Come Back In Two Months And Let's Start Again!
Jan 7th, 2010 by 'holic
The postponement of the game against Bolton was understandably a disappointment for those who had the ‘game in hand’ carrot dangled in front of them since the start of the season. Instead of sitting in second place a point behind the bus stop in Fulham we now see the reality of a potentially bitter cold snap looming large.
With icy winds and more snow forecast for the weekend we could just be facing something similar to a winter of which I have the vaguest memories. As ‘holic turned from five to six the winter of 1962/3 saw disruption to the domestic football season on a grand scale. The first bad snows arrived during daylight hours, and with public transport paralysed I was marched, along with a number of schoolmates, the four miles back to our home of that time in Marlow. It was bitter, and it lasted for weeks.
That was late December. The Thames froze over, and when the sub-zero temperatures extended into January, the third round of the FA Cup was affected. Come to think of it, affected is a bit of an understatement. It took over two months to complete!
Just about my earliest Arsenal memory was our third round tie with Oxford United. I think it stuck in the memory because it was their first season in the Football League. There was no automatic promotion in those days, and the draw that pitted the side that just eight months previously had been playing in the Southern League against mighty Arsenal was a fairy tale come true.
The game finally took place on 30th January, and the Arsenal of the day, a powerful attacking force, thrashed the fourth division side 5-1. Arsenal’s home game with the neighbours took place on February 23rd, and as you can see the snow was still a feature. You can also see just one of the reasons why Joe Baker will long live in the memory, the first idol for ‘holic.
The big difference between that season and this is that there was no World Cup to prevent an end of season extension. Any disruption of a similar duration this term would result in teams having to fit fixtures in around an already crowded list of Premiership, Champions League, and FA Cup fixtures. One of the deciding factors could be the ability of the main contenders to get fixtures played, and won, when their rivals are prevented from playing.
Nonetheless, the postponement on Wednesday was absolutely the right decision. Spectator safety is paramount, regardless of whether you are paying the four bob of fifty years ago, or the forty quid of today. Perhaps we could do it a little earlier in future Mr Policeman?
Cheers for now, ‘holics.
24 Responses to “Come Back In Two Months And Let's Start Again!”
Any wager of the ‘holic pound as to how many Premier League games will get canceled this weekend? I’m wondering if Arshavin will display his nordic skills and power in a hummer or two.
Wouldn’t waste a pound on it bt8bbnn,
but let’s just say if half are played I would be surprised, assuming the forecast is accurate.
Of course the forecast is often appallingly inaccurate, hence the reluctance to gamble 😉
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Marlow eh, ‘holic? Whereabouts? Did you go to school in Wycombe or Maidenhead?
From a good contact inside the ground I found out that the game was called off basically because TFL and the main rail networks could not guarantee that trains would be still running at 10pm. There was a meeting inside the club after the snow fell at about 3pm. All wanted to play. The pitch was playable. Extra staff had been called in to make the area around the ground safe. The only problem was the potential transport disaster at 10 pm. Hence the game was called off.
Gonna enjoy a nice Pedigree now please?
Keep the faith.
Also, what do you think of Citeh’s imminent new signing?
Think again Snail. In those days I was at Medmenham, hence the walk. Primary in Bracknell and Wycombe, then the school in Marlow with the best rep 😉
If by Citeh’s imminent capture you mean the fella who was a god, but was allowed to leave when his stats went south, they should be encouraged to pay him a shitload of cash and play him as often as possible. He deserves the money. He’s a spent cartridge.
Medmenham? I know it well…ish. As I kid we always holidayed in Hurley, on the other side of the river and I would often row the dinghy as far as the Flowerpot landing stage; so went past Medmenham Abbey on the river many times.
To walk back to Marlow you would have gone up the hill past the old RAF base at Danesfield and then along passed the old Harleyford manor site (the wooden holiday lodges there go for upward of £200k these days) and then down the hill past the posh school and into Marlow proper. Can’t remember the name of the posh school, near the hand and flowers pub, but did you go there? Heh.
He is a spent cartridge but good luck to him for one last bank roll contract. I cannot see him getting Citeh into the champs league though, but suspect he will give them an influence in the dressing room, if nothing else.
Actually we were walked back through the farmers fields. The road was fucked, hence why the number 28 couldn’t get to us. Never been so cold in all my life. And yes, you got the posh school right 😉
Fair enough, none of my business really. Did a lot of walking around there in my youth too. Places like Hambledon, Turville Heath, Rotten Row, etc.
Nice part of the world. I’m in Binfield now (well Bracknell really) but we try to get down to the river every now and then.
Anyway, I’m off to bed now as it is a school night. Cheers.
Aren’t you too young to be a grandad at 42-43?
By the way, if you haven’t cottoned on, the photo of Joe Baker scoring against Tottenham was two years after they last won the League. Yes, it is in black and white. The winter when that pic was taken was 47 years ago. Work it out, you sad LWC’s.
Robin, change the battery in your calculator 😉
You’re scaring me `Holic: you keep making these references about being ancient and so on and then it turns out you’re only a decade older than me…
Anyone seen us linked with a Senegalese giant playing in Romania? I’m sure it’s another ploy from Arsene to have the BBB shut up about us having the smallest team.
@ Matt
I read a few stories re Traore. I looked him up on Youtube. He’s huge and the clips on Youtube suggest that he’s got a good shot. Not saying that the the clips on YouTube are anything to go by though. In one of the stories I read, some one claming to go to the same school as Traore, thinks he’s as lazy as A*ebayor and has the same attitude problems.
I hope the Everton game goes ahead. I need my weekly Arsenal fix.
Sorry Matt, not ancient at all, just not arguing the point with people taking the mick 😉
I’m still a young pup between the ears, and that is where it matters!
Holic
I also have fond memories of Joe Baker,he was a fine striker for a small guy and he had a very good understanding with his fellow striker Geoff Strong.
Talking about Spurs,
There was a fantastic game against them the season after they won the double.I was about 12 at the time.
It was at Highbury on a tues night,and i remember the start had to be delayed because there were so many people outside trying to get in.
My dad reckoned by the time we kicked off about 1/2hr late,there would have been close to 70,000 in the ground.
All us youngsters who used to stand at the front of the terraces near the dugout,were getting crushed,so the stewards pulled us all out and we all sat on the warm up area at the side of the pitch.
My favorite memory from that game was Spurs winning a throw in right near me.The ball rolled right to my feet and i picked it up and held it out to this imposing figure running over to take the throw in,despite the tension and physical stress he was under,he smiled at me and said ‘Thanks son’.That player was Dave Mackay.
Into the final 10 mins of the game and Spurs wre winning 4-2,the place was absolutely heaving and the noise level was incredible,but we kept attacking and from 2 left wing crosses,Geoff Strong headed 2 great goals and the match finished in a 4 all draw.
Because of the delays,the game didn’t finish till about 9.45,and then you had 70,000 fans all trying to get home.
But despite the fact that all the Spurs and Arsenal fans alike were all standing together in queues waitng for trains/buses etc,there was absolutely no animosity between them.
Everyone was chatting and saying what a great game it was,we were all just supporters of our team who had seen a fantastic game of football.
With cries of ‘ See you at the Lane for the return’ ringing through the night we all made a weary but happy and friendly journey home.
Where has all that gone.??
That’s a great story Clive. Where indeed has it all gone? Some would blame the cult of the individual where everyone is only looking out for themselves. Not sure when that was meant to appear, although a lot of factors would point to the Thatcher era, but I suspect with all the trouble on the terraces in the 70’s and 80’s, the demise of the world of football that you describe predates that.
Who can we blame? The Cuban missile crisis for changing the psyche of the planet, or The Beatles, I don’t know.
Seriously though, it is a real shame that the sort of off pitch camaraderie doesn’t exist anymore as I’m sure there are one or two Sp*rs fans who are ‘ok’. 😉
I love the nostalgic historical ‘holic posts.
Splendid stuff Mr ‘holic.
I’ll raise a glass to you later.
My round.
Cheers.
I was at that game Clive. I usually stood on the North Bank, but the size of the crowd that night meant that I ended up having to squeeze in at the Clock End. I remember Geoff Strong scoring our third goal, the fans almost willing an equaliser and going absolutely delirious when it came. A memorable night and your description brought it all back.
Afternoon all.
I was away for a while, about 50km north of Amsterdam, and if the weather conditions are even a fraction as bad in England as they were there then I can totally understand why the match was postponed.
The roads were treacherous, and on Wednesday evening it took me almost 4 and a half hours to travel a distance that would usually take less than 30 minutes, scary stuff.
Nice trip down memory lane ‘holic, I can’t remember there being many games being postponed when I was a lad, probably due to the wonderful undersoil heating at Highbury, the only one I can vaguely recall would of been in the late seventies/early eighties, I think we were supposed to play ‘Boro, the only thing I can clearly remember was a photo in the following weeks programme with a couple of our players standing/sitting next to a giant snowman that they had built on the pitch, with a sign saying “Todays game postponed” (or words to that effect) on it.
You’ll have to excuse the gaps in my memory, it’s probably a
consequence of inhailing second hand smoke here in the lowlands for over twenty years. 😉
If one of my french friends Remy Martin or Joseph Guy are here I’ll be joining them next to the fire place.
Cheers.
In light of your non-recommendation in #2, I suppose it could be seen as a conflict of interest for you ‘holic to act as the same person’s bookie and bartender, even virtually, so I’ll stick to a glass of dry red wine please. I may need more if the same late cancellation scenario plays out again with Everton as it did with Bolton. Please roll on with the Arsenal memories too.
Late response I know ‘holic but I too will thank you – as well as others – for the Arsenal history lesson. I’ve been a follower of Arsenal since 1969 and really enjoy reading about the history of our illustrious team, plus sharing it with my sons who, although not born/raised in London (as was I – Lewisham) loyally follow the Gooners with their old man. Makes me right proud, I can tell you!
Thanks once again 🙂