Football, Back in the Day

Seeing of Vidal’s peregrinations to get to the Accrington game has caused me to try to recall my Dad’s efforts to get us to the games in 1945/46. What a difference and what a contrast to those games back in the day.

Dad was just back from the war and we were living on the Eastern edge of Belper. We boarded a No 90 Trent bus. It came past our door and on through Holbrook and Little Eaton to Derby Bus Station (now gone) next to the old outdoor market, also gone. Then a trolley bus along Osmaston Road and a walk through a type of ginnel between Lees Foundry and some other buildings and eventually to the Pop Side, where - for a few pennies - as an 11 year old boy, I could stand and watch the game. In those days of big crowds we boys would get handed down to the front so that we could see. We’d often be passed over the heads of the adults. The problem was then we were at grass level and I imagine our view of the game was a touch unusual. Some kids brought a small box or stool to stand on but it would have been too heavy for us. I remember the rattles. Heavy wooden structures with a rotating arm and cog wheel at its axis and a sprung lath of wood pressed against the cog so that with the passing of each tooth a loud clack was emitted. You can imagine the noise if it was swung wildly round and round. It was never used or intended as a weapon but it wouldn’t pass muster today from a safety viewpoint

In those days Derby County along with Sunderland were very much the equal or superior to most other clubs. We were the equivalent of today’s Arsenal, Man U and Man C, Liverpool,Chelsea. Liverpool and Spurs etc.

The team as far as I can remember was :-

Woodley,
Nicolas (captain) Parr.
Musson Lieuty Ward
Crooks, Carter, Stamps, Docherty, Duncan.

No alternative formation was ever considered until much later when continental sides like Moscow Dynamo and a Hungarian team came and showed us how to play differently.

No subs in those days either. I can’t remember a sending off but there must have been a few injuries - or maybe they just carried on. The manager was Stuart McMillan. In those days the manager was seen (by me at least), as unremarkable and unnecessary. I wonder what involvement he had in not being able to keep his 1946 stars.

I can’t remember any food in the stadium - maybe we took sarnies as it was certainly a trial of endurance. After the game - another trolley bus back to the Bus Station - wait for the next No 90 to Belper and back home eventually. It must have taken quite a few hours and cost quite a lot for a working class family to spend on leisure. I am sure we didn’t do it every 2 weeks like now with a season ticket and a nice comfortable, warm car journey to within yards of the ground.

As Derby County were quite famous - having bought a number of expensive players like Horatio Carter for a then large fee of £8,000 and Peter Docherty - if you went to the cinema and watched Pathe News, you would occasionally see stuttering black and white passages of play. Docherty played 27 games for Derby scoring 17 goals. Carter made 63 appearances and scored 34 goals. He also played Cricket for Derbyshire but not very successfully. After that, Derby payed record fees for Johnny Morris and Billy Steele and continued their history but not much was achieved until Brian Clough and Peter Taylor.

It must have been a hell of a trip for my dad and I’m really grateful he took the trouble. I’m a bit reminded of Griff who - with his dad almost never misses a game - home or away. And speaking of Griff, I hope he is OK as he’s not been on here for quite some time. Hope you are well Griff and enjoying a nice break somewhere.