Championship Stakes - The Race for Survival

One of the improvements to League football I love is the final day bash where all teams from the same division kick-off at the same time.  If you like drama in your football then this is for you.

The Championship this season has been one of the closest I can remember. Cardiff were already confirmed winners and Bristol City were already doomed to League One competition next year.  For the rest of the places it was all to play for.  This article concentrates on the battle for survival.

Here is how things stood at the start of the day.

We’re going to forget about Bristol City, as they’re already down.

Here is a rundown of the runners and riders for the great survival race.

Wolves – 51pts – away to Brighton (4^th)

Wolves were having a miserable time since Christmas, going 12 games without a win until March.  Their current run was 1 win in 5, picking up just 3pts with only a strange 1-0 win over promotion chasing Hull City to celebrate.  They were away to Brighton, who were certain of a play-off place.  Anything other than a win meant relegation but if Barnsley or Peterborough picked up a point then Wolves result would be irrelevant.  They would have to rely on goal difference which was superior to Barnsley by 2 goals, but not Peterborough by 4 goals.  For Wolves opponents, Brighton, were unbeaten in 9 and hadn’t lost at home all year.

Barnsley – 54 pts – away to Huddersfield (18^th)

New Years Day and Barnsley lost to Peterborough and were rock bottom.  They then went on a run picking up 16pts from a possible 18.  With just 1 defeat in their last 8 they travelled to Huddersfield, who themselves were not safe.  A win for Barnsley could conceivably put Huddersfield down, although they’d need many other results to go against them.  A draw could be enough if Peterborough lost at Palace.  Their last meeting with Huddersfield ended with a 0-1 defeat.

Peterborough – 54 pts – away to Crystal Palace (5^th)

Out of the relegation zone only on goal difference, Peterborough travel to Crystal Palace who have still to secure a play-off place.  Peterborough lost every one of their first 7 games of the season, yet they were on a run of just 1 defeat in their previous 12 coming into the final weekend, including a win over Sheffield Wednesday the previous week.  Like Wolves and Barnsley they could still go down even if they win, although Barnsley would have to overturn a difference of 6 goals.

Sheffield Wednesday – 55pts – home to Middlesbrough (12^th)

Wednesday’s defeat at Peterborough a week ago now puts them in a position where they may need a result against Middlesbrough, who themselves are safe albeit just 5pts ahead of danger.  Just 2 defeats in their last 8 has given them every chance of safety but even a draw may not be enough.  They lost 1-3 to Middlesbrough in the corresponding fixture last November.

Millwall – 56pts – away to Derby County (13^th)

Millwall’s form is shocking.  Just 1pt from their last 4 matches and just 1 win in their last 8.  They’ve scored just 4 goals in those 8 matches.  They’re away to Derby County, who they beat at home last November.  Derby are only 2pts ahead of Millwall but certain of Championship football next year.  Millwall could still stay up even if they lose, but will have to watch out for others.

Huddersfield – 57pts – home to Barnsley (22^nd)

Huddersfield, like Wednesday, were only promoted last season and now found themselves struggling to stay up.  Huddersfield had come through the play-offs. Having been beaten by eventual Champions Cardiff in their first game, they won 4 of their first 6 games.  But a run of no wins in two months either side of Christmas had put them in a battle for survival.  They’d recently turned their form around with 3 wins in their last 4 and 1 defeat in their last 5, as they had the unusual experience of having to play other relegation-threatened sides in their final 6 games.  They were up against Barnsley, knowing a draw would guarantee safety.  Defeat, if other results go against them, could mean relegation as their goal difference is inferior to Barnsley.

Blackburn – 57pts – Away to Birmingham (10^th)

Few clubs have had a stranger season than Blackburn.  4 wins from opening 6 matches saw them top the table.  They lost to Middlesbro, Steve Keen resigned and everything came crashing down around them.  They won just 7 more matches before April and were staring at the very real prospect of back-to-back relegations.  They’ve won 3 of their last 4 including wins over Millwall and Huddersfield to give them a chance of staying up.  They would seem an outside bet for the drop but this has been no ordinary season.

Under starters orders…….and they’re off!

15:05

BRIGHTON  1 – 0  Wolves

Just 5 minutes in and we have our first goal.  Kazenga LuaLua gives Brighton the lead against Wolves and things do not start well for the troubled Molineux club.  Remember a win for them will not be enough if Barnsley avoid defeat.

15:09

SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY  1 – 0  Middlesbrough

Sheffield Wednesday take the lead against Middlesbrough as Steve Howard scores.  Wednesday will be safe if they can hold onto this lead.

15:14

Huddersfield  0 – 1  BARNSLEY

Barnsley cause panic amongst the strugglers as they take the lead at Huddersfield as Chris O’Grady grabs a vital goal.  At this stage Barnsley are out of the bottom three, throwing Peterborough in there.  A Peterborough goal would see Huddersfield drop into that danger zone.  This is also disaster for Wolves as a point for Barnsley means relegation for them.

15:28

Crystal Palace  0 – 1  PETERBOROUGH

The moment Huddersfield had been dreading as Lee Tomlin puts Peterborough in front at Crystal Palace.  Huddersfield are now in the bottom three but an equaliser for them would mean they swap places with Barnsley.  Peterborough climb three places as Millwall are now looking over their shoulder.

15:31

SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY  2 – 0  Middlesbrough

Leroy Lita puts Sheffield Wednesday further in front against Middlesbro which brings no change to the table but Wednesday fans can breathe a little easier.

15:39

BRIGHTON  2 – 0  Wolves

A final nail in Wolves coffin?  LuaLua scores his second for Brighton and things look desperate for Wolves as even 3 goals for the visitors may be irrelevant

15:42

BIRMINGHAM  1 – 0  Blackburn

As half-time approaches, Ravel Morrison gives Birmingham the lead at home to Blackburn.  Blackburn are now one of 5 clubs on 57pts but their goal difference keeps them out of trouble.  This goal moves Peterborough up a place.

15:47

CRYSTAL PALACE  1 – 1  Peterborough

Into injury time at Selhurst Park and Glenn Murray turns things upside down as Peterborough are thrown back into the lions den.  They are praying for Huddersfield to score or to get back in front themselves.

16:08

HUDDERSFIELD  1 – 1  Barnsley

Huddersfield take just 8 minutes of the second half to get back level with Barnsley.  Jermaine Beckford’s goal pulls his side out of the bottom three and throws their opponents, Barnsley, back in there.  Peterborough are relieved too.

16:18

Crystal Palace  1 – 2  PETERBOROUGH

More good news for Peterborough fans as Nathaniel Mendez-Laing puts them back in front at Palace.  This lifts them back up to 19^th and means even if Barnsley go back in front at Huddersfield they won’t be safe

16:21

Birmingham  1 – 1  BLACKBURN

Jordan Rhodes scores yet another goal for Blackburn as they equalise against Birmingham.  They were rarely in trouble unless Barnsley were scoring plenty, but it still gives them some comfort

16:29

Huddersfield  1 – 2  BARNSLEY

Chaos again as Jason Scotland puts Barnsley back in front at Huddersfield and this pulls them again out of danger as the two clubs swap places.  Barnsley are safe if things stay as they are, Huddersfield need a goal.

16:36

HUDDERSFIELD  2 – 2  Barnsley

Huddersfield only have to wait 7 minutes as James Vaughan equalises and this plunges Barnsley back into danger.  Barnsley must score again otherwise they’re down unless Peterborough throw it away at Palace

16:38

CRYSTAL PALACE  2 – 2  Peterborough

Time for Peterborough fans to get edgy as Kevin Phillips equalises for Palace.  This now means Posh are now in the bottom three and have to hope they score themselves or that Huddersfield can get another goal against Barnsley.

16:40

DERBY COUNTY  1 – 0  Millwall

Connor Sammon scores for Derby and Millwall must now start to worry as goals for Peterborough or Barnsley would see them go down.  There are just 5 minutes to go.

16:44

CRYSTAL PALACE  3 – 2  Peterborough

Just time for one more goal on an incredible day and it comes at Selhurst Park, but not for the visitors.  Palace complete their comeback to ensure a play-off place but Mile Jedinak’s goal for the home side has sealed their opponents fate.  Peterborough has to hope Huddersfield can score another against Barnsley otherwise its League One football for them next season.

FULL TIME

In the end those late goals sent Peterborough down.  Ten minutes to go they were safe, leading at Palace but now things had changed.  Barnsley hung on in the end to live to fight again as their draw meant Peterborough joined Wolves and Bristol City in League One next season.  Things got tricky for Huddersfield at one point, but in the end a draw was enough for them as they played out the final minutes with neither side wanting possession.

It has been one of the most amazing Championship seasons many can remember with drama at both ends and many issues still not decided until the final few minutes of action.

David and Goliath

picture courtesy of Jason Gulledge

Is David Moyes ready for Manchester United?  More to the point, are United ready for Moyes?

Some bookmakers have suspended betting on the next manager at Old Trafford as David Moyes seems nailed on to take over from Alex Ferguson.  But is he the man for them and/or are they the club for him?

As a Liverpool fan I couldn’t be happier.  I may stand to be proved wrong in time, but then if I was afraid of that I wouldn’t publish my thoughts and views on this.  But I cannot help thinking this is a gamble just waiting to implode.

There are so many questions, big questions, that need answering and even the most devoted United follower must allow himself a period of introspection to consider an answer.

Style

When Moyes took over at Everton in March 2002 they were only out of the relegation zone on goal difference.  Moyes would eventually steer them clear of the drop and he set about building ‘his’ team.  Over the past 10 years, Everton has become unmistakeably Moyes team.  Combative, hard to beat, with players who get amongst the opposition and hassle them into making mistakes.  He was one of the first managers to employ a 4-5-1 system, so loved by clubs keen to maintain their Premier League presence.  A system which is as much about what you do when you don’t have the ball as when you do.  He wouldn’t employ strikers in the conventional way, preferring a big man who would bustle defenders and be able to create knock-downs for attacking midfielders.

Is this the United way?  Is this the style United fans want to see?  When you’re competing against clubs like Real Madrid, Barcelona or Bayern Munich do you just want to be ‘hard to beat’ or do you want to play attractive football?  Is Van Persie willing to play the Yakubu or the Anichebe role?

Squad

One aspect Ferguson was very good at was squad management.  He understood a player is rarely on form for nine months of the year, so he would rest them.  You rarely had much fuss in the press about him leaving out players, yet other managers would be questioned when their star players spent time on the bench.  United rarely lost too many games during the second half of the season, with Ferguson taunting rivals that they knew what it was like to win a title.  One could argue Moyes only ever had a small squad to play with at Everton, so he had to juggle his resources as best he could to maintain their presence in the Premier League, but United have completely different ambitions to Everton, the pressure is greater and so is the spotlight.

Moyes could get away with seeking out ‘value’ in the transfer market and players like Tim Cahill, Nikica Jelavic, Marouane Fellaini are all examples of Moyes ability to pick out a ‘bargain’ in the transfer market and find a player who would fit his style of play.  But he cannot look for those players anymore, United fans will not put up with ‘bargains’ they want the best.  United fans will be expecting Moyes to compete for players like Lewandowski.  But is Moyes comfortable with the type of personality which comes with big wages and big egos?

Possibly the biggest ego Moyes had to deal with was Duncan Ferguson but they had a training ground bust-up and one could argue, ‘Big Dunc’ was just glad to be at a club who would play him.  Duncan Ferguson was much less important to Everton than people like Van Persie, Ferdinand or Giggs are to United.

One thing Moyes will have on his side is that United do not possess any real larger than life characters.  This is mainly because Ferguson never put up with these players.  Anyone showing those kind of tendencies were shipped out, such as Ince, Robson and McClair in the early years, to Beckham, Veron and Stam later on.  But is Moyes able to maintain this element of the squad?  Will he be able to resist a player who might upset the equilibrium just because the owners and/or the fans may want him?  Would Moyes be able to convince players like Giggs or Scholes to stay on as Ferguson was able to?

Ferguson was able to get rid of big names at United but only after he’d won a couple of trophies and eventually ended the clubs 25 year search for a league title.  Moyes doesn’t come in with that amount of kudos and you can hardly imagine even his most ardent fans defend him with the phrase “yeah but he’s a winner, isn’t he?”.

My feeling about Moyes is that he is a manager who has the ability to make average players into good ones.  He has the ability to instill belief into a player for whom that may be lacking.  But what about a player who is already good or even very good?  If you’re Robin Van Persie and have just gone through the season he has, you’re called to the manager’s office during the summer and he tells you that you need to ‘up your game’ for the next season.   If that manager was Ferguson you probably wouldn’t question it, when you consider all he has won in the game.  But if that manager is Moyes, surely you might consider comparing cv’s?  Moyes has lead a team out in a cup final once in his career, losing to Chelsea in 2009.  Is he really a man for the big occasion?  Does he really know what it takes for a quality player to perform on the highest level?

There will be many players within the United squad who will continue to play for the club because it’s United, but how long can that last?  I watched Graeme Souness systematically take apart a legendary Liverpool side and replace it with players who were desperate to emulate their heroes but just never quite had the ability.  Was Souness scared of the ‘big personality’?  Graham Taylor was always regarded as a good club manager, having taken Watford from Division Four to Division One or getting Aston Villa back out of the Second Division.  But he was found out at international level and proved himself to be very good at making average players believe they were good.  With England he surrounded himself with the likes of Andy Sinton, Tony Dorigo, Carlton Palmer yet struggled with players like Gary Lineker, Paul Gascoigne and John Barnes.

Moyes is joining a global brand.  This is one of the most prestigious jobs in world football.  Is he ready for the scrutiny he will be under?  Ironically, his first game in charge could be the Community Shield and if he wins that it will be his first piece of silverware since Preston won the Second Division in 2000.  If he wins his first game at Old Trafford it will be the first time he has won there as a manager.  In fact in 10 years he has yet to win at United, Liverpool, Chelsea or Arsenal.  Yet many point to his ‘tactical nous’ as a manager.  During his tenure at Goodison Park he has guided Everton to top ten finishes in each of the last 6 seasons.  Their only Champions League place finish came in the same season Liverpool won the competition and were eventually installed by UEFA to defend their title at the expense of Everton, who had to qualify.  Moyes has never competed in a Champions League match, beyond the qualifying round, yet he is taking over a club who considers it their right to be there every single year.  Have many people in Europe even heard of David Moyes? 

In European games Moyes will now have to deal with teams coming to Old Trafford happy to defend, just like his Everton teams did.  Now he’ll have to devise a way of breaking that down

Press

Is Moyes ready for the press?  Has he really got any idea of the spotlight which will now be on him and is he a strong enough character to deal with it?  We will never see the like of Ferguson again as club management has changed beyond all recognition.  Ferguson has been able to rule United for years in such a dictatorial manner because of what he has won in the game and the sheer force of his personality.  The refusal to talk to the BBC after their documentary about one of his sons, the systematic banning of journalists from press conferences simply because they questioned his methods, these were all pleasures reserved only for Ferguson.  But the press now has the chance to get their own back on United now he has moved upstairs.  Moyes is unlikely to want Ferguson to be too visible for fear of undermining his authority.  Few United fans will remember but the club had real problems when their last icon, Sir Matt Busby, stepped down in a manner similar to Ferguson.  He too moved upstairs and within 5 years the club were relegated, despite Busby even taking back the management reins for a while.

Conclusion

As I have said, United should be one of the most prestigious jobs in world.  But would you have been surprised if you read the morning headlines saying the new manager of Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich or Juventus was going to be David Moyes?  I suspect you would.  When Bayern were seeking a replacement for Jupp Heynckes, do you think Moyes was on their list?

Perhaps the grand plan is for the owners to have more of a say in the way the club is run.  They tried hawking the club around the world to get it registered on any stock market which would have them, before they found the New York Stock Exchange as the only takers.  Perhaps they are looking at steering the club more in a direction Ferguson would never have sanctioned, and of course as Ferguson had the complete backing of the fans it was unlikely the owners were ever going to win a public tug-of-war.  With Moyes things could be very different indeed.  With the debt repayments secured against the club, Champions League qualification is imperative and so the pressure on Moyes will not just come from the fans if he cannot deliver this as a minimum.

It has long been debated the next man to take over from Ferguson has the toughest job of all.  The club and squad just has his smell all over it, so will the next man get long enough to mould it into ‘his team’?  Surely, Ferguson’s replacement would have to at least emulate his achievements just to be considered a success and so how many years without silverware would a loyal fanbase endure?  Perhaps this is the tactic to lure a big name to replace Moyes?  If you’re Guardiola you will have a much easier time taking over from a man like Moyes than you would replacing Ferguson as you would imagine the club/fans would be desperate for success again.

Of course, if Moyes takes over he may well continue the success United have become used to and then we will have right to question how much of that success was down to Ferguson.

You could argue, as a Liverpool fan have I got any right to suggest these things and question them?  I generally do not write about Manchester United as I am clearly biased against them and any article from me is unlikely to be balanced.  But I watched my club get taken apart by Souness and then again by Benitez and Hodgson and it is tough to watch.  If Liverpool had kicked-on from their 2^nd place in 2009 they would be ideally placed to take advantage of this possible power vacuum.  But the sad fact is they did not, and that is why a manager such as Brendan Rodgers is in place.  If Liverpool were still very much a top four club Rodgers would be nowhere near Anfield, instead he is able to develop a project with the aim of returning to those heights.

Moyes was able to develop a project at Everton and achieved the aim of a top ten finish.  He may now be taking charge of a club with much higher aspirations and much less patience, where simply finishing above Liverpool is just not good enough.

Loic Remy - Oui or Non?

picture courtesy of skysports

After QPR confirmed their participation in next season’s Championship, speculation has been rife about the how many of their current squad will do the same.

Liverpool has been linked with Loic Remy, who is rumoured to have an £8m release clause in his contract if QPR got relegated – a wise move on the part of his agents.  But is Remy what Liverpool need right now?

Remy, 26, started his career with Lyon in 2006/07 season.  After just making one start in Ligue 1 he moved to Lens the following year, scoring his first goal in professional football.  But it was a move to Nice a year later, where he first caught the eye.  11 goals in the league in 2008/09 and 14 the season after, saw him win his first international cap.  A move to Marseille soon beckoned and Remy’s contribution of 19 goals (2010/11) and then 23 goals (2011/12).  While with Marseille he scored his first goal in international football.  This season saw him consigned to the bench at Marseille making more starts in the Europa League than Ligue 1, and so the rumour mill was put into action by his agents suggesting a move to the Premier League.  Unable to break into the starting line-up of a side pushing for the title, it seemed inevitable he would want to move.

QPR and their open chequebook came calling.  According to the player himself, he had to make a decision between QPR and Newcastle. “After looking at the table there seemed no difference between the two”. Which presumably translates to “QPR were offering the higher salary”.

Difficult to judge his time at Loftus Road.  5 goals in 11 appearances is a decent return, and it has also seen him return to the French national team.  His stunning finish against Wigan certainly made me sit up and take notice.  He strikes me as the type of player Arsenal would want, in fact years ago you would’ve expected Wenger to have signed him.  But the Wenger ‘exciting-young-French-talent’ conveyer belt seems to have come to a halt recently, or at least the goods have been plundered by other clubs before the belt reaches its North London destination.

Recently when talking of his move, Remy told FIFA.com

“I left because I wanted a different challenge, one that was tricky right from the start.  I Joined QPR to give my all though, and my goal at the end of the season was not to have any regrets.  I don’t have any regrets about leaving and I’m happy here in England.  I’m playing in a league where I’ve always wanted to play, and I don’t regret it”

We asked what he thought of the Premier League, he explained

“[The Premier League] is the place for me, in every way.  You get less time to read the game in this league.  There’s more pressure and more contact, though there is more space too.  It’s great for a player like me.  They play deep here and I like that.  It feels like the perfect league for me.”

For a player who is so impressed with the Premier League it would seem unlikely he will want to compete in the Championship next season.  The challenge at QPR was keeping hold of their Premier League status, rather than finding a place in the team, so as they ultimately failed we’re not sure how disappointed he is.  Having left both Marseille and Lyon for clubs in lower positions, he is clearly not chasing titles.  Having tasted Champions League football with Marseille in 2010/11 and 2011/12, scoring 4 times, you would’ve expected him to want to be involved again.

Does he struggle at a bigger club?  Is he more suited to a club where he is top dog, rather than a squad player? 

What is certain is that if he was to move to Liverpool, Arsenal and Tottenham, he is unlikely to be first choice in the starting eleven. 

If he was to go to Liverpool, the thought of him linking up with Suarez is exciting as both like to attack from deep.  I could see him and Sturridge rotating as partners to Suarez.  Sturridge has already shown he may struggle to play a full season and has been very effective as an ‘impact’ substitute.  Would Remy relish a role like that?  Of course, Sturridge may feel his performance against Newcastle at the weekend warrants a regular start.

Remy was 26 in January, so he should peak over the next 3-4 years.  France hosts the European Championships in 2016, is Remy looking for that to be his stage?  If so, you would’ve thought he’d want to be playing Champions League.  But having decided to leave a club heading for the competition next season, for a club desperate to stay in the top division, you could question his ambition.

It is rumoured Remy is on £80,000pw at Rangers and so is he prepared to take a pay cut?  Is it good business for Liverpool to be paying £8m for a player who may want wages of £80,000pw?  Especially if he can’t be guaranteed a starting place?

So where next for Remy?

Liverpool weren’t keen to spend £80,000pw on Sigurdsson so it would seem unlikely they’ll spend that sort of money on Remy.  Arsenal could do with someone of Remy’s ability.  He is younger than Podolski and could link up well with a player such as Cazorla.  Tottenham too, could do with a player like him.  Adebayor has been poor this season and Defoe still struggles to convince successive managers that he can carry the teams hopes on his shoulders.  Remy is younger than both of them and Spurs may need some goals from somewhere if Bale goes in the summer.  They’ve shown they’re prepared to spend big wages for players they want, although if they miss out on Champions League football that might become more of a strain than they’re prepared to accept.

Personally, I think he would add something to Liverpool’s squad.  More so than Tom Ince, who has been constantly linked with a return to Anfield.  I also think he would add more than Borini does.  Borini is at his 5th club already, even though he is only 22, and you do feel sorry for the lad who must be wishing he could put down some roots somewhere.  But that’s a whole string of managers/coaches who haven’t rated him enough to believe in him long term.

Liverpool has a couple of exciting young strikers who will come through to the first team in a season or two, such as Adam Morgan and Jordan Ibe, and of course Raheem Sterling will be a stronger and more experienced proposition next season.

Remy’s love for English football so soon is to be admired as many foreign players take at least a season to adjust.  He may yet end up at somewhere like Everton or Fulham.

Memories of Underhill

20th April 2013 and Barnet Football Club played their last ever game at Underhill.  Next season they move to a new ground called The Hive, fitting as their nickname is The Bees.  The end of an era, and for me, it brought back some wonderful memories of my childhood.

My uncle and aunty lived in Barnet.  We spent a lot of time with them, spending every other Christmas there.  My Uncle was a season-ticket holder at Underhill and had been going for years.  His seat was right above the players’ tunnel level with the halfway line.  Saturday 26th November 1977 was the first time I set foot in the ground. 

On my first appearance at Underhill, I was one of 5,181 people in the ground.  The occasion?  FA Cup First Round tie against Peterborough United, at the time 3rd in Division Three (now League One).  That season Barnet’s highest attendance had been 1,885 when they met Worcester City in a Southern League match.  Back in those days the familiar pyramid league system wasn’t in place, and one of the feeder divisions for the Football League was the Southern League.  Barnet were lying 4th in the table which meant there were 48 places separated them and Peterborough.  It was Barnet’s 6th match in the Cup that season, having beaten the likes of Camberley Town, Erith & Belvedere, Carshalton Athletic, St. Albans City and Hampton.  They hadn’t appeared in the ‘proper’ section of the Cup since they took QPR to a replay in the 1973 Third Round, and the whole place was alive with anticipation.

But for me, I was there to see one man……………..Jimmy Greaves.

picture courtesy of mailonline website

Greaves is arguably one of the greatest goalscorers English football has ever seen.  In a career which had already spanned 20 years, Greaves held the all-time record of 357 league goals in just 516 matches.  He’d also scored 44 times for England in just 57 internationals, leaving him 2nd in the all-time table for his country.   I grew up as the youngest of 5 boys.  All my brothers were Spurs fans and would go on for ages about how good Spurs were, and the iconic players I’d already missed playing.  What they didn’t tell me about ‘Greavsie’ wasn’t worth telling.  I’d never seen any footage of him, but knew the legend.  At 37 years of age, Greaves wasn’t the frightening striker of old as he’d reverted to a deeper role in midfield.  But he still had a presence on the pitch.  This was his first outing at this stage of the cup and he was quoted in the programme as saying “if we can beat Peterborough and I play in the Second Round as well, I’ll have gone through the card.” 

Despite playing from midfield, Greaves scored 25 goals that season but his place in the cup game was in doubt after he’d being sent-off on the Tuesday in a game at Chelmsford City.  The game was abandoned when the home side were awarded a hotly disputed penalty.  The keeper saved, but when the ref ordered a re-take, Billy Meadows, Barnet’s manager, completely lost it and Greaves refused to walk when the ref showed him the red card.  Barnet managed to hastily arrange a league game with Hillingdon Borough on the Thursday, which Greaves sat out, allowing him to take the field on Saturday.

Greaves wasn’t the only former League player in the Barnet line-up that day.  Former Charlton and Chelsea defender Marvin Hinton and ex-Northampton and Mansfield striker, John Fairbrother, were in the starting eleven.  35 year old Fairbrother had spent three seasons at Peterborough in the late 60’s.  Barnet had use of the services of ex-Arsenal defender, Terry Mancini, earlier in the season but he was injured for this match.

Peterborough too had some notable players.  Alan Slough, who’d played in the 1975 FA Cup Final for Fulham, Barry Butlin, who’d come from Brian Clough’s Nottingham Forest Second Division promotion winning side, Ian Ross, who’d spent 4 years at Aston Villa and Steve Earle was at Fulham for 9 years, so there was plenty of experience.

As can often happen when you’re young and going to your first football matches, you don’t take in anywhere near as much as you later wish you did.   I remember the ground being packed and a great atmosphere within the ground, although my uncle had been keen to keep me close to him as we made our way to the ground.

Barnet scored first after 10 minutes.  I’m sorry for those looking for a detailed match report as I don’t remember anything about it.  Derek Brown got the goal and they held the lead until 5 minutes to the break when Alan Slough equalised.  My most vivid memory of the day came at half-time.  Suddenly, from the home end to our right, a group of ‘supporters’ climbed over the barriers and onto the pitch, running towards the Peterborough fans away to our left.  In those days trouble at football grounds was commonplace, and I sensed from my parents’ anxiety prior to the game, that we needed to be wary but not frightened.  This ‘pitch invasion’ soon petered out as the leading protagonist reached the halfway line, only to turn round and find all his ‘mates’ had given up and made their way back to where they came from.  He then made the split-second decision to join them rather than take on the packed away end on his own.

The game remained level until Tommy Robson, who’d spent 3 years at Newcastle United, scored what proved to be the winning goal.  I remember being really disappointed Barnet couldn’t get back into the game, although my uncle didn’t seem too surprised they hadn’t.

I returned to Underhill again later in the season, and was amongst the usual sized crowd for a Southern League match against Dartford.  Mancini was in the team that day and Barnet were much more fluent than they’d been in the cup match.  Barnet won 4-1 that day and Greaves scored a goal I will always remember.  It was either the 3rd or 4th goal and the ball was half cleared from the Dartford area on the right when Greaves struck the ball first time, from about 25yards out, and it flew into the top corner of the net passed the keeper’s right hand.  It was a stunning strike and what made it all the better for me is that it was a goal by Jimmy Greaves that none of my brothers ever saw!!!

After the game I wanted to get the great man’s autograph.  We waited outside the changing rooms for what seemed like ages, until my cousin asked someone she knew from the club whether they’d take me in there.  I was lead into a steamy changing room and there was one of England’s greatest ever players, stark naked, drying himself off from his shower.  Fortunately, I provided the pen and he signed my programme.  I turned, rather embarrassed, and walked back out.

I was 10 years old and had already seen Jimmy Greaves, George Best, Bobby Moore and Rodney Marsh play.  Later that year I would get to see Kenny Dalglish, Terry McDermott, Ray Clemence and Stan Bowles.

I’ve been to Underhill a few times since then, although sadly not for many years.  It feels like the end of an era and with the new ground being outside the Borough, it is not free of controversy.  Barnet now having to deal with Conference football from next season will bring an added degree of difficulty.