The Notts County Miscellany E-Book

David Clayton

• Herausgeber: The History Press
• Kategorie: Lebensstil
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 156

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2017

Beschreibung

The Notts County Miscellany – a book on the Magpies like no other, packed with facts, stats, trivia, stories and legend. Featured here are more than 100 stories on the world's oldest football club ranging from how the club was formed in 1862 up to little-known facts about Director of Football Sven-Goran Eriksson. Here you will find player feats, individual records and plenty of weird and wonderful tales from a club that has rarely realised its potential. Rivalry with Nottingham Forest, the history of Meadow Lane and how the club came to wear their famous black & white striped kit, plus favourite managers, quotes ranging from the profound to the downright bizarre and cult heroes from yesteryear – a book no true County fan should be without.

Leseprobe

For Jay-Jay, Bo and Chrissie All my love, Daddy xxxx

First published 2010

The History Press

The Mill, Brimscombe Port

Stroud, Gloucestershire, GL5 2QG

www.thehistorypress.co.uk

This ebook edition first published in 2017

© David Clayton, 2010

The right of David Clayton to be identified as the Author of this work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyrights, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

This ebook is copyright material and must not be copied, reproduced, transferred, distributed, leased, licensed or publicly performed or used in any way except as specifically permitted in writing by the publishers, as allowed under the terms and conditions under which it was purchased or as strictly permitted by applicable copyright law. Any unauthorised distribution or use of this text may be a direct infringement of the author’s and publisher’s rights, and those responsible may be liable in law accordingly.

EPUB ISBN 978 0 7509 8392 1

Typesetting and origination by The History Press

eBook converted by Geethik Technologies

AUTHOR’S ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Because of the ’Pies’ lack of success over the years, this wasn’t the easiest project to research, but I hope I’ve got in everything of relevance. Despite the hard work, I really enjoyed putting this book together and it brought back a lot of happy memories for me. As a kid my favourite Subbuteo players were a one-armed Les Bradd (in Arsenal colours – don’t ask), Paul Hooks, a yellow and green footballer pen-top named Steve Carter and a red and black striped Ray O’Brien – the penalty expert, of course! It made up for not really having the money to go and watch County and that Subbuteo team were my Notts County – even if the cat sometimes did a poor impersonation of the Scotland supporters invading the Wembley pitch and breaking the nets on occasion. To write about some of those same players was a pleasure and, when I’m next in the attic, I might just dust down that old biscuit tin and see how the lads are getting on!

The odd thing is, things almost came full circle for me when Peter Trembling offered me the job of a media jack-of-all-trades as content editor for the club website and responsibility for the match day programme. I had grand plans of giving County fans the best of everything, including a club magazine, too, but a communications guru was then employed and I was advised things were happening behind the scenes that meant it was not the best time to start at Meadow Lane and for one reason or another, I never became an employee of Notts County Football Club. I think it would have been good, but knowing how things turned out, it was perhaps for the best at the time. I should have known it wasn’t to be when Sol Campbell quit the ’Pies on the day of my original interview!

As for the actual writing of this book, I really hope you like it. For the people who made it possible, I’ll keep this fairly brief. Love and respect (as they say on the streets) to my wife Sarah and my three incredibly beautiful children Harry, Jaime and Chrissie for putting up with my anxieties as the deadline approached and swiftly passed. I love you all and promise to make up the lost hours. Thanks also to Michelle Tilling, my long-suffering editor at The History Press.

That’s pretty much it for this one as most of the hard work was done by Yours Truly – for facts and figures from elsewhere, thanks as well to Paul Edgar and his excellent resource site of facts and figures – ‘You Pies’ – at www.youpies.co.uk.

To Tony Brown, Paul Wain and Keith Warsop, thanks too. For the rest, the ones who were maybe unaccredited here and there, thank you for all your hard work and for making available for others to study and learn from – you know who you are.

David Clayton, 2010

THE A TO Z OF COUNTY

John Abthorpe, who played five games and scored three goals during the 1955/56 season for County, has the honour of sitting atop the alphabetical list of players who have represented the club. Last in the list is – hardly surprisingly – Ruben Zadkovich – who made just nine starts between 2004 and 2006.

ALL 4 ONE

County’s highest scoring draw has occurred on three different occasions and each time the venue has been Meadow Lane – read into that what you will. In January 1954 the Magpies drew 4–4 with Halifax Town, while in August 1987 County drew 4–4 with Wigan Athletic – and that was the opening day of the season and was a game that was followed by a 5–3 win at York City (16 goals in the first two games, wow!) The last 4–4 draw was in November 1999 when Bristol City headed south with a useful point and the knowledge they’d just taken part in an eight-goal thriller.

ANY OLD IRE?

The fantastically named Albert Iremonger is the oldest player to represent Notts County Football Club on the field of play. Albert was just a month shy of his 42nd birthday when he went in goal against Huddersfield Town during a 4–2 win at Meadow Lane – it was his 601st appearance for the club and the end of a long, distinguished career with the Magpies. It will come as no surprise to learn he is also the club’s record appearance holder, too.

WHAT’S IN A NAME?

Of all the surnames of players who have played for Notts County, Smith is the most common with nine. Second is the name Brown and Robinson with seven each while Jones, Russell and White each have four. There are a dozen surnames that have three representatives in total – here is the full list:

9

Smith

7

Brown

7

Robinson

4

Jones

4

Russell

4

White

3

Watson

3

Wilson

3

Stone

3

Richardson

3

Richards

3

Murphy

3

Johnson

3

Jackson

3

Fairclough

3

Chapman

3

Butler

3

Williams

BOMBS AWAY

An air raid on 8 May 1941 scored a direct hit on the Meadow Lane pitch, but spared the stands and terracing. A couple of huge craters rendered the surface unplayable to the extent that no football was played on the pitch whatsoever during the 1941/42 wartime season – a completely blank year in the club’s football calendar. This was a rare occurrence anywhere in world football for a professional side, even during wartime.

AUSSIE RULES

Only three recorded rugby matches have taken place at Meadow Lane. On 6 December 1912 England took on Australia and beat the tourists 5–3 in a closely fought Test match. Then on 3 March 1945 a combined Notts, Lincs & Derbys side lost 10–9 to the RAF and in 1986 Mansfield Marksmen played Fulham in a Rugby League encounter watched by fewer than 1,000 spectators – with such enthusiasm, no wonder there have been no games since!

ROCK ON, GIB!

County once took on Fulham in the territory of Gibraltar – it happened in May 1975. Two matches were arranged against the Cottagers within the space of three days, attracting a healthy turnout of tourists and ex-pats. The first game ended 2–2, but County edged the second match 3–2.

Two years later, County returned there to take on St Mirren in back-to-back games with the Jubilee Cup up for grabs. On 25 May the teams fought out a 2–2 draw and the following day they contested what was in effect the second leg, with County winning 2–1 and securing the trophy thanks to a 4–3 aggregate. An open-top bus was arranged for the return to Nottingham – until the club realised nobody really cared. . . .

SOMETHING IN RESERVE

The Magpies have operated a reserve team since the 1870s and it has played in various Midland leagues over the years. There have been several titles won, too – they are:

Midland Alliance

1890/91

Notts League

1903/04 & 1907/08

Central Alliance

1914/15

Midland League

1954/55

Midland Midweek League

1957/58

North Midland League

1973/74

WHAT? NO MORIARTY?

Put Paul Sherlock (1993–5), Richard Holmes (1998–2003) and Charlie Watson (1967–8) together in a County side and you could legitimately have a Sherlock Holmes and (Dr) Watson mystery to solve.

VERY SUPERSTITIOUS?

After remaining unbeaten for his first twelve games as boss at Meadow Lane, Steve Cotterill became overly superstitious as his team approached the finishing line during the 2009/10 season. The then Magpies boss revealed he had wore the same pair of pants and socks to every game, used the same pen to plan his tactics and wore the same black-and-white striped tie to each match. He also kept his coat on in the scorching sun as County beat Northampton Town 1–0.

‘It was ridiculous really, I know,’ he said. ‘I kept saying to myself “what are you doing?” It’s not like we would play any differently if I changed my tie! I was boiling at Northampton. I really wanted to take my coat off but I couldn’t. It’s silly I know, but that’s the way I am.’

(UN) FRIENDLY FIRE

County took on Forest in a pre-season friendly in July 2007, but the game was marred by fighting on the pitch between both sets of supporters. Hundreds of fans ran on to the playing area and then County Chairman Jeff Moore said: ‘It’s an absolute disgrace. I just don’t know what we do to prevent such idiocy that exists in our society today.’

Forest chief executive Mark Arthur added: ‘Any people . . . causing serious havoc will receive banning orders from both the City Ground and matches we play away from home. We do not want any behaviour like that to tarnish the good name of Nottingham Forest.’

The fighting spilled out into the streets around Meadow Lane in one of the most violent meetings between the two old foes in modern times. Forest won the game 2–1.

FIXED PENALTY NOTICE

County have had some fine spot-kick takers over the years, but the very first player to score a penalty for the club was Jimmy Logan who fired home against Burton Wanderers during an FA Cup tie in 1894. Later that year, Elijah Allsopp (no relation to Danny – at least not that we know of) became the scorer of a penalty in league football when he struck home against Bury – one of two goals he scored during a 2–1 win.

The first penalty shoot-out was against neighbours Mansfield Town in 1975 during a County Cup semi-final. With the game ending 0–0, the shoot-out commenced and County triumphed 5–4. Three players have managed seven penalties in a single season – they are Arthur Green (1903/04), Kevin Randall (1972/73) and Ray O’Brien (1979/80).

On 22 September 1973, three County players managed to miss the same penalty! Kevin Randall took the first effort and missed and the referee demanded a retake because of encroachment. Don Masson suffered a similar fate, but again the official wasn’t happy and ordered a third attempt. Brian Stubbs was the third and final taker and must have thought the law of averages would be on his side – wrong! He missed too! Fortunately, County still left Fratton Park with all three points having won 2–1.

CURTAIN-RAISERS

Since league football began in 1889/90, there have been 109 opening-day matches with 11 seasons lost to both world wars. Though County have endured three rotten starts where they have ended up on the end of a 5–0 drubbing away from home, the ’Pies best ever start was their most recent, with a 5–0 win over Bradford City in 2009/10 getting the boys off to a flyer that eventually saw the League Two title secured later in the campaign. No first game has quite exceeded the eight-goal thriller in 1987/88 when County and West Ham drew 4–4 at Meadow Lane – the highest aggregate opening day game in the club’s history. Interestingly, the Magpies have begun the season away from home on 61 occasions compared with 49 home starts. The biggest opening-day away win was the 4–1 triumph at Crystal Palace in 1973.

The record in full, which doesn’t give away many clues to the nature of County’s coming season, is:

P: 110W: 40D: 29L: 41F: 136A: 159

BOXING CLEVER?

The first Boxing Day fixtures were introduced in 1900 and County began their post-Christmas matches with a satisfying 1–0 win over Nottingham Forest. The Magpies have twice recorded 5–1 wins on Boxing Day – Middlesbrough (1914) and Swansea (1947) – with the heaviest defeat being a 4–0 thrashing by Manchester City. Though County have failed to win 49 of their 77 games on 26 December, when they do win, they have done it in style on more than occasion. Here is the complete record:

P: 78W: 29D: 15L: 34F: 100A: 103

HAPPY NEW YEAR – OR NOT?

Although New Year’s Day games seem to have been around for an eternity, only 34 matches have begun on 1 January in Notts County’s league history. The first game in 1895 was a 2–1 defeat away to Bury, and this set the tone for the first six New Year’s Day matches, all of which ended in defeat. In fact, County fans grew to dread the fixture with just two wins out of the first sixteen games and a dozen losses! Thankfully, things improved thereafter and the ’Pies have lost just six of their last eighteen New Year show-downs. Here is the complete record:

P: 34W: 9D: 7L: 18F: 43A: 58

SEASON FINALES

Compared with 110 opening season games and 295 goals, when County finish a season off, they invariably do it with a goal flurry, historically speaking. Some 50 goals more have been scored in last-day games – and there have been some memorable final days of the league programme with the first ever, a 5–3 loss at home to Derby County, setting the tone, though none can top the 7–1 victory at Blackburn Rovers in 1891 when the ’Pies finished third in the fledgling Football League. Bizarrely, County lost the FA Cup final against Blackburn a week later by a more conservative score of 1–0! Eight years after that, already Division One champions Aston Villa handed out a 6–1 thrashing, avenging their 1–0 defeat suffered earlier in the campaign.

In 1925/26, relegated County beat champions Huddersfield Town 4–2 at Meadow Lane to leave the home fans scratching their heads as to why their team hadn’t shown that kind of form on a regular basis. In fact, the Magpies beat all of the top six sides at home that season, scoring nineteen goals and conceding just four in the process. Other memorable games to send the Notts fans into the summer break with a smile include the 4–2 win over Nottingham Forest in 1957 – Forest were already promoted thanks to County’s 2–0 win over promotion rivals Blackburn Rovers just eight days earlier, but at least the players restored faith by sending the Reds on their way with a good tonking. One game which gave County fans immense pleasure was – despite already having been relegated – when the ’Pies beat jinx team Luton Town 2–1 in May 1992 to ensure the Hatters joined them in the second tier – a suitable payback for all the misery the Bedfordshire side had caused County over the years with their unfathomable hex. Curiously, that was the only time the Magpies were demoted from Division One yet began the following season in Division One – unfortunately this was because the divisions were renamed following the inception of the Premier League – County still went down a league.

The complete record of last-day dramas is:

P: 110W: 40D: 23L: 47F: 169A: 179

THANKS, DAVE

In April 1977 more than 10,500 people turned up for Dave Needham’s testimonial at Meadow Lane. The cult hero centre-half won many friends during his time with the Magpies during which he racked up 469 appearances from 1965 to 1976. A Nottingham XI took on – and beat – a Midlands International XI 2–1 to send the big fella off in style.

THE GIANT-KILLING DECADE

Historically the Magpies have struggled against non-league sides in the FA Cup, but there was a decade that began in the mid-1950s when things went from bad to worse. It started in the first round in 1956/57 when Welsh minnows Rhyl left Meadow Lane having embarrassed a side three leagues above them with a 3–1 win. Then, in December 1959, Bath City left a crowd of almost 26,000 stunned following a 1–0 victory in Nottingham. Margate held County to a 1–1 draw in November 1961 too, and in December 1967 Runcorn triumphed 1–0 at Canal Street as the nightmarish run continued, though that was the last of the non-league head-shakers . . . at least for a while.

DO MENTION THE WAR

The Magpies took on Dinamo Minsk on the 30th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day in May 1975. During an entertaining afternoon at Meadow Lane, eight goals were shared in a 4–4 draw, though Minsk won the penalty shoot-out by 4–3.

CROSSBAR CHALLENGE

Soccer AM paid a visit to the Notts County training ground during the 2008/09 season to give the County players a chance at the popular ‘Crossbar Challenge’ slot featured on the show. Sadly, none of the lads managed to strike the bar with the ball from the centre-spot, though there were a few near-misses.

WHAT A MANN

Arthur Mann was once Manchester City’s record signing, but his chronic fear of flying eventually cost him his place in the side. In 1972 Mann arrived at Meadow Lane and embarked on a lengthy spell with the ’Pies – at least he didn’t have to worry about flying off to take part in European games anymore! After playing 292 times over a seven-year period, Mann finally moved on leaving many friends behind in Nottingham. Tragically, Arthur was killed in an industrial accident in February 1999.

LET THERE BE LIGHT

Margate arrived at Meadow Lane in 1961 to contest their second round FA Cup replay having held County 1–1 on their own ground. The floodlights were normally only put at half-power during the pre-match warm up at most stadiums around England, but due to County’s dilapidated, ageing lighting system, Margate believed the lighting would be turned to full during the match – sadly, it had been on full all the time! It just wasn’t very good, but at least the ’Pies won 3–1 following an illuminating display.

STING RAY

Ray O’Brien achieved a rare feat in 1979/80 when he ended the campaign as the leading scorer with 10 goals from 41 league games – not bad for a full-back! Former Manchester United junior O’Brien slotted home seven penalties during the campaign and he twice converted two spot-kicks in one game. In all, O’Brien tucked away 19 penalties during his time at Meadow Lane and remains one of the club’s most reliable spot-kick takers.

LAMBS TO THE SLAUGHTER