Mick shook hands with Steve Bull in his local Co-op the other day. That got me thinking about which famous footballers I have met. Well, I shook hands with Ron Atkinson, not Ron Atkinson the manager but Ron Atkinson the Captain of Oxford United, back in the mid sixties. Fast forward fifteen years or so  and I kicked Dalian Atkinson. Not Dalian the much travelled top class footballer but 13 year old Dalian the top class junior footballer. Truth be told, I didn't mean to kick him, I kicked at the ball but in the mean time he had taken it off me and was away. Perhaps I should have been yellow carded but it was only a training session  and the Ref was my mate who managed the team.

Midland Alliance League.

 Tipton Town v Tividale. A Proper 'Black Country Derby'   23 Feb.2013

Cold? It was bloody freezing.I decided best policy...dress for the weather.By the time I'd finished I must have looked like the Michelin man.I was on my own today;Pete having deserted to watch Shrewsbury Town(it's in his blood).


So it's off down the A41 out of Wolverhampton,through Bilston and on to Tipton Sports Academy.

 

This match,on paper,looked to be a belter.Tipton,with their recent history including an FA Cup 1st Round Proper game, away to Carlisle United,against their nearest(geographically) rivals,Tividale. Tipton would leapfrog their opponents with a win.Alternately,Tividale could pull five points clear with a win. Tipton are in the process of rebuilding following an unfortunate incident 2 years ago and Tividale are treading water after making significant progress in the last few years.That said,both are amongst the front-runners in the Midland Alliance League.

As expected,the game began at breakneck speed with Tipton having the lions' share of posession forcing three early corners and in the fourth minute they scored. 

Tipton continued to dominate until half-way through the first half when Tividale began to turn the tide and they more than held their own to half-time.

Half-time: Tipton Town 1 Tividale 0

From the whistle,Tividale forced the game enjoying long periods of domination.

During this period,they hit the bar,had four one-on-ones with the goalkeeper

 yet still failed to score,due to a combination of brilliant goalkeeping and crap shooting.Tipton seemed to weather the storm and came on strongly towards the end of the match and could have increased their lead.

On reflection,Tividale probably felt hard done by and deserved a draw,but you have to put the ball in the net,which they failed to do.

A terrific game,one of the best I've seen this season.

Entrance:£3

Programme:£1

Coffee:£1

Attendance:101(best of the day)

Mick

I wont be going to a Proper Football match this week. I am off to Shrewsbury Town where I have a season ticket. I don’t know whether it is habit or addiction but I have been doing it all my life and don’t know how to stop. They play in English League 1. Sounds very grand but when Sky TV beefed up the first Division and re branded it The Premier League in line with the premier finances it bestowed upon it, the second division decided to jump on the band wagon and restyle themselves The Championship which left the Third Division  with the grand title of League 1. To those old enough to know better it remains the Third division.
 But even here, amongst the professional clubs, it is different to Proper Football. They play for points not entertainment. The crowd will watch a boring game and if their team scores a goal and win one nil, even if it is a lucky or unjust goal, then their team are world beaters for claiming all three points. [It used to be only two points for a win , but that’s inflation for you.]
If however their team lose 10 -9 in a thrilling end to end game it is the end of the world. The manager must be sacked, players dropped or sold and expensive replacements bought at over inflated prices.
But again I am lucky. Thanks to the wonder of mobile phones, Mick will keep me updated with the Proper Football scores.

West Midlands History

Anyone with an interest in the West Midlands past could do worse than visit this website.Film,news,events, people and places are its' categories.One of the articles is about Edwin Butler-Bayliss,the Wolverhampton-born artist.There is an exhibition of his work in Wolverhampton Art Gallery.He had no formal training,yet was able to depict the Black Country in all its' fire and flame.

The Black Country Society site is also well worth a look.Memories of a bygone age.

                                                   FROM TIPTON TO ENGLAND
                                             A history of Tipton Town Football club

is a book by former player Steve Mills which records its success story from humble beginnings as Ocker Hill United to the glorious achievement of competing in the FA Cup First round Proper against Professional opposition less than 65 years later.

 The book lists former players, perhaps the most famous being Steve Bull, who was capped for England, and Officials and graphically tells of the struggles and hardships of the early days to the position it is in today.
What is more is that it is on sale from selected outlets now .

Paulo DiCanio has resigned from Swindon.Come and try it in the Proper Football world Paulo .Haha.

Goal celebrations

Just a question.In the Proper Football world,goal celebrations involve big smiles,high-fiving and back-slapping,whereas the prima-donnas in the Premier League tend to run around kissing their knuckles(?), the inside/outside of their wrists(?).What is all that about ? And then there's that look  that says 'Look what I've just done'.Yes mate,we can see what you've done. You've scored a goal.You haven't scaled Everest on roller-skates,just scored a goal,that's all.