Shinton and Spireites

SIMPLY A RED - PART 4

Nostalgia Unlimited by David Williams

I must confess that my attendances in recent years have become more of a rarity; not because Rhyl is a full day’s trek with oxen just to see Connolly play, but because I have become a jinx. A watcher of draws and losses. I have seen one win in the past three years! (Luton 1998). Last season I have seen Wrexham draw with Huddersfield, and lose to Stoke, Man City, Wigan - and Huddersfield away. If I turn up at all this season, it will be in disguise! - but if I do, I expect to see the young players, such as Gibson, and Morrell, and Edwards given their chance to shine; as John Neal gave such opportunities to Smallman, and Ashcroft, and Thomas.

Memories’ of the 70’s: The Watney Cup; Getting home from Burnley to see Jimmy Hill announce that Wrexham’s finest moment so far was not to be screened on Match of the Day, because Burnley Chairman Bob Lord had taken his ball home with him; Joe Royle’s face as we battered Bristol City 3-0; Shinton’s bandy legs; the sea of mud at the end of the Championship season, but who cared?; Whittle v Rotherham; having a cup of tea in Rhyl one Monday morning with Mickey Thomas after he had played like a Tory MP on the Saturday; finding a rolled-up bundle of pound notes outside The Dell at Southampton, finding an officer of the law to report said find, being thrown back into the heaving mob without getting a word in edgeways, spending said find with my mates in a pub which had WW2 connections (Winston Churchill, Battle of Britain?), and giving generously to the whip round on the coach home for the poor sod who had lost his dosh; Dai Davies being sent off at West Ham; I could go on forever. Steve Fox; the Welsh Cup; that’s it; enough!

Oh yes! Chesterfield in 1974-75. I was in Boots in Regent Street, having recently got engaged, standing forlornly at the perfume counter. You could hear the roar of the crowd from miles away in those days. I don’t remember who scored in our epic 3-1 victory, because I wasn’t there. I was pathetic, showing a feeble interest in the latest Estee Lauder creation as Wrexham defeated The Spireites. My wife only came with me to one match - we beat Plymouth 5-0, but even then I knew where her mind was - Astons, picking a new three-piece suite! Such is life! Come on you Reds!  RP