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Post by gazz on Feb 16, 2024 16:01:10 GMT
Busy Banksy! Well deserved, and good luck, Sir! Wholeheartedly seconded. There's no substitute for class!
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Post by bringbacklenwhite on Feb 19, 2024 13:31:53 GMT
WFA Over 70s Regional Super Cup (session 1) played in Coventry. Representing North West/North East England.
vs Central W 2-0 (convincing victory with 2 good looking goals disallowed as well all against the present National 70s keeper !)
vs South East B D 0-0 (another well taken goal unbelievably disallowed and a second quiet game for me)
vs South East A L 0-1 (slightly busier match at the back against the present champions. Unfortunate goal from a strong 2 handed save from close in that went straight to the incoming forward (similar to the goal Liverpool conceded on Saturday). We also missed 3 good chances)
vs South West (west) W 2-0 (back on form and we controlled the game from the off and scored twice late on)
vs South West (east) D 0-0 (sadly a shortened game due to time constraints where we had the upper hand again)
8 points gained and (I believe) we sit second behind present champions South East A.
So, a very pleasing official debut for the older generation team, funnily on the same pitch in Coventry where I once played for the City Municiple Sports Association FC in 1975-76 season. It's now changed considerably from a collection of fire damaged wooden huts to a full sports complex complete with a permanent indoor dome pitch, all weather surfaces, a community hub AND a full 50 metre Olympic training swimming pool. The youth of today don't know they were born !!
Next up:- A trip to the Isle of Man this Friday to Monday and two matches (Saturday and Sunday) against their "National Teams" for the Greater Manchester WFL representative side (Over 65s vs IOM 60s)
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Post by bringbacklenwhite on Feb 27, 2024 10:54:40 GMT
Greater Manchester WF League Trip to Isle of Man - Feb 23rd-26th
A superb weekend of football, with friend old and new. The Manx are great hosts.
Saturday
GM 60s 6 IOM 50/60s 2 (hat-tricks for the Beast of Blackpool and a certain Peter Davenport (!). Google him GM 65s 2 IOM 55/60s 0 ( a pleasing win for my team - a couple of decent saves at 0-0 but a comfortable 2nd half) GM 60s 5 IOM 55/60s 2 (a second hat-trick for Mr Davenport - a real class act still) GM 65s 0 IOM 50/60s 3 (very disappointing against their younger squad. Lost their CF 3 times in 10 minutes and he was the difference between the teams. Very powerful hitter of the ball. Managed to keep it to a respectable score as we run out of energy)
Sunday
GM 60s 0 IOM 50/60s 0 (A surprise scoreline given the fire power on the pitch) GM 65s 1 IOM 55/60s 1 (Early disputed goal following a foul on our midfield and my block which spun up and over my leg followed by me doing an impersonation of the Benfica GK at Wembley when George Best knocked one past him. Their GK had an unbelievable game saving 2 with his head and one incredibly with his shoulder blade when he turned his back on a thunderbolt) GM 60s 8 IOM 55/60s 0 (Mr Davenport with a further 6 goals to put away a spirited side) GM 65s 2 IOM 50/60s 1 (Probably the best game of the weekend with us coming back from a goal down. An equalizer from our chap who collapsed on the last tour of IOM with a cardiac arrest was the boost we needed. I manged to keep us ahead with 3 late saves I was pleased with. We put our little Jack Russell on their dangerous CF and he finished up shooting from 20 yards and dropping into his own half to receive the ball. We emptied Stuart's pockets back at the hotel to make sure he hadn't brought the guy back with him. Immense.
Those who don't remember Peter Davenport - played with Cloughie at Notts Forest, Atkinson signed him for United (£3/4m) played at Sunderland and many other clubs including 6 appearances for County. |Spoke warmly about the club around the time of Danny Bergara and Dave Jones. He gave me a blow by blow account of the Chairman/Bergara bundle !!!!
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Post by hatter_in_macc on Feb 27, 2024 11:16:09 GMT
Excellent stuff, Lennie - and good to hear that Peter Davenport has still got it. He added a touch of real class to County in his half a dozen or so appearances for us, and, given his stay at EP was only brief, it is especially nice that he thinks of the club so fondly.
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Post by gazz on Feb 27, 2024 11:31:01 GMT
Excellent stuff, Lennie - and good to hear that Peter Davenport has still got it. He added a touch of real class to County in his half a dozen or so appearances for us, and, given his stay at EP was only brief, it is especially nice that he thinks of the club so fondly. Indeed, Maccy - maybe our Banksy can give us a Jolley good insight into Peter's take on what really happened?
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Post by bringbacklenwhite on Feb 27, 2024 11:42:25 GMT
Excellent stuff, Lennie - and good to hear that Peter Davenport has still got it. He added a touch of real class to County in his half a dozen or so appearances for us, and, given his stay at EP was only brief, it is especially nice that he thinks of the club so fondly. Indeed, Maccy - maybe our Banksy can give us a Jolley good insight into Peter's take on what really happened? I wouldn't want to leave myself (or Peter) open to litigation !!!!!!! What goes on tour stays on tour !!!!
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Post by hatter_in_macc on Feb 27, 2024 18:41:58 GMT
Quite a bit of it came out in Danny's successful appeal tribunal, of course, but I bet there is a fascinating unexpurgated version that is now known to you, Lennie!
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Post by gazz on Feb 27, 2024 20:20:05 GMT
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Post by bringbacklenwhite on Mar 7, 2024 10:38:25 GMT
Great Manchester WF League - Over 70s March
Not a good day for Blackpool Senior Seasiders Walking Football Club at the first session at the GMWFL Over 70s (Heywood).
Blackpool 0 Bury 1 (Their CF set up nicely by our full back with a hospital pass across the area to his feet. Lovely chipped finish over me as I committed myself low and too early) Blackpool 0 Rochdale 1 (Carbon copy set up but a drilled finish from their player. Not happy by now) Blackpool 0 Tameside 1 (3 on 1 break from their midfield - possibly on the run - and a hell of a strike into the top corner) Blackpool 0 Corinthians 1 (another ball across the area not cut out and a top poke into the bottom corner)
Funny how I clearly remember the 4 goals conceded and not the brilliant rearguard action we had to employ in every game. We are certainly not Division 1 standard and never looked like scoring. Hey ho it is what it is and I certainly had my monies worth of action. Two players missing but I doubt it would have made much of a difference.
Having been given a reprieve from relegation, due to the withdrawal of Man Citizens from Division 1, we were unable to capitalize on this good fortune. Definitely second best in all four games but didn't have any good luck all morning. We move on and learn from this. April.May and June fixtures will prove just as difficult.
Meanwhile:- Greater Manchester WF League Over 60s March
Blackpool 1 Corinthians 0 Blackpool 1 Panthers 0 Blackpool 2 Preston 1 Blackpool 1 Rochdale 1
10 points at top of the table after session 1 with all 5 goals from.................... yes, The Beast of Blackpool !!!!!
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Post by hatter_in_macc on Mar 7, 2024 15:19:24 GMT
Well done, the Over-60s! And bad luck, and chins up, the Over-70s.
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Post by gazz on Mar 7, 2024 15:47:30 GMT
Well done, the Over-60s! And bad luck, and chins up, the Over-70s.
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Post by bringbacklenwhite on Mar 22, 2024 10:12:06 GMT
GMWFL Over 65s - March session - Spring Season 2024 Division 1
Having survived relegation in our first season in Division 1, on the last day, the return to action proved as challenging as we thought it would.
Blackpool 0 Bury 0 (a good result against a top side who had just won their 1st game of the day. We were second best on chances)
Blackpool 0 Corinthians 1 (Corinthians fielded 3 members of the defunct Kingsmaid 65s including the England CF from Redcar and the captain from Cumbria ! We went down to a very late penalty, in off the bar. We deserved a point in this game)
Blackpool 1 Bolton 2 (two goals conceded. First from a clever cross-area driven corner smartly dispatched low by the back post and then a 1 on 1 breakdown as my defender stumbled and the guy hit the top bin with a rasper. Late penalty for us but too little too late)
Blackpool 0 Wakefield 0 (a creditable draw with the newbies to the division who are a very strong side. Honours even)
Bury 6pts Wakefield 6 Bolton 6 Corinthians 5 Blackpool 2
So we are on the back foot again for starters. But, this is to be expected when you play with the big boys. But for the penalty we would have been level with Corinthians.
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Post by bringbacklenwhite on Apr 9, 2024 9:57:26 GMT
Greater Manchester WF League 70s Div 1 April
Not available for this month due to family holiday/70th birthday bash in Derbyshire.
Blackpool 0 Bury 0 Blackpool 0 Rochdale 2 Blackpool 0 Tameside 1 Blackpool 1 Corinthians 1
Corinthians 14 pts Bury 12 Rochdale 11 Tameside 10 Blackpool 2
Tough gig this season. Perhaps we should have accepted last terms relegation to re-build.
Greater Manchester WF League 60s Div 2
Blackpool 0 Corinthians 0 Blackpool 1 Panthers 2 Blackpool 1 Preston 1 Blackpool 0 Rochdale 0
Blackpool 13 pts Rochdale 13 Panthers 10 Corinthians 6 Preston 6
Again, a tough month for the youngsters but underlining the closeness of this league. No givens
Next up a trip to Burton on Thursday to play for NW Region 65s vs ENGLAND 65s. Chance to prove the national manager was too early in replacing me with a younger keeper (although it was by mutual agreement !!)
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Post by bringbacklenwhite on Apr 12, 2024 18:42:47 GMT
North West v North East v England Over 65s Friendly/Trials
at Burton Albion (yours truly playing for North West Greens)
North West Greens 1 North West Blues 1 - conceded to our NW colleagues, one on one break, in off the left post. We equalized when we were down to 5 players at one stage England 2 North East 0
North West Greens 0 North East 1 - Conceded from a rasping low drive, pushed onto left hand post and in off this time. England 1 North West Blues 1 - great performance from the "others" who were leading at one stage
North West Greens 0 England 2 - first goal, a low well hit shot which (again) I pushed onto the left post and in !! Second goal - shot from the same player, same low shot pushed onto same post and rebounded to player coming in North West Blues 3 North East 3 - unbelievable game with our mates equalizing with the last kick of the game.
So a morning of mixed fortunes. Played reasonably well and kept us in the first and second games on a number of occasions didn't do too badly against the big boys. All 4 goals were uncannily similar in build up and completion. We go again a week on Monday in Gloucester in the Regional Super Cup (first of 3 sessions) against North East, Central, South East and South West. (2 squads per region)
Next up for me:- WFA lst round 70s v Blackburn Rovers (next Tuesday) GMWFL session Two 65s at Heywood *next Thursday) Regional Super Cup First session Gloucester University. (week on MOnday)
I told you it was a busy April.
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Post by bringbacklenwhite on Apr 17, 2024 10:00:34 GMT
WFA Over 70s 1st Round (H) vs Blackburn Rovers
We knew this was going to be a tough ask before the game, but when they arrived with 5 "international level" squad members out of 7 the task just seemed harder.
They had "legally" drafted in players, based usually with Fleetwood, Bolton and Rochdale (their teams not in this competition !), to make sure of a quick fire win. Two halves of 20 minutes would be followed by a penalty shoot out if needed (some chance).
It's fair to say we took a battering from the first minute. 5/6 decent saves followed by a couple touched onto the post kept us in the game until the break. Still somehow 0-0 !
The second half continued (against the wind this time) in the same manner. Inevitably, the dam finally burst and a midfield misplaced pass was intercepted, they had a 3 on 1 overload and moved the ball quickly before it was dispatched by the Blackburn/Rochdale winger low into the bottom corner. Gutted.
We were restricted to a couple of breaks in each half by a well drilled defence. So a final 0-1 defeat has to be seen as a moral victory to us who relied on "our club only" players in the true spirit of the game.
That "Blackburn International" side has the ability to win the whole tournament given the fire power they have. I have played with 6 of them at Regional, League and International level so I know them all very well.
Blackpool 0 Blackburn Rovers 1 (and to be honest it could have easily been double figures).
A bit bruised and battered this morning, but at least I slept well.
Next up GMWFL 65s at Heywood tomorrow.
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