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[TheCultOfIanTunnacliffe]

Part Five of my series of programme articles on Alty in the 1979/80 APL season will cover the matches listed below:
 
 
(1) Saturday, 22nd September 1979 (APL)
 
Yeovil Town 3   Altrincham 2
 
(Did anyone venture down to see Alty's debut on the famous sloping pitch?)
 
 
(2) Monday, 24th September 1979 (Northern Premier League Challenge Shield)

Mossley 2  Altrincham 4
 
(Jeff Johnson scores a hat-trick as Alty win in extra time. Did anyone brave the wilderness and barbarians of Mossley and attend this game?)
 
 
(3) Saturday, 29th September 1979 (APL Cup Second Round)
 
Altrincham 1  Bangor City 1
 
(Former Robin Tony Broadhead scores for the visitors)
 
 
(4) Tuesday, 2nd October 1979 (APL Cup Second Round Replay)
 
Bangor City 1  Altrincham 2
 
(Barry Whitbread scores on his debut - what are your recollections of him?).
 
_____________________________________________________________________
 
 
*** As always, please feel free to pass on any of your memories relating to these games, no matter how esoteric or surreal they may seem!

email: towerofsong@btinternet.com

[TheCultOfIanTunnacliffe]

Many thanks to Saughall Robin for submitting his memories from that Mossley game.

Anyone else?

[Jezza]

Hi cult.

It really is frustrating coz though I went to nearly every match that season as a 12 year old when the actual matches are put in front of me I simply cannot remember them!!

I do remember going to yeovil for the first time and having a similar feeling to when we played weymouth in the cup....a bit like we were playing in europe against famous foreign opposition....I remember the programme had a slogan like "football is an up the slope game" and can visibly remember what seemed to be a frighteningly big crowd in what felt like a frighteningly big non league stadium and standing by the corner flag which was level with the crossbar with the slope....the side covered terrace made our own popular side look embarassingly small.....

My memories of barry whitbread was of this legendary goal poacher we were always going to sign but never seemed to get round to.......seemed a bit of an anti climax when viewed against Rogers and Johnson but still always seemed to be there to poach an unexpected victory..as against leamington if I remember correctly....sort of scored goals without you noticing really.....and I really can't remember how we fitted all those legends into the one team coz we didn't play 3 up front so one must have been in midfield but then we had heathcote, wilson, gardner,king,barrow and howard and morris......I reckon that's how we were so great...sneaked about 15 players onto the pitch and got kingy to distract the ref so he wouldn't notice!!!

[taxi Phil]

Sorry cult, but I too seem to be suffering from some form of Alzheimers. I definitely went to Seel Park, but the detail of the game has gone. I didn't even remember that Jeff "Magic" Johnson had scored a hat trick ! Do we have any access to old newspaper reports from back then ? If we can print them on here, some of us may have our memories jogged !

[TheCultOfIanTunnacliffe]

Hi cult.

It really is frustrating coz though I went to nearly every match that season as a 12 year old when the actual matches are put in front of me I simply cannot remember them!!

I do remember going to yeovil for the first time and having a similar feeling to when we played weymouth in the cup....a bit like we were playing in europe against famous foreign opposition....I remember the programme had a slogan like "football is an up the slope game" and can visibly remember what seemed to be a frighteningly big crowd in what felt like a frighteningly big non league stadium and standing by the corner flag which was level with the crossbar with the slope....the side covered terrace made our own popular side look embarassingly small.....

My memories of barry whitbread was of this legendary goal poacher we were always going to sign but never seemed to get round to.......seemed a bit of an anti climax when viewed against Rogers and Johnson but still always seemed to be there to poach an unexpected victory..as against leamington if I remember correctly....sort of scored goals without you noticing really.....and I really can't remember how we fitted all those legends into the one team coz we didn't play 3 up front so one must have been in midfield but then we had heathcote, wilson, gardner,king,barrow and howard and morris......I reckon that's how we were so great...sneaked about 15 players onto the pitch and got kingy to distract the ref so he wouldn't notice!!!

Mark,

Thanks for your observations of Yeovil.

The 1979/80 APL team generally lined up with Stepney or Connaughton in goal.

Stan Allan and John Davison were the full backs.

Mal Bailey and John Owens took care of central defence (with Graham Tobin in reserve).

The midfield trio comprised Barrow (or Heathcote), John King and Jeff Johnson (the latter moved there once we signed Barry Whitbread and at the expense of Phil Wilson).

Barry Whitbread and John Rogers led the attack, supplemented by Barry Howard on whichever wing took his fancy.

Ivan Crossley and Mickey Brooke were also in the squad.
 

[Aussie Bob]

Whitbread was like has been mentioned previously was at time the invisible man of alty but compared to the number of stars in the team i suppose that was inevitable ..he was a good player and did all that was asked of him but on his reputation at Runcorn maybe everyone expected more.He cost a fair bit if i remember 5k i think ? The only player i really remember being signed into that team that really stood out was Graham Barrow who could have genuinely played 2-3rd division.
Didnt we sign Stepney from some US club ? think it was 40 quid or something daft like that.....

[TheCultOfIanTunnacliffe]

Whitbread was like has been mentioned previously was at time the invisible man of alty but compared to the number of stars in the team i suppose that was inevitable ..he was a good player and did all that was asked of him but on his reputation at Runcorn maybe everyone expected more.He cost a fair bit if i remember 5k i think ? The only player i really remember being signed into that team that really stood out was Graham Barrow who could have genuinely played 2-3rd division.
Didnt we sign Stepney from some US club ? think it was 40 quid or something daft like that.....

Bob,

Whitbread cost £6,400 from Runcorn, which was Alty's record transfer fee at the time.

Stepney cost us £50 from Dallas Tornado.

*** If you pass on your email address to me, I'll add you to the mailing list to receive copies of the articles about the 1979/80 season. ***

email: towerofsong@btinternet.com  

*** That offer also applies to anyone else who is interested in a wallow in Alty nostalgia!