Allan Clarke scored his first goal for Barnsley

As player-manager in a 2-0 victory over Crewe at Gresty Road. It was from the penalty spot, after John Peachey had opened the scoring. We won our first five league games of the season, 1978/79, going on to win promotion from the Fourth Division and this was our second match. It was on a Wednesday night and we played Crewe off the park, Peachey had the best game I ever saw him have in a Barnsley shirt that evening.
It was in stark contrast to our game there the previous season. That was played on Easter Monday (after winning 2-1 at Hartlepool on Good Friday, then beating Southport 2-1 on the Saturday), we played extremely poorly, lost 2-1 and Brian Joicey missed a penalty.

 

Did that 5 game run end with a night match defeat at Hudds Town?

That was my first season supporting the Reds - Think the Hudds match was my only way appearance though. I was 12.

 

Showing ya age now Kev

Nice post tho.

 

No, mate. We lost 2-1 at home to Torquay United. We then beat Huddersfield Town 1-0 the following Saturday.

 

You've got a brilliant memory. How do you do it?

 

You're right, Wayne. I wish this bloke would stop following me around!
<img src ="http://i.huffpost.com/gen/3031628/images/o-DEATH-SCYTHE-facebook.jpg">

 

I bet you can't guess what Crystal & Conan call me, old mate!
<img src ="https://wallpaperscraft.com/image/rain_man_tom_cruise_dustin_hoffman_3534_1024x1024.jpg">

 

Ah, OK, so that was about August? We beat Town at home in the September (1-0), one of my first home matches. The away match I saw us lose was later in the season. I'd turned 13 by then, took my girlfriend Gillian. You just don't find girls called Gillian any more.

 

The victory over Crewe was in August, the defeat to Torquay was in September.
You're right, mate, I can't remember the last time I talked to a woman called Gillian.

 

12 September 1978. Big crowd turned up to see us turn over "little Torquay United". They hadn't read the script and their big black centre forward Les Lawrence was too hot to handle. Didn't seem to matter too much though because the Allan Clarke Revolution was well under way and promotion at the end of that season was already a certainty. Well, I thought it was.

Great season that of ultra excitement (even though it was the Fourth Division). And then Norman Hunter went and topped it by getting us up to the Second Division playing stellar football.

Great days, great days.

 

Torquay did the double over us that season when they beat us 3-2 in January (the only game we played that month due to the bad weather). Les Lawrence scored a hat trick that night. Two years later, we played Torquay in the FA Cup 3rd Round and beat them 2-1 with Derrick Parker getting both goals. Torquay actually opened the scoring in the game after a couple of minutes. Needless to say, it was flipping Les Lawrence who scored the goal!
Lawrence was supposed to be on our transfer radar for ages after that first game. The rumours only finished after we signed some lad called Trevor Aylott!

 

You do know, that's me?

Only joking

 

Yes it would have been interesting seeing Lawrence up front for us. He was certainly a handful, and one of those players who always seemed to score against us. That Aylott fellow though......pffffft what a load of rubbish. Threw his dummy out of the cot when Clarkey substituted him and he threw his shirt into the dugout. Billy Bigtime!

Forgive him that though - scored some great goals for us.

 

Remember to Torquay deteat.MOTD cameras there for first time in years. We were destined to lose.

 

Remember it well, Peacheys goal bobbled up and came off his knee. He ran to our end like he,d hit a worldy! . We didn't,care, like you say happy days.

 

No Torquay at home

 

Football. Focus it was a Tuesday night game and they featured us the following Saturday

 

It was a good throw from Trev, though.

 

Fetch thissen inside, mate, it's blooming cold out there!

 

We played even better the Saturday after, when we beat Bradford City 2-1 at Valley Parade.