Brindley,Needham ,Stubbs,Worthington

[LaxtonLad]

Saturday 5th December 1970 (So not a night game but it would have been dark by FT)
The beginning of a tense early 1970s rivalry with John Bond's Bournemouth. Bond was furious after the game; 'Our striker Ted MacDougall was spat at by a County player, then as he went for the ball he had two fingers pushed in an eye. On the way home he could still not see properly out of the eye. County's tactics seemed to be to hang on by any means. I had tremendous respect for Jimmy Sirrel, County's manager. I thought he had done a great job. I have now lost that respect..... It saddens me to think that any team has to play the way they did.' Jimmy Sirrel said; 'We are the best team in the division and this is proved on the field.'

That "lost that respect" is a bit over the top, innit? Are you really "saddened"? All teams played like that 50 years ago and any that didn't won sod all. Flying elbows and knees were what you expected to see and it's what you saw. Any of the posing prima donnas that "perform" on the field nowadays would have been ridiculed, laughed at and jeered if they had rolled over half a dozen times screaming in agony and slapping the grass following a what was then a perfectly legal tackle.

This all began when we started importing them delicate continental millionaire pansies but now we Brits copy them and it seems even pulling an ugly face at an opponent can result in a free kick against.

Once every team had it's hard man or men - contact was expected in a contact sport, but it's not allowed now, people lose their "respect".

[forwardmagpie]

My first game was in 1961, I think against Chesterfield. My memories of Bob Worthington is that he was like a cork screw, running back looking over one shoulder, very physical but the weaker link of the 4 defenders. Happy days though, I remember going to Chesterfield away and as a small boy the pitch seemed to be at eye level.

[forwardmagpie]

That "lost that respect" is a bit over the top, innit? Are you really "saddened"? All teams played like that 50 years ago and any that didn't won sod all. Flying elbows and knees were what you expected to see and it's what you saw. Any of the posing prima donnas that "perform" on the field nowadays would have been ridiculed, laughed at and jeered if they had rolled over half a dozen times screaming in agony and slapping the grass following a what was then a perfectly legal tackle.

This all began when we started importing them delicate continental millionaire pansies but now we Brits copy them and it seems even pulling an ugly face at an opponent can result in a free kick against.

Once every team had it's hard man or men - contact was expected in a contact sport, but it's not allowed now, people lose their "respect".

I loved watching Kevin Randall, there would be an altercation or a bad tackle and at the next corner the culprit would be either having a lie down in the penalty area or trying to stem a nose bleed. Kevin would be trotting back to the the half way line looking like an innocent schoolboy

[since41]

Kev was one of my favorite players
I remember him scoring virtually from the kick off it must have been one of the fastest goals scored for Notts.

[LaxtonLad]

"Kevin The Corner" we used to call him.

[upthemaggies]

That "lost that respect" is a bit over the top, innit? Are you really "saddened"? All teams played like that 50 years ago and any that didn't won sod all. Flying elbows and knees were what you expected to see and it's what you saw. Any of the posing prima donnas that "perform" on the field nowadays would have been ridiculed, laughed at and jeered if they had rolled over half a dozen times screaming in agony and slapping the grass following a what was then a perfectly legal tackle.

This all began when we started importing them delicate continental millionaire pansies but now we Brits copy them and it seems even pulling an ugly face at an opponent can result in a free kick against.

Once every team had it's hard man or men - contact was expected in a contact sport, but it's not allowed now, people lose their "respect".

Bond was another one who became a TV pundit. They have a lot to answer for in ruining this game as a contact sport. They resorted to equating the bad behaviour on the pitch with the bad behaviour off it, which was BS. Most of the trouble between fans occurred before or after a match, trouble during was almost always because one team was being humiliated or the ref had wound one side up with a series of howlers or one particularly bad decision. If rough play caused trouble on the terraces then Rugby grounds would have been a bloodbath, but they made that link in people's minds and took the game away from the people that made it great (the working class) and effectively handed it over to middle class wet wipes.
I hope I live to see the day when the PL bubble bursts and the pendulum begins to swing back the other way, which will happen, there's already a growing dissatisfaction with what this game has been turned into and that will boil over eventually.

[LaxtonLad]

Bond was another one who became a TV pundit. They have a lot to answer for in ruining this game as a contact sport. They resorted to equating the bad behaviour on the pitch with the bad behaviour off it, which was BS. Most of the trouble between fans occurred before or after a match, trouble during was almost always because one team was being humiliated or the ref had wound one side up with a series of howlers or one particularly bad decision. If rough play caused trouble on the terraces then Rugby grounds would have been a bloodbath, but they made that link in people's minds and took the game away from the people that made it great (the working class) and effectively handed it over to middle class wet wipes.
I hope I live to see the day when the PL bubble bursts and the pendulum begins to swing back the other way, which will happen, there's already a growing dissatisfaction with what this game has been turned into and that will boil over eventually.

Hear, hear, UTM. It's now a money game, I suppose for some it always was, but now the ridiculous wages paid to even average Premiership players are way beyond the dreams of the average football fan.

Owning an English Premiership football club is now a status symbol for film stars and pop singers with absolutely no connection with the city or even the country the club lives in. Look at that Greek chappie who owns Forest, he can pump £Billions into the club and not miss a penny of it. It's not down solely to the paying fan to keep their club buoyant any longer. As mentioned elswhere, most Premiership clubs can easily continue without the income provided by gate receipts, so how important are the fans exept to boost the ego of their club's owner?

[SinceSept1959]

My first game was 59 against Exeter it was the same team except Harry Noon was full back not Cruickshank and Loxley replaced Rawson.
My dad took me to Forest and Notts but being small I couldn’t see very well in a 30,000 crowd at the City ground so I enjoyed it at Notts much more. And the rest is history.

My young grandson was all Florist and went once watch them with a friend and his dad v Leeds.

His first Notts game was v Woking last season and we sat in the Pavis stand near the dugouts. His magical words where , " I like it here can we come again ? "
On returning home he despatched his Florist shirts to the charity shop bag 😁😁
He's rarely missed a match home or away since , only the games when he has been competing for a well known swimming club.
He enjoyed the visit to Wembley and even went to Newport this season when on holiday in Wales , entailing a 200 miles round trip.
So pleased he really loves Notts & the players are so good with the kids 👏👏

[SinceSept1959]

My first game was in 1961, I think against Chesterfield. My memories of Bob Worthington is that he was like a cork screw, running back looking over one shoulder, very physical but the weaker link of the 4 defenders. Happy days though, I remember going to Chesterfield away and as a small boy the pitch seemed to be at eye level.

That's right similar to the Osmaston End at The Baseball Ground.
My first away game was at Saltergate , in 1964, a 0-0 draw. I went with my mum on the train because my dad had been , unexpectedly called in to work !
We sat on the wooden bench seats in the main stand.
Talking of which we used to pay the extra tanner to sit in the old Meadow Lane stand if it was raining or snowing .
Great , nostalgic , memories.

[SinceSept1959]

Forgot to mention going with a mate to watch Chessie v Aldershot in an early season night game , again on the train.
Cheshire didn't have lights then and kicked off at 6.15 or 6.30.
I recall one Aldershot player ( Dave Howitt ? ) ending up in the sunken kop end after a robust challenge from Albert Holmes 😱
They were tough those days and the guy dusted himself off and returned to the pitch with a leg up, jockey style from a home fan.