TalkBass OFFICIAL English Football thread 2012-13: Part 3 - Page 7

**bassybill** · #**121** 02-03-2013, 02:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MarkMgibson

My mother has one of those old balls. On the day my elder sister was born, dad scored 5 goals and they actually announced over the P.A. during the match that he'd just become a father (different priorities in those days LOL). So he kept the ball. Damn - the thing weighs a ton (this was from 1964). How the hell did they head those things?

And they were twice as heavy when they got waterlogged (like most of the time over here in England).

Do you happen to know what game that was in? Who was your dad playing for at the time? Interesting bit of history.

MartinG1957 · #**122** 02-03-2013, 03:36 AM

[quote=Tituscrow;13817962]Christ, that pitch wouldn't even be up to scratch in the conference these days!
/QUOTE]

When ah wer'tl lad... Gawd I feel like bassygrandad today.... We used to have this delightful setup in the west of scotland - a high percentage of the public football pitches including our school pitch were surfaced with red blaise - think sharp, tiny ground up stones - was like a sort of sharp ash - think someone thought it would be cheap, maintenance free and toughen us up - course when it was dry in the summer used to kick up dust which got everywhere, especially the eyes.
Sliding tackles were definitely a last resort - you'd rip your legs to shreds and the stuff would drive into the wound - looked like a motorbike slide - only way to deal with it was a visit to a and e where they cleaned it out - with a nail brush - I kid you not... And they wonder how Scotland managed to produce hard defenders!
Now where's me Werthers!

Darkstrike · #**123** 02-03-2013, 05:53 AM

Isn't that the stuff they make clay tennis courts out of, crushed red brick, pretty much?

Tituscrow · #**124** 02-03-2013, 06:12 AM

I remember this vividly from 1976:

http://youtu.be/jEuOPLtcY9A

I think this is the stuff of which Martin speaks. Couldn't resist the opportunity to show Keegan eating dirt

MartinG1957 · #**125** 02-03-2013, 06:27 AM

It's like that stuff in the Keegan shot (he he) but rougher!
In Scotland I think they used to make it from crushed crap that they dug out of the coal mines-some of it was red and some black depending on the local pit's geology - if you picked up a handful it would have been like tiny sharp stones - when it was wet it used to stick to the old leather ball and it was like heading a porcupine!
Can still see big evil pe teacher advancing on a mate with nail brush to "fix that wee rash for ye son".....I took up trombone and went to school band rather than school footie team.....

SoVeryTired · #**126** 02-03-2013, 06:51 AM

At my school they ripped up the grass and replaced it with astroturf. Seemed like a good plan at the time. The surface also has a generous helping of sand between the blades of plastic grass, so any skin that came into contact with the pitch got sanded off. Nice.

This was back in the days when Boundary Park had a plastic pitch. Our PE teacher was a Southampton fan and arranged for them to come and train on our pitch. That was when they had Tim Flowers in goal and a young Shearer up front.

Darkstrike · #**127** 02-03-2013, 06:59 AM

The new stuff they use instead of astro, Fieldturf is supposed to be much, much improved.

**cheezewiz** · #**128** 02-03-2013, 08:28 AM

We have field turf for football (both kinds) at our local high school. It still hurts a lot more than grass. Not as bad as astro turf or crushed brick though! Luckily for me, the team I coach and my son plays for, are u14s so we still normally play on grass. We do play a few games on the field turf, and it is an extremely lively surface. The ball really travels on it.

**cheezewiz** · #**129** 02-03-2013, 10:12 AM

Sturrige is now a full blown Liverpool player. Just booked for a blatant dive.

Darkstrike · #**130** 02-03-2013, 10:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cheezewiz

We have field turf for football (both kinds) at our local high school. It still hurts a lot more than grass. Not as bad as astro turf or crushed brick though! Luckily for me, the team I coach and my son plays for, are u14s so we still normally play on grass. We do play a few games on the field turf, and it is an extremely lively surface. The ball really travels on it.

I've seen Ireland play on it a few times, and of course the Revs at Gillette, ball really does skip and skid. I'd love to have tried it.

FWIW, the Irish commentators call it a "carpet. Oh, and used it as an excuse as to why the Irish played crap.

Tituscrow · #**131** 02-03-2013, 10:38 AM

2-2. Aguero's goal is brilliant.

Sorry guys, I'm hoping for a City winner. Just to keep Brendan and his horde in their little box, where they belong.

MarkMgibson · #**132** 02-03-2013, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bassybill

And they were twice as heavy when they got waterlogged (like most of the time over here in England).

Do you happen to know what game that was in? Who was your dad playing for at the time? Interesting bit of history.

Not that interesting, actually. He was was playing in the National league in Australia at the time. I remember him telling me about his first game - he came on after about 65 minutes, and the first time he got the ball, he fainted one way, and three defenders all went the other way - easy goal.

He played with Ray Richards, who ended up captaining Australia, and he was a cert to play for Australia if he hadn't blown out his knee. I still have some of the clips from the local papers - he scored 5 hat tricks in his first season. Sadly, that was his last full season. His career was a very short lived one. A cartilage injury like would be easy to fix these days, but not back then.

**cheezewiz** · #**133** 02-03-2013, 11:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tituscrow

2-2. Aguero's goal is brilliant.

Sorry guys, I'm hoping for a City winner. Just to keep Brendan and his horde in their little box, where they belong.

I was really torn. A draw is best I suppose.

Darkstrike · #**134** 02-03-2013, 11:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tituscrow

2-2. Aguero's goal is brilliant.

Both Liverpool goals were great, then came Aguero. Near physics defying.

Goal of the season so far to be fair.

Could have done with Liverpool popping one more in, but still, 9 points clear is nothing to be sniffed at.

enjoi1018 · #**135** 02-03-2013, 11:45 AM

Ugh. Reina. What're you doing...........

I thought Stevie mighta had a legendary ender there. But I'll still take points from City any day.

Tituscrow · #**136** 02-03-2013, 11:49 AM

And here we are in February and LFC have yet to win a game against anyone above them in the league. That's got to be some sort of record?

Gerrards goal was fortuitous at best, considering he spooned it with a lucky toe-poke.

That was generally a poor City performance today. They aren't remotely the same side they were this time last year. Milner was a class above his comrades.

Darkstrike · #**137** 02-03-2013, 12:16 PM

In fairness to Gerrard, it was well done, lucky or not.

If anything Aguero's was luckier.

Darkstrike · #**138** 02-03-2013, 01:16 PM

Just watching Balotelli's Serie A debut, looks like he's been playing for Milan all along.

Goal off a sweet volley in the box 24 mins in, also scored in a friendly debut, apparently.

Tituscrow · #**139** 02-03-2013, 01:59 PM

I've just watched Aguero's goal again. Could be goal of the season.

Darkstrike · #**140** 02-03-2013, 02:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tituscrow

I've just watched Aguero's goal again. Could be goal of the season.

Definitely could, it'll take something severely special to top it.

Still watching Milan, nothing like the Balo I know. He's dropping deep, playmaking, firing big high passes well and with vision, not sulking, and not moaning when ref decisions go the other way.

I have to assume he really just didn't give a damn with City.

EDIT: Thinking about it, all this and he's probably not 100% match fit, the Massives must be beside themselves.