The Old Guard

[North East Ram]

7 minutes ago, Dordogne-Ram said:

O

 

Travelled overland independently by train, lots of snow around Banya Luka (October), but still arrived in good time at Mostar. Walked from the station to the ground in conversation (rin French!) with a German, who recognised the Ram motif on my shoulder bag. Gateman at the ground was after Rams souvenirs when Stuart Webb arrived, we exchanged a few pleasantries, he showed his DCFC credentials and I was allowed in with him!  The team coach arrived shortly after and Alan Hill was struggling with the kit hamper across a pebbled area, so yes, just offered a hand to get it to the visitors dressing room. Most of the players had gone to have a look at the pitch, but David Nish followed us in. He had just moved into our village and had had conversations over the garden gate with my Dad, so that was a useful starting point until Zac arrived with his bit of typical Yorkshire forthright approach!

I bade my adieus, and walked out into the next room which happened to be the club bar, which, needless to say, was full of Bosnians and Serbs. My bag and rucksack singled me out as a Rams fan, and it was only seconds before I was besieged with more requests for Rams souvenirs. I had only two left when their inside forward Vidic, who had played in the first leg at Derby, came and sat down, and he ended up with a copy of the Football League Magazine which came out with the Rams programme.

Whilst waiting in the York Hotel outside the station for the train back home after the first leg, a tall smartly dressed individual wanted the phone, speaking in  reasonable English to the hotel staff, who of course had to get the call for him - in the 1970s it was necessary to wait for calls to be obtained to less popular international locations, in this case Mostar. I assumed that he was possibly the Mostar president or CEO perhaps, so in the bar I motioned to Vidic that I wanted to speak to the "President". He disappeared and duly returned with an ageing gentleman who was in fact the Club President. But the message had got across that we needed an interpreter, and shortly after the guy seen in Derby appeared. I recalled to him that I had seen him at the York, so we were well away! Drinks and food were provided gratis, courtesey of the club / President, and I could leave my rucksack there until after the game. The well dressed guy was the reporter for the local paper, and this was news, as Mostar had beaten one of the Moscow teams (? Spartak?) over two legs in the previous round, unbelievable for a town the size of Burton!

As it built towards kick-off, I made my way out to the Terraces, only to find that I was in the private part of the ground, with only a small three- step terrace which held about 20 people maximum! A programme seller appeared walking round the ground, the very guy who had been manning the gate earlier on. I called to him and rummaged in my shoulder bag for the last souvenir, one of those circular gold and dark blue DERBY COUNTY pin badges with a Ram in the centre - you might have one still, I haven't! I thought that offering it was an appropriate gesture to a guy who had been instrumental in what was turning out to be some totally unexpected "adventure", and he proudly pinned it on, safe in the knowledge that no one else had one!

The Rams of course lost 4-1, and it was almost dark as the firecrackers went of following their third and fourth goal, the latter a penalty against Colin Todd which was clearly ball-to-hand rather than the reverse, which the high profile and even more highly controversial Dutch referee, Charles Corv,er, duly gave. (He was handing out photos of himself on the flight into Dubrovnik apparently - some ego!). Stuart Webb was beside himself at this unexpected setback, and on returning home made it clear that Derby would appeal against the firecrackers during the match, so I sent in some camera shots of them to him, and weeks later they were returned after the appeal had been turned down.

So, back to the bar, where the President came to commiserate - and celebrate that lightning did sometimes strike twice. In true English fashion I offered my congratulations, and eventually took my leave of them, reflecting, in spite of my disappointment, that I had witnessed what had been a momentous event in the history of this small club.

This must sound unusual to many of you, but the club is not like an English club. The dressing rooms and bar were part of what we would call a large two story club house, set back some 50 yards from the pitch and behind the goal. The directors / officials watched the games from easy chairs in a first floor "terraced room" with sliding -folding doors, looking out "onto all they surveyed". The 50 yards in between were flower beds with rose trees, neatly trimmed low privet hedges and a pebble path for the players to access the pitch. The opposite end was not spectator accommodation. The side nearest the road was terraced, and provided perhaps 15 steps the length of the ground, and the opposite side had 3 /4  steps of concrete terrace, with a small seated stand at the half way line. Beyond this, the (enclosed) hillside rose quite steeply into the far distance, and would have accommodated the population of the three East Midlands cities with ease.  Little did I know the horrific significance that this welcoming club was to play some 20 years later. During the dissolution of the old Yugoslavia, you may be aware of the subsequent ethic cleansing which took place: the Radavan Karadice saga / era, plus others.

That same pitch was used as a concentration site for those unfortunate enough to be on "the wrong side"......

And no, I had no part at DCFC, I'm just a popside fan who took his chance when it came, this being the third "adventure" that being a Rams fan has brought my way. To me, DCFC has always been a Way of Life.

Thanks for reading - sorry if I bored you.

Absolutely brilliant. The best post I've ever read on here. I know in those days, European travel was far more adventurous than today but that's an amazing story and so vividly described. I know Croatia and Dubrovnik fairly well and will be visiting Mostar next year. l've read a lot about the 90s civil war and was in Croatia during a ceasefire in 95 but didn't know that about the pitch in Mostar. Sad and disturbing times for sure across the whole Balkans. 

Love that area of the world and especially enjoyed the time we had Igor and Ace at Derby. Also hope to be in Split too next summer and will be wearing a Rams top to see if the locals recognise it.

Did you travel alone? Must have been some train / bus journey. Wasn't it still communist back then? I'm sure borders must have been tricky. Sounds like pin badges could solve any diplomatic concern though!

btw - I bought the away programme for my dad a few years back for a bday or Xmas. A proper 8 page Stasi style list of results and players names!

[loweman2]

Thought I would add this to the thread, been up this morning to see Colin Boulton and thought I would take my lad along, having previously been round to Colin’s house I knew what lovely people both him and his wife are but they made us even more welcome today, things were so relaxed that Jordan even decided to have a swim in Colin’s pool, he gave him a signed Mitre ball and had photos with both of the first division championship medals and the Charity Shield medal.

Colin is Rams royalty as he was the only player to play in every game of BOTH the championship winning teams.

its great to see him enjoying life, he spends most of his time looking after his garden and doesn’t have anything to do with modern football, he is a rugby fan and said that he won’t be watching a single minute of the World Cup !

A really top man.

[RamNut]

Looks like he's made a bit of dosh.

in 71-72 he lived on silverhill estate in mickleover.

at the start of that season we used to cycle round to his house, and knock on the door and ask for his autograph. He used to give us the printed autograph sheets which we thought were fantastic. We must have been a bit of a pain, but he was never anything less than totally friendly and polite. 

I'd say he's still the best goalie i've ever seen in 1 on 1's when the opposition striker was clean through. He'd come running out and dive at their feet and whip the ball of their toes. 

[ilkleyram]

That rams head on the outside wall's fearsome.

[RamNut]

4 minutes ago, ilkleyram said:

That rams head on the outside wall's fearsome.

Nice though. Once a ram.....

[AndyinLiverpool]

I have to say, Loweman, that this thread is an absolute delight. Brings a smile to my face every time  I open it.

Please don't ever stop.

[RamNut]

1 minute ago, AndyinLiverpool said:

I have to say, Loweman, that this thread is an absolute delight. Brings a smile to my face every time  I open it.

Please don't ever stop.

He'll have to stop eventually. 

Maybe we should all start going round to loweman's?

[AndyinLiverpool]

4 minutes ago, RamNut said:

He'll have to stop eventually. 

Maybe we should all start going round to loweman's?

Or flash mobbing Henry Newton or Terry Hennesey et al

[loweman2]

25 minutes ago, AndyinLiverpool said:

Or flash mobbing Henry Newton or Terry Hennesey et al

El tel was done before Christmas, I managed to get invited to a special signing, only ten people were invited and it was over in enemy territory organised by some dirty red dogs, as you can see it ended up as a bid of a session and I ended up looking older and worse for wear than terry who himself wasn’t looking his finest ! Though it must be said that he seemed to have more hair now than in the 70s, all in all it was a funny time, he was only over from Australia for a couple of weeks and said that it would be his last time in the motherland.

another top man and very funny !

[loweman2]

37 minutes ago, RamNut said:

He'll have to stop eventually. 

Maybe we should all start going round to loweman's?

Everybody is always welcome round at Loweman2s, always a beer in the fridge or some wine on the rack and stories to be shared, I have heard some beauties and a lot you would never believe but I can never put it into print.

perhaps I should write a book ?

you Rams

[RamNut]

2 minutes ago, loweman2 said:

Everybody is always welcome round at Loweman2s, always a beer in the fridge or some wine on the rack and stories to be shared, I have heard some beauties and a lot you would never believe but I can never put it into print.

perhaps I should write a book ?

you Rams

I'm coming lol.

[loweman2]

42 minutes ago, AndyinLiverpool said:

I have to say, Loweman, that this thread is an absolute delight. Brings a smile to my face every time  I open it.

Please don't ever stop.

With comments like that @AndyinLiverpool I promise to continue to promote the guys that put our team and our city on the world map of football !

without them we would just be a small team from a small city in the midlands.

they made us champions of England twice and for some reason our club doesn’t want to know them or remember them.

saying that I have been part of something great that will come out in the local news in the forthcoming months.

cant say to much until the club announce it but it’s somet I am quite proud of !

[loweman2]

This was a Peter Daniel when him and his wife came round to my dads house for a catch up, the most unassuming man I have ever met, he was the one who stepped in for McFarland for most of the 74/75 season and played a blinder alongside Toddy for us to become Champions of England for the second time and the went back into the back ground whilst Roy took the glory that followed, though he totally respected what Peter had done in his absence !

[loweman2]

Another one of our all time greats, here with my old man when we went up to meet him at his home in Telford, a true professional also went on to be assistant manager to a Roy in the 90s, was manager at Cardiff, Stoke and Sunderland, he has given me a number of fantastic items including his blue official club blazer from the medal presentation in 1972 and his jacket from the Wembley play off final against Leicester! 

Another great guy, I went to see him in the week at the derby county golf day at chevin, it was good until the very tragic events with Justin Phillips.

Edited June 16, 2018 by loweman2

[loweman2]

Another one I took my dad to see was Jim Walker, he has become like an old mate, a great guy with so many fantastic stories, he was Paul McGraths confidant and physio  at Villa and continued to look after him whilst he was at derby, he worked with Kylie Minogue, inxs, George Michael amongst many others in his 25 years as a top physio in football.

there will be some great news about Jim in the next few weeks.

[RamNut]

2 minutes ago, loweman2 said:

Another one I took my dad to see was Jim Walker, he has become like an old mate, a great guy with so many fantastic stories, he was Paul McGraths confidant and physio  at Villa and continued to look after him whilst he was at derby, he worked with Kylie Minogue, inxs, George Michael amongst many others in his 25 years as a top physio in football.

there will be some great news about Jim in the next few weeks.

Poor sod. Imagine having to give kylie physio.

[Philmycock]

25 minutes ago, loweman2 said:

Everybody is always welcome round at Loweman2s, always a beer in the fridge or some wine on the rack and stories to be shared, I have heard some beauties and a lot you would never believe but I can never put it into print.

perhaps I should write a book ?

you Rams

I’ll bring a bottle of fine red wine round, you are a legend!

[loweman2]

The great Toddy !! He was awesome, funny, honest and very genuine, I still keep in regular contact with him and he rings me up for a bit of advice every now and again, you can imagine the stories that he has to tell about football and footballers, an amazing man who love Derby County but felt bitter to how he was treated as a manager.

a really down to earth man, proper Dcfc hero !

[loweman2]

Charlie, what a guy, a real diamond geezer ! Loved the fact that we were in his beloved Emirates Stadium but wanted to talk about his real love !!Derby County !

he loved Frannie Lee !

[loweman2]

Mr Derby County at his 70th party that I was lucky to be invited to and take Jordan along to meet more of the Derby County legends , he came over and sat with us for 15 minutes and was very open with his conversation.