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Gordon Lightfoot - If You Could Read My Mind

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Scotland v Wales 1971

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Everton v Watford on 19th October 1985

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  Programmed for Memories   Everton v Watford: Saturday 19th October 1985   At this juncture, as a buoyant Everton supporter, I had just commenced my second year of studies at the famous seat of learning, Bangor Normal College. Along with my friend, Robin Williams, we decided to embark on an exciting journey by train along the North Wales coast to what has over the years become affectionately known as the capital of North Wales, otherwise known as Liverpool.   Almost incredibly, given Liverpool’s dominance of British and European football during the late 1970s and early 1980s, Howard Kendall’s men were the reigning League Champions, giving the blue half of the city the bragging rights.   Their other bitter rivals from across the Pennines, Manchester United, under the flamboyant Ron Atkinson, were the early pace setters, seemingly intent on winning the first division crown and thus ending a nineteen-year drought.   It would be my first opportunity to view Ev...
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Newcastle United with the 1974 Texaco Cup. During my research for an article based on the infamous Texaco Cup, one thing seems confusing. At the group stage, Newcastle was paired with Middlesbrough, Sunderland, and Carlisle, losing to Sunderland, drawing with Carlisle and beating Boro, ending up with 3pts. Carlisle, on the other hand, having won against Boro and sharing the spoils with the black cats, with a draw against the Magpies, ended up with 4pts. How come Newcastle progressed to the next round to play their Scottish counterparts Aberdeen? I'm sure there's a simple explanation. GOOGLE.CO.UK Image: Newcastle United team photographs from down the years - Chronicle Live Found on Google from chroniclelive.co.uk It seems that the answer lies in the fact that Newcastle picked up a bonus point courtesy of their 4-0 thrashing against Middlesbrough. Level on 4 points with Carlisle, but a superior goal difference.

East Meets West at the 1974 World Cup!

The 1974 World Cup was staged in West Germany and as luck would have it, their neighbours, East Germany, had qualified for the finals and were drawn together in the same group. They were scheduled to meet on Saturday 22nd of June 1974. This would be their first encounter in the days of the Cold War and the Iron Curtain. The West Germans were well fancied to win the cup and few gave their neighbours any chance of upsetting Helmut Schoen's apple cart, with the likes of Beckenbauer and Muller onboard. However, Jurgen Sparwasser and his East German team mates had not read the script. By clicking on the link below, you can read an interesting article relating to this historical encounter. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/47456049

British Soccer Leaves the Euro Zone!

Here's an article I wrote back in 2015 with British clubs eliminated from the Champions League prior to the semi-final stage. One wonders if Manchester City or United, Liverpool or Spurs can restore some British pride? British Soccer Leaves the Euro Zone! With this being election year and much talk about the possibility of Britain leaving the Euro zone in the wake of a Conservative victory, it seems that British football clubs have stolen a march on the politicians! Despite the Premier League’s huge revenue generating capacity for the privileged few, some would say at the expense of the interests of the English national team and lower leagues, the English and indeed the British teams have once again been found wanting at the top table of European football! As I reflected upon this sad state of affairs while devouring ITV’s latest helping from the Champions League at the semi-final stage, courtesy of the old lady of Juventus and the Galácticos of Real Madrid, my wandering m...