December
2003 / January 2004
News
News of other stars from the 1970-71
season ...
January
Toshack Returns
Real Murcia have
appointed John Toshack (Cardiff
City) until the
end of the season after the sacking of Joaquin Peiro. The club are currently bottom of the Spanish
Primera Liga, after just one win in 20 games !
The appointment on 20
January 2004, will last until the end of the season. John
has previously managed Real Madrid, Real Sociedad and
Deportivo La Coruna in Spain, but his last post was a
year ago whrn he was in charge of the Italian club,
Catania.
John has also been the
coach of Wales, Besiktas in Turkey , St Etienne in France
, and toutfit Sporting Lisbon in Portugal.
This report compiled
from BBC SPORT Murcia appoint Toshack
Dearden Departs
On 7 January, 2004, Bill
Dearden (Sheffield United) was released by Notts County
after being in post for two years. The decision came
after Notts County lost 5-2 away to Peterborough United.
The match was real six-pointer as both clubs were at the
bottom end of Division Two, and Bill leaves the club in
the relegation zone at 22nd place.
Dearden has seen the
club through administration and has been unable to buy
players throughout his time in charge, so it seems harsh
to give the manager the chop. The club statement read...
"Over the last
few days Billy Dearden and the board of Notts County
Football Club have been in extensive negotiations
concerning his future as manager of the club.
"He has
informed the board that if it is in the interest of
Notts County Football Club then he will resign.
"Therefore, by
mutual agreement Billy Dearden has ceased to be
manager of Notts County Football Club. We wish Billy
Dearden all the best for the future."
BBC SPORT Dearden exits Notts
County
Graydon Gone
Ray Graydon
On 20th January 2003, Ray
Graydon
left Bristol Rovers. It seems the fans were beginning to
jeer at matches frustrated by the lowly 12th place in
Division Three, and the negative style of football.
Reading between the lines, it seems Ray decided he just
didn't need this treatment anymore.
See BBC SPORT Pirates part company
with Graydon
Little - last England winner !
You could say that this
is a Little known fact, but Brian Little
(Aston Villa) is unbelievably the last Englishman to a
manage a team that has won a major English football
trophy !
An article entitled
'The English Can't Manage' in the Sports section of the
18 January 2004 edition of The Observer, showed
the last English manager to win each of the English
trophies.
For the Championship it
was Howard Wilkinson in 1992 - the season before the
Premiership was formed !!! For the FA Cup it was Joe
Royle
in 1995 and for the League Cup, it was Brian Little in
1996 - the most recent of the three.
This is due in part to
Arsenal and Liverpool having French men in charge, and
Sir Alex being Scottish, but there is a further mix of
Scotsmen, an Irishman and an Italian, too. So come on
Micky Adams, your country needs you !
N.B Steve McClaren took
Brian's record off him when he won the Coca-Cola (League)
Cup with Middlesbrough in the 2003-2004 season.
New Players
Recent research has led
to the discovery of several more players with a rightful
place on the Bob 70-71 Pages...
Martin O'Neill (Distillery) the Celtic manager, joined Nottingham Forest
during the 1971-72 season, and I have long been aware
that he probably does have a rightful spot on the site.
Martin was a recipient of the OBE in the New Year's
Honours List, and is yet further honoured by being the
manager to front the 2004 version of the top football
computer game, Total Club Manager.
Total Club Manager
2004
(Picture
from www.game.uk.com)
The game that has been
fronted by Sir Alex Ferguson and Sir Bobby Robson in
previous years, was released on 28 November, 2003 and is
produced by EA Sports. See Total Club Manager
Finding the exact
location of Martin at the beginning of the 1970-71 season
is not easy. I have opted for the Northern Irish club,
Distillery FC, though he did move to Forest from Derry
City. At Distillery, Martin scored 2 goals in the 1971
Cup Final, and was capped for Northern Ireland, whilst
still on their books.
See BBC SPORT Football My Club
Celtic O'Neill becomes OBE
John Charles (Hereford United) Natrually, as a Leeds United fan, I have long
been interested in the career of Leeds United ans Wales
hero, John Charles. I had no idea till recently that he
qualifies for Bob's 70-71 pages. And not even as puerly a
manager. No, John was actually still playing in the 70-71
season as player-manager of the Soutern League
Premiership side, Hereford United !
John is still very much
a favourite at the club and became the first player to
enter the club's Hall of Fame last year. In 2001, John
was made CBE, but campaigns have been forwarded to get
King John knighted ! See Leeds United Football Club -
John Charles Heads The Hall Of Fame
Dave Gorman (East
Fife) Comedian,
Dave Gorman, who along with writer, Danny Wallace, set
himself a task of finding and meeting 54 more Dave
Gormans, and wrote the book, called Are YOU Dave
Gorman ?', which was also shown as a BBC television
series, started his quest with a Scottish goalkeeper
called ... er ...Dave Gorman.
I have long been
curious as to whether or not Dave Gorman was entitled to
a place on the Bob 70-71 Pages. In December, I even went
so far as to buy the book from Help the Aged, only to
find out when I got home that my copy of the book started
on page 39 ... after he had already met Dave Gorman, and
thus after revealling any useful footballing information.
But as chance would
have it, I came across a 19 February, 1971 edition of Football
Scot (no.34), which finally put me out of my misery.
To quote from page 27,
East Fife
are a good all round well-balanced side. Goalkeeper
DAVE GORMAN is a very agile and one of the Second
Division's best keepers...
Rothmans Football
Yearbook show that Dave Gorman played no less than 43
games in the League alone for East Fife in the 1970-71
season !
Technically, Dave
Gorman was already on the site - but previously I wasn't
certain of his identity.
See www.davegorman.com (for the comedian).
Ron Flowers (Telford
United) Another
famous footballing name to be welcomed to Bob's 70-71
Pages is the former Wolves and England player, Ron
Flowers. Ron was a member of the Telford United side of
1970-71 season that reached the FA Challenge Trophy Final
for the second year running.
Telford lost the
1969-70 final against Macclesfield Town, 2-0, but won the
Trophy at the second attempt 3-2 against Hillingdon
Borough, at Wembley. According to the programme, Ron had
been injured the previous November, so wouldn't be
playing.
Ron played 49 times for
England and was at Wolves for 17 years, and was a member
of the 1966 World Cup squad, though he didn't play. He
moved on to Northampton Town as player-manager, and had
intended to retire, before being persuaded to return as
player-coach at Telford United.
Telford United are
currently enjoying an extended FA Cup run, and I hope to
add more of the team as appeared in the 1 May 1971
Wembley programme soon.
Egil Olsen (Sarpsborg) Came across Tribute to Egil 'Drillo' Olsen on my wanderings, which
confirms that the former Norway and Wimbledon manager,
Egil Olsen was a Sarpsborg player in 1970-71. In fact
Egil was in the Sarpsborg side that played against Leeds
United in a two legged tie in the first round of the
70-71 Fairs Cup. Leeds United won the tie 6-0 on
aggregate - 1-0 in Norway and 5-0 in Leeds.
December
Buckley Resigns
On 30 December, 2003
Alan Buckley (Nottingham Forest) left Rochdale after the club
loses 9 of their last 12 games. This left Rochdale just 4
points above the relegation zone in Division Three, which
now has two teams automatically lose League status. The
departure followed a 2-1 defeat at home to York City.
Alan was appointed on 1
June, 2003, after a year out of the game, taking over
from Paul Simpson. Coach Tony Ford was announced as the
caretaker manager, but in the even, Steve Parkin took
over the following day, for his second spell at the club.
In November, Alan was
given an award by the League Managers Association for
passing a thousand first team games in charge as a
manager - only the 9th post war manager to do so! In
fact, he had been in charge for over 1,100 games before
anyone had realised and he was given the award
retrospectively ! The other 8 are Alec Stock, Sir Matt
Busby, Brian Clough, Jim Smith, Gordon Taylor, Dave
Bassett, Dario Gradi and Lennie Lawrence - a Bob 70-71
Players except Lennie, who I haven't been able to place
in the 70-71 season yet.
See LeagueManagers.com
Addison Leaves
On 29 December 2003,
Colin Addison (Sheffield United) left Forest Green Rovers just 2 months after
taking up the post. Though the club have risen from
relegation zone to ninth under his charge, disagreements
with the club's owner has been reported as being the
reason.
BBC Gloucestershire - Forest
Green Rovers
reports:
Addison,
who has been in charge at The Lawn since September
2003, has left the club by mutual consent as the club
faces budget cuts as a result of financial problems.
A club
statement said his departure followed
"discussions over a period of time" with
the Rovers board and the decision had been made
before the Boxing Day game.
It added
that financial constraints imposed on the club
following their FA Cup exit in the qualifying round
and the below average league gates "have
contributed to the need for a review of the budgets
in all areas, including playing and management".
Assistant
manager Tim Harris will charge charge of the team for
the upcoming matches against Telford United and
Margate, while the board consider a number of options
for a permanent replacement.
Addison,
63, said: "After much careful consideration,
following discussion with both the board and my
family, it was agreed prior to the match at Telford
on Boxing Day, that I will today leave Forest Green
Rovers Football Club by mutual consent.
Financial
commitment
"This
is in view of the club's huge financial commitment to
the proposed new stadium and in order to assist
Forest Green Rovers in fulfilling their ambition to
achieve Conference success in a new venue that will
benefit the club itself and the wider
He added:
"I would very much like to express my
appreciation to my two assistants, Tim Harris and
Paddy Mullen, for their great support, along with
that of the players and the backroom staff for their
tireless effort and commitment to the cause."
He also
paid tribute to the club chairman, directors,
administration and ground staff, and thanked
"all my friends in the Green Room, Social Club
and Supporters Club, for their endless hard work and
to all Forest Green Rovers fans for their
support."
Rovers
chairman Ken Boulton said: "Colin leaves with
the best wishes of the club.
"On
behalf of all the directors I would like to place on
record our thanks for his achievements, particularly
last season when he took the club from bottom of the
Conference to finish in ninth position."
Further December 2003/
January 2004 news can be found at ...
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