Your own fottballing prowess

[ManxRam]

I was a half decent player but injuries stoped me well before 30.

Played for the district and the county throughout school/college with the highlight being a game for the North of England to make the national schoolboys squad - I guess low light not making it.

Played in a county side that had Kev Pilkington (man utd) in goal, Nick Wright (Watford), Martin Bullock (Barnsley) and Wayne Sutton (Derby) in it.

Played against Jamie Redknapp and Andy Cole.

Also had a season with Heanor Town.

All seems a long time ago now.

[Andy_Faber]

In Holland, where hockey is a huge sport, footballers laughingly say "Hockey, voetbal met een stokkie". It rhymes too. It means "Hockey, football with a stick".

Football here is still the working class sport and hockey is still middle class and higher. Is there still the same hockey demographic in England?

Football is not a primary sport at independant schools, the primary male sports are rugby/hockey/cricket in the three terms, so I guess that says yes, same in UK. Not to say that the club hockey set up isn't inclusive, it is, Beeston Bees being the big club I'm aware of that welcome one and all, Belper likewise (no experience of the Derby clubs), but the feed in of those likely to retain a lifelong interest appears to come massively from independant schools.

[Andy_Faber]

I was a half decent player but injuries stoped me well before 30.

Played for the district and the county throughout school/college with the highlight being a game for the North of England to make the national schoolboys squad - I guess low light not making it.

Played in a county side that had Kev Pilkington (man utd) in goal, Nick Wright (Watford), Martin Bullock (Barnsley) and Wayne Sutton (Derby) in it.

Played against Jamie Redknapp and Andy Cole.

Also had a season with Heanor Town.

All seems a long time ago now.

Was there a decent school team in your year?

[ManxRam]

Was there a decent school team in your year?

Was a half decent side Andy and yet I think I was the only lad who regularly played at district/county level from our year. Ilkeston dominated the district side and the county side was made up of lads from Newhall to New Mills.

I'd know lads in your school side I reckon.

[Andy_Faber]

Was a half decent side Andy and yet I think I was the only lad who regularly played at district/county level from our year. Ilkeston dominated the district side and the county side was made up of lads from Newhall to New Mills.

I'd know lads in your school side I reckon.

God I'm rubbish with names - Trev Ellis? 'Crow' Powdrill? Paul Gascoin? Whichever one of the Glenn brothers was in my year? I was the only 'swot' that got anywhere near the year first team and then only occasionally, and as a swot I wasn't especially popular, but even the second team were pretty ****-hot, I recall we had to forfeit a county semi one year when we were drawn against the first team. All year first teams got a brand new man-made-fibre yellow kit around our third year, second team wore sixties-era (WBA colours) kit, which assumed almost unbearable weight when it rained, maybe some of the oldies here remember kit like that.

[ramAnag]

Football is not a primary sport at independant schools, the primary male sports are rugby/hockey/cricket in the three terms, so I guess that says yes, same in UK. Not to say that the club hockey set up isn't inclusive, it is, Beeston Bees being the big club I'm aware of that welcome one and all, Belper likewise (no experience of the Derby clubs), but the feed in of those likely to retain a lifelong interest appears to come massively from independant schools.

I played quite a bit of hockey decades ago...a bit of mixed hockey at college too. Along with rounders it’s one of the best mixed sports imo...’ladies’ with a stick don’t hold back.

Following on from Ram’s ‘walking football’ exploits...seeing as we all seem to be getting on a bit, maybe we could have an FM team or FM v V*t*l. (Jeez is that word still banned Andy? Sort the juveniles out chap.)

[ManxRam]

God I'm rubbish with names - Trev Ellis? 'Crow' Powdrill? Paul Gascoin? Whichever one of the Glenn brothers was in my year? I was the only 'swot' that got anywhere near the year first team and then only occasionally, and as a swot I wasn't especially popular, but even the second team were pretty ****-hot, I recall we had to forfeit a county semi one year when we were drawn against the first team. All year first teams got a brand new man-made-fibre yellow kit around our third year, second team wore sixties-era (WBA colours) kit, which assumed almost unbearable weight when it rained, maybe some of the oldies here remember kit like that.

I know Trev Ellis he was a decent player. Was it the Gascoigne from Horsley Woodhouse? Only Glenn brothers I know are the Denby lads Mick and Phil?

[Andy_Faber]

I know Trev Ellis he was a decent player. Was it the Gascoigne from Horsley Woodhouse? Only Glenn brothers I know are the Denby lads Mick and Phil?

Trev was typical of why the team was so good. 'Decent' yes, hard as nails definitely! Paul Cascoigne was from HW. It was Gary Glenn, youngest and least well behaved of the Glenn Brothers (or maybe a cousin?) who were big (and may still be) in cricketing circles, maybe with Eastwood or Denby. My school memories are not as clear as my DCFC memories!

[ManxRam]

I know all those lads Andy - Phil and Mick Glenn both very good cricketers.

Played in same football side as Phil one season, he was in goal.

Trev was/is an all round top bloke. I know his brother and sister too.

My long term memory better than my short term....

What were we talking about again?

[MadAmster]

At Junior School, our centre forward, Colin Rookyard, was way, way better than the rest of us. Aged 16 he got offered a contract by Man U. His Dad refused to sign the consent form. Colin joined the Army and I haven't seen him since the day he joined up.

I went to Burton Grammar, a rugby playing school. I was good enough to make the side but, when it came down to trials for Staffordshire U15s, I was the only regular not to get invited. That did allow me to captain the side when the other 14 were at the trials. The game was against Notts High Pavement who, like us, were undefeated. They beat us by 1 point. They went well OTT in their "banter" in our direction. I asked the master in charge to get a rematch with the full XV..... he sorted it. Imagine their surprise when the only face they recognised was mine..... I hadn't been lying after all. I forget the actual score but it was 50 ish nil and I got to be captain a 2nd time.

That year it was Rugby Saturday morning, football in the afternoon both Saturday and Sunday plus a 90 minute training session on the Trent Sunday morning.