Gate 13

Never mind all this new talent, are we quite sure we don’t want to bring Alan Mayes out of retirement, or Robert Fleck, or at a push Tony Cascarino … (for those than can remember and still have the nightmares …). Please allow me some latitude - I have a warped sense of humour.

Spot on mate - dead smart I reckon.

Like this

Agreed, and while we are about it can we go back to a yellow away strip with blue relief - please!

Very sad news that JJ has passed - a top bloke in every way, and never gave less than 110% effort. I wont forget the clenched fist salute when he ran out to warm up, home and especially away. I felt he really ‘got’ us and what CFC meant to us. Sad day, rest easy JJ.

Yes, it is

That was a day and a half - what a turnout, plenty of ours in the Arsenal seats as well. Happy days.

Much enjoyed the post - count myself lucky to have enjoyed those days.

Left to right: Cat Bonetti, then goalkeeping coach; Eddie in a dodgy shiny suit having done his knee (hence the crutches) - Francis played in the final and I think left us not long afterwards: not sure who next (offers please), and finally the stand-in for Inspector Blakey from On the Buses (remember that?) in the doorway. Boom boom.

I know mate - I’m almost ashamed of myself; still, compared to getting trashed 6-0 at Rotherham things ain’t so bad.

Right now I would settle for Robert Fleck, or even Alan Mayes ….

Thanks mate.

Thanks mate - much appreciated: ‘Ere we go, ere we go, ere we go - ooh ah!’

JJ - one of John Neal’s best signings - he really got us and the clench fist salute as he ran out to warm up, home or away, got us going - not that we needed it. Could not find a clenched fist photo, does anyone have one? Apparently he is not so well these days - anyone know the latest?

Here’s a bloke who never gave less than total commitment, for a short bloke he could jump some!

Happy New Year to all contributors and followers of Vintage Blues - however bad we get, we have seen worse; never lose faith - win or lose, up the Blues - or as David Speedie used to say, win or lose, on the booze!

My seasonal cheer and goodwill ran out around 5pm on Boxing Day. So in that spirit how about thoughts of who was our worst ever signing? I’ll open the batting with Winston Bogarde who, from memory, made it onto the pitch no more than a dozen times in 4 years while being paid 40 grand a week some 20 years ago - yes, really. Better still, he is reported to have trained at Harlington during the week by himself or perhaps with the stiffs, and then bunked off back to Netherlands every weekend as he knew Ranieri didn’t fancy him and wouldn’t play him. Couldn’t make it up.

And finally I don’t know who, but three of ‘em messing about in the snow.

David Luiz, or as a bloke who used to sit a couple of rows behind me called him, Dave Lewis - keepy uppy with a snowball

JT on a quad bike in the snow at Cobham

Franco Zola in Tromso, proper brass monkey weather that was

Petr Cech prepares a snowball

And finally Timo “Whoops I missed another gleaming chance” Werner, now of ‘Them …’ and enjoying some well-earned obscurity.

Dave and Eden play snowballs

Fernando Torres in the snow also