Dpl v Morecambe

Really good goals yesterday.

Loved the highlights. If we are in the top three on 2nd October, I'll really be confident we'll be in L I next year. I'm glad Copps got one, but Matty's had to be the goal of the game. The Free Press was somewhat critical of Marosi over the goal. OK, it was an awful clearance, but we had enough time to cancel that out. Maybe he should have saved it at the near post, but the turn and volley surprised everyone. People at the game - what do you think? Will DF play Etheridge on Saturday?

There was quite a long period of play after the poor clearance.
To blame Marosi for their goal is ridiculous.

1-5away victory to even talk about the goal is bad enough but blame the keeper is ridiculous.
Lets just build on this fantastic result.

Nookie: There's no Brodsworth Colliery Brass Band any more either.

Thanks for the memories; I well remember the Bands, and Peter Doherty as player-manager, then Alick, and Harry Gregg. Who could not forget Johnny Mooney on occasions turning left backs inside out. One can never forget Charlie Williams, and all the other characters. Much simpler days.
I have not seen the Rovers live since the Conference days as my most recent trip to the UK coincided with the International Break the last year we were in the Championship.
RTID as always.
PS: The Portland Thorns, our women's team, played their last league game to a sell-out 21,400 crowd and will finish second in the league, and so will have home field advantage in the play-offs.
The Portland Timbers, who won it all last year, are struggling to make the play-offs this year.
It is a different game over here, but is not to be despised as just a retirement home for over-the-hill Europeans.

I'll post my report after the match. Yes I must be of the same era as Micky as I remember all those characters plus Yogi Broadbent a little later on and the 10-0 Darlington match. Probably wont be 10 on Saturday but I've a feeling confidence is high and 5 or 6 is possible against Newport. Incidentally my nearest league club is Newport. Bought back to life from obscurity by a lottery benefactor

I could go through the whole team of the late 40s and early 50s starting with the diminutive Ken Hardwick on goal when I was of an age when there seemed to be far less criticism of players, but then most of the comment was not in writing or broadcast.

Syd Bycroft was the dominant player in physical terms and in his presence, a "Stopper" at centre half in every sense of the word who was with the Rovers from before the War (II) until the early fifties. I think it was 1/3d (6p) for adults and 9d (4p) for children to get to stand at the Rossington end in those days.

Nookie and Donaldo, we must have started about the same time (and our late friend, Derek) - my first games were in the 49/50 season. I remember in the 50s when Harry Gregg played a shocker in the league and then was picked for the cup game at Bristol Rovers. We drew, and won the replay, and Ken was very much in the background after that.
That for reminding me about Syd Bycroft. Am I right that he then went on to play for a team in the old Midlands League? I seem to remember him playing against our Reserves, and "stopping" our centre forward.
I'm looking for at least 4 goals on Saturday.

Not sure about Syd 's subsequent playing career, but he did manage the team for a short while in partnership with Jack Hodgson who had played alongside him at left half for as long as I can remember. Syd was a painter and decorator as well as a footballer and lived in Manor Road I think. They probably succeeded Jack Crayston who came to us from managing Arsenal which seemed quite a coup at the time, but unfortunately he didn't make a successful transition and back then the gulf in size was just as great as today.

Syd did not get the better of Tommy Lawton though who I remember scoring possibly as many as 3 goals in a match for Notts County. And that is about all he seemed to do; be in the right place to head them in!