Stretford Ender

Remember Caroline Munro? Lambs Navy Rum adverts and later Bond girl and foil to the vampire hunter in Captain Kronos?

You're welcome. Monte Cassino was my favourite. You can probably pick up a dog-eared copy somewhere for a couple of bob.

Aramis was my favourite although I didn't mind Old Spice. It's now back in vogue.

My memory must be on the blink. Mercer managed England before Revie, not afterwards. Your comment prompted me to have a look again at his England record and it wasn't half bad. Found a good piece in the Guardian from 2012 that brought back memories. https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2012/oct/11/forgotten-story-joe-mercer-england-manager

Found this match from the 1978-79 season. A bad season for your lads despite Peter Osgood's return. At least you beat City on a frost-bound Maine Road pitch. I'd forgotten that Duncan Mackenzie played for you.

Both teams in away strips for both legs (I think). City were a decent team back then. Albert Alexander, who wrote the welcome message in the programme you posted, was a real gentleman. He backed Joe Mercer against the rival faction who wanted Malcolm Allison to manage on his own. The Allison faction won and Joe was removed. Allison went down in flames (twice) and Joe went on to manage Coventry then England after Revie skedaddled to the desert. Great football men whose like we'll never see again.

It was a great send-off. I went to his testimonial game against Celtic earlier that season. Celtic must have brought at least 7000 fans with them because the place was heaving.

He played cricket for Yorkshire too as I recall.

Arnold Sidebottom. There's a blast from the past. We could never come up with a song for him that didn't sound a bit silly. They still wore stockings too. Trevor Anderson on the bench. A young lad from Belfast who secured our 1st Division place with a winner at Elland Road.

Our form was pretty bad before we signed him. We had so many chances to close the gap with Chelsea but never managed to capitalize on them. Bruno came in and the whole dynamic changed. Does that make him a candidate for team of the season? Not for me, any more than it makes Ole a candidate for manager of the month for signing him. The Premiership hasn't been great this season, as you say. There have been some bright spots but overall, it has been underwhelming.

Apparently, he knocked out Where Eagles Dare - screenplay and novel - at the same time. I used to read his books along with those of Hammond Innes and, of course Sven Hassel.

A real classic. Kind Hearts and Coronets with Alec Guinness and Dennis Price is another I never tire of watching.

13 Assassins - the original 1963 version. One of the best samurai films ever made.

I was there for that game. We'd escaped relegation by the skin of our teeth so the pressure was off. Bobby got a great reception and, if memory serves, he was presented with a gold cigarette case by the Chelsea chairman. Peter Osgood scored the only goal, famously memorialized by his outspread hands and big grin. I saw grown men with tears in their eyes that day.

Not really. He's done exceptionally well since his arrival and has galvanized the team, but that just highlights how poor we were beforehand.

That's true. I still don't think he'll come to us unless we unload Sanchez and/or Pogba. More wishful thinking in my opinion. I suppose that puts you in pole position if he does leave Germany.

I remember going there in '79. and the Spurs fans were mainly on the Shelf that day. They were 1-0 up be we came back to win 2-1. About ten minutes from the end, they started with their 'it's a long way to Seven Sisters' blarney but nothing much happened after that I could see.

Found this little gem from the 1973-74 season. We were doing comebacks even then. Chelsea played us off the pitch. Houseman set up both goals, one for Baldwin, one for Osgood, but with 5 minutes left, we decided to make a game of it.

It was in the Manchester Evening News some time ago. It's not a first pick as I stated but if City match any fee offered to Dortmund, they move to the head of the queue. At least that's how I read it but the MEN is a pretty piss-poor paper these days so you never know. https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/man-city-jadon-sancho-clause-15256640

This is a very good site. Some full games and a lot of highlights. Well worth a visit. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOh5944EVbJRHGELKDtViuQ

I've done the overnight Manchester to Victoria once or twice when I was a starving student. Had some interesting fellow passengers. In those days, working girls from the north would go down to London for the day. Those with money would jump on the train. Those who were not so well off took the coach.

Didn't work on DMs though.

And the one where Merv Hughes said to Botham as he was walking to the crease: 'How's your wife and my kids?' Botham answered 'Wife's fine. Kids are retarded.'

We have to sell before we can buy and the latest rumblings from Woodward suggests we're a bit brassic and will have to sell before we can buy. £100 million is a lot for a youngster and we won't get anything like that for Pogba so I'd say he won't be coming to United. Dortmund don't have to sell and there's also the issue of City's first dibs on the player if he leaves.

Put a ball and chain on everyone's ankle. Guaranteed to get you into Australia that is.