Roll ont footie tomoz

and Rugby World Cup.

Footballs **** but politics is shitter.

 

The first time I watched Barnsley play at Blackpool was on Good Friday 1980. We drew 1-1 with Mike Lester getting our goal.
It wasn't the first occasion I'd seen a game at Bloomfield Road, though. Back in the Summer of 1970, when we were on holiday there, my Late Father took me to see a pre season friendly against Coventry City. Blackpool had just been promoted to the old First Division and had some really skilful players in their team, Alan Suddick, Tony Green & Tommy Hutchison (later to join Coventry). Brian Joicey was in the Coventry line up that day.

 

Brian Joicey one of my fave reds players.

 

Mine, too.

 

Early MotD at Bloomfield Road was tower, beach, player entrance , tower, action, tower, action, tower, action. Memories.

 

Our last away game of the following season was at Blackpool. We needed one victory to clinch promotion and Blackpool had already been relegated to the Fourth Division. Norman Hunter had a brainstorm and decided to play Ronnie Glavin as striker in place of the injured Trevor Aylott. All season Glyn Riley had been the back up striker to Aylott & Derrick Parker, but on this day of all days, Hunter tried something different. We lost 1-0 and produced one of our worst displays of the season. Thankfully, we beat Rotherham 1-0 at home on the Tuesday in front of 25,000+ and secured promotion to the Second Division (Glavin scored the all important goal).

 

That was my first game at Blackpool although my memory dunt go into so much detail, we lost is all I recall.

 

Country was snowbound - weird micro-climate in Blackpool and ours was about the only game still on. Went on the Special - bloody freezing on that big away terrace. Gutted we didn't do it that day, but found a fiver in the bus station when the train got back! All put right on the Tuesday....

 

Can remember this day vividly, it had snowed very heavily over night in Yorkshire and Barnsley and were due to travel to the game on Chippy Rowes coaches, who did not have the best reputation for reliability of their fleet. So it was with trepidation that we set off, half expecting not to reach our destination!

However, we happened to drop on a brilliant driver who took it upon himself to ignore the the motorways that were snarled and take us on all the back roads to Huddersfield, Halifax, Todmorden, and arrive in Lancashire where there was brilliant sunshine and was as warm as the Med!

When we finally arrived there were only about half of our expected following there, so I can only assume that the players took it upon themselves to lose, so as many of our fans could see the promotion!!

 

Sunshine yes - warm, deffo not!! Mind you, I probably went in just a t-shirt or summat.

 

I remember getting to the motorway at Huddersfield and the police had closed it down.We too went round the back roads but got there in plenty of time.

 

I love the idea you can still remember finding a fiver all these years later, mate!

 

Our coach driver took us down to the Midlands to join the M6 and then head North! As you rightly say about the extremes of weather, we all turned up dressed like Nanook of the North and arrived in a warm, sunny Blackpool!

 

Remember that day well too. Went with my dad by train as the roads were thick with snow.

Blackpool was a big contrast, mild with sunshine.

Also remember walking the following Tuesday night to Oakwell for the match with Rotherham, with the The Star placards announcing in big letters, NIGHT OF DESTINY AT OAKWELL.

 

34 years ago. Flipping heck.

 

Blimey, hard to believe! Still remember well that Tuesday night - the promotion + a couple of pints in The Miner's Rest after to celebrate.