Cod Almighty | Postbag

If Chris Grocock's feet had been a size or two bigger

12 February 2015

Right, we've had some lovely letters, but it's basically the third one that you need to read.

The one that didn't get away, but that we forgot?

I regard Lawrie McMenemy's greatest match as the away win at Liverpool in a cup fixture.

I'm certain that we won this away game, but it might have been Everton. I remember a radio interview when the next round was announced, in which some cocky 'expert' suggested to LM: "Oh well, I suppose this is the end of the cup run", to which LM replied: "You might think that but we're going for a win." Maybe you could challenge the CA faithful to either confirm my recollection or prove otherwise. (Brings to mind the Norfolk proverb: don't put yer foot down if yer hen't got a leg to stand on.)

I'm just back from celebrating our ruby wedding anniversary in Barbados. When we arrived at our hotel we were each given a beach towel; however, my wife lost hers and asked reception for another. She was told it would cost the equivalent of £12 for another, which she declined. I said I had brought my Town towel and she could have that (towels essential to bag a sun lounger). She said she could not possibly do that as she would feel dreadful if it was stolen. I assured her that the prospect of anyone doing that was improbable! The towel did however attract some piss-taking from a couple of Spurs fans.

I accessed CA while away and so kept in touch. Thanks again to all of you good folk at CA for a great website.

Best wishes,

from David Elvidge

Letters Ed responds: This is a follow-up to David's letter in the last Postbag, after we checked the details of this win at Liverpool. There's no record of such a win in Dave Wherry's books – the nearest to a giant-killing seems to have been a 1-0 win at Preston after being held to a draw at Blundell Park. That's when they were in the second division and we were in the third. If anyone can cast more light on this, please get in touch.

Jollity

I'm not overwhelmed by the news of the new players but as an aside I used to play rugby with a guy named Jolley – Dave Jolley. His nickname was Motorcar, as he once turned up for a game telling us he had "bought a new motorcar". If rugby union has brought the world anything then it is surely the crushingly obvious nickname, the perfect example being "Danny Cipriani Who Slept With A Man", which was of course given to Danny Cipriani by his Wasps teammates after a dalliance with a young lady who had started life named Darren.

Sorry, nothing football-related to add.

from Rich Mills

Something to declare

Dear CA,

I'm an avid follower of Cod Almighty but don't really contribute that much but having read Pat's article about the 1987-88 season I just wanted to say what a fantastic recollection he has of Bobby Roberts's season. I am a lifelong Town fan and was lucky enough to play for Town about 40 times between '86 and '89. I can recall most of the games mentioned, including the fateful Aldershot game at the end of the season. It was on a par for me as my lowest career moment along with the draw with Hull City the previous year when they sent us down from the old second division.

I'm afraid that: "far post, at full stretch, someone could not quite make contact" was actually me. I've relived that nightmare where the ball skimmed my boot a million times and still have an occasional flashback moment now! I'm not sure whether I should be pleased that someone else remembers that incident.

Northy should never have taken that penalty and the inquest afterwards as to why Don [O'Riordan], who had taken penalties all season (and scored), didn't take the ball was never resolved. Macca and I were due to sign new contracts on the Monday morning. Bobby Roberts phoned me at 9am to tell me he'd been sacked.

Bobby had an almost impossible job that year and never really got the credit for building some of the foundations of the successful Alan Buckley teams that followed. He identified and brought many of those players to the club before he was sacked.

Anyway, thanks again for a great read.

Regards

from Chris Grocock

Letters Ed responds: There is not much to add to this except that, needless to say, Chris's email has been printed on vellum to take pride of place on the walls at CA Towers. All these years later, it is good to be reminded that that near-miss meant every bit as much, and more, to the players as it did to those of us watching.

The chants Zhang Enhua taught

I'm going to guess that I'm not the only one to email in and tell you this but the literal translation of 我们只当我们唱钓鱼 is "We thought we sing our fishing", according to the Bing translator.

Hasn't quite got the same ring to it as our usual motto.

Keep up the good work

from Chris White

116 years of negativity

Is it the Millennium Bug, or is there some other reason why I can't access your diary pages from 1899-00 season?

from David Elsey

Letters Ed responds: You're not missing much, David. Here is a sample entry: "27 December 1899: What was more disgraceful than the 0-7 defeat yesterday was the fact that many Grimbarians attended the game in the facsimile jerseys of our opponents Newton Heath."

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