I miss the wags you used to get on the terraces. Maybe they’re still with us but I don’t hear any real humour where I sit (ESL half way line). Over the years players have always suffered sometimes cruel, sometimes hilarious abuse from supporters who obviously know more about football than the players do. I remember our long serving left back Phil Martin-Chambers who had played for England boys before becoming a professional. Well, one critic I heard used to consider him so slow going either forwards or backwards so called him “caravan puller”. Bit cruel that I thought ...
I sincerely hope not. I saw him out walking with his wife the other day, but too far away to say hello. Lovely man.
On reflection I should have deleted that bit before posting. I’ve just gone back and taken those words out.
I saw Spud and his wife on the Cawthorne wagon way only a couple of weeks ago, parked next to him, had a quick word with him, lovely bloke. He was driving and there wasn't anything in his demeaner that suggested any impairment whatsoever.
For obvious reasons I haven’t seen Barry for a few months but up to that time he was still sharp and as competitive as ever on the golf course.
When crowds were sparse in the 70's (before Clarkie came) we often heard the players shouts., like 1-2 or give & go! One day playing Workington I think it was, Chambers overlapped & I heard this 'over here Phil' I swear Chambers looked up and planted a pin point cross to where the voice was............ unfortunately the voice was 10 rows behind me - and I was 25 rows back in the Ponty End - this is a true story.
If I'm not mistaken speedie went through the Oakwell door faster than an intercity 125 locomotive after answering clarky back on the way home from the heavy defeat at Reading... Clarky was reading the plays the riot act calling them lazy etc and well into full steam ahead.almost blowing a fuse... You could hear a pin drop as the players all sat there quietly taking it all in... that was until speedy shouts out... I didnt see you doing Fxxk all either... To which the coach to a man erupted into spontaneous laughter... Hello welcome to Darlington by Friday that week...
If I'm not mistaken I read some time back 12/ 18 months ago that clarky was in the early stages of dementia that's why he doesn't do interviews and is seldom seen out.. John Dennis would be able to clarify this as I'm sure he keeps in touch with him
Eric Brookes was one of the best left backs in the lower leagues. Represented England at youth level and was talked about as much as any Barnsley fullback. He played nearly 400 times for the reds from the age of 16 and played his part in the giantkilling cup run of 60/61. Sorry but it's a bit of an insult to lump him with Regan and Mido.
We lost 7-0 at Reading at the end of December 1979. Speedie played a number of games in the second half of the season. He didn't join Darlington until the Summer of 1980.
You’d said two things in a row before he replied so he could easily have meant either and if it has been said previously that Clarkie does then it would make sense that he was referring to him.
Yes I was going to say the same thing. He couldn’t keep up with me! Seems likely he was talking about Clarke. Very sad if true. I remember the huge impact he made on our club, not least the stroke of genius in persuading Ronnie Glavin to leave Celtic and head to Oakwell.
I'm the same age as you lad and would have posted exactly the same. Dave Regis is our benchmark- scary if Willy made him look good!