Who remembers League Division 4?

[Rob1920]

I remember seeing us play Workington the year they dropped into non-league (1977?). think we won 2-0 or something. Ever since I've kept an eye out for them, even dragged my family over to see their ground when up in the Lakes. Funny little club perched out in the middle of nowhere up against the Irish sea. Still struggling away in the Northern Prem North West division (8th tier). Were top until it all stopped. My first game was home to Swindon, won 3-0, think it was around 74/75? Must have been 3rd division. It all started so well..

 

[kaymac]

Workington had only a couple of decades in the FL before being relegated back into non-league and replaced by Wombles under the old re-election process.

 

[rigsby]

I remember seeing us play Workington the year they dropped into non-league (1977?). think we won 2-0 or something. Ever since I've kept an eye out for them, even dragged my family over to see their ground when up in the Lakes. Funny little club perched out in the middle of nowhere up against the Irish sea. Still struggling away in the Northern Prem North West division (8th tier). Were top until it all stopped. My first game was home to Swindon, won 3-0, think it was around 74/75? Must have been 3rd division. It all started so well..

When I was in the Lakes I did the same with a girlfriend who, for some reason, had no interest in the plight of Northern ex-league clubs.

I did it under the false cover story of "You have seen the beauty of the North, now lets see some reality."

Well worth a trip, even for a short stop if your driving further up North.

 

[ozzie]

Today,1972,that great 71-72 season,we started our Easter period three games.
Today we played Doni Rovers,we won 2-1
Tomorrow(1.4.72),we went to Lincoln City,who were also up the top(like there Lincolnshire "mates" Scuni & Grimsby).
Before the coach left,(Roots Hall)we were all warned and some searched by the police,because of what happened a few years before at Lincoln,when Blues fans went into the Lincoln City home end.
That was followed by Southport away on Easter monday.
Brother Grimm took two coachs to that game and some Leigh Comm came up in a few cars.
I think we drew at LCFC and i think won at Southport.
We went to a few great grounds those days,like Southport,Workington,Barrow,Darlo....i wish all those teams were still in the Football league,they were great days

 

[ozzie]

There was posted, a GREAT picture of i think Billy Best,scoring against Doni Rovers....you see the PAK-North Bank full....and a BOG ROLL in full flight....happy days
Maybe someone can put it on again!!!

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

There was posted, a GREAT picture of i think Billy Best,scoring against Doni Rovers....you see the PAK-North Bank full....and a BOG ROLL in full flight....happy days
Maybe someone can put it on again!!!

I thought you meant this one ozzie, but obviously not, there's no bog roll.

 

[yogi bear up the cagire]

I thought you meant this one ozzie, but obviously not, there's no bog roll.

Hahahahahah! I've got the same picture somewhere in my rubbish. IIRC isn't a cutting from the old Southend Pictorial. The reason I kept it was because I think I feature. Midway distance between the left edge and the stand post and lightly higher than middle, wearing my old trench coat and punching the 'top of the net' with the fist of my right arm!

 

[yogi bear up the cagire]

I remember when the division was split up into North and South,.

Yep, so do I..............but I just didn't want to admit it!

 

[yogi bear up the cagire]

I find out now why I generally bought programmes .......It actually reminds me of the games I've been to. I marvel how some people remember reasonably ordinary league games....I can't remember a bloody thing! Oldest LD4 match I've got record of was the March '67 (Easter Monday?) game against Tranmere. Still got the loose sheet of pub for Southend United General Market. It was a time when Channel Airways offered Winter sunshine holidays in Spain/Mallorca ............a snip at £37.10shillings for 15 days! Went to see Crewe & Brentford in 1969/70, then Brentford again in 71/72. Seems to jump then to an away game at Aldershot in Nov '76 ( I remember walking through a kind of park to get to the ground........and we won!) The quality of the opponents really take a nosedive after that.....Workington & Newport County 76/77: Hartlepool & Hereford 80/81

 

[B.B.The Legend Lives On.]

I thought you meant this one ozzie, but obviously not, there's no bog roll.

"Cometh the hour, Cometh the man", Billy Best, the King of Roots Hall, doing just that scoring another goal against Doncaster Rovers on Good Friday back in March 1972 as we were on our way to our first ever promotion.
After joining Southend in January 1968 Billy plundered over 123 goals in 246 matches in both league and cup which included an incredible 86 in just over 120 matches at Roots Hall. "Billy Best always keeping his memories alive"

 

[LCBB72]

"Cometh the hour, Cometh the man", Billy Best, the King of Roots Hall, doing just that scoring another goal against Doncaster Rovers on Good Friday back in March 1972 as we were on our way to our first ever promotion.
After joining Southend in January 1968 Billy plundered over 123 goals in 246 matches in both league and cup which included an incredible 86 in just over 120 matches at Roots Hall. "Billy Best always keeping his memories alive"

48 years ago today .

 

[ozzie]

I thought there was a bog roll??
must be another picture....Or its just hit Donis Keeper!!!
Great picture,Billy looking like Billy always did...a winner
North Bank PAKED..im in the picture somewhere,i think on the left hand side,starting my first "fan surge "foreward !!
The first of many as a Blues fan,one of many Blues fans that did it those days
As i think Mary Hopkins sung..."Those were the days"

 

[ozzie]

Love the look of the Doni player looking at Billy...Thinking.."why dont we have a player like him !!"
Because nobody did have,other than us

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

Southend 1-0 Swansea Town 1967/68 season arguably the best league match I’ve seen at RH.

I can't think of one I enjoyed more (except perhaps for that late Southend 4-Newport 2 turn around a few seasons later.)

 

[ozzie]

your right TUIB,that was a great game ,two down,win 4-2.
It was also against our bogey team Newport.

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

your right TUIB,that was a great game ,two down,win 4-2.
It was also against our bogey team Newport.

Made even better by the fact that I'd brought along a Poly. mate from Newport with me for the game.

 

[ozzie]

ok,not the fourth..but today in the third..we played (friday 12th.04.74)
At home V Brighton...news at ten!!...any Northbanker will remember this game...we lost at home 0-2,but what was strange,three days later we played BHA away(i went in a Leigh comm car),dont remember much about that day. Near the steps-pub near Hove station,Chelsea fans?? coming down?Nobody turning up...but we won 2-0. Great days supporting the Blues

 

[Billy Bests boot laces]

ok,not the fourth..but today in the third..we played (friday 12th.04.74)
At home V Brighton...news at ten!!...any Northbanker will remember this game...we lost at home 0-2,but what was strange,three days later we played BHA away(i went in a Leigh comm car),dont remember much about that day. Near the steps-pub near Hove station,Chelsea fans?? coming down?Nobody turning up...but we won 2-0. Great days supporting the Blues

Dear me, 46 years ago & still remember that day like it was last week!. Us Leigh Comm 'chaps' were in the Spread Eagle around lunch time, when someone burst in & said there was a massive Brighton mob coming down Vic Ave.
We went out to have a look, & sure enough there were 100's of them by the Blue Boar. One second silence, then total chaos. P.P got nicked & thrown in a police car, which to his luck was being drove by an old mate of his!. He drove him to Southchurch, let him out & told him to stay away!. Total mayhem afterwards in the car park & Vic Ave, as you say it was mentioned on News at 10 that evening.
As for the away game on the Mon, typical one of those where everyone said they were going, & about 50 of us ( if that ) turned up. They had an even bigger crew at home, & those guys you mention were i'm sure Palace fans. How we got out of there in one piece i'll never know?.
FWIW P.P moved to Brighton in 78, still lives there now, & we still meet up 2-3 times per year. We discussed these games a couple of years ago, & he said their main crew back then, came from Shoreham, 2-3 miles west of the town.

 

[Chrisb]

I can't think of one I enjoyed more (except perhaps for that late Southend 4-Newport 2 turn around a few seasons later.)

Two great free kicks from Gerry Fell in front of the North Bank if I remember rightly.

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

Two great free kicks from Gerry Fell in front of the North Bank if I remember rightly.

Yes I was watching (with my mate from Newport) in the West.