I went on one of the city trains from Piccadilly to Wembley in 69 on the Saturday morning and Big Joe signed my programme on the station. He was travelling with one of the young lads Cunliffe I think.There was some debate about the cup final in 69. (or some other big game. My memory not great now.) A few speculated that young Joe might oust Dowd. Mal replied, no chance.
Edit PS. Just looked it up. Joe was no.2 to Dowd in 68-69 and took over the following season.
Oakie - can you use your influence to ensure Alan sees this thread - I'm sure he will appreciate the affection he has amongst us FOC'sOi only just seen this. ;)
I have to admit GBUG I am ignorant as to who Alan Haspell was.Perhaps I should Google it. ;)The debate in Northwich still goes on about who was the town’s best product Alan or Alan Haspell (I know Alan and Glynn were Winsford lads).
Maybe I`m wrong but wasn`t Keith ?? (the ginger haired Scots lad) who took over from Mulhearn after Dowd. I honestly thought Joe was slightly later.There was some debate about the cup final in 69. (or some other big game. My memory not great now.) A few speculated that young Joe might oust Dowd. Mal replied, no chance.
Edit PS. Just looked it up. Joe was no.2 to Dowd in 68-69 and took over the following season.
Will do MES.Oakie - can you use your influence to ensure Alan sees this thread - I'm sure he will appreciate the affection he has amongst us FOC's
I googled it and what I posted is from Wiki. I remembered it as that but checked cos my memory is a bit hazy due to my age!Maybe I`m wrong but wasn`t Keith ?? (the ginger haired Scots lad) who took over from Mulhearn after Dowd. I honestly thought Joe was slightly later.
Having said that I was in Bilbao when Joe was in goals in the 1969/70 season and he had a real shitter of a game and we came behind from 3-1 down to get a credible 3-3 draw.
We`ve had Joe at one of Branch Meetings and I asked the question "what do you remember most Joe about the 50 yard goal from ?? (West Ham) 1-4 defeat IIRC" and his response was "watching the fucking ball fly past me".
The very best type of professional, on the field and off it… exactly the kind of player youngsters should use as a model
Hell I didn`t realise that McCrae was way after I thought, and I agree he wasn`t the best.Thanks for putting my old grey matter to the test mate. ;)I googled it and what I posted is from Wiki. I remembered it as that but checked cos my memory is a bit hazy due to my age!
McCrea was bought by Mal as competition for Joe when he was first choice and not playing too well. Joe said he had “eaten too many chips”.
In true Allison fashion he paid a huge fee for McCrea who was awful.
PS EDIT. Just looked up MacRae. Joined in 73, stayed till 80 and played 59 times for us. Correct Spelling defeated me. ”awful“ a bit unfair.
Unfortunately Alan doesn`t enjoy football any longer and he`s a keen rugby supporter and golf lover and that came from the horses mouth.Tiresome pedantry alert, but we can't blame Malcolm Allison for overspending on Keith MacRae, who was signed by Johnny Hart in October 1973 for a British record fee for a goalkeeper. Mal had walked out to join Palace at the end of March that year.
As for Alan Oakes, I'm a bit late to the party but his last season at Maine Road in 1975/6 was my first watching the senior side as a kid so I do remember him. But I think the best testimony to how good he was comes from Bill Shankly, who said that Oakes was:
That he earned such an endorsement from the manager of a rival team, and what's more a genuine legend in management, shows you how good Alan Oakes was and how lucky we were to have him for not far short of two decades.