Bridgford Ram Posted December 30, 2016 Share Posted December 30, 2016 This is a period I know little about but it is a period where we went from 2 times champions and one of the best teams in Europe to almost going out of business and in the third tier albeit with some highs - beating Real Madrid - and some returning stars (I am sure McFarland, Hector, Gemmill and George all returned for second spells). What happened to see us fall so far in such a short space of time? I'd love to hear some of the stories and opinions of this spell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zag zig Posted December 30, 2016 Share Posted December 30, 2016 Tommy Docherty turned up! Colin Murphy had struggled in the shadows of 2 greats of the game, with a team of champions that my old man revered umpteen boyhood stories to me about, to be replaced by the biggest disaster one could imagine. Having just missed the glory years, my love of football was tarnished because this tosser upset my childhood dreams, the glory years where we could have been on the verge of greatness, just never came back; one man did so much damage and a slow rot set in. Just a kid on a stool in the pop side at the time, I'm sure other have better memories, i just remember Derek Hales poster on my door, slowly collecting dart holes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Spalding Ram Posted December 30, 2016 Share Posted December 30, 2016 I'd just about removed the Murphy, Docherty, Addison, Newman era from me memory bank and there you are bringing it all back again..........now me twitch has started up again! Anyway in 1991. there was this boat called the Lady Ghislaine which was cruising off the Canary Islands......................... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Van der MoodHoover Posted December 30, 2016 Share Posted December 30, 2016 Was like slow death by asphyxiation. The great players of the clough team were all ageing together and we stopped producing youth through the ranks. We had brought on Roger Davies, Jeff Bourne and Steve powell but the succession dried up. We needed to replace several at once and hired Tommy docherty who replaced every single legend with duds. We also at the same time lost our scouting. Hales was a disaster and blew the entire years transfer budget. We lost about 2/3 of our annual transfer budget on him in a few months. Hence docherty had no money and brought in cheap Irish lads. So began a succession of manager changes, cheaper and cheaper players, declining attendances (which were a far more important source of revenue ), crumbling infrastructure and lower league placings. 1984 was the low point. All the old greats were just that - old with shot legs. They were free and low wages just coming to the end of careers. I recall standing on the popside in I think 1984 among a "crowd" of about 9k. Celebrating like crazy as we rescued an unlikely point against Newport County. Newport County ffs! Was a terrible time. But in truth football in general was nothing like it is today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OohMartWright Posted December 30, 2016 Share Posted December 30, 2016 10 minutes ago, HantsRam said: I recall standing on the popside in I think 1984 among a "crowd" of about 9k. Celebrating like crazy as we rescued an unlikely point against Newport County. If that was the one where we were 3-0 down and pulled it back to 3-3 I was at that game, in the Normanton Road end. The memory of the elation when we got the equaliser still remains. As you said, Newport County ffs! A rare glimmer of light in a dark tunnel but, most importantly, we came through it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Van der MoodHoover Posted December 30, 2016 Share Posted December 30, 2016 8 minutes ago, OohMartWright said: If that was the one where we were 3-0 down and pulled it back to 3-3 I was at that game, in the Normanton Road end. The memory of the elation when we got the equaliser still remains. As you said, Newport County ffs! A rare glimmer of light in a dark tunnel but, most importantly, we came through it. That's the one. Just before Christmas. 3 goals in about the last 20 mins. We used to ooh and aah if the old bbg got a lick of paint in the close season ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1967Ram Posted December 30, 2016 Share Posted December 30, 2016 4 minutes ago, HantsRam said: That's the one. Just before Christmas. 3 goals in about the last 20 mins. We used to ooh and aah if the old bbg got a lick of paint in the close season ... I was there too in the Pop Side. I pleaded with my older brother for us to leave but, to his credit, he called it correct: "We'll get a point here just you see!" he said with, as I recall around 15 minutes left. I seem to remember Robertson playing and him 'turning it round'. Am I right? If so, I think he had a chance to win it right at the end but went for a hopeless dive in the penalty area when he could have got a shot away. Mind you he was blowing out his axxx at the time! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richinspain Posted December 30, 2016 Share Posted December 30, 2016 53 minutes ago, Zag zig said: Tommy Docherty turned up! Colin Murphy had struggled in the shadows of 2 greats of the game, with a team of champions that my old man revered umpteen boyhood stories to me about, to be replaced by the biggest disaster one could imagine. Having just missed the glory years, my love of football was tarnished because this tosser upset my childhood dreams, the glory years where we could have been on the verge of greatness, just never came back; one man did so much damage and a slow rot set in. Just a kid on a stool in the pop side at the time, I'm sure other have better memories, i just remember Derek Hales poster on my door, slowly collecting dart holes. Pretty well spot on. At least Docherty improved my darts. I pinned a photo with his eyes over the triple 20. You wouldn't believe how good I got, I'd never thrown so many 180s in a single evening of practice! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irobinson Posted December 30, 2016 Share Posted December 30, 2016 I remember my late Dad being livid with Docherty.....came on Radio Derby making jokes about the playing surface, deckchairs on the beach, about how poor the Home support was, all after his precious Man Utd......complete tosser and waste of time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pearl Ram Posted December 30, 2016 Share Posted December 30, 2016 I was out to lunch between 1975 and 1984...actually make that 1990. Happy daze. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddie Posted December 30, 2016 Share Posted December 30, 2016 1 hour ago, Old Spalding Ram said: I'd just about removed the Murphy, Docherty, Addison, Newman era from me memory bank and there you are bringing it all back again..........now me twitch has started up again! Anyway in 1991. there was this boat called the Lady Ghislaine which was cruising off the Canary Islands......................... Look, I don't have an alibi.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Van der MoodHoover Posted December 30, 2016 Share Posted December 30, 2016 2 hours ago, 1967Ram said: I was there too in the Pop Side. I pleaded with my older brother for us to leave but, to his credit, he called it correct: "We'll get a point here just you see!" he said with, as I recall around 15 minutes left. I seem to remember Robertson playing and him 'turning it round'. Am I right? If so, I think he had a chance to win it right at the end but went for a hopeless dive in the penalty area when he could have got a shot away. Mind you he was blowing out his axxx at the time! That's my recollection - robbo was old and knackered but still had a good cross on him. Andy garner scored the 3rd but can't remember the other 2. I seem to recall setting light to my program to keep warm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ram59 Posted December 30, 2016 Share Posted December 30, 2016 Bad days, but football was in decline as a whole then. Crowds were low, villa averaging about 15000 in the top division 4 years after winning the European Cup, football violence was at its peak, English clubs banned from Europe. It all started with Dave Mackay demanding a vote of confidence from the board, months after we just missed out on the double. That 75/76 season saw some of the best football ever played at the BBG. But we still had fun in the third division with some memorable matches and away days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
We'll be back in 81 Posted December 30, 2016 Share Posted December 30, 2016 Question, I dont know who it was, but who was the chairman who hired Docherty? Because he must take as much blame for the decline with that one decision. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
North East Ram Posted December 30, 2016 Share Posted December 30, 2016 3 hours ago, HantsRam said: Was like slow death by asphyxiation. The great players of the clough team were all ageing together and we stopped producing youth through the ranks. We had brought on Roger Davies, Jeff Bourne and Steve powell but the succession dried up. We needed to replace several at once and hired Tommy docherty who replaced every single legend with duds. We also at the same time lost our scouting. Hales was a disaster and blew the entire years transfer budget. We lost about 2/3 of our annual transfer budget on him in a few months. Hence docherty had no money and brought in cheap Irish lads. So began a succession of manager changes, cheaper and cheaper players, declining attendances (which were a far more important source of revenue ), crumbling infrastructure and lower league placings. 1984 was the low point. All the old greats were just that - old with shot legs. They were free and low wages just coming to the end of careers. I recall standing on the popside in I think 1984 among a "crowd" of about 9k. Celebrating like crazy as we rescued an unlikely point against Newport County. Newport County ffs! Was a terrible time. But in truth football in general was nothing like it is today. weren't we 3-0 down and got 3-3 in the last minute? Think it was the only time i saw Robbo score. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Van der MoodHoover Posted December 30, 2016 Share Posted December 30, 2016 14 minutes ago, Tim Bucktoo said: weren't we 3-0 down and got 3-3 in the last minute? Think it was the only time i saw Robbo score. See other posts in thread. I remember it as Andy garner scoring the 3rd but it was a while ago Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
North East Ram Posted December 30, 2016 Share Posted December 30, 2016 5 minutes ago, HantsRam said: See other posts in thread. I remember it as Andy garner scoring the 3rd but it was a while ago Yeah, i saw and replied to your post immediately as i remember it well. I mean, you would eh - getting a 3-3 with Newport County was some scalp back then. And then i scrolled down to see all the other replies! Shows what an impressive result it was and how it's registered with us folk who witnessed the bad and the good of 84-85. Without these games though, there'd be none of the highs that quickly followed and rewarded us all for our perseverance. You could ask football fans all over the world but only a Ram over 40 would understand 'cool as custard'. Sends shivers down me spine. And that'll do for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zag zig Posted December 30, 2016 Share Posted December 30, 2016 25 minutes ago, hiltonram said: Question, I dont know who it was, but who was the chairman who hired Docherty? Because he must take as much blame for the decline with that one decision. George Hardy, equally culpable I.m.o Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
North East Ram Posted December 30, 2016 Share Posted December 30, 2016 1 2 3 4 Shoots Goooalllll Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DerbyMark Posted December 30, 2016 Share Posted December 30, 2016 You can sum up the main reason for our decline of that era in two words - Tommy Doc! The man was a clown, on some kind of ego trip, selling all the great players and replacing them with inferior and, in some cases, obscure players you'd hardly heard of. He'd change the team so much that practically every home game you'd be saying to your mates "who's that..and who's him?" when they came out the tunnel... The idiot destroyed Derby, and subsequent manager's couldn't repair the mess...not til King Arthur came along. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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