[monte]

Googling some of these old players it's amazing how many had nearly 100 games or more with us, then leave and fizzle out. A lot of people like Alex Bailey (right back from Arsenal) come to mind, makes you think how our lot managed to get so much out them (or at least we must have had some others really helping them out in the games given the nose dives afterwards).

[gordon_brittas]

 monte, on 20 June 2025 - 10:37 AM, said:

Googling some of these old players it's amazing how many had nearly 100 games or more with us, then leave and fizzle out. A lot of people like Alex Bailey (right back from Arsenal) come to mind, makes you think how our lot managed to get so much out them (or at least we must have had some others really helping them out in the games given the nose dives afterwards).

John Duncan and Roy McFarland managed to turn loads of cast offs into decent players for us. If Roy had the financial backing that Cook has had at the time he would have probably got us into the Championship.

[westsix]

Mark Debola is in America he ofter plays golf with a town some of you may know Adrian Troth

This post has been edited by westsix: 20 June 2025 - 10:45 AM

[Blue95]

Paul Harsley weirdly came up on a LinkedIn suggestion for me a while back, he’s a game developer whatever that is.

That signing was quite a let down

[Westbars Spireite]

 monte, on 20 June 2025 - 10:37 AM, said:

Googling some of these old players it's amazing how many had nearly 100 games or more with us, then leave and fizzle out. A lot of people like Alex Bailey (right back from Arsenal) come to mind, makes you think how our lot managed to get so much out them (or at least we must have had some others really helping them out in the games given the nose dives afterwards).

Alex Bailey now would be perfect. Good player.

[JonB]

I know Gareth Davies from playing a bit of local Saturday league football with him randomly before he ended up in the town team. Was always way to good for us! He was mates with a couple of lads i worked with who started the team. Saw him a few times recently as one of his kids was doing mini football stuff in the session before my daughter at Old Whitt. Think he is still playing Sunday League football for a side these days.

Seem to remember reading something about Chris Beaumont being a postman these days while Jon Howard is captaining Ashover Barbarians CC Sunday side in the Mansfield League and occasionally playing for the 2nds/3rds on a Saturday. His lad came through the junior ranks there so Jon got dragged into playing. More than handy batsman going by the scores he gets. I also bumped into Gary Pollard, played for us late 70s/early 80s, the other day while i was out with the dog and he was walking his dog as he lives just down the road from me. I worked with him at CSC next door to Brampton Manor about 10 years ago. He's now happily retired from work and spends his time dog walking, golfing and grandkid sitting!

[ash_cfc]

 JonB, on 20 June 2025 - 11:15 AM, said:

I know Gareth Davies from playing a bit of local Saturday league football with him randomly before he ended up in the town team. Was always way to good for us! He was mates with a couple of lads i worked with who started the team. Saw him a few times recently as one of his kids was doing mini football stuff in the session before my daughter at Old Whitt. Think he is still playing Sunday League football for a side these days.

He turns out for Butchers @ Brim occasionally when they are short.

Chris Bettney played a handful of games for my Hasland Club side last season. Even at 47 he’s still got a bit about him for that standard.

[hilly81]

JonB, on 20 June 2025 - 11:15 AM, said:

I know Gareth Davies from playing a bit of local Saturday league football with him randomly before he ended up in the town team. Was always way to good for us! He was mates with a couple of lads i worked with who started the team. Saw him a few times recently as one of his kids was doing mini football stuff in the session before my daughter at Old Whitt. Think he is still playing Sunday League football for a side these days.

Seem to remember reading something about Chris Beaumont being a postman these days while Jon Howard is captaining Ashover Barbarians CC Sunday side in the Mansfield League and occasionally playing for the 2nds/3rds on a Saturday. His lad came through the junior ranks there so Jon got dragged into playing. More than handy batsman going by the scores he gets. I also bumped into Gary Pollard, played for us late 70s/early 80s, the other day while i was out with the dog and he was walking his dog as he lives just down the road from me. I worked with him at CSC next door to Brampton Manor about 10 years ago. He's now happily retired from work and spends his time dog walking, golfing and grandkid sitting!

I played a few seasons with Gaz for Manor Rangers many, many years ago when we were growing up. He was a year or two younger than whatever age group we were playing at (probably 11-14 ish) but stood out like a sore thumb. Always played up front back then and scored shed loads. Also played a bit with both Rushbury brothers at Manor who were also streets ahead of the rest of us.

[JonB]

Yeh i think even at the younger age you can spot the ones that have it and they stand out. I once went to watch my brothers U16 team playing against a Young Owls team that included Steven Haslam who went on to play nearly 150 games for Wednesday and 350 appearances in the Football League\National League. He stood out like a sore thumb as being head and shoulders above anyone else then at one point their keeper launched it out of his hands and after it had travelled about 50yds he plucked it straight out of the air bringing it down on his chest killing it dead! Flip side of that is in some of the vets football that is knocking about, we played against a side from a village south of derby who had a guy that had played a few for Derby i think it was and he just looked like he had a bit more time on the ball.

[ronpowellsbutler]

Sussex Spireite, on 20 June 2025 - 07:15 AM, said:

Martin Gritton? Remember seeing him score the winner at Brentford one Tuesday night.

Remember those days, when the likes of Brentford and Bournemouth were regular fixtures. It's going to be a long time until we play either of them in a league fixture again!

I sat near Greg Dyke that night at Brentford. He saw my scarf and stopped to shake my hand after the win ( not that I had had much to do with it ).

[hilly81]

JonB, on 20 June 2025 - 11:31 AM, said:

Yeh i think even at the younger age you can spot the ones that have it and they stand out. I once went to watch my brothers U16 team playing against a Young Owls team that included Steven Haslam who went on to play nearly 150 games for Wednesday and 350 appearances in the Football League\National League. He stood out like a sore thumb as being head and shoulders above anyone else then at one point their keeper launched it out of his hands and after it had travelled about 50yds he plucked it straight out of the air bringing it down on his chest killing it dead! Flip side of that is in some of the vets football that is knocking about, we played against a side from a village south of derby who had a guy that had played a few for Derby i think it was and he just looked like he had a bit more time on the ball.

Yeah, you think you're good until you play with or against someone who is actually good. When I moved over to the North West about 12 years ago I was playing a lot of 6 a side at Goals in Chester. One match our team was made up of me, our keeper (who was decent) 4 current semi pros and a pro (Jamie Reed who was at York at the time). I was sub a fair bit that night. Felt so out of my depth. We absolutely obliterated a Wrexham youth team.

[Secretly Canadian]

 Blue95, on 20 June 2025 - 10:48 AM, said:

Paul Harsley weirdly came up on a LinkedIn suggestion for me a while back, he’s a game developer whatever that is.

That signing was quite a let down

He lives in the same village as my mum in N. LINCS, he works for the FA. Had a chat with him outside the chippy last year, mentioned that Rico was a strange bloke.

[stainlessstephen]

 Blue95, on 20 June 2025 - 10:48 AM, said:

Paul Harsley weirdly came up on a LinkedIn suggestion for me a while back, he’s a game developer whatever that is.

That signing was quite a let down

That was at a time where we seemed to have a habit of nicking Port Vale’s better players.

[Waller is my hero]

Whatever to Luke Beckett & Mike Pollit?

[Doreets]

I would like to know what really happened with Sadiq El Fitouri, bizarre signing.

[lindo-spireite]

Carl lamb

[JonB]

Was there a Lee someone we signed that had played his trade at the likes of Worksop, Retford or teams like that and scored a few. Signed as a striker but mainly played wide when he did get a run? Think it was early seasons in the national league when he was with us.

[lindo-spireite]

 JonB, on 20 June 2025 - 08:01 PM, said:

Was there a Lee someone we signed that had played his trade at the likes of Worksop, Retford or teams like that and scored a few. Signed as a striker but mainly played wide when he did get a run? Think it was early seasons in the national league when he was with us.

Lee shaw wasn’t it

[JonB]

 lindo-spireite, on 20 June 2025 - 08:03 PM, said:

Lee shaw wasn’t it

That’s him….he was a raving success.

[Siberian Spireite]

 JonB, on 20 June 2025 - 08:11 PM, said:

That’s him….he was a raving success.

Wasn’t Lee Shaw signed after someone recommended him to Martin Allen in a motorway service station? I’d like to think our recruitment is a bit more scientific nowadays. Shaw was never short of effort but the jump in levels was too much.

I admittedly follow Daniel Wong, Rai Simons and Davide Faupala on Instagram, even though I rarely use it. Wong seems to be playing in the regional Aussie leagues, Simons went back to Bermuda to play there and eat lots and Faupala seems to have retired after touring the world’s footballing backwaters.