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Post by Anto1962 on Jun 28, 2015 19:24:25 GMT
I've just watched the league cup final with my little lad and whilst I've seen the goals, I've never seen the full game before. It is really the first time I'd ever watched a full game involving our heroes from the 70's and some things really struck me from that game; Stoke fans sung you'll never walk alone numerous times as if it was our own anthem. What was all that about? A crowd of 100,000 generated gate receipts of £123,000 according to the commentator. I never realised that the man lifting the cup was peter dobing and not Dennis Smith. Even my boy picked up on that. I've heard many on here talk about dennis Smith (my dad loved him) but on that cup final viewing surely Alan Bloor was even better. Just as hard but an even better defender and an infinitely superior footballer? He was everywhere. Gordon banks really is the greatest goalkeeper ever to have played the game. He showed his brilliance at every aspect of the game in that final. Great hands, great agility, commanding under the high ball, lightening quick off his line and superb distribution from hand and foot. I now know why Jimmy greenhoff was everyone's favourite player. Just how good was he? My boy noticed how good his touch was and when he got subbed at the end, he said "he's brilliant isn't he dad. He never lost the ball and didn't miscontrol it once". A guy I play golf with said he was "nesh". He looked to have played that game with his arm hanging off. What must this guy think of the modern day footballer if greenhoff was nesh? The Chelsea "trainer" was sat smoking on the bench :-) The tackling was superb from both sides and both sides just "got on with the game". When Harris left one on greenhoff, players from both sides were laughing and exchanging knowing winks. When he eventually got to his feet, even greenhoff nodded his approval of a particularly cynical challenge. Brilliant morning with my boy watching our superb team from the 70's. Alan Bloor captained the English Schoolboys side that contained Bobby Moore, but he played all his life at Stoke and was never rewarded with a testimonial (shameful). Dobing was a fantastic captain and Greenhoff nesh ?? Don't remember that and he used to get nailed all game. Smith was Stoke through and through. It was the same then as now Dave if you played for Stoke international appearances were unlikely, as has been said you'll never walk alone was from the musical Carousel and was sung by pretty much everyone, Liverpool claimed it due to the Gerry and the pacemakers thing. I find it amusing when I see players going down and rolling about like they do now, it was a more honest game then  although there was some divers , Franny Lee comes to mind (Man City, Derby) he was a master of the dark arts. |
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Post by davejohnno1 on Jun 28, 2015 19:56:07 GMT
Not sure if this a conspiracy theory or not, but my mate used to work near to the Vic. He tells me that just before the stand 'blew down' that there were workers on the roof. The conspiracy theory bit is that they cut through one of the wooden beams which caused the eventual collapse. After the collapsed, evidence of ongoing work was allegedly removed, so that an insurance claim could be made. Yeah, great story. And what would've happened had the stand collapsed during a game with thousands of people sitting in it? The stand was uninsured wasn't it, hence we had to break up the team to fund the rebuilding costs? |
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Post by Anto1962 on Jun 28, 2015 19:59:57 GMT
Yeah, great story. And what would've happened had the stand collapsed during a game with thousands of people sitting in it? The stand was uninsured wasn't it, hence we had to break up the team to fund the rebuilding costs? Greenhoff apparently cried when told he was to sold and used to turn up and watch games when Utd weren't playing, sitting in the players box to the left of the Boothen End. That stand had a lot to answer for. |
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Post by Deleted on Jun 28, 2015 20:00:53 GMT
Yeah, great story. And what would've happened had the stand collapsed during a game with thousands of people sitting in it? The stand was uninsured wasn't it, hence we had to break up the team to fund the rebuilding costs? As bonkers conspiracy theories go, this one's right up there. Let's make some money from an insurance claim on something we've not bothered to insure. Brilliant! |
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Post by davejohnno1 on Jun 28, 2015 20:02:18 GMT
The stand was uninsured wasn't it, hence we had to break up the team to fund the rebuilding costs? As bonkers conspiracy theories go, this one's right up there. Let's make some money from an insurance claim on something we've not bothered to insure. Brilliant! That's exactly what I thought :-) |
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Post by Deleted on Jun 28, 2015 20:04:05 GMT
The stand was uninsured wasn't it, hence we had to break up the team to fund the rebuilding costs? Greenhoff apparently cried when told he was to sold and used to turn up and watch games when Utd weren't playing, sitting in the players box to the left of the Boothen End. That stand had a lot to answer for. Didn't he refuse to play (or maybe asked not to be picked to play) against us in a match that could have deepened our relegation troubles. Seem to remember Frank Worthington being a fairly frequent visitor to the Boothen End box. |
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Post by Anto1962 on Jun 28, 2015 20:05:42 GMT
Greenhoff apparently cried when told he was to sold and used to turn up and watch games when Utd weren't playing, sitting in the players box to the left of the Boothen End. That stand had a lot to answer for. Didn't he refuse to play (or maybe asked not to be picked to play) against us in a match that could have deepened our relegation troubles. Think that might have been the 3-3 game at the Victoria ground not sure how true it was, but it was said at the time. |
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Post by Davef on Jun 28, 2015 20:06:00 GMT
No, the stand was insured, but the club and the insurers disagreed on the amount of damage caused. Stoke wanted £150,000, the insurers estimated the damage at £30,000 and they eventually settled on £80,000. The new roof cost around £250,000.
Stoke had run up big debts as well with the spending spree they went on and had to spend money on other ground improvements, notably the Stoke End terrace. Failing to qualify for Europe in 1975 was a big blow. I don't think we spent a penny on transfer fees from when we signed Shilton in November 74 until we were relegated in May 1977.
It certainly didn't help matters, but the team would have broken up even without the Butler Street damage.
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Post by sheikhmomo on Jun 28, 2015 20:08:08 GMT
I don't remember one man went to mow either, we did do some strange song " to his horse, he was saying goodbye to his horse", maybe your getting them mixed up roots. We used to sing one man went to mow in the '80's. 100% |
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Post by Deleted on Jun 28, 2015 20:21:13 GMT
No, the stand was insured, but the club and the insurers disagreed on the amount of damage caused. Stoke wanted £150,000, the insurers estimated the damage at £30,000 and they eventually settled on £80,000. The new roof cost around £250,000. Stoke had run up big debts as well with the spending spree they went on and had to spend money on other ground improvements, notably the Stoke End terrace. Failing to qualify for Europe in 1975 was a big blow. I don't think we spent a penny on transfer fees from when we signed Shilton in November 74 until we were relegated in May 1977. It certainly didn't help matters, but the team would have broken up even without the Butler Street damage. Wasn't there a rule change that prevented us from qualifying for Europe. For some strange reason, there'd been a rule in place that two teams from the same city couldn't be in the UEFA Cup. Everton finished in the qualifying position, but were disqualified because Liverpool were also there. We finished 5th, meaning we took their place, but then the rule change took place allowing Everton to play in the tournament. Or was this just a bad dream I had. |
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Post by Davef on Jun 28, 2015 20:27:57 GMT
No, the stand was insured, but the club and the insurers disagreed on the amount of damage caused. Stoke wanted £150,000, the insurers estimated the damage at £30,000 and they eventually settled on £80,000. The new roof cost around £250,000. Stoke had run up big debts as well with the spending spree they went on and had to spend money on other ground improvements, notably the Stoke End terrace. Failing to qualify for Europe in 1975 was a big blow. I don't think we spent a penny on transfer fees from when we signed Shilton in November 74 until we were relegated in May 1977. It certainly didn't help matters, but the team would have broken up even without the Butler Street damage. Wasn't there a rule change that prevented us from qualifying for Europe. For some strange reason, there'd been a rule in place that two teams from the same city couldn't be in the UEFA Cup. Everton finished in the qualifying position, but were disqualified because Liverpool were also there. We finished 5th, meaning we took their place, but then the rule change took place allowing Everton to play in the tournament. Or was this just a bad dream I had. That's correct. I think it was down to Everton complaining/appealing to UEFA. |
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Post by AlliG on Jun 28, 2015 20:44:09 GMT
I've just watched the league cup final with my little lad and whilst I've seen the goals, I've never seen the full game before. It is really the first time I'd ever watched a full game involving our heroes from the 70's and some things really struck me from that game; .... I now know why Jimmy greenhoff was everyone's favourite player. Just how good was he? My boy noticed how good his touch was and when he got subbed at the end, he said "he's brilliant isn't he dad. He never lost the ball and didn't miscontrol it once". A guy I play golf with said he was "nesh". He looked to have played that game with his arm hanging off. What must this guy think of the modern day footballer if greenhoff was nesh? .... All things are relative. Back then he probably was seen as the "Stephen Ireland" of the team. I know a couple of old footballers from the late 40s/early 50s who definitely thought he was a bit soft, that a good early scything challenge from behind would be enough to leave him looking nervously behind him for the rest of the game and that he wouldn't have lasted 5 minutes in their time! Looking back from now to a time when most clubs had at least one player whose job was to nobble the opposition's most skilful player, I can't blame him if occasionally he was a bit "careful" about where he put his feet. However, I think playing 274 games for us (and 600 games over a 20 year career) proves that he was actually pretty tough and durable considering that he would have been kicked, hacked and raked from behind far more times than any modern day footballer. |
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Post by greenbaize on Jun 29, 2015 1:47:29 GMT
No, the stand was insured, but the club and the insurers disagreed on the amount of damage caused. Stoke wanted £150,000, the insurers estimated the damage at £30,000 and they eventually settled on £80,000. The new roof cost around £250,000. Stoke had run up big debts as well with the spending spree they went on and had to spend money on other ground improvements, notably the Stoke End terrace. Failing to qualify for Europe in 1975 was a big blow. I don't think we spent a penny on transfer fees from when we signed Shilton in November 74 until we were relegated in May 1977. It certainly didn't help matters, but the team would have broken up even without the Butler Street damage. Wasn't there a rule change that prevented us from qualifying for Europe. For some strange reason, there'd been a rule in place that two teams from the same city couldn't be in the UEFA Cup. Everton finished in the qualifying position, but were disqualified because Liverpool were also there. We finished 5th, meaning we took their place, but then the rule change took place allowing Everton to play in the tournament. Or was this just a bad dream I had. Yes it was a stupid rule but it was in place at the time, the likes of Everton didn't complain to get it changed at the start of the season but when it cost them at the end of the season they appealed to have the rule changed and won and little Stoke got shafted as usual. Like I said it was a daft rule but it should have been changed at the beginning of the competition not the end, Liverpoo also got the rules changed when they won champions league a few years ago but didn't qualify for the next seasons competition though their league placing so could not defend their crown, again any right minded thinking person would say they should have the right to defend their trophy but rules should be changed at the outset not at the end but their power changed it. |
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although there was some divers , Franny Lee comes to mind (Man City, Derby) he was a master of the dark arts. 
