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Reply | What is the Best Stan Bowles Story?
at 09:18 7 Aug 2025
Surely the one where during a match he said to the ref; “Ref, if I called you a c@@t, what would you do?”. The ref replies “well I’d send you off!” So Stan says “ well what if Was thinking that you’re a c@@t?”
The ref replies “well there’s not a lot I could do about that.
Stan goes “ OK in that case I think you’re a c@@t” |
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Reply | RIP Gordon Jago
at 15:24 16 Jul 2025
There is a brilliant obituary to him in today's telegraph covering every aspect of his life.
"Gordon Jago
Footballer and manager who helped
develop soccer' in the US
GORDON JAGO, who has died aged 92, was an English
footballer whose playing career was eclipsed by his
achievements as an innovative manager, coach and
administrator, which included laying the foundations
for the most successful team in Queens Park Rangers'
history and promoting the development of "soccer" in
the United States.
In 1974, when Jago
was managing
QPR, he was
interviewed for the
position of
manager of the
England team after
the sacking of Sir
Alf Ramsey, but the
job went to Don
Revie.
Gordon Harold
Jago was born in
Poplar, east
London, on
October 22 1932.
During the Second
World War his
Jago: he played nearly 150 games for
Charlton Athletic
parents uprooted
from the East End
to Kent to escape the Blitz. Jago, then an inside-
forward, was recruited by the amateur club Dulwich
Hamlet and captained their junior side.
After being switched to central defence because he
stood six feet tall, he was signed by Charlton Athletic.
They loaned him to Maidstone United, then came
National Service in the Royal Army Ordnance Corps.
But he continued to progress, and after captaining the
England youth team he made his First Division debut
against Arsenal in 1955 in front of 48,000 at the Valley.
He compiled nearly 150 appearances for Charlton,
scoring once, before an eye injury sustained against
Middlesbrough prompted his retirement at 28.
Jago had already taken the Football Association's
preliminary coaching certificate, and in 1962 Jimmy
Hill offered him the opportunity to assist him in his
capacity as manager of Coventry City. He opted
instead to apply his attacking principles at non-League Eastbourne United.
His success there led to an offer to become coach to Fulham. When they played an exhibition match in the US in 1967, his imagination was fired. He soon agreed to manage the Baltimore Bays in the National Professional Soccer League, impressing sufficiently to be asked to lead the US into a two-leg World Cup playoff against Haiti. Both games were lost, however, and in 1970 Jago returned to London.
He served as coach to Les Allen at QPR, yet was about to resign to join St Louis Stars in Missouri when Allen was sacked. Jago took over instead and used the £200,000 Manchester City paid for Rodney Marsh to rebuild.
He bought Don Givens, Stan Bowles and Dave Thomas, who, with the emerging talents Gerry Francis, Dave Clement and Ian Gillard, formed the basis of the team Dave Sexton would guide to second place behind Liverpool in 1975-76.
Jago had led QPR to promotion in 1972-73, and the next season, after capturing Frank McLintock from Arsenal, to their highest-ever position, eighth. Their quickfire passing game earned plaudits as well as points.
But he fell out with QPR's irascible chairman-owner, Jim Gregory, who insisted he take the squad on a tour to Jamaica (later cancelled) rather than accept a temporary post with England Under-23s. In 1974 Jago alleged that Gregory interfered in other aspects of his job, leading him to resign on what he called "the most disappointing day of my life".
Resurfacing at Millwall, he endured relegation in his first season but won promotion in the second before a BBC TV Panorama programme about the hooligan gangs that supported the club made him question his position, and he returned to America.
He spent most of the rest of his life there, coaching Tampa Bay Rowdies and the indoor team Dallas Sidekicks before becoming executive director of the prestigious Dallas Cup youth tournament.
QPR tempted him back as general manager in 1984, but Gregory reversed the appointment after one week.
In 2006 Jago was appointed MBE for services to football.
Gordon Jago married June Loveday, a Metropolitan Police officer, in 1960. She died in 2014 and he is survived by their daughter Kim.
Gordon Jago, born October 22 1932, died July 6 2025 " |
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Reply | Famous people you have met on a plane
at 12:27 13 May 2025
On Planes: Bob Wilson - Portugal; Danny Murphy - Malaga; Phil Tuffnell - Malaga (He was totally hung over and his missus was refusing to speak to him); Paula Yates (Lady Geldof as she was announced) and Michael Hutchence - Bangkok - Sydney, (My mate was First Officer on the flight and upgraded us from Business to First whilst they were back in club but the whole plane had to wait for them to disembark.
Not on Planes: Eddie Murphy - Staying in the same hotel Jamaica; Jimmy and Lisa Tarbuck - Hotel Lift - Portugal; Richard Gere - Shopping Centre outside LA; and Dustin Hoffman - Walking back to Sloane Square area after that disaster 6-1 at Scum Bridge (Declined to shake my hand as "he'd hurt his earlier". Don't blame him mind as I may have taken out my despondency in a pub prior). |
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Reply | Norwich Away - Trains
at 17:36 13 Dec 2024
None, whatsoever, but in my "limited" experience of using trains for work (Chiltern Line) and following the R's up and down the country, things weren't so bad pre COVID.
Last weekend the Mrs & I decided to take a week away to North Yorkshire as a treat, and as we had a. locked down and b. suffered with some health issues, I said I would "treat" us to a first class train journey. CR to Birmingham was v.busy but we just about got a seat but at Brum the wheels fell off!
Our booked train was 55 minutes late and they'd de-regulated 1st; it was mobbed and the train manager denied boarding to everyone. She pointed to a far platform and said there will be another one in a few minutes. After struggling with luggage and mobility issues we goyt there to find exactly the same scenario. Upshot was that I forced my way on and we has to stand until Leeds (not good for a disabled person).
Speaking to that train manager she said that the company were overselling tickets to such an extent that this was now a regular occurrence and that with the fact that she'd "only" earn £50 per hour on a Sunday meant nobody wanted to work what with the hassle etc.
Definitely nothing like my experiences pre COVID. (I may have been lucky)? |
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Reply | Norwich Away - Trains
at 14:02 13 Dec 2024
I’m honestly not trying to make any political point here; but if you owned a business and you knew that you were going to lose that business at the end of your tenancy (lease), would you invest in more staff, better and more rolling stock, or would you line your pockets best as you can before being kicked out?
Unfortunately by saying that it’s all going to be publicly owned that’s the current scenario. |
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Reply | Best debut goal
at 11:32 29 Nov 2024
Alan Wilkes scored 5 in one if not his first, certainly one of his earliest matches against Oxford in the LC R1 1967 IIRC?
5-1 final score |
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Reply | Nick London gone!
at 15:15 26 Nov 2023
The departed head of Ops was totally useless IMHO.
Before the Sunderland home game I'd parked up in Bloemfontein when my parked car was side swiped by a silver van causing some minor damage. The driver came straight back, apologised profusely and explained that he was a chief steward of more than 25 years at the club and that it was a club van which he'd been racing to get to SA Road to shut it to traffic. As I say the bloke couldn't have been nicer and assured me that I'd hear from the club on Monday.
Needless to say that didn't happen and despite two phone calls where I spoke to the same club secretary who was going to chase Ops up I never heard anything, so sadly I had to go through my insurance company and luckily as my dash cam had been running I was able to get the repair done at no expense, but if the Ops people had been in touch this could've cost a lot less and there would have been no need for Insurance involvement. |
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Reply | Terry Venables RIP
at 14:26 26 Nov 2023
Yes the Francis free kick was devised by him and actually worked a few times up until it was executed in a match that was covered by The Big Match, where it was forensically examined and could never be used again.
He was one of the great footballing brains, and I stand to be corrected, but I believe he was the first to introduce the "signalling" system at corners and free kicks, (I'd never seen it before).
My enduring memory of him was in 1982 not long before the final we were away at Barnsley and if we'd won still had a fair chance of promotion. Myself and some others decided to drive up. Needless to say we lost, but on the way back we pulled into a service area where we were met by the sight of the team coach. Seeing our scarves Stevie Wicks comes over and invites us on board. TV is at at the front with a glass of Champagne and the biggest cigar I'd ever seen. He asks "what did we think of the game?", which we told him wasn't great (or words to that effect), so he then asks "ah but were you up at Newcastle in the week?" (we'd won 4-0. I think), I straight away replied"Newcastle, on a Wednesday night, you do realise that some of us have to do a proper job to go to!?
His face was a picture and he then burst out laughing and gave me one of his Cigars.
Top bloke, Dodgy Character but in a Del Boy sort of way.
RIP El Tel |
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Reply | Birds I Have Fancied
at 14:32 29 Sep 2023
They were extinct in the UK until Sir John Paul Getty created a breeding programme at his family estate close to Watlington - Stokenchurch in the 1990's. That's the reason they first populated the western Chiltern Hills. Since then their numbers have increased so well that the birds have had to migrate further afield. (Similar to the London population I suppose?)
Thanks to a "considerate" neighbour we regularly have up to 12 or so descending for the free meal that he leaves out.  |
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Reply | Last train back from Southampton
at 12:03 21 Aug 2023
Yep, Chiltern are showing the same information and given that they couldn't even run advertised trains from Rickmansworth to Aylesbury on the Watford away day (it's cost them £95 in compensation for the outlay of a tenner ticket) I think even if it's listed as running I personally wouldn't trust it [Post edited 21 Aug 2023 12:03]
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Reply | Pub tomorrow
at 13:01 4 Aug 2023
It was an indeed The Oddfellows, (designated away fans pub), with a good beer garden and BBQ burgers etc.
Sadly it's showing as "temporarily closed" whilst they try to get a new landlord.
The Red Lion is home supporters only I believe? |
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Thread | Box Office Issues
at 11:12 19 Jul 2023
I'm trying to get tickets for Watford (2300 LP's), Online I'm being told that I don't qualify for this event so I ring the Box Office where I get the message that there are 11 people 10 9 etc ahead of me in the queue, gets to 5 people ahead then says "We are very busy, please call back later"  |
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Reply | Benson for Burnley
at 22:05 25 Apr 2023
Can’t understand why the Burnley supporters were so few in number? The whole of the left side of the goal and upper tier empty. Their nearest rivals with the chance of the title, I’m bemused |
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