 | Forum
Reply | QPR Jan Transfer Pattern
at 11:43 8 Jan 2016
I think you've hit the nail right on the head Ing's and I was reminded of our climb up the Divisions by the excellent DVD 'I believe in Miracles' charting the rise of Cloughie's Forest side of the late 70's. There were a huge number of parallels between our story and theirs - only theirs had a happier ending, we fell at the last hurdle where they went on to League, Cup and European glory.
Under Jim Gregory, a proper football club chairman right down to his stereotypical sheepskin coat, we knew who we were, a small club with big ideas but a club that knew the limits of it's catchment area, size of it's fanbase, the limits of its ground and turnstile income then cut it's cloth accordingly. Blending a mix of the unruly genius (Marsh, Bowles) with home grown talent (Leach, Gillard, Clement) and bolstered with the footballing nous of the imported ageing stars (Hollins, Webb, McLintock).
It was a formula that worked and whilst still a small club with a gate capacity then of sub-30,000 we were able to give the likes of Liverpool, Everton, Man City etc a shock and a bloody nose with attractive, entertaining, skilful football. There was no talk then of buying our way to the top, dream new 40,000 plus stadiums, we knew who we were and revelled in it - a cocky little club from our pokey little ground in an unfashionable corner of W12 who always had a bit of swagger!
There is no point in us trying to be anything other than what we are and that hasn't changed in all the years since. We need management that primarily understands football, secondly our history and make-up and thirdly wants to build a club that is comfortable in it's skin and surroundings and that is Loftus Rd, London W12, forget going elsewhere.
Once you have these in place you develop the footballing side along the old formula of home grown youth, properly scouted imports and maybe even the odd maverick again - we actually showed we can still do it to a degree with Joey Barton!
I firmly believe we can restore our historic position in football where we were a good little club, financially sound, generally liked (and followed by many as a second club incidentally) and playing good football rather than where we are now, seen as one long car crash of M25 pile up proportions, a poisoned chalice for managers, dumping ground for mediocre, overpaid players and supported by a bunch of malicious old masochists!!
I still believe in miracles - Wembley showed they do happen! |
| Forum
Reply | Your local pub
at 15:07 6 Jan 2016
I'm not sure who was running it when I was there - c1996 -2000, though Liz and Jonny sounds familiar, but it was a bit on the dead side. I went for the odd pint with Rads down there but the girls flatly refused to go it was that bad - they'd insist on The Cricketers at Shroton.
Steve is a proper gent until you put a rugby ball in his hand and then he turns into a right nasty bit of work, although not the biggest bloke he's as strong as an ox and could tackle a charging rhino! Thankfully we were both on the same side down there at North Dorset!
His daughter and mine were born within a few months of each other and are still good friends and we all catch up at least once a year usually down here in Cornwall but sometimes over in France.
Would have loved to have seen the pissed up Wii bowling! |
| Forum
Reply | Your local pub
at 00:01 6 Jan 2016
Small world eh? He's just texted to say he'd seen you.
You're not one of his cycling gang are you Dorse? |
| Forum
Reply | Your local pub
at 17:42 4 Jan 2016
The Duke of York used to be as rough as ten - my brother used to drink there so it had to be!
The Black Horse on the corner of Lampton Rd and Spring Grove Rd was our local back then (late 70's to mid-80's) and was excellent.
Good landlord - Stan the Yorkie with wife Margaret who were happy to lock the doors and pull the curtains for a few late ones. Max in the kitchen making the char-broiled burgers, proper public bar with dart board and pool table and saloon bar for schmoozing with the ladies.
Roasties and blocks of cheese on the bar on a Sunday lunchtime, perfect with a pint after Sunday morning football at Heston Park, Gunnersbury Park or Dukes Meadows amongst others.
Happy days.
 |
| Forum
Reply | Your local pub
at 16:45 4 Jan 2016
I've heard good things about the old Crown, now Fontmell, from my old neighbour and pal Steve Rads! It was shite when I lived in Bedchester - bloody typical that they sort it when I've left!
Mine is now the Ship in Porthleven, Cornwall, - proper pub, well priced local beers, decent Janner wrestling wine, good food and right on the harbour side so I can keep an eye on my lad jumping in the harbour with a pint of Doombar in my hand! |
| Forum
Reply | Whisky Drinkers?
at 14:18 16 Dec 2015
Toast,
I like a drop myself and can only say it's a tricky one and very much dependant on individual taste. I personally love the peaty West coast malts but when I gave a good pal of mine, who also likes a malt, a drop of my newly acquired Laphroaigh he nearly spat it out saying it tasted like Germoline!
Unless you know the old man likes the really peaty stuff I'd go for a Macallan or an Arbelour which are both from Speyside, super smooth and would do the trick for me without breaking the bank.
If you want to take a punt my personal favourite is Oban 14 yr old which is a West coaster, rich tasting but not OTT on the peatiness and you can get sub-£50 from Tesco amongst others.
Slà inte! (Health in Jockanese)
Andy |
| Forum
Reply | Cucumber Up The Bum Thread
at 08:54 1 Dec 2015
As an amusing sideline to this thread; a builder pal of mine recently sent out a funny porn video short on WhatsApp where a bird sticks a cucumber up her jacksy and it then appears to come out sliced from her Jack and Danny - all very funny but not one to open in a car with the wife and kids on board! However;
He promptly forgets all about it and a couple of days later is all set up to deliver a presentation of a high-end new build to some very wealthy potential clients in his office, sets up the powerpoint, hits play and guess what comes on? Yes, you got it, the bird doing the old salad slicer routine!!
Absolutely brilliant! |
| Forum
Reply | worst away day?
at 09:03 26 Nov 2015
For me it has to be going to Norwich in April 1976 when a win would have all but secured us the 1st Division title ahead of Liverpool.
It seemed the whole of West London was there and we were ready to party - only to have our wildest dreams shattered by those b'stards in canary yellow! I still hate them even today.
We lost 3-2 and Liverpool nicked the title by a point.
What a long and depressing train journey home that was! |
| | Lush1664
|
Site Scores| Forum Votes: | 4 | | Comment Votes: | 0 | | Prediction League: | 0 | | TOTAL: | 4 |
|
By continuing to use the site, you agree to our use of cookies and to abide by our Terms and Conditions.