Post by shottermiller on Feb 14, 2014 19:51:23 GMT
Hi City Fans
I’ve enjoyed reading your postings on the old days of City. I’m a Gees supporter so I hope you don’t mind an interloper coming on here and adding some comments which you may find of interest on the subject.
My first memories of City at Joseph’s Road were at the age of 14 . My first game was on Saturday 11th November 1957, an FA Cup 1st round tie v. Yeovil Town. Prior to that the nearest I had got was watching Shottermill play against Stoke Rec. It ended in a 2 all draw with Yeovil winning the replay 1-0. I don’t know if imagination gets carried away but I seem to remember a gate of around 6,000 and I’m sure there was a picture from the game in one of the Sunday papers. It was a perfect day for me; I’d been train spotting up at Woking in the morning and then arriving back at Guildford station to find that Yeovil had two special trains of supporters. (I can even remember the names of the locos that hauled the trains) Even back in those days Yeovil had a giant Hungarian centre half by the name of Mike Nagy (what a memory). Memories from the City team that day were Charlie Dore in goal and a portly Sid Asher up front with Tom Cronin and Pearson and Devine fitting in somewhere. Bob Donaghy was probably there as well. I guess John McMorran would have played as well.
I had a couple of seasons coming up quite regularly and even extending to watching some Metropolitan League games (Eric Abbott was in goal) and then the dreaded Fratton Park came into the equation and I was also introduced to the Recreation Ground at Aldershot as well.
From my point of view it was beyond belief to come and see some of the former stars that I had previously only read about, seen their pictures in books and papers and on Sports Special on a Saturday evening actually in the flesh playing for other clubs against City. Some names that come to mind immediately are Roy Paul ex Wales and Manchester City Captain at Worcester City, Ray Daniel ex Arsenal and Wales at Hereford United, Jack Froggatt ex Portsmouth was p/m at Kettering Town, Billy Dare ex flying winger with West Ham at Yiewsley (Hillingdon Borough), Ted Ditchburn ex Tottenham Hotspur was at Romford. Brian Rhodes who was later to become first team keeper at West Ham played in their “A” side in the Metropolitan League. I’ve still got their autographed pictures. Sadly the programmes didn’t survive. I gave all my programmes away, even the one with Stanley Matthews autograph in when I first got married.
There were some friendly games that were of interest. I can remember Woking coming down one evening. I guess that must have been after they won the FA Cup. They had a star studded side which I’m sure contained no less than at least 9 current Amateur International players. I can’t remember the score, I think I was probably overawed with the standard of Woking’s football. Aldershot came and played a not too friendly friendly. My only memory of this game was the then City centre half, Bob French ex Aldershot appear to take aim and hit the ball straight at little Jimmy Sirrell the Aldershot Trainer. I cannot for the life of me remember whether Jimmy was pole axed or not. The third friendly was against the British Army XI. Of course in those days all the players were doing National Service; Gerry Cakebread of Brentford was in goal, Liverpool legend, Scottish International the towering Ron Yeates was c/h, another Scottish International, Alex Young who was at Hearts before coming south to Everton at c/f, Chris Crowe who was at Leeds United was also in the forward line. A thought that has suddenly come to me is that I have a recollection of seeing Jim Langley play in a friendly against City and an afterthought Cliff Holton in the same game and now another thought is seeing Jimmy Melia. Did Saints play a friendly somewhen?. Maybe somebody can add some info on that one.
(Not that its anything to do with City but I can remember seeing Johnny Byrne, who was our President at Fairlands play for Crystal Palace at Aldershot when he was doing his n/s. Tottenham star Alan Gilzean did his n/s at Aldershot but never got into the first team!
Even after the lure of watching league football I still found time to visit for the odd game. Eric Gill from Brighton I can remember seeing in goal. My local boy, Steve Fullick had crept in at some stage. They tell me Steve signed for City in the cowshed at Grayswood whilst he was milking the cows. I played some cricket with Steve at Grayswood and got to know him and then again in his latter days when I delivered mail to his home in Blackdown Park. Seth was an exciting player I enjoyed watching. I can’t recall ever seeing Peter Vasper playing. Did Ray Drinkwater play for City? He used to play cricket for Send against us at Shottermill.
The last game I saw was against Poole Town which I’m sure was on a Boxing Day. My old workmate Dennis Pring at Southampton on Post office Telecomms, was an ex Saint who played for them. I had a car then and remember giving Tommy McGhee the old Portsmouth f/b a lift as he walked down from the station to the ground. Poole had ex Portsmouth and Arsenal star, Scottish International Jackie Henderson, Bobby Mason ex Wolves and Bill Perry ex Blackpool winger in their team.
I saw Jimmy Greaves playing for one of Albert Tennant’s teams. No, not football, cricket at Woodbridge Road.
When I returned to Guildford Area POTels I worked in Bridge House and at Leapale Lane in the exchange. There was considerable City support in those buildings; John Dayborn, Jack Malthouse, Bill Shrubb, Jack Lewis (the old Guildford wicket keeper), Jim Maddox and last but not least Fred Collier who played for City on the wing.
In those days City had John Stevens, Mickey Lill and Derek Piper all working for POTels at the Woking Depot. I was working in the control next to the exchange one day and I was left dumbstruck; in walked Bob Donaghy and started talking to me. I couldn’t believe it was happening, I didn’t realise he was also on the firm!
That’s about all, maybe I haven’t got some of my facts correct it’s along time ago now. I’ve often spoken to Pete Phillips at Gees games about the old days but this gave me the push to put it down for others to see and bring back memories
I’ve enjoyed reading your postings on the old days of City. I’m a Gees supporter so I hope you don’t mind an interloper coming on here and adding some comments which you may find of interest on the subject.
My first memories of City at Joseph’s Road were at the age of 14 . My first game was on Saturday 11th November 1957, an FA Cup 1st round tie v. Yeovil Town. Prior to that the nearest I had got was watching Shottermill play against Stoke Rec. It ended in a 2 all draw with Yeovil winning the replay 1-0. I don’t know if imagination gets carried away but I seem to remember a gate of around 6,000 and I’m sure there was a picture from the game in one of the Sunday papers. It was a perfect day for me; I’d been train spotting up at Woking in the morning and then arriving back at Guildford station to find that Yeovil had two special trains of supporters. (I can even remember the names of the locos that hauled the trains) Even back in those days Yeovil had a giant Hungarian centre half by the name of Mike Nagy (what a memory). Memories from the City team that day were Charlie Dore in goal and a portly Sid Asher up front with Tom Cronin and Pearson and Devine fitting in somewhere. Bob Donaghy was probably there as well. I guess John McMorran would have played as well.
I had a couple of seasons coming up quite regularly and even extending to watching some Metropolitan League games (Eric Abbott was in goal) and then the dreaded Fratton Park came into the equation and I was also introduced to the Recreation Ground at Aldershot as well.
From my point of view it was beyond belief to come and see some of the former stars that I had previously only read about, seen their pictures in books and papers and on Sports Special on a Saturday evening actually in the flesh playing for other clubs against City. Some names that come to mind immediately are Roy Paul ex Wales and Manchester City Captain at Worcester City, Ray Daniel ex Arsenal and Wales at Hereford United, Jack Froggatt ex Portsmouth was p/m at Kettering Town, Billy Dare ex flying winger with West Ham at Yiewsley (Hillingdon Borough), Ted Ditchburn ex Tottenham Hotspur was at Romford. Brian Rhodes who was later to become first team keeper at West Ham played in their “A” side in the Metropolitan League. I’ve still got their autographed pictures. Sadly the programmes didn’t survive. I gave all my programmes away, even the one with Stanley Matthews autograph in when I first got married.
There were some friendly games that were of interest. I can remember Woking coming down one evening. I guess that must have been after they won the FA Cup. They had a star studded side which I’m sure contained no less than at least 9 current Amateur International players. I can’t remember the score, I think I was probably overawed with the standard of Woking’s football. Aldershot came and played a not too friendly friendly. My only memory of this game was the then City centre half, Bob French ex Aldershot appear to take aim and hit the ball straight at little Jimmy Sirrell the Aldershot Trainer. I cannot for the life of me remember whether Jimmy was pole axed or not. The third friendly was against the British Army XI. Of course in those days all the players were doing National Service; Gerry Cakebread of Brentford was in goal, Liverpool legend, Scottish International the towering Ron Yeates was c/h, another Scottish International, Alex Young who was at Hearts before coming south to Everton at c/f, Chris Crowe who was at Leeds United was also in the forward line. A thought that has suddenly come to me is that I have a recollection of seeing Jim Langley play in a friendly against City and an afterthought Cliff Holton in the same game and now another thought is seeing Jimmy Melia. Did Saints play a friendly somewhen?. Maybe somebody can add some info on that one.
(Not that its anything to do with City but I can remember seeing Johnny Byrne, who was our President at Fairlands play for Crystal Palace at Aldershot when he was doing his n/s. Tottenham star Alan Gilzean did his n/s at Aldershot but never got into the first team!
Even after the lure of watching league football I still found time to visit for the odd game. Eric Gill from Brighton I can remember seeing in goal. My local boy, Steve Fullick had crept in at some stage. They tell me Steve signed for City in the cowshed at Grayswood whilst he was milking the cows. I played some cricket with Steve at Grayswood and got to know him and then again in his latter days when I delivered mail to his home in Blackdown Park. Seth was an exciting player I enjoyed watching. I can’t recall ever seeing Peter Vasper playing. Did Ray Drinkwater play for City? He used to play cricket for Send against us at Shottermill.
The last game I saw was against Poole Town which I’m sure was on a Boxing Day. My old workmate Dennis Pring at Southampton on Post office Telecomms, was an ex Saint who played for them. I had a car then and remember giving Tommy McGhee the old Portsmouth f/b a lift as he walked down from the station to the ground. Poole had ex Portsmouth and Arsenal star, Scottish International Jackie Henderson, Bobby Mason ex Wolves and Bill Perry ex Blackpool winger in their team.
I saw Jimmy Greaves playing for one of Albert Tennant’s teams. No, not football, cricket at Woodbridge Road.
When I returned to Guildford Area POTels I worked in Bridge House and at Leapale Lane in the exchange. There was considerable City support in those buildings; John Dayborn, Jack Malthouse, Bill Shrubb, Jack Lewis (the old Guildford wicket keeper), Jim Maddox and last but not least Fred Collier who played for City on the wing.
In those days City had John Stevens, Mickey Lill and Derek Piper all working for POTels at the Woking Depot. I was working in the control next to the exchange one day and I was left dumbstruck; in walked Bob Donaghy and started talking to me. I couldn’t believe it was happening, I didn’t realise he was also on the firm!
That’s about all, maybe I haven’t got some of my facts correct it’s along time ago now. I’ve often spoken to Pete Phillips at Gees games about the old days but this gave me the push to put it down for others to see and bring back memories