 |
|
| Davenport's Diary |
taken from the Gloucester City v's Ilkeston Town matchday programme - Saturday May 1st 2004 |
|
| Well, well, well! Who would have thought I’d be here on the last day of the season, writing an article for such an important game! This would never have happened if Mike Dunstan or Phil Warren were writing this column. On a more serious note, I am writing this column with tears running down my butt cheeks, as Davenport’s Diary will be no more next year due to me mangling my hand during a mincing accident at the weekend. You don’t want to know what I’m typing these words out with. Anyway on a final note, I’m sure that you’ll join me in wishing my faithful dog Rasputin a speedy recovery following liposuction and an operation to insert lip implants. He’ll be sat at home eagerly awaiting a read of this column, so he can find out what finally happened to City 10, 15 and 25 years ago. |
| 1979 |
| To the delight of any AFC Wimbledon fans who have mastered the art of time travel, have gone back to 1979, AND decided to watch our game, City record their biggest away win, a 7-0 victory at struggling Milton Keynes. |
| CITY: Laurie Nicholls, Tim Davis, Gary Mockridge, Dave Mockridge, Gary Bell, Selwyn Rice, John Turner, Chris Gardner, Ken Griffin, Mike Bruton, Terry Patterson (Clive Shatsford) |
| This is followed by a 2-0 victory at current rivals Bedworth, thanks to goals by Mike Bruton (after just 30 seconds) and Dave Mockridge, against a team having previously conceded just one goal in the last seven games. |
| Snow in May, you must be joking? I am, although there was a biting wind and that really wet rain as City extended their unbeaten run to an impressive ten matches with a 3-1 home victory against Bedford. It took a late goal from Mockers brother Gary to preserve this unbeaten record against Kidderminster Harriers, with former Tiger Dougie Foxwell scoring against City in a 2 all draw at Horton Road. |
| In what could yet turn out to be an omen for this season, City then travelled to Kings Lynn and took a battering, going down 4-1. Revenge is sweat though, as City dish out the same punishment to Enderby Town at Horton Road days later. The final day of the season sees City record a 2-0 victory at home to wary Milton Keynes. City end up in seventh position, but are promoted to the newly formed Southern League Premier in a major shake up of non league football. Gary Mockridge is named Player of the Season. |
| Away from football Meg Thatcher leads the Tories to 10 Downing Boulevard, with Sally Oppenheim doubling her majority in the City, where the local blues are anything but as they retain the city council with a 17 seat majority. And the local party have plenty to say, as local youths riot during Tony Blackburn’s live Radio One Roadshow in Kings Square, calling for the return of hanging. Local Liberals, meanwhile, call for the return of hanging baskets. |
| Staying away from football, Forest Green Rovers end the season in third place in the Hellenic Premier, and Karl Bayliss represents Whaddon in the Gloucester Primary Schools Nature Quiz. |
| 1989 |
| 15th April 1989 is a date very few football fans will forget as over 90 fans die at Hillsborough watching the FA Cup Semi between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest. At City’s home game against Spalding there were rumours that something had happened, and when the truth was known then City’s 1-0 defeat at home to Spalding seemed unimportant. |
| Fast forward a week and the league’s top two marksmen, 28 goal Chris Townsend and Dudley Town’s John Muir meet in the West Midlands. Not to go shopping, but in a crucial Midland Division tie. Neither score, although City fans are the happier as Wayne Noble and Shaun Penny find the net in a 2-0 victory. |
| Results elsewhere mean that City require a point for promotion, and two for the championship. However, the unthinkable happens and City’s party is crashed by Halesowen at Meadow Park, the away side scoring a penalty three minutes from time to win 2-1. |
| Some would say that City were saving the champagne for Brian Godfrey’s 49tth birthday and the visit of Grantham, whose manager Martin O’Neill shows a taste of his future punditry prowess, predicting City will win the league. And he’s right, as City tear apart his team on the May Bank Holiday with a 2-0 victory to bring the first silverware to Meadow Park since BA Baracus was a ballboy (In case you’re wondering, he didn’t get on no plane). Gary Fullbrook was named Man of the Match in front of 1,194 delirious fans, with Chris Townsend and substitute Lance ‘Van’ Morrison scoring the goals that mattered. Nigel Green was named Fans Player of the Season, with Chris Townsend picking up the club award. |
| CITY: John Shaw, Greg Steele, Martin Williams, Gary Fullbrook, Steve Talboys, Nigel Green, Gary Bradder, Brian Hughes, Shaun Penny, Chris Townsend, Wayne Noble (Lance Morrison, David Payne) |
| And so to (where else) King’s Lynn for the last game of the season, safe in the knowledge we were the champions, and another 2-0 victory. David Payne made a rare starting appearance but failed to trouble not only the scorers but the home defence as well. It was therefore predictably left to Chris Townsend and substitute Shaun Penny to score. While Chairman Geoff Hester treated the squad to a free Spanish holiday, the supporters were allowed to share four pints of Carlsberg poured into the Midland Division Championship cup, presented just half an hour earlier. |
| Elsewhere in football Paul Gascoigne makes his competitive debut for England as a scoring substitute in a 5-0 World Cup Qualifying victory over Albania. Former City favourite Steve ‘the bullet’ Johnson joins Grantham, from Dudley, after injuries leave him more like a peashooter. |
| 1994 |
| City’s last game of the season features relegated Nuneaton (no relation to Jason), but the Tigers are made to work hard for a 2-1 victory with Tommy Callinan and Tony Cook netting for the yellows: |
| CITY: Steve Crompton, Mark Saunders, Kevin Willetts, Mark Buckland, Paul Bywater, Gary Kemp, Tommy Callinan, Dave Webb, Tony Cook, Dave Porter, Murray Fishlock (Kacey Johnstone, Steve Crouch) |
| The result means City finished tenth. Late season defeats at home to Solihull and Bashley leave Cheltenham in second place, handing promotion to the Conference to Farnborough. Moor Green, Bashley, Waterlooville and join Nuneaton as the relegated teams. |
| Paul Bywater wins both the Fans and Players Player of the Year awards, while Darren McCluskey scoops up the Youth Team Player of the Year. Tiger Roar’s Neil Phelps earns the Supporter of the Year accolade, after a number of votes go mysteriously missing in the post. |
| Off the pitch Keith Gardner officially takes over as City Chairman, replacing George Irvine, saying the two have found it increasingly difficult to work together. In time honoured fashion, he pledges that City will win promotion to the Conference within two seasons, play in the FA Trophy Final, gain City league status within 5 years, and manage to get curry and sweat stains out of my t-shirts on a 30 degree wash. City will play another season without a reserve side, with Newport (Town not Tracy) playing at Meadow Park again next year. |
| One of curly Keith’s first tasks is to sack Gary Goodwin as Assistant boss and install former Cheltenham boss John Murphy as manager of City. Steve Crompton is one of five City players not offered contracts and shown the door. And then asked to walk through it. Tony Cook and Paul Bywater are both offered contracts, although the latter turns it down. City also buy a set of second hand floodlights from Nuneaton, strongly denying that they originated from a pair of brothers in a yellow three wheeler. |
| Former manager Brian Godfrey makes a return to Meadow Park, representing City Supporters in a 3-2 defeat in the Sunday League Cup final. |
| Elsewhere Ayrton Senna is killed at the San Marino Grand Prix when his car hits a wall at 200mph, Gloucester lose the Pilkington Cup final 26-5 against Bristol, and Gloucestershire win their opening Britannic County Assurance match of the season, with Courtney Walsh taking 11-142 |
| HAPPY CLOSE SEASON AND SEE YOU ALL NEXT YEAR - Shandy |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
| Page last updated : 30th June 2004 |
|
|
| Tiger Roar is an unofficial, independant production. It has nothing to do with Gloucester City AFC 1980 Ltd, Gloucester City Ladies FC or the Gloucester City Supporters Trust. All comments expressed on here (unless stated) are those of the author and not those of the football club. |
| All content on this site is copyright of the site owner and must not be reproduced without prior permission (unless waived by the author). Please do not use or remotely link to any of the images or videos on this site. Images used without permission will be subject to a £50.00 charge. |
| I would like to express thanks to everyone who has helped make this website possible through donations, images, video clips and information. If you feel I have used your own copyrighted material and would like it removed, please do not hesitate to to discuss it's removal. |
| Above all, enjoy the website and please come back for more! |
 |
|
|
