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Post by stennyman on Jan 13, 2011 16:06:44 GMT
I started watching Stoke in 1977 as a young lad,at that age you enjoy the games in a different way as you don't concern yourself about tactics,players out of position and so on.Just the joy of watching the team you support,the noise of the crowd,watching your favourite Stoke player(mine was Garth Crooks) and generally just enjoying being there.During this period Alan Durban was the manager,i was only 10 when he left for Sunderland.But apart from gaining us promotion what were Stokies opinions of him at the time? I was lucky enough to be at Meadow Lane,a day i will never forget.I went to a lot of away games and most home games with relatives during his tenure but was maybe to young to make a fair assesment of the job he did. My favourite apart from Meadow Lane was Coventry away in 1979,we won 3-1, it was my Stoke away on a train.Loved the day. But what was the opinion of him at the time,his style of play,signings and general managerial spell at Stoke City.
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Post by march4 on Jan 13, 2011 16:40:32 GMT
He was a good solid manager who would have kept us in the top division for many years had he not left for Sunderland.
In many ways he was a little like TP in that he had a strict team formation that relied on defence. He had some flair players but tended not to trust them. Perhaps the biggest victim was Garth Crooks who was in and out of the team.
Attacking depended on lumping the ball up to Big Bren who split support for and against him.
I enjoyed watching Durban's team and as now, we didn't really get the recognition we deserved.
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Post by GrandStokie on Jan 13, 2011 16:51:09 GMT
I used to watch Stoke back then but I was a youngster. I remember "him" more than the results or our style of play. Always distinctive looking and the crowd always seemed to like him. I remember he used to get a good reception when ever he came back to the Vic.
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Post by mark71 on Jan 13, 2011 16:54:44 GMT
Stennyman,
Your post could almost describe the start of my Stoke city supporting life.
It will be intresting to read the replies to this thread, Which has just made me think. The Durban years are never talked about. Why?
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Post by Deleted on Jan 13, 2011 17:11:58 GMT
"If you want entertainment bring on the clowns"
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Post by rawli on Jan 13, 2011 17:18:49 GMT
I can't remember him getting a good reception when he came back as Sunderland manager. Defintely remember 'Alan Durban, you're a wanker, you're a wanker' being sung a lot.
Didn't he also recommend Richie Barker for the job who, for a glorious while, had us playing that tip tap shite until, thank god, he reverted to long ball.
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Post by nonington on Jan 13, 2011 17:30:47 GMT
Most of my formative years were in the Durban era.
As much as it pains me to agree with March-he did send his teams out to stiffle the opposition and then see what we could get out of the game. When we got promoted in 78/79 we had the 2nd best record away from home but only about equal 4th best at home.If 3 points had been given for a win,Brighton would have been Champions (2nd in the end),Sunderland 2nd (4th) and ourselves and Palace(1st) level on points but with the same goal difference!! Would goals scored have counted then?
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Post by stokelad84 on Jan 13, 2011 17:32:04 GMT
Suprised wfw hasn't replied, he loved the 70s
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Post by NG4POTTERS on Jan 13, 2011 17:47:49 GMT
I started watching Stoke in 1977 as a young lad,at that age you enjoy the games in a different way as you don't concern yourself about tactics,players out of position and so on.Just the joy of watching the team you support,the noise of the crowd,watching your favourite Stoke player(mine was Garth Crooks) and generally just enjoying being there.During this period Alan Durban was the manager,i was only 10 when he left for Sunderland.But apart from gaining us promotion what were Stokies opinions of him at the time? I was lucky enough to be at Meadow Lane,a day i will never forget.I went to a lot of away games and most home games with relatives during his tenure but was maybe to young to make a fair assesment of the job he did. My favourite apart from Meadow Lane was Coventry away in 1979,we won 3-1, it was my Stoke away on a train.Loved the day. But what was the opinion of him at the time,his style of play,signings and general managerial spell at Stoke City. Great post mate, started going during the durban years but remember next to nothing about it. Some decent players, the likes of big bren, crooks, bracewell etc. I still don't concern myself with tactics etc, bores the crap out of me to be honest, i leave all that to the football managers on here and the tacticians in the boothen end ;D
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Post by Ddraigcoch on Jan 13, 2011 17:48:34 GMT
Same here Stenny the late 70's were the start of a 'glorious' association and support for STOKE CITY FC.
Happy days then and just as happy now.
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Post by larrypotter on Jan 13, 2011 17:50:38 GMT
Durban's love of Sammy Irvine was one thing I remember. Irvine used to get slated by the fans quite often and Durban said if it continued he'd make him Captain - which I think he did.
The promotion season was legendary though. Whenever we want away, I always expected us not to lose - we were that solid with Doyle at the back. Cambridge away first match of the season - they'd never seen a crowd before. Sunderland away with a last minute winner thanks to TC I think. Beating Northampton in the League Cup at their cricket ground. Cardiff away 3-1 and then that last day at Notts County.
Durban had his favourites. I can remember him running down the tunnel at the Vic bollocking Paul Johnson in a reserve match for not stopping on the left wing, and Crookesy got a bit of raw deal from him.
Good times though but I was gutted when he went to Blunderland as we hated them, especially that season after they allegedly got stuck in the snow in Buxton and we had to postpone a home match when we were playing well and I think they had got a few players out.
Happy days!
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Post by Deleted on Jan 13, 2011 17:58:27 GMT
The games that stick out for me in the Durban years are obviously the Notts County game but others like the 1st 2 home games against Coventry and Tottenham which proved to me we could compete,then for reasons of living in Derby the 3-2 home win over them when were 2 up only for Gordon Hill to score twice after a Jones cock up but Crooks got the winner late on i think.Also the return game at the Baseball Ground when we drew 2-2 and i think Jeff Cook scored both and the amount of trouble at that game was increible.Then West Brom away last day of the season i think and my 1st away game without the old man happy days.
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Post by Davef on Jan 13, 2011 18:13:59 GMT
He was a good solid manager who would have kept us in the top division for many years had he not left for Sunderland. In many ways he was a little like TP in that he had a strict team formation that relied on defence. He had some flair players but tended not to trust them. Perhaps the biggest victim was Garth Crooks who was in and out of the team. Attacking depended on lumping the ball up to Big Bren who split support for and against him. I enjoyed watching Durban's team and as now, we didn't really get the recognition we deserved. Garth Crooks was a virtual ever present during his time at Stoke while Durban was the manager. Durban's team was much more than one that simply relied on lumping it to O'Callaghan. This was an era in which the target man was prominent in most teams, but Stoke had plenty of decent footballers in the likes of Kendall, Irvine, Dodd, Doyle, Richardson and of course Crooks. To say that Durban didn't trust these players in nonsense. No one knows how Durban's time at Stoke would've ended had he not left for Sunderland (and he hardly pulled up any trees there), though there's little doubt that he'd have been hampered eventually by the crippling debts the club had.
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Post by nonington on Jan 13, 2011 18:16:17 GMT
He was a good solid manager who would have kept us in the top division for many years had he not left for Sunderland. In many ways he was a little like TP in that he had a strict team formation that relied on defence. He had some flair players but tended not to trust them. Perhaps the biggest victim was Garth Crooks who was in and out of the team. Attacking depended on lumping the ball up to Big Bren who split support for and against him. I enjoyed watching Durban's team and as now, we didn't really get the recognition we deserved. Garth Crooks was a virtual ever present during his time at Stoke while Durban was the manager. Durban's team was much more than one that simply relied on lumping it to O'Callaghan. This was an era in which the target man was prominent in most teams, but Stoke had plenty of decent footballers in the likes of Kendall, Irvine, Dodd, Doyle, Richardson and of course Crooks. To say that Durban didn't trust these players in nonsense. No one knows how Durban's time at Stoke would've ended had he not left for Sunderland (and he hardly pulled up any trees there), though there's little doubt that he'd have been hampered eventually by the crippling debts the club had. The problem for Crooks though Dave is that Durban started to play him out on the wing,a position he didn't enjoy-thus him asking to leave.
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Post by Davef on Jan 13, 2011 18:17:46 GMT
He wasn't in and out of the team though was he?
And I think him asking to leave had more to do with the money Tottenham offered him and moving to the bright lights of London.
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Post by robwahlmann on Jan 13, 2011 18:20:16 GMT
His first period at Stoke was a fantastic time I remember! ;D
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Post by nonington on Jan 13, 2011 18:20:42 GMT
He wasn't in and out of the team though was he? And I think him asking to leave had more to do with the money Tottenham offered him and moving to the bright lights of London. You'll have to ask March about him being in and out of the team Dave. And after lately reading 'Game of my life' or whatever it's called most of them state the reason he wanted to leave was because of where he was being asked to play!
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Post by march4 on Jan 13, 2011 18:23:55 GMT
He was a good solid manager who would have kept us in the top division for many years had he not left for Sunderland. In many ways he was a little like TP in that he had a strict team formation that relied on defence. He had some flair players but tended not to trust them. Perhaps the biggest victim was Garth Crooks who was in and out of the team. Attacking depended on lumping the ball up to Big Bren who split support for and against him. I enjoyed watching Durban's team and as now, we didn't really get the recognition we deserved. Garth Crooks was a virtual ever present during his time at Stoke while Durban was the manager. Durban's team was much more than one that simply relied on lumping it to O'Callaghan. This was an era in which the target man was prominent in most teams, but Stoke had plenty of decent footballers in the likes of Kendall, Irvine, Dodd, Doyle, Richardson and of course Crooks. To say that Durban didn't trust these players in nonsense. No one knows how Durban's time at Stoke would've ended had he not left for Sunderland (and he hardly pulled up any trees there), though there's little doubt that he'd have been hampered eventually by the crippling debts the club had. Didn't Durban drop Crooks when he signed Randall?? Then he stuck Crooks on the left flank (I wonder where TP got the idea from). I always felt the flair players; Randall, Crooks, Busby, Ursem, etc never got a fair crack of the whip. He was also the manager who got rid of TC. Do you remember TC's farewell match for the Reserves the night before we beat Notts Co. TC scored 4 goals as a sign off. I always remember Richardson and Irvine as industrious players who were reviled by a majority of our support. Really sad what happened to Irvine just as he was blossoming. The 0-0 draw with Arsenal was a classic. MOTD only showed 2 main games and they couldn't find any highlights to show could they ;D ;D
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Post by lancashirelad on Jan 13, 2011 18:27:23 GMT
He arrived after the our decline from the Butler street stand roof disaster sell off. He arrested the slide and brought in Kendall and Doyle two experience pros and turned us round. As most say we never looked like losing games but also rarely won games 3 or 4-0. He was dour. I enjoyed the success but I never remember fans singing his praises or slanging him. I like many expected him to have a long reign but the Blunderland move turned fans against him.
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Post by nonington on Jan 13, 2011 18:31:38 GMT
He arrived after the our decline from the Butler street stand roof disaster sell off. He arrested the slide and brought in Kendall and Doyle two experience pros and turned us round. As most say we never looked like losing games but also rarely won games 3 or 4-0. He was dour. I enjoyed the success but I never remember fans singing his praises or slanging him. I like many expected him to have a long reign but the Blunderland move turned fans against him. Eastham bought in Kendall,but Doyle was one of his more astute signings.
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Post by march4 on Jan 13, 2011 18:38:03 GMT
He arrived after the our decline from the Butler street stand roof disaster sell off. He arrested the slide and brought in Kendall and Doyle two experience pros and turned us round. As most say we never looked like losing games but also rarely won games 3 or 4-0. He was dour. I enjoyed the success but I never remember fans singing his praises or slanging him. I like many expected him to have a long reign but the Blunderland move turned fans against him. Eastham bought in Kendall,but Doyle was one of his more estute signings. Eastham brought in Lyndsey as well. He was also the man who brought Des Backos to English football ;D
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Post by Caerwrangonpotter on Jan 13, 2011 18:38:24 GMT
I would be another Child of The Durban Era. First ever autographs i got, on a programme that was longer in length than height (and also had a kiln on the front i remember.....)
Denis Smith (and still my hero to this day) Loek Ursum (and i wondered where Holland was!)
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Post by Deleted on Jan 13, 2011 18:40:33 GMT
Eastham bought in Kendall,but Doyle was one of his more estute signings. Eastham brought in Lyndsey as well. He was also the man who brought Des Backos to English football ;D Do you mean Lindsay march? ;D
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Post by nonington on Jan 13, 2011 18:43:02 GMT
Eastham bought in Kendall,but Doyle was one of his more estute signings. Eastham brought in Lyndsey as well. He was also the man who brought Des Backos to English football ;D He also gave us Viv Busby,Jim McGroarty and Geoff Scott!! And Blyth Spartans-his last game in charge!!
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Post by march4 on Jan 13, 2011 18:44:18 GMT
Eastham brought in Lyndsey as well. He was also the man who brought Des Backos to English football ;D Do you mean Lindsay march? ;D Him as well ;D Lyndsey was the girl he brought in to highlight Viv Busby's hair
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Post by Deleted on Jan 13, 2011 18:47:08 GMT
Do you mean Lindsay march? ;D Him as well ;D Lyndsey was the girl he brought in to highlight Viv Busby's hair Good answer mate
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Post by rikileaks on Jan 13, 2011 18:51:58 GMT
He was a good solid manager who would have kept us in the top division for many years had he not left for Sunderland. In many ways he was a little like TP in that he had a strict team formation that relied on defence. He had some flair players but tended not to trust them. Perhaps the biggest victim was Garth Crooks who was in and out of the team. Attacking depended on lumping the ball up to Big Bren who split support for and against him. I enjoyed watching Durban's team and as now, we didn't really get the recognition we deserved. Garth Crooks was a virtual ever present during his time at Stoke while Durban was the manager. Durban's team was much more than one that simply relied on lumping it to O'Callaghan. This was an era in which the target man was prominent in most teams, but Stoke had plenty of decent footballers in the likes of Kendall, Irvine, Dodd, Doyle, Richardson and of course Crooks. To say that Durban didn't trust these players in nonsense. No one knows how Durban's time at Stoke would've ended had he not left for Sunderland (and he hardly pulled up any trees there), though there's little doubt that he'd have been hampered eventually by the crippling debts the club had. Good shout, saved me from writing similar. Never did quite understand why he was never really talken to by some supporters.
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Post by RichieBarkerOut! on Jan 13, 2011 18:52:51 GMT
He was a damn site better than the guy who replaced him....
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Post by Ddraigcoch on Jan 13, 2011 18:53:23 GMT
Paul 'Tubby' Johnson.
As wide as he was high.
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Post by werrington on Jan 13, 2011 18:55:06 GMT
Howard Kendall.....nuff said
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