Freddie Goodwin.
Well-known member
Feeling bored and looking forward to next season so, how about a MM close season? Mine is the long hot summer of 1976.
The 75/76 season had seen us go close to promotion but blow it, as we so often did, with bad away form and a poor Easter. Peter Taylor Mk1 was in charge and he was probably the best manager for spotting talent. He had built a good team which had been enhanced by the introduction of the young Peter Ward but even his 6 goals in the last eight games of the season were not enough.
Taylor carried on his team building with the close season signings of experinced defenders Graham Cross & Chris Cattlin. Despite dissapointment, we looked strong enough to get it right next time out....
As for me, after a couple of years commuting to the Dark Place (East Croydon), I followed the lead of a couple of mates who, after moaning about the job everyday, actually decided to leave.
being on the railways, i took advantage of my last 2 free tickets. I went as far north as i could, and played football on the beach at Thurso in Sctotland. Also in that trip, i discovered that the pubs in Edinburgh closed as soon as my train pulled in, spent a night sightseeing in Inverness before the 1st train out and couldn't find a breakfast in Aberdeen that didn't have haggis on the menu! My last night in Edinburgh was quite good though.
The following week I headed for Ostend. Sleeping on the beach or in bars until thrown out for being asleep. One evening some brit girls let me stay at there's and we watched as the ferry came in bringing the boyfriend oh one home, taht would be my cue to go. going Continental was also my 1st experince of seeing some old dear shaking her pot at me in a public toilet and, indeed, mixed toilets in the bars, quite off-putting.
back in good old Blighty and the sun shone everyday, not much incentive to find a job. It was the hottest, driest, summer. A summer of Kikki Dee, Elton john, droughts & ladybirds.. My daily timetable was getting up late, lunchtime at The vanguard (now Pasha) with a qtr bottle or 2 of Blackthorn (60p per bottle) then an afternoon on the beach by the pier.
The evening would be the Bo'sun, Vanguard then my summer home of Sherry's where i had many a happy night. Often that would lead to another trip to the beach before heading home, sometimes even the West Street Wimpy Run! My 21st was on a Saturday and a fellow bo'sum boy also had his 21st and finished up getting arrested on the beach.
......Back to the Albion and a shock when peter taylor decided to leave and team up again with Clough at Forest Albion moved quickly to appoint the young, untried, Alan Mullery as manager i was never a mullery fan before by his motivation, along with taylor's players, well, the rest is history.
The close season finished with the Bo'sun bus trip to Southend (but that's another story). Albion fought out a tough draw and the season was up & running.
The 75/76 season had seen us go close to promotion but blow it, as we so often did, with bad away form and a poor Easter. Peter Taylor Mk1 was in charge and he was probably the best manager for spotting talent. He had built a good team which had been enhanced by the introduction of the young Peter Ward but even his 6 goals in the last eight games of the season were not enough.
Taylor carried on his team building with the close season signings of experinced defenders Graham Cross & Chris Cattlin. Despite dissapointment, we looked strong enough to get it right next time out....
As for me, after a couple of years commuting to the Dark Place (East Croydon), I followed the lead of a couple of mates who, after moaning about the job everyday, actually decided to leave.
being on the railways, i took advantage of my last 2 free tickets. I went as far north as i could, and played football on the beach at Thurso in Sctotland. Also in that trip, i discovered that the pubs in Edinburgh closed as soon as my train pulled in, spent a night sightseeing in Inverness before the 1st train out and couldn't find a breakfast in Aberdeen that didn't have haggis on the menu! My last night in Edinburgh was quite good though.
The following week I headed for Ostend. Sleeping on the beach or in bars until thrown out for being asleep. One evening some brit girls let me stay at there's and we watched as the ferry came in bringing the boyfriend oh one home, taht would be my cue to go. going Continental was also my 1st experince of seeing some old dear shaking her pot at me in a public toilet and, indeed, mixed toilets in the bars, quite off-putting.
back in good old Blighty and the sun shone everyday, not much incentive to find a job. It was the hottest, driest, summer. A summer of Kikki Dee, Elton john, droughts & ladybirds.. My daily timetable was getting up late, lunchtime at The vanguard (now Pasha) with a qtr bottle or 2 of Blackthorn (60p per bottle) then an afternoon on the beach by the pier.
The evening would be the Bo'sun, Vanguard then my summer home of Sherry's where i had many a happy night. Often that would lead to another trip to the beach before heading home, sometimes even the West Street Wimpy Run! My 21st was on a Saturday and a fellow bo'sum boy also had his 21st and finished up getting arrested on the beach.
......Back to the Albion and a shock when peter taylor decided to leave and team up again with Clough at Forest Albion moved quickly to appoint the young, untried, Alan Mullery as manager i was never a mullery fan before by his motivation, along with taylor's players, well, the rest is history.
The close season finished with the Bo'sun bus trip to Southend (but that's another story). Albion fought out a tough draw and the season was up & running.
