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General Category => Altrincham FC First Team => Topic started by: bighairedmike on January 22, 2017, 08:01:51 PM

Title: One for the historians...
Post by: bighairedmike on January 22, 2017, 08:01:51 PM
Does the name Les Spencer ring a bell? Cheshire league Era. I don't know anything else, apologies.

Over to you Mike, Cult et al.
Title: Re: One for the historians...
Post by: Sale Holmfield on January 22, 2017, 08:21:23 PM
Long after the Cheshire County League had finished, but Lee Spencer played one match for us in the FA Cup as an emergency goalkeeper in 1993 when we lost to Accrington Stanley. Regular goalkeeper Tim Clarke didn't  want to get cuptied and was about to leave anyway so Gerry Quinn had Wayne Baker, who had played the previous season, lined up, but he was either injured or unavailable at short notice, so he brought in Lee Spencer from Old Alts of the Manchester League.

If I remember correctly he wasn't tall at all and it was another of those dispiriting days when we lost miserably 2-0 at home to a team from a lower division who themselves were in the middle of an injury crisis, and had a player wearing a sling on the bench.
Title: Re: One for the historians...
Post by: Mausoleum Alty on January 22, 2017, 08:37:16 PM
Long after the Cheshire County League had finished, but Lee Spencer played one match for us in the FA Cup as an emergency goalkeeper in 1993 when we lost to Accrington Stanley. Regular goalkeeper Tim Clarke didn't  want to get cuptied and was about to leave anyway so Gerry Quinn had Wayne Baker, who had played the previous season, lined up, but he was either injured or unavailable at short notice, so he brought in Lee Spencer from Old Alts of the Manchester League.

If I remember correctly he wasn't tall at all and it was another of those dispiriting days when we lost miserably 2-0 at home to a team from a lower division who themselves were in the middle of an injury crisis, and had a player wearing a sling on the bench.

I think John King was manager as I remember him announcing that Spencer would be playing in a pre match meeting. Lee Spencer was a local lad who played for George Heslops Altrincham Sunday League side Altrincham Athletic. We lost 2-0 with ageing front man Paul Beck scoring both goals.
Title: Re: One for the historians...
Post by: taxi Phil on January 22, 2017, 08:38:01 PM
We've had a few this season who've put me in mind of Frank Spencer  >:(
Title: Re: One for the historians...
Post by: York Alty is back on January 22, 2017, 08:45:21 PM
We've had a few this season who've put me in mind of Frank Spencer  >:(

Rhymes with frank...
Title: Re: One for the historians...
Post by: GB Alty on January 22, 2017, 09:09:12 PM
Long after the Cheshire County League had finished, but Lee Spencer played one match for us in the FA Cup as an emergency goalkeeper in 1993 when we lost to Accrington Stanley. Regular goalkeeper Tim Clarke didn't  want to get cuptied and was about to leave anyway so Gerry Quinn had Wayne Baker, who had played the previous season, lined up, but he was either injured or unavailable at short notice, so he brought in Lee Spencer from Old Alts of the Manchester League.

If I remember correctly he wasn't tall at all and it was another of those dispiriting days when we lost miserably 2-0 at home to a team from a lower division who themselves were in the middle of an injury crisis, and had a player wearing a sling on the bench.

I think John King was manager as I remember him announcing that Spencer would be playing in a pre match meeting. Lee Spencer was a local lad who played for George Heslops Altrincham Sunday League side Altrincham Athletic. We lost 2-0 with ageing front man Paul Beck scoring both goals.
Was defo Gerry Quinn in charge, remember it well
Title: Re: One for the historians...
Post by: Ballers on January 22, 2017, 09:57:24 PM
It was Gerry Quinn's 2nd (and last) season as Alty manager. Lee Spencer was a Sunday League keeper signed on as emergency cover really and lo it came to pass as Sale Holmfirth has already explained.

He wasn't particularly at fault for either goal but as Brian Flynn said in the excellent book Kingdom Come by Mark Harris, Spencer did little particularly wrong but you got the feeling if Accrington had a shot they would score - and twice they did duly that.

This lead to Gerry Quinn's demise a week or two later after a 0-1 reverse at Kettering. Perhaps as much for the farcical events surrounding this matter as much as the actual defeat.

Of course, all this was in the days when we had standards and such defeats and a lack of professionalism were taken very seriously and people were accountable for their actions. Not like today where some just treat it as run of the mill and one of those things.

Shame.
Title: Re: One for the historians...
Post by: Hemel Alty on January 22, 2017, 10:27:13 PM
What about Les Spencer? (original post)
Title: Re: One for the historians...
Post by: taxi Phil on January 22, 2017, 11:34:46 PM
The Les said the better ?
Title: Re: One for the historians...
Post by: Sale Holmfield on January 22, 2017, 11:36:39 PM
Apologies to George's Moustache. I had obviously read Les Spencer as Lee.
I hope it was an interesting diversion, at least. (searching for a blushing emoji).
Title: Re: One for the historians...
Post by: bighairedmike on January 22, 2017, 11:51:48 PM
Apologies to George's Moustache. I had obviously read Les Spencer as Lee.
I hope it was an interesting diversion, at least. (searching for a blushing emoji).

I've been hoping that I'm reading our league table upside down for a while now.

Im always interested to learn about players before my time watching and Lee Spencer fits that bill by all of about 5 years.

Anything on Les would be super.  :)
Title: Re: One for the historians...
Post by: Mausoleum Alty on January 23, 2017, 06:07:40 AM
Long after the Cheshire County League had finished, but Lee Spencer played one match for us in the FA Cup as an emergency goalkeeper in 1993 when we lost to Accrington Stanley. Regular goalkeeper Tim Clarke didn't  want to get cuptied and was about to leave anyway so Gerry Quinn had Wayne Baker, who had played the previous season, lined up, but he was either injured or unavailable at short notice, so he brought in Lee Spencer from Old Alts of the Manchester League.

If I remember correctly he wasn't tall at all and it was another of those dispiriting days when we lost miserably 2-0 at home to a team from a lower division who themselves were in the middle of an injury crisis, and had a player wearing a sling on the bench.

I think John King was manager as I remember him announcing that Spencer would be playing in a pre match meeting. Lee Spencer was a local lad who played for George Heslops Altrincham Sunday League side Altrincham Athletic. We lost 2-0 with ageing front man Paul Beck scoring both goals.
Was defo Gerry Quinn in charge, remember it well

I must've dreamt the John King bit 😊
Title: Re: One for the historians...
Post by: Bangor on Dee Robin on January 23, 2017, 07:37:50 AM
I'm sure he was in goal for a cup tie with Accrington. They had two shots on target we lost 0-2 (Thompson I think) bobbins & never to be seen again. ps really worried that the inner nurd has surfaced. :P
Title: Re: One for the historians...
Post by: TheCultOfIanTunnacliffe on January 23, 2017, 05:04:50 PM

I've been unable to unearth any information regarding a Les Spencer playing for Alty as far back as the early 1960s.

I'll ask the club's (un)official historian Terry Surridge whether he has any record of this character appearing for the Robins.

There was a Les Spencer who played for Rochdale and then Luton Town during the late 1950s/early 1960s.

He was born in Manchester and died in Sale in April 2012.

 
Title: Re: One for the historians...
Post by: ManagementGuru on January 23, 2017, 05:30:09 PM
Les Campbell was the only such forename I could recall from the Cheshire League days - was one of the scorers at Rochdale in the 3-1 win in 65-6.

But the Les Spencer that Cult has found is likely to be the man, I would wager!
Title: Re: One for the historians...
Post by: bighairedmike on January 23, 2017, 06:04:09 PM
Les Campbell was the only such forename I could recall from the Cheshire League days - was one of the scorers at Rochdale in the 3-1 win in 65-6.

But the Les Spencer that Cult has found is likely to be the man, I would wager!

I doubt it Bill, as this Les Spencer was on Facebook yesterday!

Thanks for the info gents. I presumed it was another case of "Oh Alty, I've played for them" When a little bit of digging shows nothing of the sort.  ;D
Title: Re: One for the historians...
Post by: ManagementGuru on January 23, 2017, 06:24:48 PM
Funnily enough my daughter met a man last week in trendy Shoreditch (where she lives) who claimed to have played for Alty, and to be Colin Little's nephew.  Alexander Hurt he said his name was...Nope says I.  "What kid of person  bigs themselves  up by claiming to play for Alty?" She asks, reasonably
Title: Re: One for the historians...
Post by: taxi Phil on January 23, 2017, 06:42:53 PM
"Forgive me father, for I have sinned. I once played for Altrincham."
Title: Re: One for the historians...
Post by: GB Alty on January 23, 2017, 07:08:44 PM
Long after the Cheshire County League had finished, but Lee Spencer played one match for us in the FA Cup as an emergency goalkeeper in 1993 when we lost to Accrington Stanley. Regular goalkeeper Tim Clarke didn't  want to get cuptied and was about to leave anyway so Gerry Quinn had Wayne Baker, who had played the previous season, lined up, but he was either injured or unavailable at short notice, so he brought in Lee Spencer from Old Alts of the Manchester League.

If I remember correctly he wasn't tall at all and it was another of those dispiriting days when we lost miserably 2-0 at home to a team from a lower division who themselves were in the middle of an injury crisis, and had a player wearing a sling on the bench.

I think John King was manager as I remember him announcing that Spencer would be playing in a pre match meeting. Lee Spencer was a local lad who played for George Heslops Altrincham Sunday League side Altrincham Athletic. We lost 2-0 with ageing front man Paul Beck scoring both goals.
Was defo Gerry Quinn in charge, remember it well

I must've dreamt the John King bit 😊
your probably thinking of a similar meeting with John King when Steve from Sale emotionally told him we don't ever ever want you to go again
Title: Re: One for the historians...
Post by: Mick on January 23, 2017, 11:38:10 PM
Funnily enough my daughter met a man last week in trendy Shoreditch (where she lives) who claimed to have played for Alty, and to be Colin Little's nephew.  Alexander Hurt he said his name was...Nope says I.  "What kid of person  bigs themselves  up by claiming to play for Alty?" She asks, reasonably

Alty U14s.............2009 ?
Title: Re: One for the historians...
Post by: Brian Flynn on January 25, 2017, 02:39:39 PM
Les Campbell was the only such forename I could recall from the Cheshire League days - was one of the scorers at Rochdale in the 3-1 win in 65-6.

But the Les Spencer that Cult has found is likely to be the man, I would wager!

I doubt it Bill, as this Les Spencer was on Facebook yesterday!

Thanks for the info gents. I presumed it was another case of "Oh Alty, I've played for them" When a little bit of digging shows nothing of the sort.  ;D

Don't underestimate the power of social media ;D
Title: Re: One for the historians...
Post by: Ballers on January 25, 2017, 03:49:03 PM
Funnily enough my daughter met a man last week in trendy Shoreditch (where she lives) who claimed to have played for Alty, and to be Colin Little's nephew.  Alexander Hurt he said his name was...Nope says I.  "What kid of person  bigs themselves  up by claiming to play for Alty?" She asks, reasonably

A cockney chancer trying to chat up an attractive girl in a bar in Shoreditch upon hearing that she is from / supports / has connections with Alty?

Happy to help