fredmciverslovechild

Well, bugger me. I can't believe that address cos I lived in Broadhurst Gardens (number 36 I think it was but can't be certain) for about 18 months in the late 1970's. It was then Government digs as I was in the Civil Service and they put me up there. I then moved to a house share in Harrow through a work colleague who knew a guy in the London Owls and who was looking for a new house mate. It was just round the back of Finchley Road tube and we used to go to The North Star pub on the other side of Finchley Road. Some great memories of my time there.

I'm not sure that "betrayal" is the right word but interesting anyway.

Indeed we did, in the 1975/76 season. This was played in Oct 76 when we were in the Third and they were in the Second after being promoted.

As a bit of "light" relief...... I was at this game, with a workmate who followed Millwall so I was with their fans but I don't remember any of this. Anyone else remember?

And at the end of the day will a 15 point deduction make any difference? Of course it won't. We'll be relegated with or without the deduction and it won't solve the problem of us being late with wages payments virtually every month. So what is the point in it? The regulator may, hopefully, make a difference. But without some sort of external pressure from the EFL or someone Chansiri could probably go on like this forever.

Birmingham away - draw Coventry at home - match abandoned following pitch invasion and Coventry awarded the points by the EFL

The famous (or infamous, if you prefer) butcher's apron shirt. Am I right in thinking it was navy rather than royal blue? There is a video on YouTube somewhere of us wearing it at Arsenal and I'm sure the commentator, the immortal Kenneth Wolstenholme I seem to recall, found it rather odd. Then, I've seen a video of round about the same time of us playing at Spurs wearing our normal stripes but with plain white sleeves. I don't recall seeing any reason for us wearing these oddities; would love to know why we did.

A fair few players wanted to leave at that time; Vic Mobley, for instance, was prepared to drop down a division to get away. And we brought in some truly awful players as replacements. In hindsight you have to feel sorry for Tommo....an 18 year old with potentially the world at his feet and Danny Williams as manager. His career never had a chance.

My Dad started watching Wednesday in the mid-30's; I started in 1962 and my uncle joined us a year or two later. I didn't understand all the goings on at the club at the time and of course there was no social media but Dad always said Catterick was far and away our best manager. But there was always a fear his ambition would be too much and so it proved. He'd spent many years at Everton as a player, albeit mostly in the reserves, and the pools money of the Moores family meant when they sacked their manager at the back end of 1960/61 his departure was inevitable. The comment about Joe Baker is right; Catterick always said that if he'd come to us we would have won the league that year but the Board said no. The supreme irony in all this is that twice in the following years we broke the British transfer record for a teenager. But in 1969, when we bought Tommy Craig, the ship had well and truly sailed. Dad thought Vic Buckingham was an odd choice as Catterick's replacement being totally his opposite. His pre-match team talk was apparently always along the lines of "well, how should we play it today" as he liked his players to express their own individuality. But his time co-incided with the Bribes Scandal and Eric Taylor, for one, blamed this to a large extent on the lax attitude Buckingham brought. Alan Brown was an obvious choice as replacement; a former coach at Hillsborough in the 1950's he had sorted Sunderland out after their own scandals. He was what you would call a "tough disciplinarian" but scrupulously honest in all his dealings. And he was well respected as a manager with many of his players, the likes of Don Megson, Ian Branfoot and Sam Ellis who all went into management, keeping in touch with him for advice for years afterwards. But he was very limited in his style and once the post-Cup Final vibe had worn off he seemed unable to reset the club again. After that, well, the rot well and truly set in. Dad always said the post-Catterick years were ones of missed opportunity. We had a solid side but missed that streak of individuality that top players bring. In short, we seemed happy where we were at a time when the playing field was so much more level than today. If Catterick had stayed and been given the support who knows but my guess is we'd be a far different club today.

My abiding memory of him in a Wednesday shirt is his clearance which hit Thomas Brolin on the head in the 6-2 win over Leeds and him claiming offside when it ended in the net.....

As an aside to this game City were in first team action on the same night away to Billericay Town in the Essex Thameside Trophy. Games played under the auspices of the FA, even at local level, take precedence over all other games and although City tried to get the ETT game postponed they couldn't. So they had to play to avoid a fine.....and lost 9-1. But then, a year earlier they'd played Billericay in another local cup game and played their first eleven.....and won 10-3!

I thought he lived in Germany?

Oh well. Nice while it lasted.

Farnborough at home tonight. Any excuse to bring out this nonsense.....

A 2-1 home win for Chelmsford City yesterday to take us into the top six. Looked as though it was going to be far more comfortable; two up after ten minutes and a third rightly ruled out for offside though it was marginal. Not for the first time the turnaround at half time changed the match with the strong, swirling wind making play difficult. The Gulag is totally open so the elements can have a big effect on a game. Chesham pulled one back midway through, then a City player sent off for the second successive home game. Backs to the wall stuff. But held on. Another home game tomorrow night!

I'm a Loser - The Beatles

Taxman - The Beatles

He rejected a new contract at Colchester after they wanted him to take a big pay cut and signed for Chelmo, two divisions lower. Must still be on a fair whack, for the league, so hope he can deliver.

Ings, Redmond and Mee. F***ing hell, they really are desperate.

Went to Chelmsford City v Chippenham Town in the National South on Saturday. A hard fought 2-1 win for City gained by two very late goals after it looked as though the visitors would steal the points. Winner was deep into added time with the scorer being sent off for taking his shirt off having being yellow carded earlier. Honestly, why do players do this when they know what the penalty is? A goalless draw at Maidstone United yesterday so City have conceded only two goals in their opening five league games. Trouble is they have scored only three themselves. Their play is very impressive; in the two games I've seen they have had far more of the possession and it was apparently the same in two of the three away games played. But having the ball means nothing without an end product and the lack of goals is a concern. But Lyle Taylor (weren't Wednesday linked with him a few years back?) is still to make his debut so hopefully he has some goals in him. At least the bubble hasn't burst yet.....

Whatever they're paying him.....he's gonna earn it.

I used to be goalie in our school team. Best we ever had..... Mind you that was 55 years ago and I'd need to get some boots....

Just as a matter of interest I've checked City's National South play offs record. My God..... 2008/09 - Lost to Hampton & Richmond - 1-3 (H) 0-0 (A) 2009/10 - Lost to Bath City - 0-2 (A) 0-1 (H) 2012/13 - Lost to Salisbury City - 1-0 (H) 0-2 (A). Conceded a last minute goal in the second leg 2016/17 - Beat Dartford - 0-0 (H) 2-1 (A). Lost to Ebbsfleet United - 1-2 (A). City went a goal up in the final just after half time and then Ebbsfleet had a player sent off. Somehow City threw it away.... 2017/18 - Lost to Hampton & Richmond - 0-1 (H) 2018/19 - Lost to Welling United - 2-3 (A) 2022/23 - Lost to St Albans City - 0-1 (H) 2023/24 - Lost to Braindead Town - 2-3 (H). So they've won two of 13 play off games. Worse record than United's......

Went to Chelmsford City v Horsham yesterday; opening game in the National South. This is going to be an extremely hard league to win as a number of sides, including City, have gone full time. But Torquay United are the overwhelming favourites. For City a play off spot is expected. Horsham won the Isthmian last season so we're tricky opponents and probably shaded the first half. For City getting a totally new side to gel will be essential and the more the game went on the more they improved. In the end the 1-0 win for City was deserved though it was a bit squeaky with 11 minutes added time. There is certainly a buzz about the place this year which was reflected in the crowd; nearly 1700 as opposed to less than 700 for the first home game last time. Having been in this league since 2008 and have failed numerous times in the play offs since could this be our year?

He would have become a free agent when his contract expired.