Memory Lane Shower of **** FC… Who did you play for?

[* ORM *]

I’d forgotten about this. I remember years ago training Hawthorns youngsters (maybe U9s) then persuading them to come early to Snakes Lane with their parents to watch us adults.(they were playing afterwards). I should have checked the fixtures. We played Basildon Boys who were new to the league and runaway leaders. 19-1 later wasn’t funny!

On the flip side I’ve played for teams winning comfortably week in week out and that actually becomes tedious!

Snakes Lane ha ha goalie drop kicks hitting the pylon wires. Had to put the posts as well as nets up each week and no one fancied playing uphill second half if you were losing at half time.

Had a lifetime of great (and bad) experiences playing football, including playing at the old Wembley before it closed. . I’m sure as hell going to miss it after next Friday but I won’t be missing the morning after aches and pains.

In all the years I’ve played I’ve never broken a leg but I’ve done plenty else. Dislocated kneecap, torn cruciate, fractured bone in foot (on son’s first birthday!!!!), broken big toe, both ankle ligaments, displaced collar bone, groin strain, calf strain, Repeat injuries for many of these but nothing can be more painful than a severe hamstring pull. For at least 3 weeks it was almost like permanent cramp in the back of my thigh.

 

[Napster]

I’d forgotten about this. I remember years ago training Hawthorns youngsters (maybe U9s) then persuading them to come early to Snakes Lane with their parents to watch us adults.(they were playing afterwards). I should have checked the fixtures. We played Basildon Boys who were new to the league and runaway leaders. 19-1 later wasn’t funny!

On the flip side I’ve played for teams winning comfortably week in week out and that actually becomes tedious!

Snakes Lane ha ha goalie drop kicks hitting the pylon wires. Had to put the posts as well as nets up each week and no one fancied playing uphill second half if you were losing at half time.

Had a lifetime of great (and bad) experiences playing football, including playing at the old Wembley before it closed

Was that the game with Graham Barnes in goal?

 

[tsbl2000]

Played for Oakwood Rangers in my teens -got thumped by everyone including a 24-1 v Rayleigh Town, I think it was. Best result was a 3-3 draw against Priory Athletic who then smashed us 8-1 in the return!! My career then took off massively with stints at NatWest, Landwick , Hewlyn Athletic, Brooklyn Sports and then helped Juventus, Sporting Lisbon and England onto major victories.
Actually, just realised those last three were Subbuteo games.

We must have had a similar career (except for Subbuteo, Southend won everything there, with Billy Best top scorer!). I played for National Westminster Bank seconds (with the occasional first team appearance, think Kevin Fallon), Landwick (run by Don Fraser?) and Hewlyn Athletic. One year in really cold weather, we had to play back to back games on the same day due to fixture postponements (frost). We lost the first game (we lost most) but had a rare 1-0 win in the second. Perhaps we played together?

 

[C'mon you Shrimpers]

Donald Fraser was in my class at Westcliff too. Remember he had those pathfinder shoes with the paw prints of animals on the sole.

 

[BedfordShrimper]

Something a bit different to add here. I played for Bedford United as a junior and adult in the reserves. Bedford United are now known as Real Bedford FC. They were heavily invested in back in 2021 by the Winkelvoss twins with $4.5million worth of bitcoin. They have lofty ambitions of making it to the football league in the near future which I am sure would royally p*** off their next door neighbours at Bedford Town. They are now only 1 league apart in the Southern League system.

 

[* ORM *]

Was that the game with Graham Barnes in goal?

Ever the comedian, while others scratch their heads

Leeboy only played first half. We drew the second half 1-1

 

[tsbl2000]

Donald Fraser was in my class at Westcliff too. Remember he had those pathfinder shoes with the paw prints of animals on the sole.

And the compass in the heel!

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

 

[meerkat54]

My one and only team, Rayleigh elim eagles
Was better at ping pong, played that on a Saturday instead

If I’m right the players had to attend Sunday school to get into the team.
Every now and then I was dropped for a game because my attendance at Sunday school was zero
Think I played for them in 1970 and I used to turn up on my bsa bantam for matches .

 

[discord]

Snakes Lane ha ha goalie drop kicks hitting the pylon wires.

Yes was good target practice too. Apart from Leigh Marshes, Boot Hill at Eastwood Park in the rainy season was just mud and no good if you was Gordan Strachen size, plus there were the goals you could score from inside your own half on the hill of Oakwood Park notched 2 in one game there, admittedly I took every chance I could at doing it, but heh why not!

 

[Eastwood for ever Blue]

If I’m right the players had to attend Sunday school to get into the team.
Every now and then I was dropped for a game because my attendance at Sunday school was zero
Think I played for them in 1970 and I used to turn up on my bsa bantam for matches .

Yes, if you went to Sunday school you played. Think I was there 73 or so

 

[Dave Smiths Love Child]

I had a pair of Alan Ball white football boots, didn’t improve my game , but had the walk on the pitch

 

[S H Blue]

Saturday
Old Southendians, Belfairs Park, Boro Com
Eastwood Falcons, Eastwoodbury Lane, Boro Com
Sunday
Hockley Boys, Hawkwell Rec
Concorde Jets, Eastwoodbury Lane, Sunday Sceptre League

 

[Hawkwell Blue]

I had a pair of Alan Ball white football boots, didn’t improve my game , but had the walk on the pitch

Same here, in the days when you were singled out if you didn’t have black boots. (I was only playing for Hamstel School at the time). How times have changed.

 

[Shrimper83]

Played for Trinity Youth till 16, Borough Rovers on a Saturday and Leighbrit on a Sunday for a few years and then injuries took over plus drinking and women hahaha

 

[Firestorm]

We used to have matches on The Green at Southgreen Billericay between teams from the local roads , being from a small cul de sac we were , invariably, one of the weaker teams

 

[* ORM *]

Given up trying to remember the missing teams but one thing is for sure. Friday 8th November will see my last 11 a side game. It’s being played at a wonderful stadium with excellent pre and post match facilities so seems a fitting way to finish. There may be several sherrys afterwards

I’m still available for the annual 7s tour but for the last 2 years it’s been in Bangkok. The hotel’s nice but the place is a ****hole and not MCOT. Was Saigon before that, much nicer experience.

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Kick off in around 90 minutes. Let’s see if I can sign off with a goal!!!

 

[* ORM *]

 

[* ORM *]

Already feeling my knee and ankle despite the beers

Actually gave a decent account of myself. First half right mid, second half left back.

 

[davewebbsbrain]

We used to have matches on The Green at Southgreen Billericay between teams from the local roads , being from a small cul de sac we were , invariably, one of the weaker teams

Lived in Passingham Ave until I was 7 so would have been too young for that and before my time too