Conference Championship 1987-88 Part 1 - The Bite That Sent The Imps Down - HAVE A READ! | Vital Football

Conference Championship 1987-88 Part 1 - The Bite That Sent The Imps Down - HAVE A READ!

Jules

Jules

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I thought it interesting that Scotimp called Andy Moore "promising". If he was promising, it was obviously unfulfilled but as I remember the club played quite a big fee for him.

A small group of us went to the 2nd game, a night game at Weymouth where we were soundly thrashed with Steve Claridge leading the way.

After the game we were drowning our sorrows in a pub when several of the Weymouth players came in, including giant keeper Peter Guthrie. They were good blokes who were happy to talk about football with us.

"Who the hell is that carthorse you lot paid 30 grand for" was the gist of one of the comments
 
Without wanting to nick-pick (and therefore, I am about to), I don't think "playoff places" existed back then, did they?
 
I like the way this is going to be one of those redemption stories. Nice stuff so far Jules even if we are on the bad memories at this point.

I remember the win over Northampton thinking that was us safe. I think that was the game that Jimmy Gilligan scored twice which was about the only decent thing he ever did for us.
 
Re Andy Moore, I thought he did reasonably OK in the first half of the season, but then Colin Murphy changed to playing with a back three and preferred Clive Evans to partner Matthewson with Steve Buckley (usually) brought into the side as sweeper. After that Moore only played a few games filling in in midfield (including scoring in the 5-0 win against Altrincham).
 
"Murphy had also managed to retain three players from the relegated team who would prove essential to City’s promotion bid: 17-year-old defender Shane Nicholson, powerful winger John McGinley and ex-Derby centre back Steve Buckley. Things were looking a bit better."

We also retained Willie Gamble, but he didn't feature at all in the GMVC season IIRC, reappearing in Div 4 in 1988.

Just a quick question. I remember us selling Lee Butler, but how if the FL retained all registrations?
 
simes69 said:
We also retained Willie Gamble, but he didn't feature at all in the GMVC season IIRC, reappearing in Div 4 in 1988.

Just a quick question. I remember us selling Lee Butler, but how if the FL retained all registrations?
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Willie Gamble made just 3 appearances that season - once in the league (at Enfield), once in the FA Cup (at Mansfield) and once in the GMAC Cup (at Telford).

You may or may not be thinking of Tony Simmons who was retained from the previous season (no-one knows why) but never made an appearance in the Conference Season (everyone knew why). But of course he was then released following the return to the league.

Young defender Neil Franklin was also retained for the Conference season.

But none of these three players were to "prove essential to City’s promotion bid".

As well as Lee Butler for £100,000 we also sold Jimmy Gilligan (£20,000), Gary Lund (£27,000) and Gary West (£50,000). Maybe raises the question as to why with nearly £200,000 of talent in the team we were relegated.
 
Merthyr Imp said:
Willie Gamble made just 3 appearances that season - once in the league (at Enfield), once in the FA Cup (at Mansfield) and once in the GMAC Cup (at Telford).

You may or may not be thinking of Tony Simmons who was retained from the previous season (no-one knows why) but never made an appearance in the Conference Season (everyone knew why). But of course he was then released following the return to the league.

Young defender Neil Franklin was also retained for the Conference season.

But none of these three players were to "prove essential to City’s promotion bid".

As well as Lee Butler for £100,000 we also sold Jimmy Gilligan (£20,000), Gary Lund (£27,000) and Gary West (£50,000). Maybe raises the question as to why with nearly £200,000 of talent in the team we were relegated.
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.....And that's not including Gary Strodder who we sold to West Ham in March 87 for £100K.
 
I went to the Friday night game when Tranmere played Exeter looked all over a nil nil and then about 10 minutes From time Tranmere scored a cracker and I thought then we were fated to go down and so it proved.

I remember on the Saturday afternoon having Radio 2 on as they had match commentary of Burnley v Orient and when they finished, the announcer saying there had been a late goal at Plainmoor and you knew what was coming.

All I Remember is that everyone wanted Burnley to stop up hence the match commentary on national radio and nobody gave a toss about us.
 
Warrington Imp said:
I went to the Friday night game when Tranmere played Exeter looked all over a nil nil and then about 10 minutes From time Tranmere scored a cracker and I thought then we were fated to go down and so it proved.

I remember on the Saturday afternoon having Radio 2 on as they had match commentary of Burnley v Orient and when they finished, the announcer saying there had been a late goal at Plainmoor and you knew what was coming.

All I Remember is that everyone wanted Burnley to stop up hence the match commentary on national radio and nobody gave a toss about us.
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Yup, lowest day in the BBCs history in my (admittedly biased) view, they gurgled with delight when Burnley came from behind to win and chortled over the circumstances surrounding Torquay's delay and late equaliser, we were simply collateral damage in "A Dramatic Day".
 
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