Omens are looking good.

[alexmick]

Could it be possible that this is the season we can emulate what happened half a century ago (67-68) with promotion from this league? I was there and we had a young man called Lowry (Tommy) in that team too. Started with two league wins and two draws. Omens are good maybe. B)

[MikeSB]

Could it be possible that this is the season we can emulate what happened half a century ago (67-68) with promotion from this league? I was there and we had a young man called Lowry (Tommy) in that team too. Started with two league wins and two draws. Omens are good maybe. B)

Its good to see you are still around and kicking just like me Mick....I was there too and loved those far off days and those players like Lowry (was he called Twiggy?) . and Frank Lord...

[CroutonRouge]

Great to see you back alexmick, jasethebase and grestygirly might even appear again.

[Furberstreet]

My mother assures me that I made my first trips to Gresty Road during that season - I was 7 or 8. I remember wandering off from my mother and asking the guy at the turnstile if I could go out to watch the trains until the football started, but he said if I went out I had to pay to come back in!

[Tidegoingout]

I agree about the omens but more than that it's great to hear from alexmick again.

[alexmick]

Many thanks for the kind comments. Following that brilliant 5-1 thrashing of the Spirites, here is an update on my prediction of how the Alex are about to repeat history 50 years later.
1967-68 all over again. First 6 games to the letter. Three wins, 2 draws and 1 loss. Amazing and Tom Lowry was in that side too. Loved that season and it ended in promotion from Division 4. Now, if things do follow suit, we can expect to win our next 3 games. Cambridge, Exeter and Carlisle had better watch out. :)

[alexmick]

"Omens looking good" took a massive hammering on Tuesday night with that defeat on home soil to Cambridge. That is because during that famous promotion season half a century ago, we went the whole season unbeaten at Gresty Road. However, that season will be remembered for one massive victory. The Alex beat Vale for the first time in their history away from home. That 2-0 success happened on Easter Monday 1968. Interestingly, tomorrow's opponents, Exeter City were well beaten by Crewe at St. James Park early in that season. The score, 4-1 to the Alex. Hope we can do it again on Saturday. :)

[crewebacca]

Great enthusiasm Alexmick, a man after my own heart. I was concerned about Tuesday's game but I quite fancy a 2-1 Alex win at Exeter. C.O.Y.R!

[somersetcrewe]

1967-68 all over again ....... Loved that season ......



It's funny how, with all the glory years in more recent times, that we all seem to think some of the best years were in what most would consider lesser games.
Me included. Far too young to recall 68. The season for me, for probably many reasons, was 88/89 when we had the likes of Fish, Cronin, Clayton and Cutler up top, Gardiner, Jasper and Walters in the middle and the likes of Billing, Edwards (both of them! :)) and Callaghan at the back. I have a feeling that was the season that Andy Sus*** converted as a defender too.

And talking of Exeter and playing them away, my brother remembers that game as much as me that season when Fish got the winner (? - one of them anyway), when we won 2-1 but I spent the last 10 minutes in the gents I was so nervous I couldn't watch as we clung onto the win!!
Happy days!

[Furberstreet]

I remember the 88/89 season well - a lot of good games and, for me, a real feeling that we were on the verge of doing something special with Dario at the helm. Great pity that injury ended Fish's career prematurely.

If we are doing predictions for today, my head says 2-0 to Exeter but my heart says 1-1. I cannot hedge my bets so I will opt for 1-1.

[alexmick]

Omens looking terrible right now, with only 1 win in the last 7 matches (6 defeats). Mind you, we did not have to play the likes of Coventry, Grimsby, Cambridge, Carlisle and Wycombe in 1967-68.

[crewebacca]

Don't give up yet AlexM, I think a 1- 0 defeat away at Coventry is easier to take than the Carlisle result, (plus we did hit the bar.. although so did they). Big test this coming Saturday against an in-form Stevenage who beat the "Mite"y Vile today. C.O.Y.R!

[alexmick]

Not giving up at all, Crewebacca, especially after last night (beating league leaders, Notts. Co.). Beat them on 25th October 1967 in front of 6,308 spectators at Gresty Road. The score that day was actually 4-0. Perhaps we can now go on to beat Accrington on Saturday and close the gap on the play-off pack. Fingers crossed. :)

[alexmick]

Omens might not be looking good right now for the Alex, but for Saturday's visitors, Luton Town, they are going right to plan. Fifty years ago during that 1967-68 season, the Hatters also gained promotion from this league, but as Champions. Our final game of the season on May 4th 1968 saw Luton Town arriving at Gresty Road, already having won the title. Crewe had to defeat them to stand any chance of promotion. A crowd of 8,634 saw the Alex record a 2-1 victory and secure promotion to the Third Division, for only the second time in their history. Top scorer Gary Talbot (20 goals) and Kevin McHale were on the score sheet that afternoon. Luton boasted in their line-up, a player who would eventually become a top professional and would go on to play in the 1st Division (Aston Villa & Derby) and become an important cog in the Scottish national side. Bruce Rioch was their star striker. Our previous meeting with Luton at Kenilworth Road that season (att. 18.904), ended with them thrashing us 4-0 on April 24th 1968. Hope we can emulate that fine win we had at Gresty Road when pace setters Luton, come to town tomorrow afternoon.

[Red and White Crusader]

I bet in 1967-68 we didn't have pro-homo***ual corner flags fluttering like Danny La Rue's eyelashes at Gresty Road.

[Furberstreet]

Would not have been tolerated then - too soon after homo***uality became legal between consenting adults, but a welcome change now. In some ways society has improved (and fallen back in some areas).

[gazan]

Yes, becoming a more civilised nation. Shame the atmosphere isn't yet right for gay footballers to come out.

[alexmick]

Well I was completely wrong with my thoughts that the Alex could emulate what happened exactly 50 years ago, when they gained promotion from Division Four in May 1968. They finished 4th that season, amassing 59 points (only 3 more than the present season). However, it was just two points for a victory in those days. The team that overcame Luton on that final day of the season (May 4th 1968) was as follows: Mailey, Lowry, Leigh, Stott, Barnes, Gannon, McHale, Bradshaw, Talbot, Wallace and Ratcliffe.

The following may be of interest to some fans. The votes for the four clubs finishing in the re-election zone are as follows:
46 votes York City Re-elected to the League
44 Chester Re-elected to the League
44 Bradford Park Avenue Re-elected to the League
38 Workington Re-elected to the League

Those hoping to enter the league are shown below. A number of those are well established league clubs today:
3 Cheltenham Town Not elected to the League
2 Bedford Town Not elected to the League
2 Cambridge City Not elected to the League
2 Cambridge United Not elected to the League
2 Chelmsford City Not elected to the League
2 Runcorn Not elected to the League
2 Wigan Athletic Not elected to the League
1 Guildford City Not elected to the League
1 Hereford United Not elected to the League
1 New Brighton Not elected to the League
1 Wellington Town Not elected to the League
1 Wimbledon Not elected to the League
1 Worcester City Not elected to the League
0 Nuneaton Borough Not elected to the League
0 Yeovil Town Not elected to the League

Better luck to the Alex next season, hey guys? :)

[jimmyboldon]

And that takes the prize (so far) for the longest time gap on the same thread.

[ShropshireAlex]

Well I was completely wrong with my thoughts that the Alex could emulate what happened exactly 50 years ago, when they gained promotion from Division Four in May 1968. They finished 4th that season, amassing 59 points (only 3 more than the present season). However, it was just two points for a victory in those days. The team that overcame Luton on that final day of the season (May 4th 1968) was as follows: Mailey, Lowry, Leigh, Stott, Barnes, Gannon, McHale, Bradshaw, Talbot, Wallace and Ratcliffe.

The following may be of interest to some fans. The votes for the four clubs finishing in the re-election zone are as follows:
46 votes York City Re-elected to the League
44 Chester Re-elected to the League
44 Bradford Park Avenue Re-elected to the League
38 Workington Re-elected to the League

Those hoping to enter the league are shown below. A number of those are well established league clubs today:
3 Cheltenham Town Not elected to the League
2 Bedford Town Not elected to the League
2 Cambridge City Not elected to the League
2 Cambridge United Not elected to the League
2 Chelmsford City Not elected to the League
2 Runcorn Not elected to the League
2 Wigan Athletic Not elected to the League
1 Guildford City Not elected to the League
1 Hereford United Not elected to the League
1 New Brighton Not elected to the League
1 Wellington Town Not elected to the League
1 Wimbledon Not elected to the League
1 Worcester City Not elected to the League
0 Nuneaton Borough Not elected to the League
0 Yeovil Town Not elected to the League

Better luck to the Alex next season, hey guys? :)

I guess Wellington Town became Telford United?

[ShropshireAlex]

and that takes the prize (so far) for the longest time gap on the same thread.

;) ;) ;)

[gazan]

Problem now is waiting 3 months for it to start all over again 😈