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Post by dem bones on Jun 7, 2017 5:45:14 GMT
Apologies if it's been covered elsewhere, but did Jackie Collins' never novelise her epic football/ rock pop crossover classic, Yesterday's Hero? Thanks to the wonderful (?) Talking Pictures channel I had the privilege of watching the film version yesterday (ho ho!) and ... Superb review, Mr. M. Sadly Jackie denied us a novel of the film - have never forgiven her for that. Location spotters corner: The Saints play their home games at Windsor & Eton F.C.'s Stag Meadow. Drizzly or whatever her name is, is a legend in the domain of the Dems. Great as Yesterday's Hero is, Escape To Victory is even better.
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Post by franklinmarsh on Jun 7, 2017 12:33:14 GMT
You sure? I find the idea of Sly Stallone as net-minder a step too far in the suspension of disbelief stakes - and (thanks to TP) I've seen Behemoth The Sea Monster.
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Post by Craig Herbertson on Oct 29, 2018 11:36:40 GMT
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Post by dem bones on Oct 29, 2018 20:31:38 GMT
Hi Craig. Proper non-league club, with a remarkable history. Their fans are not everyone's thing, but me, I love them (and their voodoo stick)- they turn out in numbers home and away, too. Wealdstone have them at the Vale on April 20th, so am hoping to make a day of it.
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Post by Craig Herbertson on Nov 4, 2018 20:49:00 GMT
I used to support Man Utd becasue I lived there in 1985 before the glory years and some good mates were fans. I now don't know or care who is winning the EP becasue of all that ridiculous money. I have two English teams - Leyton Orient and Dulwich Hamlet
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Post by Shrink Proof on Nov 4, 2018 21:51:42 GMT
I used to support Man Utd becasue I lived there in 1985 before the glory years and some good mates were fans. I now don't know or care who is winning the EP becasue of all that ridiculous money. I have two English teams - Leyton Orient and Dulwich Hamlet Growing up in Manchester I can recall treks to Old Trafford in the late 60s/early 70s to see Charlton, Best, Law, Kidd, Stiles & all the rest in what was surely one of the classic teams. Like you, the idiotic commercialisation of it all means that I no longer have any interest whatsoever. Hell, that makes me feel old...
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Post by dem bones on Nov 5, 2018 0:00:34 GMT
I used to support Man Utd becasue I lived there in 1985 before the glory years and some good mates were fans. I now don't know or care who is winning the EP becasue of all that ridiculous money. I have two English teams - Leyton Orient and Dulwich Hamlet Growing up in Manchester I can recall treks to Old Trafford in the late 60s/early 70s to see Charlton, Best, Law, Kidd, Stiles & all the rest in what was surely one of the classic teams. Like you, the idiotic commercialisation of it all means that I no longer have any interest whatsoever. Hell, that makes me feel old... Me too. It was a combination of that United side and the Brazil 1970 World Cup winners got me into it. Wealdstone being my then local side, I pestered my step-dad to take me to a game at the beloved Lower Mead stadium (now a poxy T*sco superstore): that was it, hooked. Became a programme seller - had own special hut - followed them home and away (places like Atherstone, South Shields, Burnham, Minehead, Gravesend & Northleet, Nuneaton, Bletchley, Dunstable, Bognor Regis, Dorchester, arch-rivals Barnet's Underhill - all the glamour spots). Foul magazine got me into writing bizarre match reports. Ill-considered parting of ways with school fucked it all up. Job meant working Saturdays, so could only make the midweek fixtures, but a brilliant trip while it lasted. Kind of lived in Edgware Town's now defunct (luxury housing) White Lion Ground for a time, dossing nights in the programme hut and the main stand depending on weather. Also had the occasional "adventure" at Watford during early Graham Taylor-Elton John epoch, less said about which ... but non-league was, and remains, the buzz. Just wish I could manage to go more often than two-three games a season. I love watching matches at Wembley F.C.'s Vale Farm but it seems a cursed ground for me.
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Post by Craig Herbertson on Nov 20, 2018 17:26:45 GMT
My Granddad lifted me over the turnstile to watch my first Hearts game. I was five years old. Spent the entire time trying to get two and six out of a crack in the terracing with a wooden lolipop stick. You can change wives, religion....
Defintely getting to the 'jumpers for goalposts' stage.
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Post by ripper on Nov 21, 2018 18:15:46 GMT
I used to regularly attend my local non-league team's home games plus some aways. Back then gate prices weren't too bad as I had my paper round money...then came girls and cold saturdays freezing on the terraces were put aside. Nowadays, even my local team's prices are more than I want to pay, and I get my football fix from radio commentaries. It's an expensive business following a team today.
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Post by ripper on Jan 14, 2019 18:01:00 GMT
I recently re-read The Bromley Boys by Dave Roberts. It tells the story of Dave's obsession with the team over the 1969-1970 season, and the ups and many downs he experienced following them as a 14-year old. It is a wonderful book, both funny and poignant, and you really don't need to know anything about Bromley FC and football to enjoy the book. I followed my local team at roughly the same age as Dave, but in the mid-70s. I wasn't quite as obsessed as Dave, but can relate to how he felt at the time. There are some real laugh out loud moments and the narrative draws you in very quickly, making you want to keep turning pages. A great read for both football and non-football fans.
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Post by dem bones on Jan 14, 2019 18:49:19 GMT
I recently re-read The Bromley Boys by Dave Roberts. It tells the story of Dave's obsession with the team over the 1969-1970 season, and the ups and many downs he experienced following them as a 14-year old. It is a wonderful book, both funny and poignant, and you really don't need to know anything about Bromley FC and football to enjoy the book. I followed my local team at roughly the same age as Dave, but in the mid-70s. I wasn't quite as obsessed as Dave, but can relate to how he felt at the time. There are some real laugh out loud moments and the narrative draws you in very quickly, making you want to keep turning pages. A great read for both football and non-football fans. Agreed, it's a bit special this one. In my experience, all non-league clubs, 'specially those with the tiniest fan base, attract a maverick core of diehards, but seems that season Bromley were especially blessed. I love the protagonist, but identified more with chainsmoking teen loner, 'The Grubby.' After watching the team suffer hammering after hammering, there's a point where he finally caves in, decides "I can't take no more" - and means it. That's when you know for sure he'll be back for next Saturday's torture. The Bromley Boys is as much about being an awkward kid as it is sport. Not sure if many football haters would consider giving it a go, but that's their loss. So what local team did you support, Rip?
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Post by ripper on Jan 14, 2019 20:05:42 GMT
I recently re-read The Bromley Boys by Dave Roberts. It tells the story of Dave's obsession with the team over the 1969-1970 season, and the ups and many downs he experienced following them as a 14-year old. It is a wonderful book, both funny and poignant, and you really don't need to know anything about Bromley FC and football to enjoy the book. I followed my local team at roughly the same age as Dave, but in the mid-70s. I wasn't quite as obsessed as Dave, but can relate to how he felt at the time. There are some real laugh out loud moments and the narrative draws you in very quickly, making you want to keep turning pages. A great read for both football and non-football fans. Agreed, it's a bit special this one. In my experience, all non-league clubs, 'specially those with the tiniest fan base, attract a maverick core of diehards, but seems that season Bromley were especially blessed. I love the protagonist, but identified more with chainsmoking teen loner, 'The Grubby.' After watching the team suffer hammering after hammering, there's a point where he finally caves in, decides "I can't take no more" - and means it. That's when you know for sure he'll be back for next Saturday's torture. The Bromley Boys is as much about being an awkward kid as it is sport. Not sure if many football haters would consider giving it a go, but that's their loss. So what local team did you support, Rip? It was Hednesford Town FC, Dem. First time I saw them they lost 5-1 at home and it poured down. Not an auspicious start to my non-league watching days. Their ground was quite like Bromley's by the sound of it, but they moved a few hundred yards to a much plusher ground around 1996 or so, but my zenith of following them was mid 70s to late 70s or around that time. As I grew older and discovered girls I gradually stopped going. The terraces were almost exclusively male back then and girls for the most part were not interested in standing in the rain watching 22 blokes rather inexpertly kicking a ball around. I wish I had kept the programmes I bought. I actually didn't buy that many, it was usually a choice between a burger from the burger van or a programme, and the burger usually won, especially on cold days. I would walk to home matches as the ground was only a 30 minute walk away, or about 25 minutes or less if I really stepped out. I had a paper round at the time delivering the Express & Star evening paper. The round was actually my estate and Express & Star delivered the papers to our house as I worked directly for them. So I would try to deliver the papers prior to going to the match. They were usually delivered about 1.45pm so I would tazz it round our estate, drop my bag at our house and walk to the match. then after getting back home the Sporting Star would be delivered around 6pm and I would take those around our estate. I loved taking round the pink on saturday nights....it was 6p a copy and many gave me 10p and told me to keep the change and that went towards the next match's gate price and burger. I can't remember which league they played in. I think there was a northern league and southern league back then and I think they were somewhere below that.
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Post by dem bones on Jan 15, 2019 19:49:33 GMT
It was Hednesford Town FC, Dem. First time I saw them they lost 5-1 at home and it poured down. Not an auspicious start to my non-league watching days. Their ground was quite like Bromley's by the sound of it, but they moved a few hundred yards to a much plusher ground around 1996 or so, but my zenith of following them was mid 70s to late 70s or around that time. As I grew older and discovered girls I gradually stopped going. The terraces were almost exclusively male back then and girls for the most part were not interested in standing in the rain watching 22 blokes rather inexpertly kicking a ball around. I wish I had kept the programmes I bought. I actually didn't buy that many, it was usually a choice between a burger from the burger van or a programme, and the burger usually won, especially on cold days. I would walk to home matches as the ground was only a 30 minute walk away, or about 25 minutes or less if I really stepped out. I had a paper round at the time delivering the Express & Star evening paper. The round was actually my estate and Express & Star delivered the papers to our house as I worked directly for them. So I would try to deliver the papers prior to going to the match. They were usually delivered about 1.45pm so I would tazz it round our estate, drop my bag at our house and walk to the match. then after getting back home the Sporting Star would be delivered around 6pm and I would take those around our estate. I loved taking round the pink on saturday nights....it was 6p a copy and many gave me 10p and told me to keep the change and that went towards the next match's gate price and burger. I can't remember which league they played in. I think there was a northern league and southern league back then and I think they were somewhere below that. Hedensford Town! Of recent years they seem to have led a nomadic existence in terms of leagues - Midland, Conference North, Southern for a time, now Northern Premier. I remember they had a few decent FA Cup runs not so long back, dumped Barnet out one year which went down well with my ex-lot. Please tell me you were a silk scarf man! Seriously, they were the epitome of cool. Have said it before but back in the mid-seventies if you didn't have silks dangling from either wrist you were no-one in my book. The solitary exception was my friend and fellow Stones fan Martin Russian's blue & white abomination, knitted by his gran. It reached down to his toes. That was acceptable. Somewhere around fifteen-sixteen I saw a photo of a scary Derby fan wearing Alice Cooper make-up, so that got me started on black kohl pencil which, now I think, didn't sit well with some of the older fans. Stroke of luck was landing the programme seller gig. Free admission to home games and the £1.50 wages paid for away trips on the supporters coach. Had a paper-round on the go, Friday evening job in a local baker, too, and pocketed my school dinner money, so I was pretty flush in them days. I learnt to drink on the away journeys. First stop was always the social club - no-one gave a toss that you'd just paid an under-16 entry fee on the turnstile. I see this 'no alcohol sold to under 25's' notice in shops now and wonder how on earth today's kids cope.
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Post by ripper on Jan 16, 2019 10:56:22 GMT
It was Hednesford Town FC, Dem. First time I saw them they lost 5-1 at home and it poured down. Not an auspicious start to my non-league watching days. Their ground was quite like Bromley's by the sound of it, but they moved a few hundred yards to a much plusher ground around 1996 or so, but my zenith of following them was mid 70s to late 70s or around that time. As I grew older and discovered girls I gradually stopped going. The terraces were almost exclusively male back then and girls for the most part were not interested in standing in the rain watching 22 blokes rather inexpertly kicking a ball around. I wish I had kept the programmes I bought. I actually didn't buy that many, it was usually a choice between a burger from the burger van or a programme, and the burger usually won, especially on cold days. I would walk to home matches as the ground was only a 30 minute walk away, or about 25 minutes or less if I really stepped out. I had a paper round at the time delivering the Express & Star evening paper. The round was actually my estate and Express & Star delivered the papers to our house as I worked directly for them. So I would try to deliver the papers prior to going to the match. They were usually delivered about 1.45pm so I would tazz it round our estate, drop my bag at our house and walk to the match. then after getting back home the Sporting Star would be delivered around 6pm and I would take those around our estate. I loved taking round the pink on saturday nights....it was 6p a copy and many gave me 10p and told me to keep the change and that went towards the next match's gate price and burger. I can't remember which league they played in. I think there was a northern league and southern league back then and I think they were somewhere below that. Hedensford Town! Of recent years they seem to have led a nomadic existence in terms of leagues - Midland, Conference North, Southern for a time, now Northern Premier. I remember they had a few decent FA Cup runs not so long back, dumped Barnet out one year which went down well with my ex-lot. Please tell me you were a silk scarf man! Seriously, they were the epitome of cool. Have said it before but back in the mid-seventies if you didn't have silks dangling from either wrist you were no-one in my book. The solitary exception was my friend and fellow Stones fan Martin Russian's blue & white abomination, knitted by his gran. It reached down to his toes. That was acceptable. Somewhere around fifteen-sixteen I saw a photo of a scary Derby fan wearing Alice Cooper make-up, so that got me started on black kohl pencil which, now I think, didn't sit well with some of the older fans. Stroke of luck was landing the programme seller gig. Free admission to home games and the £1.50 wages paid for away trips on the supporters coach. Had a paper-round on the go, Friday evening job in a local baker, too, and pocketed my school dinner money, so I was pretty flush in them days. I learnt to drink on the away journeys. First stop was always the social club - no-one gave a toss that you'd just paid an under-16 entry fee on the turnstile. I see this 'no alcohol sold to under 25's' notice in shops now and wonder how on earth today's kids cope. I remember I had to strongly disuade my mum from knitting me a scarf and bobble hat in Hednesford's colours. I did eventually buy a silk scarf, but it took a while as the supporters shop--rather a grand title for what it was--didn't have them in for ages. The club's nickname is the Pitmen to reflect the importance of coal-mining in the area and I suspect a fair proportion of supporters were miners, who rather frowned at silk scarfs, but tolerated them. There wasn't much of a prawn sandwich brigade on the terraces in those days I can tell you, but equally I don't ever remember any trouble either. There were robust comments to players, refs and rival supporters, but each side could take it as well as dish it out with no-one getting too worked up. Yes, drinking was far easier to do back then. There would always be a crate of beer or three at the back of the supporters coach for away games, and I usually was given a bottle on the occasions I was a traveling supporter. So long as you were not too young and were discreet the club bar would turn a blind eye to a half of bitter or lager, and you could always pretend it was a shandy bass in a glass. The team had a really good cup run in the late 90s, getting as far as the 4th round before losing 3-2 to Middlesborough at the time when Gazza, Pallister and other top players were there. I'm pretty sure that was the year when they knocked out Blackpool.
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Post by ripper on Jan 16, 2019 14:18:29 GMT
I will admit that although I quaked at the thought of my mum knitting a scarf and bobble hat for me to wear on the terraces at Hednesford Town FC, I did have a scarf and bobble hat knitted by mum in the colours of some obscure team of cloggers based at Old Lafford or Safford or something like that, from a few years before. I don't know if anyone remembers, but there was a fashion in the early 70s to cover bobble hats with badges--or was it just me? Anyway, I still have it and it is still adorned with those 45+ year old badges. There's a Captain Scarlet badge, an Aztecs badge (the much missed chocolate bar, a Gurkhas badge, one advertising Sutherland's spread, one from the Scripture Union, a Joe 90 badge, a Royal Navy badge, and one that might get me some funny looks today saying 'Up with mini-skirts' among others. I don't know if I ever wore it in public, or perhaps my mind has blocked out the doubtless traumatic memory.
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