The Mel Machin season, 90-91

Hey this subject came up again yesterday, and it's one I thought deserved a new discussion and new subject all of its own lol.
So Mel, or mad Mel as he sort of became with the nickname eventually. He came very close to taking us up to to the last ever pre-Premier league First Division that season.
We had Baker in goal, along with Taggart and Fleming at the back, with Robinson and Smith, and the upcoming impressive kid Tiler.
There was Agnew in midfield along with Banks, and we had the attacking Archdeacon out wide, and we had Rammell up front.
Teams rarely won at Oakwell then, and it really does bring back good memories for me as a season. And even the 'Shaw Carpets' kit was a good one.

 

Brendan O’Connell in midfield plus Andy Saville up top ...........sithi.

 

I'd forgot about the headless chicken runner Brendan lol, and Andy Saville wasn't that good really, was he.

 

Strange player Saville, quite skillfull for a big lad but despite his size came across as soft as a bag of knackers. He was responsiblefor one the worst .open goal misses ive ever seen in the flesh against Swindon at home
Cross in the box one of ours heads it down on goal its just about to cross the line and the big man sticks his foot out to snatch the glory and ends up clearing it off the line, he did notch some cracking goals mind .........sithi.

 

And speaking of strikers called Andy lol, with Rammell and Saville. This was just before Liddell of course, and a few years before Payton.
I never rated Brian McCord in midfield, and what on earth went wrong with Stuart Rimmer ?.

 

Mitts lad? .........sithi.

 

F*kin predictive text ehh lol... I tried to post the surname Rimmer (not Romney!).

 

Chortle!!!! Never really got much of a chance did he although I'll forever love him for his part in ex blunt Paul Stancliffes magnificent own goal in the 5 nil win at Wolves........sithi.

 

I remember Aston Villingham doing the Lg Cup 'double' over us then (it was two legs in those days). They won both legs 1-0, with the new England star David Platt in their team.
And speaking of the cup, how pi*ssed off were we when George Courtenay the ref, ruined our Fa cup replay defeat away at Leeds.

 

Strange season ,as I started my own boycot of not going to the games under Machin.
In my opinion Mark Smith was up there with the better centre half's I recall.
Could play a bit ,but Machin didn't figure him worthy in his line ups ,so I threw Teddy out of the cot and wouldn't go for a while.
I remember sat on brewery stand steps head in hands when we narrowly missed play offs on goal difference.
Or was that another season,I'm getting old.

 

Courtney was always a right b@$tard against us .......sithi.

 

It was the season after we missed out on the play offs when Melvin started messing Mark Smith about...as you say he dropped him then a few weeks later reinstated him in the team and made him Captain. That was the season when he started loosing the plot...........sithi.

 

Hey Bazz, I liked Mark Smith even though he was a former Fowls player lol.
But as Monkey says though, I think it was the following season when Mel really lost it, and messed players about.

 

Smith was great for us in the play off near miss season and scored plenty for a centre half.........sithi.

 

Yeah I know he did/was, and he had that experience about him as well.
Remember on the Easter Satdy when we beat an appalling dirty Plymouth team, his former team. He/Smith got elbowed and he carried on with a bloodied head band. Just like Terry Butcher was famous for doing for England, a few years before!.

 

Yes mate I do remember that, i remember the state of the pitch an'all, more sand on it than skeggy beach.........sithi.

 

Think this was the season we barely played from mid January to late February because of the weather, this caused a fixture pile up in April & a bit of a drop in form because they were knackered.

 

Met him a fews years ago working for Royal Mail , wtf .
He should be coaching for a living .
He was a fantastic pro.

 

To be fair, he gave us a second chance in the FA Cup that season.
Never seen a referee receive welcoming applause, but he did from our lot at Elland Road... then reverted back to his usual manner lol.