| Davenport's Diary |
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taken from the Gloucester City v's Solihull Borough matchday programme - Saturday September 6th 2003 |
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| The story so far. I almost weed myself in excitement. |
| For those of you who are struggling with the format of this, let me spell it out quite clearly – 1978, 1988 and 1993. The boffins amongst you may even have noticed that equates to 10, 15 and 25 years ago. See what I’m trying to do? Then read on. |
| 1978 |
| A John Evans hat trick saw City progress to the next round of the FA Cup in a 3-0 victory against Frome Town, managed by ex-City player Ronnie Dicks. |
| Bob Murcell bemoaned inflation hitting local football, as City targets Terry Hubbard and Dick Brinkworth were spirited away to an unnamed rival club with a promise of £2,000 salary per year, a flat and a job. Dick Brinkworth joined City later in the Autumn as his move to Margate broke down. |
| In cricket, Sussex and Somerset met in the Gillette Cup Final at Lords with Ian Botham hitting 80 in the West Country side’s total of 207-7. If you want to know the result of the game I’ll tell you for the price of a pint of coca-cola. I’ll be the geeky four eyed one alone in the corner of the City bar, talking to myself. |
| 1988 |
| City continued their 100% start to the season with a 3-1 home victory against an Atherstone United team that included future City players Paul Olner and Gary Bradder, as well as Andy Rammell, later to be snapped up by Manchester United. |
| Next up for City was a trip to Banbury, and the first dropped points of the season. Martin Williams was on the score sheet in a 1-1 draw, but ‘Mazzer’ was also responsible for City’s second penalty miss of the season. |
| CITY: John Shaw, Ian Hedges, Martin Williams, Martin Lander, Mike Malpas, Nigel Green, Steve Talboys, Brian Hughes, Shaun Penny, Lance Morrison, Wayne Noble (Steve Johnson, Mike Andrews) |
| City’s table topping team were attracting the interest of local scouts with Ian Hedges being watched by Bristol Rovers, and Aston Villa and Coventry running a very large rule over Wayne Noble. |
| In the world of entertainment Mike Smith and Sarah Greene are injured when the BBC Front man’s chopper falls from the sky |
| 1993 |
| Darren McCluskey stars for Gloucester City Youth in a 3-0 FA Youth Cup victory against Weston Super Mare. At senior level City drop their first home points of the season in a 1-1 draw with Gresley, with that man Tony Cook once again finding the net. In a dramatic finale to the match City ship a late equaliser, despite furious protests from players and the crowd as the ball is clearly knocked out of Steve Crompton’s hands. In injury time Gresley are awarded a dubious penalty but, following consultation with the linesman the decision is overturned. |
| Former City player John Evans led Frocester out at Lords in the National Village Cricket Championships, only to see his side lose off the last ball of the match. |
| Locally plans for the Brockworth Bypass are given a green light, while in the centre the City Council announce ambitious plans to link the Cathedral with the Docks, creating the Blackfriars Shopping Centre. |
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taken from the Gloucester City v's Team Bath (FA Cup) matchday programme - Saturday September 13th 2003 |
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| Somewhere, locked in an underground toilet, you will sometimes find me scribbling dementedly in a language not yet known to mankind. And when they come to free me my business is done. But they won’t let me go home and eat ice cream and watch Rising Damp. NO! They tell me I have to spread the word, the word about Gloucester City and their exploits in 1978, 1988 and 1993. So best not annoy them; here’s the latest instalment in Davenport’s Diary. |
| 1978 |
| With the Citizen retailing at only 7p, everyone in the county was smiling. Some were smiling less than others, though, as City went down in an FA Trophy replay against Trowbridge. This was despite coming back from 2-0 down in the first match, thanks to goals from John Evans and Gary Mockeridge. |
| Soon after City found their meaningful cup competitions over for the season, as they fell 1-0 to Western League Melksham in an FA Cup Qualifier. If that wasn’t bad enough, the last ever episode of Z Cars was screened. |
| Still, it wasn’t all doom and gloom. You could buy a decent house in Nine Elms Road for £12,000. Fancy working as an electrician for Severn Trent Water Authority? They’ll pay you £52.34 for a 40 hour week. And the Gloucester City sports reporter finally returned home from holiday and back to work, to give fans of Davenport’s diary something half relevant to read about. |
| 1988 |
| Local lad and rising Cheltenham star Keith Knight is snapped up by Reading for the princely sum of £7,000. Elsewhere in football, Neil Webb hits the only goal as England beat Denmark in a friendly at Wembley. Closer to home City Youth play their first ever County Youth League fixture, a 6-0 victory against Shortwood. Taking that link just one step too far, County league side Cinderford snap up former City misfit Steve Westerberg, who joins manager Barry Vassallo at the Causeway. |
| But what do you care about all this? Its City you follow! So you’ll be pleased to remember that the Tigers battered King’s Lynn 1-0 at Meadow Park, in front of a crowd of 507. Mick Andrew scored the all important goal, although Wayne Noble continued his fine run of form and received the prestigious ‘Citizen Man of the Match’ award. |
| Attention turned to the FA Cup a week later, as City travelled to Great Mills League Melksham Town (now Screwfix League – DIY at a price that will make you smile). City simply outclassed their opponents 5-0, with a Mike Malpas double sandwiched between strikes from Martin Williams, Lance Morrison, and Steve Talboys. All the goals were scored in the first half, and none were the keeper’s fault. And I told him in the clubhouse afterwards, and was rewarded with a pint for my efforts. All very nice. You see, football doesn’t have to be all about Blueberry scarfs and swearing. |
| Excitement rose when the draw for the next round pitted us against posh rivals Cheltenham Town, following their 2-0 victory against Radstock Town. |
| 1993 |
| City had little to Yeltz about as they went down 1-0 away to Halesowen. The pseudo-Brummies spoiled what was Gary Kemp’s 100th appearance for the club that will always be in his heart. |
| City’s indifferent start to the season continued, as this defeat was quickly followed by a first home defeat, 2-1 to Clevedon. This was despite away keeper Steve Davies being sent off. Clevedon featured old City boys Shaun Penny (very old), Gary Fullbrook (younger) and Mark Madge (a mere pup). |
| But it wasn’t just City struggling at Meadow Park, as tenants Newport went down 5-0 to Trowbridge, with all 5 goals being scored by players who have represented City – Adie Harris (2), Alan Bird, Keith Knight and Ray Baverstock. |
| City moved their next home fixture, against Waterlooville, to a Sunday afternoon in the hope that fans would refrain from swearing on the religious day. However, the move backfired as City have the most spiritual fans in the league, and all but two of them chose to attend church instead. They missed a Karl Bayliss screamer from at least 700 yards out, as Vince Hilaire and Billy Gilbert’s side went back to France smarting from a 2-1 defeat. |
| CITY: Steve Crompton, Paul Bloomfield, Murray Fishlock, Mark Buckland, Paul Bywater, Gary Kemp, Tommy Callinan, Brian Hughes, Karl Bayliss, Tony Cook, Paul Olner (Mark Boyland, Steve Crouch) |
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taken from the Gloucester City v's Merthyr Tydfil (FA Cup) matchday programme - Saturday September 27th 2003 |
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| Some people ask me why I spend so much of my life researching and writing this column. Although deep down many know that my shovel smacked features and lack of personal hygiene offers little chance of a social life, they smile politely as I tell them that I am simply one step towards my ambition of writing for the Sunday Sport. And there is the fame as well. I wouldn’t say that I’ve had knickers thrown at me yet, but one old dear did stop me in Macclesfield Tescos the other day to ask for me where the boiled sweets were kept. Anyway, enough of this drivel………10, 15 and 25 years ago. Remember??? |
| 1978 |
| After appearing to be beaten to his signature, City finally get their man when 19 year old Dick Brinkworth signs for the Tigers from Swindon Town. He makes his debut in a 1-0 home victory against Tamworth. The game was held up by 10 minutes as the Tamworth coach broke down on the journey to Horton Road. Nothing to do with me. |
| CITY: Iain Main, Fred Gittings, Steve Scarrott, Gary Mockridge, Phil Brake, John Turner, Bell, Dick Brinkworth, Dick Pepworth, John Evans, Doug Foxwell (Chris Gardner, Les Dennis, Dustin Gee) |
| Despite a 1-0 defeat at Bath City days later, City hold 4th place in the league. You’d think that Bob Mursell would be happy wouldn’t you? Well he’s not, he’s in pain, laid up on traction in Southmead Hospital in Bristol, suffering from a bad back. And I for one pity him. There’s nothing so incapacitating as a back problem. |
| 1988 |
| The build up to City’s FA Cup mammothganza begins, with City announcing that seating for the game at Meadow Park will be all ticket, with a quarter of the 570 seats allocated to the poor old Robins fans. The remainder go on sale to the splendidly lovely City fans at £3 a piece. It is also announced that Cheltenham bullet Chris Townsend is suffering from flu and is unlikely to play against City. I am so excited by the impending game that I suffer incontinence for a week, and have to be punched unconscious each night by my sister just to get some sleep. |
| My attention was distracted, however, by the small matter of an FA Trophy tie against the ‘minuscule team on the hump’, our local rivals Forest Green Stroudvers. A crowd of 384 braved the sub antartic conditions at the Lawn, and 383 went home happy as Lance Morrison and Wayne Noble fired City into the next round with a 2-1 victory in a game described as a dull, tactical, offside affair. |
| Outside of football I am feeling very low as its reported that Emperor Hirohito is in a critical condition, and Roy Kinnear dies after falling off a horse. |
| 1993 |
| In cricket’s Brittanic Assurance County Championship Gloucestershire finish in 17th place, bottom of the pile, last in the stack, following a last match defeat by Sussex. |
| National disappointment over Manchester’s failure to secure the Olympics was soon forgotten by City’s announcement that they had signed young midfielder Graham Smith from local club Ellwood. The Queen declares a National Holiday. |
| On the pitch Gary Kemp suffers an ugly injury as he decides to mouthbutt an opponent’s knee at Hednesford and loses his front two teeth, earning10 stitches for his efforts. Still, it was a small price to pay, he told me in the bar after the game, as a Karl Bayliss strike secured a valuable away point. At least that’s what I thought he said but it was difficult to make out. |
| The injury is enough to keep him out of the Westgate Insurance Cup 1st Leg tie at Meadow Park against Witney, and fringe players Steve Crouch and Mark Boyland are given a starting place. Witney feature former Cheltenham centre back Anton Vircavs, but he is unable to prevent the home team running out 2-1 victors, thanks to goals from Boyland and Murray Fishlock. |
| Current Cheltenham boss Bobby Gould (correct at time of writing) pleasures football statisticians the world over, scoring a 25 yard thunderbobble for Coventry Reserves, a mere 25 years after his last goal for the club. The 47 year old showed his shrewd tactical nous by picking himself for the second XI in a 79-1 defeat. |
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