From the Vault | Notts County v Man City | FA Cup R4 | Jan 2011

[upthemaggies]

Talking of older matches, there is one I would really love to see the highlights of but they probably don't exist.

No TV cameras there that day sadly and as memories fade and older supporters pass on, history is skewed by what does exist. The 5-1 win at Fulham for example is wonderful but would largely be forgotten by now if that match hadn't been filmed whilst the win over Everton a year earlier had, which was a much more significant win but only people who were there on the night can talk and refer to it. The win at the City Ground in 1981/82 is another one, barley mentioned now but would be legendary had that been on MOTD and preserved whilst the 3-2 win not been.

[ncfcog]

No TV cameras there that day sadly and as memories fade and older supporters pass on, history is skewed by what does exist. The 5-1 win at Fulham for example is wonderful but would largely be forgotten by now if that match hadn't been filmed whilst the win over Everton a year earlier had, which was a much more significant win but only people who were there on the night can talk and refer to it. The win at the City Ground in 1981/82 is another one, barley mentioned now but would be legendary had that been on MOTD and preserved whilst the 3-2 win not been.

This is why what you do and the level of detail on your website is so valuable to fans UTM.

[slack_pie]

This wasn't a bad day either...

My favourite Notts match ever. A perfect day.

[60YearsAPie]

Talking of older matches, there is one I would really love to see the highlights of but they probably don't exist. It goes all the way back to Saturday 23rd August 1973 when I were nowt but a lad.

Apologies for the essay, but if you or UTM could add anything at all to that, I would love to read it.

There are some games that stick in your memory. The first game back in the First Division, against the previous year’s champions, at Villa Park is one. Another I remember better than a lot of other games is the one at Selhurst Park, that Elite refers to, our first back in the Second Division for 16 years.

Sir Jimmy had added four new players to the squad pre-season, Eric Probert (record signing at the time), Eddie Cliff, Geoff Collier and an 18-year-old David McVay. (Not all his signings were successful. Cliff and Collier made 8 appearances between them before moving on).

With David Needham and Les Bradd suspended, the young McVay was drafted into the defence, with 19-year-old Mick Vinter on the bench. It was a mistake by McVay that led to the Crystal Palace goal after 24 minutes. Notts were under the cosh for most of the first half, with Brian Stubbs outstanding in defence. He scored Notts’ opening goal from our first real attack, from a Masson free-kick. A few minutes before half-time Masson had the ball in the net, but it was ruled out for offside.

Roy Brown in goal made several crucial saves and then, after around 60 minutes, the turning point to my mind was taking McVay off, dropping Arthur Mann back into defence and bringing young Vinter on. Following another tremendous save by Roy Brown, Notts scored two goals in the space of a couple of minutes. First Vinter, from a Jon Nixon cross, set Randall up. Then a shot from Nixon rebounded off the Palace keeper and Vinter himself scored with a simple tap-in.

The Magpies final goal came around 5 minutes from the end, when Don Masson ran down the right and his cross was met by Kevin Randall.

We were brought down to earth the following week, with a 4-1 home defeat to Sunderland.

[Frigiliana Pie 1]

I can certainly remember that win at Palace. I was driving down the M.1 somewhere near Luton when the radiator cap came off and my windscreen was covered with yellow liquid making it impossible to see ahead for a few moments. I managed to pull over onto the hard shoulder safely but spent an age waiting for the RAC to turn up with some replacement water. By the time I was moving again, there was very little time left to get to the match in time for kickoff, especially as I had only a rough idea of where Selhurst Park was.

However, I managed to cross London in a time that’s probably impossible these days, somehow managed to find the ground, got into one end at the top of the terrace and the first thing I saw was a rocket of a shot from Don Rogers which hit the bar. The next thing I saw was the Palace goal (also scored by Rogers if I remember correctly). I can remember thinking that my heroics in getting to the match were going to end in a pasting, but the Stubbs header turned the match completely and in the second half we tore the Palace defence to shreds. As well as the goalscorers, Jon Nixon was outstanding that day.

But didn’t we come down to earth rather quickly? I think the next game in midweek was a 4-3 defeat in the League Cup at home to Doncaster, followed by a 4-1 drubbing by Cup holders Sunderland. There were some good results and some bad results to follow and eventually we adapted well to Division 2.

[60YearsAPie]

Here’s the People’s ratings for the Palace game.

Brown 7
Brindley 6, Stubbs 7, McVay 6, Worthington 6
Masson 8*, Probert 7, Mann 6
Carter 7, Randall 7, Nixon 6
Sub Vinter 7

After the game Sir Jimmy left Selhurst Park with a “Not a bad start to the season” quote.

Asked about the bold decision to replace a defender with a forward, when drawing 1-1 away from home, he said “You’ve got to play to win, haven’t you?”

Great days.

[BigFatPie]

No TV cameras there that day sadly and as memories fade and older supporters pass on, history is skewed by what does exist. The 5-1 win at Fulham for example is wonderful but would largely be forgotten by now if that match hadn't been filmed whilst the win over Everton a year earlier had, which was a much more significant win but only people who were there on the night can talk and refer to it. The win at the City Ground in 1981/82 is another one, barley mentioned now but would be legendary had that been on MOTD and preserved whilst the 3-2 win not been.

Yeah that’s true. I remember being at that game(as an 8 year old!) but don’t remember anything about it, other than the Raddy penalty save. Last time we won at the City Ground wasn’t it?

Btw, did anyone else cheer for Yugoslavia in Its a Knockout cos of Raddy? No? Just me then...

[nw6pie]

Yeah that’s true. I remember being at that game(as an 8 year old!) but don’t remember anything about it, other than the Raddy penalty save. Last time we won at the City Ground wasn’t it?

Btw, did anyone else cheer for Yugoslavia in Its a Knockout cos of Raddy? No? Just me then...

I have recollections of the two goals - Hooks got a lucky ricochet after Shilton saved from him in a one-on-one, and Trevor Christie scored a towering header for the second.

And yes, that was our last win at the Temple of Sin. Best we managed was a lucky 1-1 draw in January 1992 (Dryden scored a header with probably our only effort on target), and the “moral victory” in the League Cup some 20 years later.

The most painful local derby was the 0-4 home drubbing in August 1991 when we shaded the first half, but then got ripped to pieces on the break in the second half.

[60YearsAPie]

But didn’t we come down to earth rather quickly? I think the next game in midweek was a 4-3 defeat in the League Cup at home to Doncaster, followed by a 4-1 drubbing by Cup holders Sunderland. There were some good results and some bad results to follow and eventually we adapted well to Division 2.

I'd forgotten about the mid-week League Cup game at home to Doncaster. Randall scored twice in that one as well, Stubbsy getting the other, but we lost 3-4.