billc
Youth Player
Posts: 489
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Post by billc on Oct 25, 2015 18:31:11 GMT
Has there ever been a doughtier play so resolutely committed to Stoke City’s cause than Dennis Smith? I am sure other players have matched that dedication, but few have exceeded it. The doggedness was certainly needed on the 20th May 1982 when either Stoke or Leeds faced relegation from the First Division. A Sentinel editorial the day before that pivotal clash between Stoke and West Bromwich put it starkly.
“Tonight will decide the First Division fate of two clubs Leeds United or Stoke City A draw will be sufficient from their encounter with WBA for Stoke to survive another season in the top flight”.
Whatever the outcome of the match it is certain that Dennis Smith would have been at the heart of the defence in the forthcoming game, battling as usual. Smith was central to Stoke’s success in the 70s and that back four all of North Staffordshire birth were a vital ingredient in that achievement His toughness was legendary and I'm inclined to compare Smith’s seeming indifference to injury with the Black Knight in the Monty Python’s Holy Grail hack arms and legs of him and the Black Knight would still want to head butt you in the knee caps or bite you in the leg. Similarly with Smith I recall him in the heart of the action a few years earlier in a FA Cup replay against Huddersfield in 1971 at Old Trafford when the Stoke penalty area looked like a casualty clearing station on the Somme. Although injured he played on sustained with pain killers. But I am sure that even sans limbs the Smith torso would have rolling on the line keeping the Terriers at bay.
The result was a Stoke 3-0 victory and the crowds greeted the narrow escape ecstatically in scenes that suggested that they had won the League rather than narrowly holding on. The supporters got behind the team willing them on in circumstances when vocal support was needed.
Smith, as expected, did his bit in keeping the Baggies at bay. He made a number of important interventions. Early tensions were dispelled when Watson forced the ball home after O’Callaghan had flicked on a Maguire cross.
(After watching how badly so many Stoke players were botching crosses yesterday against Watford perhaps after the distance of over 30 years it is time to acknowledge the skill of the much maligned “Glassback” Maguire and how successful the tactic of the accurate cross delivered to the near post was in delivering goals for Stoke)
In the 38th minute another excellent cross from Bracewell saw Lee Chapman head home his 17th goal of the season. Stoke kept up the pressure and in the second half a cross by the former Bideford Town player Griffiths was headed home by O’Callaghan.
Richie Barker the relieved Stoke manager said “I feel we have got rid of the boring tag and 3 members of the squad will be playing in the World Cup this summer. What a time for our first double of the season”.
The headlines in the Sentinel read”Stoke’s Soccer Dunkirk brings joy”, the military metaphor was under the circumstances topical as it was the time of the Falklands War. And for the “Back to the Future” enthusiast it was the week that De Lorean went into bankruptcy.
Smith was carried off the field on the shoulders of jubilant Stokies who had clambered on to the pitch. Smith pledged to return one day as Stoke manager.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 25, 2015 18:39:09 GMT
HERO! Was at that game. Smithy was immense!
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Post by march4 on Oct 25, 2015 18:45:27 GMT
THAT tackle by Smithy in front of the Boothen End is one of my greatest ever memories as a Stoke supporter.
And the way Denis stood up with a huge grin on his face showed just how much he loved it as well.
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Post by nottinghamstokie on Oct 25, 2015 18:48:23 GMT
I was there too, it was wonderful ( once the nerves settled )
Cue Biscuit coming on now to claim he was there too and we were clueless and fortunate to even get a draw let alone win
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Post by sheikhmomo on Oct 25, 2015 18:50:59 GMT
I was there. Recall little of it. Do remember there was loads of rumours of Leeds fans coming down to support The Baggies in the run up which proved to be nonsense.
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Post by stokebloke on Oct 25, 2015 18:53:06 GMT
This was 2nd game I attended, never saw a thing from the boothen but will never forget the atmosphere.
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Post by nottinghamstokie on Oct 25, 2015 18:55:36 GMT
I was there with my best mate, who is, by coincidence, a Baggies fan. At one point the ref gave a free kick for us and he shouted "rubbish, ref" In those great days of standing terraces he suddenly had a large number of people look round at him threateningly. I had to quickly indicate my Stoke scarf and say "he's with me, it's OK" :-)
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Post by Deleted on Oct 25, 2015 18:58:06 GMT
There was only ever going to be one result at this match. Leeds had played West Brom the week before and West Brom had beaten them to guarantee their own top flight safety. The Leeds fans very helpfully decided to go on one of their riots on the pitch and around Birmingham afterwards. West Brom fans were openly stating that they hoped we'd beat them just to send Leeds down, and watching the game, the West Brom players didn't do anything to suggest they felt any differently. It was as relaxed as you could ever get at a relegation deciding match. We won and it relegated Leeds.
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Post by trickydicky73 on Oct 25, 2015 19:38:32 GMT
I was there. Recall little of it. Do remember there was loads of rumours of Leeds fans coming down to support The Baggies in the run up which proved to be nonsense. I'm sure I was in The Boothen End, but I am buggered if I remember anything but the scoreline! We could do with Smith and Bracewell now (no disrespect to our current players).
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Post by Northy on Oct 25, 2015 19:43:44 GMT
I wasn't there, but somewhere in the Atlantic ocean at the time
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Post by Deleted on Oct 25, 2015 20:41:29 GMT
I hadn't been born yet. I can remember it being dark, warm and gooey.
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Post by JoeinOz on Oct 25, 2015 22:32:51 GMT
Leeds manager Allan Clarke was there. He left at halftime
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Post by freddowling on Oct 26, 2015 11:18:44 GMT
There was only ever going to be one result at this match. Leeds had played West Brom the week before and West Brom had beaten them to guarantee their own top flight safety. The Leeds fans very helpfully decided to go on one of their riots on the pitch and around Birmingham afterwards. West Brom fans were openly stating that they hoped we'd beat them just to send Leeds down, and watching the game, the West Brom players didn't do anything to suggest they felt any differently. It was as relaxed as you could ever get at a relegation deciding match. We won and it relegated Leeds.
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Post by freddowling on Oct 26, 2015 11:27:56 GMT
As train pulled into station there were police dog handlers on the tracks so obviously expecting leeds fans to turn up I would have been very surprised if West Brom would have tried to get a result considering what leeds fans had done Won't ever happen nowadays a game after final games of season Didn't we have that against Plymouth one year after every other teamembers had played final game Great night all round as I finally got to run onto the pitch
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Post by lawrieleslie on Oct 26, 2015 16:18:01 GMT
I wasn't there, but somewhere in the Atlantic ocean at the time South Atlantic in Defence Watches by any chance NS? Me too.
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Post by Mr_DaftBurger on Oct 26, 2015 16:26:48 GMT
I was there. Recall little of it. Do remember there was loads of rumours of Leeds fans coming down to support The Baggies in the run up which proved to be nonsense. There were about a dozen Leeds fans in the corner by the Stoke End they were serenaded by both sets of fans by the 'We all fucking hate Leeds' song. As Joe said the Leeds manager left at half time as it was obvious West brown weren't that bothered. Didn't he moan his arse off about it? Understandable really but ironic Leeds moaning about underhandedness (is that a word?). Will never forget Denis tackling Regis near the end by the Boothen Paddock. The crowd were quiet and I swear the 'hit' could be heard around the ground! Suddenly the crowd burst into life with rapturous applause. it was the end of an era in many ways.
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Post by wokinghampotter on Oct 26, 2015 18:10:34 GMT
It was hilarious watching Ian Clarke from the Boothen End wince as Stoke rattled in goals at the Stoke End.
I will never forget that night. Train up from Euston and I think we went home via Crewe to arrive back in Euston after 2am and then I cycled to South London!
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Post by Deleted on Oct 26, 2015 18:17:00 GMT
Some of Smithy's tackles were proper men's tackles. Like you say, you could hear that tackle all over the ground. Immense!
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Post by rawli on Oct 26, 2015 21:09:33 GMT
Denis got carried round by supporters at the end I think. My first ever night match and it wasn't dark!
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Post by staffsvilla on Oct 26, 2015 21:13:30 GMT
Got to admit that opening post's a great read but my greatest football memory came 6 days later
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Post by JoeinOz on Oct 26, 2015 21:51:29 GMT
Got to admit that opening post's a great read but my greatest football memory came 6 days later Were you in Rotterdam?
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Post by staffsvilla on Oct 26, 2015 22:19:30 GMT
Got to admit that opening post's a great read but my greatest football memory came 6 days later Were you in Rotterdam? Yes mate, also Dynamo Berlin away and Anderlecht, I really lived the dream good job it will never happen again in my lifetime !
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