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Post by Davef on Jun 22, 2018 10:40:26 GMT
We did an article about the Mansfield match in the first Oatcake of last season... Field of Nightmares Mansfield Town v Stoke City, 20th August 1977
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With George Eastham in charge, Stoke were still able to call on players like Denis Smith, Terry Conroy, Alan Dodd and Garth Crooks, but money was sparse and only midfielders Howard Kendall, Paul Richardson and forward Dave Gregory were added to the squad, using the cash accrued from the sales of John Mahoney and Geoff Salmons...
There's a bit of an error in that report in that Geoff Salmons hadn't yet been sold at the time of that Mansfield game, and in fact played in it. He had a particularly poor game as I remember, and it wasn't a surprise that he left the club soon after. Even though we were downcast after the events of the previous season, it was still a shock to see the team outplayed by Mansfield on the day. There will be plenty of "smaller" clubs this season who will be looking to give us the same treatment, of course. Thanks Cookie... you're correct, Salmons did play in that game and it was his last game for Stoke.
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Post by SamB_SCFC on Jun 22, 2018 11:46:40 GMT
We started with George Eastham as manager who had assembled a group of players who were either pre or post fuck ups, the only bright thing was that Punk had arrived. Eastham went after the Blythe Spartans game then we had the arrival of this bright young manager Durban, I think his first purchase was this giant forward from Doncaster. I can remember a turning point in our history as our new giant was sent out to warm up for some reason the Boothen stirred into life chanting for our new heroes introduction, then on he came for a corner at the open end ,in it came our giant rose and bang the ball was in the net game won and Big Bren had announced himself to a hope starved public. From then on we were on a roll right up to the day that Durban left for Sunderland . They were dark bleak days but i have always thought that we were closer as a group, maybe because we all had similar backgrounds and occupations? Was living next door but one to George Eastham when he was Stoke manager. As a 15 year old it was great as he used to give me complimentary tickets. I remember my Dad telling me not to go around to visit when he got sacked . He had a daughter called Suzanne (if I remember rightly) who made quite an impression on me as a 15 year old. She was fit with massive tits ;-) Dave Most importantly, what happened to Suzanne?
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Post by robinplumpton on Jun 22, 2018 15:29:06 GMT
Apologies if Iam wrong here, my memory is not what it was, but I seem to recall going to Ipswich after that Mansfield fixture. We were played off the park by I pswich, kept in the game by Shilton and snatched a winner through the legend that was Dave Goodwin. We deserved nothing, got a win and then Shilton buggered off. At the tender age of 12 I think I remember watching a team containing Alan Suddick and John Tudor and thinking oh dear or similar words and I think I was right That was the year before. Ipswich was our only away win of the relegation season. Thanks mate, you confirm my memory troubles , whenever it was I remember we were shit
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Post by stokefanone on Jun 22, 2018 17:02:01 GMT
At the time I felt we should have a good chance of coming up straight away. The 2-1 defeat at Mansfield was a surprise, though it was obvious some of the players were on the verge of jumping ship, Shilton, Salmons and not sure if Mahoney had gone or not. We had already lost Greenhoff, Hudson, Pejic, Hazlegrave and Robertson, I think? There was not the urgency that we have now, I suppose that is sign of the times (money loss etc).
I think that the Rowett signing is reminiscent to Durban joining, so hopefully the rebuilding can be done this season. Will be interesting season, hopefully exciting.
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Post by hamsta2 on Jun 22, 2018 17:15:45 GMT
At its lowest when we lost to Blyth Spartans. We had so me dross in the team - Gregory got pelters but I always thought ( in my callow youth) that he was ok. Lindsay was dreadful. Jones was either brilliant or an accident waiting to happen (Spartans) and couldn’t take a goal kick. After Durban arrived it did get better and as someone else said earlier, we gained momentum. Didn’t miss a home game that season or the next and went away several times, memorably to Wrexham and Notts County. God I feel old.
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Post by Glory Hunter on Jun 22, 2018 18:16:34 GMT
hmm am I right in thinking the transfer window closes after we have played our first game? Could be a Butland/Shilton parallel? I doubt it tbh. Shilton was desperate for a move and probably regretted coming to Stoke when we didn't win the league in 74-75. Butland strikes me as a much more honest less selfish kind of person than Shilton
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Post by Glory Hunter on Jun 22, 2018 18:18:23 GMT
I doubt it tbh. Shilton was desperate for a move and probably regretted coming to Stoke when we didn't win the league in 74-75. Butland strikes me as a much more honest less selfish kind of person than Shilton And he was one of the reasons why we didnt win the league in74-75.
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Post by Glory Hunter on Jun 22, 2018 18:19:16 GMT
I doubt it tbh. Shilton was desperate for a move and probably regretted coming to Stoke when we didn't win the league in 74-75. Butland strikes me as a much more honest less selfish kind of person than Shilton And he was one of the reasons why we didnt win the league in74-75.
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Post by johnnypotter on Jun 23, 2018 16:22:12 GMT
After starting to watch the Potters in 71 as a 9 year old my opinion of my club for the next 6 years was that we were magnificent. The Butler street stand in 76 and the subsequent departure of many of my Stoke City hero's culminating in relegation in 77 was tough to take as a youngster. However, by now I was attending all away games and off we trudged to Mansfield Town with youthful enthusiasm that Stoke City would begin the fight back to division 1. The events at Field Mill proved that the fans were still up for the fight as they always appeared to be in my youth. Sadly, the team, with several better players gone and replaced with cheaper inferior ones [Paul Richardson excepted for obvious reasons] were not. The club stalwarts of my youth who were still with us were approaching the latter part of their careers, so no fault laid at their feet. The 2-1 defeat to Mansfield showed that our team was in for a very tough time, which proved to be the case.
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Post by JoeinOz on Jun 24, 2018 5:41:20 GMT
The day before the Mansfield game Groucho Marx died. Two days before that Elvis died. That's Elvis Presley as well, not some other casual Elvis.
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Post by senojbor on Jun 24, 2018 10:45:12 GMT
Like many of today's generation of supporters I began to watch us in the 'top' league and relegation was a big shock to the system. After doing so well in previous years it was hard to take. On the bright side we are far better equipped to cope with relegation this time and I'm optimistic that we'll get promotion next season.
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