Post by gazz on Dec 4, 2013 19:26:34 GMT
Neil Edwards
gazza007
Made his debut in the 2-0 home win over Bury in September 1991, and never looked back. It was one of the most impressive debuts you will ever see, and he went on to become one of our best ever 'keepers. His reflexes were as good as any 'keeper I have seen in a County shirt, and some of the saves he made defied belief. Ok he wasn't the tallest, and sometimes his height let him down, but I believe that what he lacked in height he more than made up for in terms of sheer natural ability.
He will always just edge it over Paul Jones for me, not only because he pulled off saves that a taller keeper would have struggled to reach, but also because he was part of the Danny Bergara revolution which captured the imagination of the town with four Wembley appearances in three years (yes I know he didn't play against Burnley in '94). I suppose it's also because I saw Neil play a lot more as I only got to see about half of Jonesy's games in the 1996/97 season as my youngest son was born in May 1996, so my time was taken up by him and his older brother for the next couple of years.
Neil is an absolute legend, and anyone who saw his save from Chris Marsden at Leeds Road in the 91/92 season when Jim's second-half goal put paid to a dominant Huddersfield Town on a wet Friday night will know what I mean. This was just one moment of brilliance from the Welshman, though, there were many, many more.
Northampton Town
sandbachhatter
25th April 2011. Edgeley Park
I think we all agree that, whilst it was my near neighbours down the road in Crewe that mathematically ended our stay in the Football League, it was the week before, at home against Northampton that we knew it was over. Our goal difference was so much worse than everyone elses. We were down. We were out of the league.
Yet, three things made this one of my favourite games of all time. It doesn't feel right saying 'favourite' when it was such a miserable day for us all, but they stand out in my memory.
In third place, was Greg Tansey's free kick right into stoppage time. Yes he missed (narrowly) and yes that was our last chance and he knew it, breaking down in tears shortly afterwards, but the passion he showed in that display of utter despair shows what it meant to some of our players from last season. A passion which has not been replicated by the majority of this year's squad. Greg knew what it meant to be a County fan. I admire that.
Second place has to go to the fans. The atmosphere on the day was electric. True it was nerves, but we held strong and clapped the team off the pitch when we knew it was all over. We didn't storm out, rip up our tickets or hurl abuse at the team and Manager. We were proud. That's what it means to be a County fan.
And in first place, by a country mile, was that it was the first game my son attended. I was determined that his first game wasn't going to be in the Conference so, even though it was arguably the darkest day in County's history, it was one of my favourites. I got to cheer with my son when we scored. When we equalised. When we had a glimmer of hope.
And what's more, he loved it. At the time he was only just 1 year old but he was mesmerised by the atmosphere. He's since been to 4 games this season and is really getting into it now. And I know he'll be coming with me when we're back in the league where we belong.
I still have his ticket for him to keep safe when he's older.
So, thanks Northampton Town. You'll be forever in my memory.
Even if your kit is sh*t.
New Mills Grammar School
bringbacklenwhite
Hot bed of testosterone laced youth football nestling in the North West Derbyshire hillside. All the fields around New Mills slope from left to right or vica versa, or top to bottom ,or both ways at once - EXCEPT FOR - Watford Bridge (known locally as the Picker - don't know why). This was our home ground and PE playing fields.
The Picker was perfectly flat but bounded on 3 sides by the River Sett cascading down off Kinder Scout and usually an odd shade of megenta, african violet, royal blue, indigo, rust red, orange or pink (yes pink) depending on which colours the Birch Vale Garrison Dyeworks were working with at the time. It was also a 10 minute walk from the school which did wonders for sharpening plastic studs.
The pitch was usually flooded for most of the year when the river came up from under the ground rather than over the banks. Hence the invention, by me in 1969 - forty years ahead of it's time, of the "sweeper-keeper" tactic. The lake in the penalty area commanded that I was either a goal-line goalie or had to play at least 12 yards from the nets. A very useful ploy when you could still pass back to keepers to pick up and re-distribute by hand, thus switching play very quickly to expansive full back attacks.
The highlight of the Picker matches was when our captain, Dave Swinburn, fell into the river retrieving the ball during an Under 15s NW Derbyshire Cup Match in January. The match had to be abandonded before he froze to death whilst we were 3-1 down. We then won the replay 2-1 at a later date. Talk about fate intervening !
The first team were Derbyshire Schools' Champions 5 years running and therefore qualified for the National Under 18's Trophy. Our little 6th form of 80 pupils (40ish boys with only about 20 who knew how to kick a ball) were then pitched into a competition that included playing ( 3 years running) a Sixth Form College with 1600 students from Scunthorpe (make your own jokes here). We never progressed beyond the first round but were allowed to play major games at New Mills FC (200 yds from the school by the church).
In my final year we drew a team from West Brom.instead and it took 3 games and the total crocking of our centre half to beat us. The sad journey home included a stop at a suitable hostelry for refreshments and the subsequent halt for "a rest and the watering of the bus wheels" which was fine until the driver pulled away leaving a dozen pi**ed under aged drinkers waving their weapons in mid-air at the side of the Cat and Fiddle road between Macclesfield and Buxton. The wind had not been counting into the activity either which resulted in the magnificent line from our Head of PE who looked at me and stated "excuse me, I seem to be getting some of yours".
Nostell Miners Welfare: Navigational Nightmare!
hatter in macc
27th July 2009
Having travelled to more than my fair share of grounds up and down the country, I feel pretty confident in my ability to locate stadia when I visit them for the first time, more often than not in towns and cities with which I am previously unfamiliar...and even in these more modern times, now that floodlight pylons - which used to be guiding-landmarks, visible from miles away - have become less easy to spot, after either becoming a lot thinner or, worse still, replaced by spotlights in the stands.
All of that counted for nothing when County kicked off preparations for the (ultimately-disastrous) 2009/10 campaign with a friendly at Nostell Miners Welfare, by way of thanks for their having let us sign Oli Johnson. A relaxing summer's afternoon drive, with Macc Junior in tow, became one of exasperation as we crossed into West Yorkshire, and found ourselves driving around in circles as we tried to follow directions for the village of New Crofton (where NMW supposedly plied their trade), only to keep arriving at minor-road junctions without signposts and then ending up where we had been twenty minutes earlier.
"You need a sat-nav, Daddy", came the little back-seat voice after a while. "Or to ask someone the way...it's ok to speak to strangers when you're lost, you know."
So, doing as I was told, I turned into a near-deserted petrol station, which, it turned out, was run by two gentlemen with the strong hint of Eastern European accents. Surely, though, they might know where the local football ground was? Indeed, they proceeded to give me very comprehensive and articulate directions - we would be fine now.
Or would we?
Following a further drive, into a previously-unseen, and increasingly built-up area, we saw floodlights standing proud ahead of us. Rather imposing for a small club, perhaps, but there was no time to waste. On we went, until the ground came more sharply into view. And there it was, in all its glory, the home of...
...Wakefield Trinity Wildcatssurprise!
Cue the three-point-turn, across six lanes of traffic, in central Wakefield, and our doubling back to the maze of countryside-roads in search of New Crofton. With the clock at 2.45pm, our chances looked slim, and would have remained so had we not finally been guided in the right direction by a procession of horse-riders who led us, at a trotting pace, to the little village and housing estate where the anonymous-looking Crofton Community Centre, which housed the NMW ground, was nestled away.
The time was now 2.58pm. We parked up, to enjoy a brief exchange with the turnstile-operator:
"Get lost ont' way, lad?"
"Well, yes...a bit."
"That'll be them thar sat-navs. Don't work 'round 'ere...send you t'other side o' field, beyont' river. Better off withaht' b*gg*rs."
And, with that, I gave Macc Junior a half-hearted, and very unconvincing, you-see-Dad-knows-best-after-all look, as we went through the turnstiles in need of a place to unwind...
Nicknames
bringbacklenwhite
Whatever happened to good old fashioned nicknames like Chopper, Bites Yer Leg, Nobby and Effing Goalhanging Cheat ?
Every team used to have a hard man who was given a typically robust nickname, and if their goalkeeper was particularly agile he would be termed "the cat". Cricketer Phil Tufnall was nicknamed the cat, but not for his catching ability or agility but because he could fall asleep on any given window sill.
Teams also have nicknames such as Sunderland being the Mackems, Stockport the Hatters, Macclesfield
the Silkmen, Yeovil the Glovers. Thank goodness Bakewell don't have a team !!
One side with a particular odd choice of name is Middlesbrough (check the spelling) who are strangely known as "Boro".
We once totally confused one youngster we taught in Coventry. The wee lad was called Hughes and earned the nickname of Willis - due to the fact that he followed Freeman and Hardy on the class register.
It is reported that one team refused to change from their long established nickname to that of their new sponsors - a well known lager firm - as the players refused to run out to the chant of "We are Cobras".
Nicknames (continued)
bringbacklenwhite
Here's a few more to be getting on with:-
Eusebio - The Black Panther
John White - The Ghost (sadly killed by lightening sheltering under a tree on a golf course)
John Charles - The gentle Giant (rubbish after dinner speaker though)
Franz Beckenbauer - The Kaiser
Lev Yashin - The Black Spider
Gerd Muller - The Bomber
Ferenc Puskas - The Galloping Major
Jack Charlton - Giraffe
Marco Van Basten - The Swan of Utrecht (wonderful name)
Rudd Gullit - The Black Tulip
Stuart Pearce - Psycho
David Beckham - Golden Balls
Paul Ince - The Guv'nor
Darren Andeton - Sicknote.
All proper nicknames.
Naive and new
siriusiron
A few years back, County had caught my eye and missing live football - I gave it ago. Hubby was away for the weekend working and there was a offer at EP. I dragged the girls there, insisting they would love it having never gone to anything similar other than the Tweenies show at the MEN arena.
At the ticket office, I annouced my 'new-ness' with pride and asked for suitable seats for myself and two young girls - the man at the back of the office shouted 'give them Cheadle End' - with a big grin.
Naively, we took the tickets and headed for the turnstiles. I politely declined a half time draw but brought a programme and searched for our seats - lower tier, just behind the goal. The lads came out for the warm-up and I was so impressed at being so near the pitch and players. And that you could get their autograph (the girls got Ruddy's which I was later informed was the player on the front of the programme) and talk to them.
A guy behind asked to read the programme, which I hestiated and asked if I could have it back afterwards - naively. He smiled and said he would. Informed me of the players warming up near us and some info on the opposition, realising we were new and our first game. He dutifully handed back the programme after reading and hoped that I enjoy the game.
A good game and atmosphere - though the girls were alittle bit shaken by the noise. I promised them refreshments at half time and headed for the area in Cheadle End - It was heaving!! Five foot me and the little girls were pushed from pillar to post, trying to buy a drink!! One guy shouted at me 'Are you new or what! Fancy bring the kids in here!!'.....we turned and ran!
Returning to our seats, I apologised to the girls and promised them a Macs when the game was over, in which a lady in front turned and gave us a bag of sweets she had brought. She explained that she realised we were new and that it was always like that and you can bring in your own refreshments for the kids here at EP - I was amazed! That wasn't allowed at any other stadium I had been to before but it was to see teams in the premier league. The lady then went on to say that she hoped that it hadn't put us off and enjoy the game.
The girls settled down with the sweets and kind words from the lady and yes I did go on to enjoy the atmosphere, the football and some of the welcome we received.
Did we go again - well yes! But this time in the Main Stand - made loads of new friends and re-newed our Season ticket four times now!
Not as new or naive anymore but loyalty stays! Come on County!!!
New York - 7th April 2012
sandbachhatter
As is customary, I wore my County shirt on Saturday to support the lads from the other side of the Atlantic and was walking through Central Park on the phone to Blighty to find out the score (much jumping around and confusing of Yanks) when a bloke walked past, tapped me on the shoulder and said "County fan, good man!" before walking off.
See, we're famous all over the world!
gazza007
Made his debut in the 2-0 home win over Bury in September 1991, and never looked back. It was one of the most impressive debuts you will ever see, and he went on to become one of our best ever 'keepers. His reflexes were as good as any 'keeper I have seen in a County shirt, and some of the saves he made defied belief. Ok he wasn't the tallest, and sometimes his height let him down, but I believe that what he lacked in height he more than made up for in terms of sheer natural ability.
He will always just edge it over Paul Jones for me, not only because he pulled off saves that a taller keeper would have struggled to reach, but also because he was part of the Danny Bergara revolution which captured the imagination of the town with four Wembley appearances in three years (yes I know he didn't play against Burnley in '94). I suppose it's also because I saw Neil play a lot more as I only got to see about half of Jonesy's games in the 1996/97 season as my youngest son was born in May 1996, so my time was taken up by him and his older brother for the next couple of years.
Neil is an absolute legend, and anyone who saw his save from Chris Marsden at Leeds Road in the 91/92 season when Jim's second-half goal put paid to a dominant Huddersfield Town on a wet Friday night will know what I mean. This was just one moment of brilliance from the Welshman, though, there were many, many more.
Northampton Town
sandbachhatter
25th April 2011. Edgeley Park
I think we all agree that, whilst it was my near neighbours down the road in Crewe that mathematically ended our stay in the Football League, it was the week before, at home against Northampton that we knew it was over. Our goal difference was so much worse than everyone elses. We were down. We were out of the league.
Yet, three things made this one of my favourite games of all time. It doesn't feel right saying 'favourite' when it was such a miserable day for us all, but they stand out in my memory.
In third place, was Greg Tansey's free kick right into stoppage time. Yes he missed (narrowly) and yes that was our last chance and he knew it, breaking down in tears shortly afterwards, but the passion he showed in that display of utter despair shows what it meant to some of our players from last season. A passion which has not been replicated by the majority of this year's squad. Greg knew what it meant to be a County fan. I admire that.
Second place has to go to the fans. The atmosphere on the day was electric. True it was nerves, but we held strong and clapped the team off the pitch when we knew it was all over. We didn't storm out, rip up our tickets or hurl abuse at the team and Manager. We were proud. That's what it means to be a County fan.
And in first place, by a country mile, was that it was the first game my son attended. I was determined that his first game wasn't going to be in the Conference so, even though it was arguably the darkest day in County's history, it was one of my favourites. I got to cheer with my son when we scored. When we equalised. When we had a glimmer of hope.
And what's more, he loved it. At the time he was only just 1 year old but he was mesmerised by the atmosphere. He's since been to 4 games this season and is really getting into it now. And I know he'll be coming with me when we're back in the league where we belong.
I still have his ticket for him to keep safe when he's older.
So, thanks Northampton Town. You'll be forever in my memory.
Even if your kit is sh*t.
New Mills Grammar School
bringbacklenwhite
Hot bed of testosterone laced youth football nestling in the North West Derbyshire hillside. All the fields around New Mills slope from left to right or vica versa, or top to bottom ,or both ways at once - EXCEPT FOR - Watford Bridge (known locally as the Picker - don't know why). This was our home ground and PE playing fields.
The Picker was perfectly flat but bounded on 3 sides by the River Sett cascading down off Kinder Scout and usually an odd shade of megenta, african violet, royal blue, indigo, rust red, orange or pink (yes pink) depending on which colours the Birch Vale Garrison Dyeworks were working with at the time. It was also a 10 minute walk from the school which did wonders for sharpening plastic studs.
The pitch was usually flooded for most of the year when the river came up from under the ground rather than over the banks. Hence the invention, by me in 1969 - forty years ahead of it's time, of the "sweeper-keeper" tactic. The lake in the penalty area commanded that I was either a goal-line goalie or had to play at least 12 yards from the nets. A very useful ploy when you could still pass back to keepers to pick up and re-distribute by hand, thus switching play very quickly to expansive full back attacks.
The highlight of the Picker matches was when our captain, Dave Swinburn, fell into the river retrieving the ball during an Under 15s NW Derbyshire Cup Match in January. The match had to be abandonded before he froze to death whilst we were 3-1 down. We then won the replay 2-1 at a later date. Talk about fate intervening !
The first team were Derbyshire Schools' Champions 5 years running and therefore qualified for the National Under 18's Trophy. Our little 6th form of 80 pupils (40ish boys with only about 20 who knew how to kick a ball) were then pitched into a competition that included playing ( 3 years running) a Sixth Form College with 1600 students from Scunthorpe (make your own jokes here). We never progressed beyond the first round but were allowed to play major games at New Mills FC (200 yds from the school by the church).
In my final year we drew a team from West Brom.instead and it took 3 games and the total crocking of our centre half to beat us. The sad journey home included a stop at a suitable hostelry for refreshments and the subsequent halt for "a rest and the watering of the bus wheels" which was fine until the driver pulled away leaving a dozen pi**ed under aged drinkers waving their weapons in mid-air at the side of the Cat and Fiddle road between Macclesfield and Buxton. The wind had not been counting into the activity either which resulted in the magnificent line from our Head of PE who looked at me and stated "excuse me, I seem to be getting some of yours".
Nostell Miners Welfare: Navigational Nightmare!
hatter in macc
27th July 2009
Having travelled to more than my fair share of grounds up and down the country, I feel pretty confident in my ability to locate stadia when I visit them for the first time, more often than not in towns and cities with which I am previously unfamiliar...and even in these more modern times, now that floodlight pylons - which used to be guiding-landmarks, visible from miles away - have become less easy to spot, after either becoming a lot thinner or, worse still, replaced by spotlights in the stands.
All of that counted for nothing when County kicked off preparations for the (ultimately-disastrous) 2009/10 campaign with a friendly at Nostell Miners Welfare, by way of thanks for their having let us sign Oli Johnson. A relaxing summer's afternoon drive, with Macc Junior in tow, became one of exasperation as we crossed into West Yorkshire, and found ourselves driving around in circles as we tried to follow directions for the village of New Crofton (where NMW supposedly plied their trade), only to keep arriving at minor-road junctions without signposts and then ending up where we had been twenty minutes earlier.
"You need a sat-nav, Daddy", came the little back-seat voice after a while. "Or to ask someone the way...it's ok to speak to strangers when you're lost, you know."
So, doing as I was told, I turned into a near-deserted petrol station, which, it turned out, was run by two gentlemen with the strong hint of Eastern European accents. Surely, though, they might know where the local football ground was? Indeed, they proceeded to give me very comprehensive and articulate directions - we would be fine now.
Or would we?
Following a further drive, into a previously-unseen, and increasingly built-up area, we saw floodlights standing proud ahead of us. Rather imposing for a small club, perhaps, but there was no time to waste. On we went, until the ground came more sharply into view. And there it was, in all its glory, the home of...
...Wakefield Trinity Wildcatssurprise!
Cue the three-point-turn, across six lanes of traffic, in central Wakefield, and our doubling back to the maze of countryside-roads in search of New Crofton. With the clock at 2.45pm, our chances looked slim, and would have remained so had we not finally been guided in the right direction by a procession of horse-riders who led us, at a trotting pace, to the little village and housing estate where the anonymous-looking Crofton Community Centre, which housed the NMW ground, was nestled away.
The time was now 2.58pm. We parked up, to enjoy a brief exchange with the turnstile-operator:
"Get lost ont' way, lad?"
"Well, yes...a bit."
"That'll be them thar sat-navs. Don't work 'round 'ere...send you t'other side o' field, beyont' river. Better off withaht' b*gg*rs."
And, with that, I gave Macc Junior a half-hearted, and very unconvincing, you-see-Dad-knows-best-after-all look, as we went through the turnstiles in need of a place to unwind...
Nicknames
bringbacklenwhite
Whatever happened to good old fashioned nicknames like Chopper, Bites Yer Leg, Nobby and Effing Goalhanging Cheat ?
Every team used to have a hard man who was given a typically robust nickname, and if their goalkeeper was particularly agile he would be termed "the cat". Cricketer Phil Tufnall was nicknamed the cat, but not for his catching ability or agility but because he could fall asleep on any given window sill.
Teams also have nicknames such as Sunderland being the Mackems, Stockport the Hatters, Macclesfield
the Silkmen, Yeovil the Glovers. Thank goodness Bakewell don't have a team !!
One side with a particular odd choice of name is Middlesbrough (check the spelling) who are strangely known as "Boro".
We once totally confused one youngster we taught in Coventry. The wee lad was called Hughes and earned the nickname of Willis - due to the fact that he followed Freeman and Hardy on the class register.
It is reported that one team refused to change from their long established nickname to that of their new sponsors - a well known lager firm - as the players refused to run out to the chant of "We are Cobras".
Nicknames (continued)
bringbacklenwhite
Here's a few more to be getting on with:-
Eusebio - The Black Panther
John White - The Ghost (sadly killed by lightening sheltering under a tree on a golf course)
John Charles - The gentle Giant (rubbish after dinner speaker though)
Franz Beckenbauer - The Kaiser
Lev Yashin - The Black Spider
Gerd Muller - The Bomber
Ferenc Puskas - The Galloping Major
Jack Charlton - Giraffe
Marco Van Basten - The Swan of Utrecht (wonderful name)
Rudd Gullit - The Black Tulip
Stuart Pearce - Psycho
David Beckham - Golden Balls
Paul Ince - The Guv'nor
Darren Andeton - Sicknote.
All proper nicknames.
Naive and new
siriusiron
A few years back, County had caught my eye and missing live football - I gave it ago. Hubby was away for the weekend working and there was a offer at EP. I dragged the girls there, insisting they would love it having never gone to anything similar other than the Tweenies show at the MEN arena.
At the ticket office, I annouced my 'new-ness' with pride and asked for suitable seats for myself and two young girls - the man at the back of the office shouted 'give them Cheadle End' - with a big grin.
Naively, we took the tickets and headed for the turnstiles. I politely declined a half time draw but brought a programme and searched for our seats - lower tier, just behind the goal. The lads came out for the warm-up and I was so impressed at being so near the pitch and players. And that you could get their autograph (the girls got Ruddy's which I was later informed was the player on the front of the programme) and talk to them.
A guy behind asked to read the programme, which I hestiated and asked if I could have it back afterwards - naively. He smiled and said he would. Informed me of the players warming up near us and some info on the opposition, realising we were new and our first game. He dutifully handed back the programme after reading and hoped that I enjoy the game.
A good game and atmosphere - though the girls were alittle bit shaken by the noise. I promised them refreshments at half time and headed for the area in Cheadle End - It was heaving!! Five foot me and the little girls were pushed from pillar to post, trying to buy a drink!! One guy shouted at me 'Are you new or what! Fancy bring the kids in here!!'.....we turned and ran!
Returning to our seats, I apologised to the girls and promised them a Macs when the game was over, in which a lady in front turned and gave us a bag of sweets she had brought. She explained that she realised we were new and that it was always like that and you can bring in your own refreshments for the kids here at EP - I was amazed! That wasn't allowed at any other stadium I had been to before but it was to see teams in the premier league. The lady then went on to say that she hoped that it hadn't put us off and enjoy the game.
The girls settled down with the sweets and kind words from the lady and yes I did go on to enjoy the atmosphere, the football and some of the welcome we received.
Did we go again - well yes! But this time in the Main Stand - made loads of new friends and re-newed our Season ticket four times now!
Not as new or naive anymore but loyalty stays! Come on County!!!
New York - 7th April 2012
sandbachhatter
As is customary, I wore my County shirt on Saturday to support the lads from the other side of the Atlantic and was walking through Central Park on the phone to Blighty to find out the score (much jumping around and confusing of Yanks) when a bloke walked past, tapped me on the shoulder and said "County fan, good man!" before walking off.
See, we're famous all over the world!