Niche weekend question. Did anyone on here attend Belle Vue for this? Was weirdly talking about this testimonial with a friend today. Gazza represented the All Star XI just a few weeks before that game in Turin. Neither of us could remember who the benefit was for and I’ve just had to search for the answer. What was the reason for the game? Was it a career cut short through injury?
He would have only been 25 at the time, although I don't believe he'd played for a couple of years, so I would imagine you called it right as a career ending injury.
I was there, aged 11. Gascoigne was absolutely brilliant, scored with a rainbow flick over the advancing keeper, the All Star team beat us about 8-4. I think you're right that his career was cut short by a very serious injury. Donny brought out Alick Jeffrey at half time. I think Billy Bremner was in the All Star team as well.
I only have two recollections. The first was a penalty that Gazza took, using his wrong foot, Rabona-style, that was barely saved by the keeper - and then he recreated the goalkeepers floundering dive as a piss-take (I'm not sure if that was during the game or a half-time penalty contest, I think it was the latter). The second was Ian Banks trying to out-do Gazza's tricks and kick-ups during the game and at half-time. He failed but it was a valiant attempt. Even though it was a testimonial, it's probably the closest I've been to football genius, even given some of the visitors to Oakwell (Bergkamp and others)
I got Alex Jeffreys autograph around 1968ish.We were playing Brentford at Oakwell and Alex was stood watching the game on the old west stand terracing with his mates.
It was always going to be a tough time for Malcolm or any other keeper actually, because Clive Baker was Mr Dependable as our number 1.
Was there, for some reason I thought it was after the World Cup and why the place was packed coz Gazza was playing. Gazza made Donny look like Barcelona , and one of the Donny forwards scored 3 or 4 as whilst a friendly Gazza was putting them on a plate. Showed that if you can drop on a quality player in the lower leagues who can play a decent pass you are laughing.
Does this kind of thing happen anymore? Are there benefit matches for lower league young(ish) players who can no longer play due to injury? If so, does (I'm trying to think of an English player comparable to Gazza but struggling) Harry Kane turn up? (I don't know, I suspect not, but I've no idea really).
