Bradford Park Avenue (again)

I went to an evening game, which the record shows as 4th September 1967, which we drew 1-1. We took the lead with a 'daisy-trimmer' from Johnny Evans, who went on to get fourteen that season, at the end of which we were promoted. I can recall being alongside the pitch on the side opposite the cricket ground. You could almost touch the stand roof on that side of the ground, but it made for a good atmosphere. We ought to have won the game, but tried to put the shutters up and protect the 1-0 scoreline, conceding late on when, if we had gone for a second, we would have won comfortably. The Reds team that night was: Ironside; Murphy; Brookes; Bettany; Winstanley; Howard; Earnshaw; Evans; Humes; Bradbury; Hamstead. Jackie Hobson came on as substitute for Evans towards the end. No Barrie Thomas that night, as he was showing the first signs of the old knee injury which would end his career after the Doncaster Rovers game at Belle Vue, in which he scored one (from the spot) and made another (for Brian 'Bunny' Taylor). We switched the centre-forward position between George Hamstead and Jimmy Humes, as both were really wingers. Hamstead made quite a good impression as a makeshift striker when I saw him at BPA and at home to Chesterfield, but neither was a proper replacement for the experienced goal-machine which was Barrie Thomas.

 

I was stood on the kop for that game. We were very lucky to win.

Barry Wood was one of the many yorkshiremen who found success with other counties during the 60s and 70s. Didn't he open the batting for England for a while?

 

Hah! I’ve just had a look at today’s fixtures and see that Bradford PA are away to one of my old teams - Gloucester City, in a NL North fixture. Used to watch City regularly when I lived down there for many years.

 

Yes, we were very lucky to win.
Yes, he did open the batting for England.

 

4-4

 

Eight goal thriller!

 

55 years ago today. 3 weeks before I was born