replace injured players and tactically, not good when used to time waste. I would like it to be no substitutions after 80 minutes - too often good games are ruined through time wasting.   

Gracious me MOUNTAINEER, you must be the oldest member of this forum sir - in 1949 I was just six years old.  :)

 

Keith B - I am just a youngster - I won't be 80 until next February. - Now a widower most of my spare time is attending matches alone, there's usually someone to speak to. 

 

Today I went onto the FA website and bought a ticket for the Italy v England game on March 31st, Then I contacted a tour operator for my flights, coach travel in Italy to the Juventus Stadium in Turin, not a bad day trip, From going onto the FA website and phoning the travel company arranging everything took less than 15 minutes. - I'm looking forward to it OK only a friendly but a day out.

 

My ticket for the game cost - £14 ........ That just goes to show how expensive it is to go to a top English game.

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I can't say for certain but remember being selected for county schoolboys in 1949.
 
First big Wembley game was the 1953 FA Cup Final Blackpool 4 Bolton Wanders 3. Stan Mortensen got a hat trick and they call it 'The Matthews Final'
 
Again a spectacle ruined through injury, Bolton were so much better than Blackpool, Matthews hardly got a kick first half, Bolton got two injuries where the players could badly hobble they stayed on victims for that well used term in those days 'nuisance value', it was 9 v 11, eventually Bolton's remaining players were reduced to a slow trot, Matthew's had a free run down the right from the halfway line whilst Bolton packed their goal, I had a great seat 8 rows back in line with the penalty box half circle, I am convinced if substitutes were used in those days Bolton would have won by a cricket score. Losing two players was too much.
 
It was 1959 when I was at the Nottingham Forest 2 Luton 1  FA Cup Final, Forest were light years better than Luton until Ray Dwight broke his leg after 33 minutes - Forest although playing the remaining 57 minutes with 10 players had enough class to still win the game.
 
SO here's another talking point, are substitutes good for the game I say yes and no, good to replace injured players and tactically, not good when used to time waste. I would like it to be no substitutions after 80 minutes - too often good games are ruined through time wasting.

Gracious me MOUNTAINEER, you must be the oldest member of this forum sir - in 1949 I was just six years old.  :)
Keith B - I am just a youngster - I won't be 80 until next February. - Now a widower most of my spare time is attending matches alone, there's usually someone to speak to. 
 
Today I went onto the FA website and bought a ticket for the Italy v England game on March 31st, Then I contacted a tour operator for my flights, coach travel in Italy to the Juventus Stadium in Turin, not a bad day trip, From going onto the FA website and phoning the travel company arranging everything took less than 15 minutes. - I'm looking forward to it OK only a friendly but a day out.
 
My ticket for the game cost - £14 ........ That just goes to show how expensive it is to go to a top English game.
Mountaineer you are a legend of the forum ,well done you have a zest for life that a lot of us don't ,thumbs up from me
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Thought I'd add it on here since there was talk of Penwith Exiles. A team photo from February 1972 listed the following names:
A, Outbridge, N. Fisher, M. Wilson, R. Doherty, S. Price, J. Plews, D. Wales, J. Stone, M. Tavares, B. Asquez, A. Robert

No, not Penwith Exiles. They were a Penzance based team from late 80s and 90s. The Exiles were the team from Porthcurno where the Cable & Wireless college was. However, John Plews was the guy that ran the sports team at PK. So maybe the team you mention above was The Exiles?
Penwith Exiles played on the old council pitch where there was also a cricket pitch ,part of the leisure centre now ,you changed in an old wooded building with no windows electric or running water, both teams changed together, and the after game refreshments were at the social club .
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I'm looking for a woman ....................................................................................................... To Do My Ironing  :drink:

so am I after 28 years I am sure we still have the same one ha ha ,glad she who must be obeyed doesn't see this site
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Can anyone remember the old Wembley trophy footballs from the 70s there was an orange one and a white one ,can remember if you got a puncture trying to use a hot knife to melt the plastic, a friend who had a pen knife as you did back then had a trick of throwing said knife at the ball and it would bounce of ,until he used my ball and the knife when straight in ,they lasted for ages even when we used to kick about in the street ,to many cars now to do that ,where I lived there was only two ,one my dads and the other our neighbour, today there are cars parked both sides of the street where my Mum still lives.

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You lot are making me feel nostalgic , were we happier then than people are now ?. Did we get more out of life trying to repair those footballs ?, praying that the plastic would melt cleanly over the hole and seal it ?.

I think the happier times were when we were younger and didn't have a care in the world. When climbing trees and playing conkers went on without health and safety nonsense applying

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You lot are making me feel nostalgic , were we happier then than people are now ?. Did we get more out of life trying to repair those footballs ?, praying that the plastic would melt cleanly over the hole and seal it ?.

I think the happier times were when we were younger and didn't have a care in the world. When climbing trees and playing conkers went on without health and safety nonsense applying
society was different then as well ,we had little or no money in our pockets , very little TV no social media ,console ect ,and parents are not so worried as there was not so much negative press about crime etc, we all knew no difference ,not so much traffic about ,people neighbours looked out for each other ,and respect for your elders ,older would like that one,and the police were seen as there to help you and everyone Knew the local bobby , simpler times ,not saying all was great ,the change started in the 80s when we encouraged to look after number one ,and society or communities became singly minded .
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