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| Davenport's Diary |
taken from the Gloucester City v's Bromsgrove Rovers matchday programme - Saturday January 17th 2004 |
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| Even after 19 days I bet that most of you have already broken your New Year’s Resolutions. Not me!! My only resolution is to be City ‘til I die, City ‘til I die. I know I am, I’m sure I am, I’m City ‘til I die. Even if we lose 5-0 at Taunton, which we won’t. Happy New Year. |
| 1979 |
| As the last year of the decade begins, the world order is in upheaval. There’s panic on the streets of London, panic on the streets of Birmingham. And in our corner of the world everything we know is no more, as the Citizens sports section continue their strike. It’s the end of the world as we know it. |
| But, as a consolation the country was in the grip of the biggest freeze in 15 years, so City hadn’t played a game since December 7th. And with Lennie Bennett hosting Celebrity Squares, and 20 Marlborough costing only 51p then chain smoking quiz addicts were in pig heaven. And we were hammering the Aussies at cricket, Jonty Randall’s 150 at Sydney putting England 3-1 up with two tests to play. |
| 1989 |
| City get off to a New Year flyer. Firstly close rivals Nuneaton are put to the spoon away from home, City coming back from a goal down to win 2-1 in front of 648 wretched souls. Wayne Noble, getting lazier by the game, equalises while led on the floor. Goalphomaniac Chris Townsend nets the winner with siete minutos to go. |
| A Meadow Park league record crowd of 1,011 at Meadow Park turned up to see City win 2-1 against Stourbridge, with goals coming from Shaun Penny and Towner. The victory took the Tigers back to the top of the table after Atherstone had gone above us following a lunchtime victory against Nuneaton. |
| Another 4 figure crowd, a league record breaking 1,029, see City once again win 2-1, this time against pre-Max Griggs Rushden Town. Highlight of the game was a heated touchline argument between Roy Castle and Norris McWhirter, who couldn’t agree on whether Siamese twins counted as one or two spectators, and if they should include a stray dog and three rabbits in their calculations. Following a swift uppercut from Castle, the crowd settled down to watch Nigel Green and Brian Hughes score either side of half time to claim three more points. |
| Mystic Marge is once again in the Citizen Office as the paper confidently chirps “Gloucester City may sit proudly at the top of the table, but for the County’s other two semi-professional clubs there seems be a whole lot of trouble ahead.” Yeah, right. |
| 1994 |
| City start the New Year as they left it, succumbing to their 6th successive League defeat, losing 3-1 to local rivals Cheltenham, who went top as a result. No more to say. |
| Off the pitch cricket commentator Brian Johnstone shuffles off his mortal coil, and Keith Gardner announces that from now on the club should be known as ‘City Slickers’ and presents each member of the squad with a video of the second rate cowboy film. Bearing in mind our recent run of scores, I present the squad with a copy of ‘Flatliners’. As Keith promises to be with us in 10 years time, it is announced that the club was in a precarious financial position until he came along. His arrival prompts a gaggle of transfer activity, with the team from Nailsworth given seven days notice for Kevin Willetts, and City signing ex York forward Darren Tilley, and Moreton’s Nicky Hughes. |
| Both score on their debuts in a remarkable 5-4 victory away to Bashley, City’s first away win of the season. City were 3-1 up before finding themselves 4-3 down in the space of just ten minutes, the home side’s Danny Adams scoring all 4. Step forward Karl Bayliss and Tommy Callinan, with an 81st minute equaliser and extra time headed winner. |
| CITY: Steve Crompton, Mark Saunders, Richard Criddle, Mark Buckland, Paul Bywater, Gary Kemp, Tommy Callinan, Darren Tilley, Karl Bayliss, Tony Cook, Brian Hughes (Mark Boyland, Nicky Hughes) |
| City add Trowbridge’s Martin Blackler to the ranks, and the new signing features in a 3-0 home victory against Atherstone, the highlight being a spectacular overhead kick by Karl Bayliss. Tony Cook and Darren Tilley score the others. |
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taken from the Gloucester City v's Clevedon Town matchday programme - Saturday January 31st 2004 |
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| Today sees the visit of Clevedon, the only team I know whose ground is named after a part of your anatomy. For those of you who still don’t know what I am referring to, a clue. I will be shaking mine at some stage of the afternoon. |
| Henry VIII’s seventh wife, Anne of Clevedon, hails from the area. Another fascinating fact connects City with our visitors; global warming. Yes, while Meadow Park is threatened by the encroaching River Severn, rising tides may well see Clevedon become an island. Stretching the analogy, lets hope today’s column helps the memories flood back, and remember that the events of 10, 15 and 25 years ago are all water under the bridge. Groan. |
| 1979 |
| Dougie Foxwell leaves City to join Kidderminster Harriers for what City Chairman Dick Etheridge (guess which word is politically incorrect) describes as a ‘respectable four figure sum’. £1,000, now that’s respectable, while £2,500 is just low life scum. City replace the popular striker by signing Colin Hall, who counts Bristol City, Cheltenham and Bath amongst his former clubs. He’s soon joined by Mike Bruton, who signs on the wonky line from Taunton. Such is the joy that the council name a city centre road after him. |
| The weather continues to bite with game after game cancelled, fresh snow showers leaving 4 inches of snow on the ground. Only the Reserves see any action, although they continue to struggle near the bottom of the Gloucestershire County League. |
| Finally, the Citizen announce that their strike is over, and sports reporting will resume again. Once the sport does. |
| 1989 |
| City go 15 matches unbeaten, with 8 straight wins, with a 3-0 victory against Bilston at Queen Street. Unusual suspects Shaun Penny, Wayne Noble, and Towner score for the team of the century, while Steve ‘Stevie Johnson’ Johnson makes a substitute appearance for the home side. On the downside Mike Malpas limps off with a knee injury before half time. |
| City follow this impressive display with a 1-1 draw against Willenhall, conceding an 86th minute equaliser after Steve Talboys heads us in front. Dave Payne, signed from Bath City, makes his debut as a substitute. |
| CITY: John Shaw, Greg Steele, Martin Williams, Martin Lander, Steve Talboys, Nigel Green, Ricky Chandler, Brian Hughes, Shaun Penny, Lance Morrison, Wayne Noble (Ian Hedges, David Payne) |
| City round off January with a 4-2 win away to Bridgnorth, Chris Townsend celebrating the birth of his chavvy with a double, Wayne Noble and Shaun Penny scoring the others. |
| Elsewhere Leroy Rosenior scores the only goal for West Ham as they knock Arsenal out of the FA Cup, and local lad Ian Olney makes his full debut for Aston Villa again Notts Forest. Nick Ackland and Gareth Howells are released by Forest Green, immediately alerting interest from Manchester United. |
| 1994 |
| Latest signings under the Keith Gardner revolution are ex Arsenal and England Youth player Justin Lee, Mangotsfield’s Dean Birkby, former yellow Dave Webb from Trowbridge, and Kevin Willetts. Recent acquisition Darren Tilley is released to ensure that players don’t outnumber fans. |
| On the pitch there are mixed fortunes. The much postponed league cup match at Evesham is finally played, with City running out 3-1 winners thanks to Tony Cook and a Baylo double, cancelling out a Keith Bertschin strike. The next round match follows quickly, with a last minute Mark Boyland goal enough to beat Hednesford away. The quarter finals see City go down 1-0 at Burton. |
| City’s home league form disappoints. A 5-2 reverse to Chelmsford is followed by a 1-1 Meadow Park draw against Waterlooville. The latter was only thanks to a 88th minute Mark Buckland equaliser, against a side whose keeper had been sent off earlier in the game, after donning Gazza style fake boobs. |
| City stars of the future are also in action, with Andy Hoskins making a name for himself at FGR, scoring 5 goals in three games after signing from Tuffley Rovers. Tom Radcliffe, 14, signs, associated schoolboy forms with Swindon. |
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| Page last updated : 30th June 2004 |
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