Slow day and would be interested in your experiences of when we still had a genuine risk of a top flight match being cancelled because of the weather/winter?
I didn’t like the fear of postponements it always generated when we still got genuine winters. But who looks back at them now with fond memories? And what was the closest you got to the ground you were travelling to, before you realised/discovered the game had been called off?
When there was bad weather we’d always have the radio on and dread any announcements.
The last time I was genuinely worried a Chelsea home match might be cancelled ironically was due to rain not snow. Back in 97 the week leading up to when we played United at home, was an extremely wet week. We were travelling down from Berwick and actually passed a football pitch which was trackside, where the crossbar was a matter of inches above water
We got to the Bridge having heard that London had had terrible rain all week, to find our pitch was immaculate. Was Gianfranco’s first match against United. What a match he had. The game ended 1-1 but we could’ve been out of sight before they equalised.
1980s Winter time football....
posted on 27/1/18
comment by sandy (U20567)
posted 2 minutes ago
comment by Chelsea_since_summer_1969 ✯ (U1561)
posted 8 hours, 51 minutes ago
I remember we used to get off at East Ham and walk back , the theory being any marauding Irons would be looking for any tasty morsels coming from West, would be looking for them getting off at Upton Park and Plaistow.
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Not a bad tactic mate. My pre-season friendly trip to Millwall in 1980 involved going to Elephant and Castle, which I knew well from attending the London College of Printing there for my apprenticeship and then getting a bus just like all the other locals.
After '76 fack going to New Cross or New Cross Gate.
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Summer, I was at the Elephant at LCP in the 1960s, used to spend a fair bit of time in the Charlie Chaplin pub. They used to do a lovely bangers and mash.
Spurs only played MIllwall once in the 1960s, 1967 in the cup, I went on the tube to New Cross Gate, no trouble going, but coming back their we're supporters on the track having it on their toes from the Old Bill.Took about two hours to go a couple of stops.
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69 and myself often talk about our visit there in 76 Sandy.
It still remains the single most scary day of my life, I'd rather do my whole 7 month tour of Afghanistan again than re-live that day!
posted on 28/1/18
Sandy, so we both went to LCP. It's a small world mate. What were u studying. I was doing Print Finishing and Bookbinding and I'm guessing that u we're doing something like Journalism?
posted on 28/1/18
Sorry I forgot to mention that I also remember the Charlie Chaplin pub. It was in the precinct but I personally used the Elephant and Castle bar that was in the centre of the roundabout.
posted on 28/1/18
comment by Chelsea_since_summer_1969 ✯ (U1561)
posted 7 hours ago
Sandy, so we both went to LCP. It's a small world mate. What were u studying. I was doing Print Finishing and Bookbinding and I'm guessing that u we're doing something like Journalism?
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I was doing compositing and Monotype keyboarding. I was over at Back Hill, Clerkenwell on a full time course as an apprentice in 1965, then a few weeks at a time in 66, 67, where I took and past my print exams, Then the last two years of the apprenticeship I spent at LCP one day a week, me and my best mate, Alan McDonald, who went on to play for Wimbledon when they were non-league, used to only do the morning session, and then bunk off lunch-break, dinner in the Charlie Chaplin, then up town for the afternoon, great days.
posted on 28/1/18
Did you pair go onto work in papers, did either of you go onto work in the press and if so did you meet a Dave Macdonald?
posted on 28/1/18
Sandy, I was also at Back Hill, Clerkenwell for the first year and also like you I was on a day release for 1 day a week for the 5 year apprenticeship. I did stay on to do 1 evening a week for the following 2 years as there was going to be a position for a Bookbinding tutor coming up soon. Eventually I grew tired of it and gave it up although, my first job as a Bookbinder did last for 14 years. Small world.
JFDI, I did do some Saturday nights on the Papers which was big money for old rope until the HMRC tightened up on it. You did need a Sogat 82 Union Card which I had at the time, but no I never personally came across a Dave Macdonald.
posted on 28/1/18
comment by JFDI (U1657)
posted 1 hour, 36 minutes ago
Did you pair go onto work in papers, did either of you go onto work in the press and if so did you meet a Dave Macdonald?
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I've come across a Ronald McDonald before!
posted on 28/1/18
comment by Chelsea_since_summer_1969 ✯ (U1561)
posted 1 hour, 2 minutes ago
Sandy, I was also at Back Hill, Clerkenwell for the first year and also like you I was on a day release for 1 day a week for the 5 year apprenticeship. I did stay on to do 1 evening a week for the following 2 years as there was going to be a position for a Bookbinding tutor coming up soon. Eventually I grew tired of it and gave it up although, my first job as a Bookbinder did last for 14 years. Small world.
JFDI, I did do some Saturday nights on the Papers which was big money for old rope until the HMRC tightened up on it. You did need a Sogat 82 Union Card which I had at the time, but no I never personally came across a Dave Macdonald.
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He used to sit next to me in the MHL, real nice bloke was in fleet Street as a printer for years and then Wapping. Sadly passed away from the big c a couple of years ago but was well respected by fellow printers, massive turn out at hi is funeral. His son still sits with me and his uncle uses his dad's ticket mostly. He was a real union man (very unlike me) and a solid gold geezer, you would remember him if you met him.
posted on 28/1/18
comment by JFDI (U1657)
posted 6 hours, 56 minutes ago
Did you pair go onto work in papers, did either of you go onto work in the press and if so did you meet a Dave Macdonald?
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I never worked for the Papers in Fleet Street, I spent my whole career in the General Trade, although I did work on newspapers in Australia early 70s, I did however work in a lot of firms that used to do a fair bit of work for Fleet Street. I used to use the Daily Mirror Canteen for an evening meal, when I worked nights for a company in Fetter Lane, nip around there about 11.30, when the Printers had finished their lunch breaks, and gone back to the Presses.
They used to do a lovely roast, followed up with Apple Pie and lashings of custard. I then had to go back and do another five hours work.
posted on 28/1/18
5 hours couldn't behave been easy after a meal like that 😊