The good old days ..1976-77

[LBBlue]

Ah, but the next season...anyway a nice link to us from your post LBBlue, the then Cambridge United Manager, a certain 35 year old Ron Atkinson, signed Malcolm Webster from us, as he had made way for Neil Freeman. :smile:

I thought Malcolm Webster was shocking for us - got us relegated in 75/76 -Arthur Rowley kept playing him instead of Sean Rafter- cost us so many points.

The next season Newport Dec9, 4-2 and 6 games with Budgie Burridge in goal 5 wins a draw at Swansea where he was brilliant oh and the flying pig Alan Foggon at the start of the season.

 

[Suffolk Shrimper In Dorset]

The 9 likes so far on Ozzie's thread - a 'whose who' of old Sarfenders.

My brief memories from 76/77 (I was 14) - the switch from Parker S to Parker D, the Moody penalties, a cup replay win over Exeter under the Roots lights, the dissapointment of drawing Chester (when would we get someone like Liverpool?) and then that woeful defeat v them, my first season ticket .........

:loyalsupporter:

 

[Rob Noxious]

I think he actually has alopecia or something, it's not a "normal" type of hairstyle. Supporters in the West may recognise the lad on the left who is now one of the stewards there!

Here's another one for you, Stuart Parker. Note the lovely Neil Townsend thighs in the background, and the mighty South Bank Hank at the back.

View attachment 4317

Edited for approval of SZ's finest.

 

[AndyT]

Cambridge ended up as champions and we had only lost 4 games of 30 when we played them on March 11. We lost 1 - 0 and only won 4 of the last 17. Bradford City, Exeter and Col U were also promoted. We finished 10th after failing to score in 7 of last 10 away games - not much changes .......

Ah, that explains it. Much obliged.

Yes, that dip at the end of the season cost us promotion.

It coincided roughly with the sale of Stuart Parker, as the goals seemed to dry up.

My brief memories from 76/77 (I was 14) - the switch from Parker S to Parker D, the Moody penalties, a cup replay win over Exeter under the Roots lights, the dissapointment of drawing Chester (when would we get someone like Liverpool?) and then that woeful defeat v them, my first season ticket .........

:loyalsupporter:

I remember that cup replay against Exeter City.

One of the coldest nights ever on the South Bank and we were 1-0 down and equalized right at the death to take it into extra-time.

The Chester game, a fella scored a hat-trick for them. Ian Edwards I think it was.

 

[Kevin Hogg]

Yep, on the right, and no, it's Terry Nicholl - my first football crush!

Indeed. Plus a very young Mark Pearson on the far left, who runs the turnstiles in the West Stand and whose wedding celebration i attended on Saturday. I am not in photo but was there that day. We had played golf at Belfairs that morning and had a tee in pocket. We placed the golf tee in a tiny hole in the East Stand wall..on the corner before the North Bank. That tee was placed in the Summer (1./8/76) of 1976 and although painted over a couple of times - it is still there. Our golf tee has been at Roots Hall for 40 years!!
I was 14.

 

[Kevin Hogg]

After last home game Joe and me ended up drunk with Alan Moody in the Westcliff Leisure Centre and to top the 77/78 season off I got Steve Goodwin's shirt at the last away game at Newport. Shirt not such a great fit now though!

That Newport County trip on "Ozzie Tours" was memorable. Ahhhhhh I was still at school and hanging out with the legends! Ha ha. Everyone in class 5C thought I was lying...ha ha.

 

[jaffa1]

Ah, one of my favourite spells, some of the players we had back then.....Coulson, Brace, Nicholl, Morris, Parker (both of them), Goodwin, Yates, plus Moody and Pountney - very happy days, and happy memories.

View attachment 4316

I think you lurk on SZ.....so please confirm if that is you on the extreme left Mark Pearson ?!?

 

[ozzie]

That Newport County trip on "Ozzie Tours" was memorable. Ahhhhhh I was still at school and hanging out with the legends! Ha ha. Everyone in class 5C thought I was lying...ha ha.

Those were the days Kev,coach was half empty,but we had a laugh.I went with my then girlfriend,Jill.Joe took Denney and another lad took his "bird".We went drinking ,then to footie,while the "girls" went round Newport town center.Never forget,Jill asked me if she had to take her passport,because we were going to Wales.
If i remember right,Biffo coach was from the Nelson??They had early drinking there,the Nelson coach also came back half full..but the reason was so many were staying in Newport police station.
Remember poor old Ginger being "cuffed up "to a police room wall at the ground.Wanted to get him out.but the police were there all the time.

 

[ozzie]

Hi Ozzie,

You tested my memory there, but Stuart Paarker definitely left for Chesterfield. Chris Guthrie went to Sheff United.

Yes sorry,i was wrong again!!But i liked Chris.G as well

 

[OldBlueLady]

I think you lurk on SZ.....so please confirm if that is you on the extreme left Mark Pearson ?!?

It definitely is, his brother Neil is between him and my sister. She knew him later and showed him this photo and he said it was him and his brother.

 

[ColinMorrisWalksOnWater]

Yes sorry,i was wrong again!!But i liked Chris.G as well

Oh absolutely, The Original G-Man, ws just before my time, but loved seeing one of the ex-Blues on Match of the Day when Sheff utd were on TV.

Anyway your weren't wrong just created another memory for us all :winking:

 

[ColinMorrisWalksOnWater]

I thought Malcolm Webster was shocking for us - got us relegated in 75/76 -Arthur Rowley kept playing him instead of Sean Rafter- cost us so many points.

The next season Newport Dec9, 4-2 and 6 games with Budgie Burridge in goal 5 wins a draw at Swansea where he was brilliant oh and the flying pig Alan Foggon at the start of the season.

Absolutely. And remember the Dave Smith quote on loaning Budgie "It's nice to be able to borrow £100,000....." great story.

We played 4-2-4 with Budgie in goal and his distribution was awesome. The Southport 4-2 home win had another ex-Villa keeper at the Other end, Jim Combes, who was also a county cricketer with worcestshire I believe. Another great day.

And since we're doing ages, I was 14 in that season. Still rate Smith's teams from 76-78 as some of the most exciting in my time following the Blues.

 

[Suffolk Shrimper In Dorset]

And since we're doing ages, I was 14 in that season. Still rate Smith's teams from 76-78 as some of the most exciting in my time following the Blues.

That's you, OBL and me in the 76/77 14 club. And this season we all hit the current UK early retirement age. Time flies and all that:stunned:

 

[ColinMorrisWalksOnWater]

That's you, OBL and me in the 76/77 14 club. And this season we all hit the current UK early retirement age. Time flies and all that:stunned:

Not sure I should've liked that lol!! anyway still feel the same now as then and many more good memories from that season. Another name not mentioned yet I think, was our RB, Andy Ford, really solid and a great favourite of mine.

 

[LBBlue]

Another name not mentioned yet I think, was our RB, Andy Ford, really solid and a great favourite of mine.

Andy Ford was left back. Alan Moody started the season at right back and Frankie Banks ended the season there. 76/77 was Dave Smith's first season where he rebuilt A lot of players had been released after relegation in 75/76. Terry Nichol, and Dave Cunningham soon went out of favour. Micky Laverick, Steve Goodwin and the unloved Dave Young came in as did a young Paul Clark. Andy Ford left for Swindon at the end of the season. Another regular who left was Alan Little. Ronnie Pountney played around 20 games as did Tony Hadley.

As already mentioned the season fell apart when Stuart Parker was sold and Derrick Parker struggled to settle.

77/78 and the battle with Watford was much more rewarding. The relegation in 79/80 was careless due to an appalling lack of goals away from home which lead to the record breaking championship in 80/81 when we scored 47 goals and only conceded 6 at home. 8 players started more than 40 league games that season and a further three more than 30. Those were the days of settled sides. We didn't need a squad of 24 then. There were still games played on successive days at Xmas and Easter.

 

[OldBlueLady]

Yes, Andy Ford was the original left back, and then long serving Steve Yates was brought in. Had both Worthingtons gone by then?

Peter Silvester came in after Stuart P had gone, him and Derrick P had some success. Remember Silvo scoring 4 against Brighton in one night!

 

[LCBB72]

Yes, Andy Ford was the original left back, and then long serving Steve Yates was brought in. Had both Worthingtons gone by then?

Peter Silvester came in after Stuart P had gone, him and Derrick P had some success. Remember Silvo scoring 4 against Brighton in one night!

Both the Worthington brothers had gone , Stuart Parker signed the season before and played along side Peter Silvester in the great FA cup run that season losing 1-0 at Derby , Peter scored the 4 goals against Brighton the following Monday .

 

[AndyT]

Peter Silvester came in after Stuart P had gone, him and Derrick P had some success. Remember Silvo scoring 4 against Brighton in one night!

Remember seeing that game when Silvo scored 4 goals.

Silvo played alongside Stuart Parker in 75-76 and left before him.

Before then in 74-75 it was Guthrie and Brace.

Derrick Parker was partnered by Gerry Fell, I think and then Spence and Mercer paired up in 79-80.

I think that's roughly the timeline.

 

[LCBB72]

Andy Ford was left back. Alan Moody started the season at right back and Frankie Banks ended the season there. 76/77 was Dave Smith's first season where he rebuilt A lot of players had been released after relegation in 75/76. Terry Nichol, and Dave Cunningham soon went out of favour. Micky Laverick, Steve Goodwin and the unloved Dave Young came in as did a young Paul Clark. Andy Ford left for Swindon at the end of the season. Another regular who left was Alan Little. Ronnie Pountney played around 20 games as did Tony Hadley.

As already mentioned the season fell apart when Stuart Parker was sold and Derrick Parker struggled to settle.

77/78 and the battle with Watford was much more rewarding. The relegation in 79/80 was careless due to an appalling lack of goals away from home which lead to the record breaking championship in 80/81 when we scored 47 goals and only conceded 6 at home. 8 players started more than 40 league games that season and a further three more than 30. Those were the days of settled sides. We didn't need a squad of 24 then. There were still games played on successive days at Xmas and Easter.

I am sure that Steve Goodwin was signed by Arthur Rowley . other wise everything else spot on .

 

[LCBB72]

Absolutely. And remember the Dave Smith quote on loaning Budgie "It's nice to be able to borrow £100,000....." great story.

We played 4-2-4 with Budgie in goal and his distribution was awesome. The Southport 4-2 home win had another ex-Villa keeper at the Other end, Jim Combes, who was also a county cricketer with worcestshire I believe. Another great day.

And since we're doing ages, I was 14 in that season. Still rate Smith's teams from 76-78 as some of the most exciting in my time following the Blues.

I think it was John Lattimer who played a big part in getting John to sign for us , they were both at Workington together