Martin Keen

Nimr, Nr Muscat

Oman

I'm a Londoner by birth and brought up on a diet of Fulham Football Club and Chelsea, alternative weekends at home games, a clever ploy in those days to get the fans through the turnstiles! I left school at 16 and joined the Royal Marines, which naturally brought me to the West Country for my initial training at Lympstone, near Exmouth, that was in 1973. After completing that phase successfully I was drafted to Plymouth and being single, got into the demon "drink"! Having got fed up with going out on a Friday night and waking up somewhere on a Sunday evening with the proverbial hangover and more importantly no money I decided to give the drinking a rest. With time on my hands, boredom soon set in, so I took myself off to Home Park. Oh! those halcyon days, Rafferty, Green, Jim Furnell (the oldest keeper in the League at the time I think). I was hooked. 

Time passed by, the great games, the ups and the downs (no change there then!) over the last 26 years I've had season tickets, at times cashing them in to the club, when at short notice I've found myself drafted out of the UK. I've 3 sons, aged 22,19 and 17.The oldest is in the RAF and gets to games when he can, the 19 year old one is also fanatical like myself, but alas, my youngest totally rejected the game (but I expect he could still name our squad as it's all he hears about at home. I left the Royal Marines nearly 3 years ago and like most ex-servicemen struggled to find work. I got a lucky break 18 months ago when I received a phone call from a former colleague I had known during my time in the R.M's. He offered me the opportunity to work out in Oman, in the Middle East ... and as they say "the rest is history".

I work within the oilfield industry. I am specifically involved in the safety aspects of driving. Driving in the desert can be obviously quite hazardous so therefore I patrol the desert monitoring and inspecting vehicles and checking drivers documentation. Last year alone we had 8 fatalities on the desert roads (thankfully none so far this year, lets hope it stays that way.....especially as one of my duties is to attend the scene of fatalities ). 

I actually work a continuous 72 days here in the desert and then get 28 days leave, back home in UK. I actually returned back from leave last Friday and already I am counting the days! I live in Dawlish now, I did manage to get to see the Orient and Mansfield games when I was home. Although I'm 12 miles from Exeter and 42 from Plymouth there is NO CHANCE of ever taking in a game there (unless its against us!!!).

Ashley Knights

Tuebingen, Nr Stuttgart

Germany

Andy Laidlaw

Plymouth

England

Andy	Dubious looking character

Hello to all Argyle fans around the globe. I have supported Argyle for 22 years and my 1st game was a home game against Southend which ended 0-0. I did go back for more and got hooked.

I live in Plymouth (and no I'm not apathetic) and follow the Greens with a real passion. I am married to Anita and have a girl called Lois who at time of writing is 19 months old.

My favourite players over the years are Tommy Tynan, Graham Coughlan, David Kemp, John Sims and Mark Patterson to name a few. Best Managers Dave Smith and of course King Luggy.

I enjoy meeting people, especially off P@SOTI and have had the privilege to meet Steve from GoS.

Well that's all from me, just to say to all Pilgrims out there to stay Green and get behind your team.

Colin Leeds

(Big Col)

Felixstowe

England

    
Born in the former house of Johnny Newman I had to be an Argyle supporter; especially after he crashed into my grandfather's motorbike coming out of the drive drunk on his way to a match one day. It was a good job he had connections in the motor trade.

I have spent in the words of people who know me as trying to live in every corner of the UK. I am now in the final bottom right hand corner.

Most greens followers will probably recognise me on sight. I'm the very tall big bloke that people use as a meeting point who used to stand on the Kop every game.

Just back from a 8.5 hour wasted round trip to Rochdale. 'Thanks' to the man at Rochdale telling me it would definitely be on and there was no chance of it being called off before I left. Still its better than my record of 1000 miles round trip for a called off game. That was in the days I went to every Saturday home game driving from Falkirk, Scotland.

Favourite away ground ..... probably Bournemouth a win every time.

Best away win ..... probably 1-0 Charlton. Chances Argyle 1, Charlton 20. All thanks to the Sheep Farmer. My first at that, after only 1 point in my first 20 away games.

Best away performance ..... 3-0 Wrexham during the Shilton era. It was good to see the defence having the card school in the centre circle.

Best home game ..... against Newcastle December 1990. Don't remember the score but Tynan scored with a header from a great worked free kick. Life is sweet.

You can find me on the Mayflower terrace at the Barn Park end these days, or pre match in the Rising Sun http://www.therising-suninn.co.uk from 1pm.

Nick Little

Charlotte, Michigan

USA

    
Born in Birmingham (near St. Andrews) but only stayed 2 weeks!  Father was from Manchester and in the army when I was young, mother from Plymouth. When army service ended, mother won the day and we moved to Plymouth when I was 6.  Started going to the green palace in 1962/63 season and have been every year since except last season.  I left Plymouth aged 18 (26 years ago) to work on the railway in Derby and got to see many away games as well as home games as I subsequently moved around the country.

I have watched Argyle at 77 league grounds and was at Villa Park, but the best memory is a packed Home Park for the Santos game.  Used to stand on the Lyndhurst towards the Barn Park end because from there the grandstand looked so impressive!  I now live near Lansing, Michigan as I work at Michigan State University who happen to play in green, black and white (Argyle ties come in useful at last!)  I have been in the States 4 years now and, like Bob Bannister, would look to stay permanently but can't do it as easily as he did because I am married to an English lass, Leeds supporter but she likes to watch the Greens, so I forgive her!

My favorite away ground is Gigg Lane, Bury because we always seem to win there.  I well remember the Mariner/Rafferty partnership with Johnson on the right wing, but equally remember Johnny Hore and Johnny Newman.  I wish we would revert to the white strip with the green/black chest band and the green with white/black for away, then my subbuteo team will look current once more!!

Anyway, here's hoping we never have to spend another season in the bottom division.

Dan Maddock

Gilmorton, Nr Leicester

England

Born in Bridlington Yorkshire in October 7th 1976, I've somehow ended up supporting Plymouth Argyle. I still blame the father who was born and bred in Ivybridge. He was a big fan when he was younger and restarted following the might greens when I was old enough and wanted to join him on the terrace.

Spent my early years living in Singapore, came back to the UK when I was 5 and moved to a small village called Gilmorton in Leicestershire. I get to a lot more away games than home but last season (2001-2) we went to 35+ games. Still living in Leicestershire, we live smack in the middle of the UK making most away games 2 hours or less away so we've been able to get to 90% of the away and 3 or 4 home games this season.

Can't remember my first ever Argyle game but my first 15+ games in a season was the Shilton season where we reached the playoffs. Favourite players include Tommy Tynan (I'm pretty sure I saw him play at least once or twice), Steve Castle & Alan Nicholls RIP.

Worst Argyle moments has got to include Burnley and its a toss up between losing to Burnley in the playoffs or the last game of the season defeat at Burnley that sent us down a few seasons back. Best moment has to be the Wembley playoff final win against Darlington and just about on an equal, Cheltenham last season.

Jakkapan Martnok

Phuket

Thailand

Andy Soper Hall writes:

Jakkapan is a cocktail barman at the Sheraton Grande Laguna in Phuket. When I met him a couple of years back he became an ardent GREEN.  I took him out the shirt this Christmas - what he doesn't realise is that you can see it under his white silk work shirt! 

I have convinced the hotel management to allow him 1 hour per week on the hotel computer to catch up on the news (I had already set up P@SOTI before I left :-)).

Paul McClellan

Basildon

England

Born in Devonport way back in 1963.  Lived in the Mount Wise part for the best years of my life. Attended Devonport Secondary Modern 74-79.  First saw Argyle through the eyes of a nine year old back in 73ish.  All that colour and noise!  Really started getting into them in the 73/74 promotion year.  Mariner, Rafferty, McAuley, Johnson, Green, Hore, Furnell, Burrows, Rogers, Saxton and ahem...Used to stand on the Devonport End, Priesty, Nigs, Doc Elliott, Teabag, fantastic days! 1980 I took the Queens shilling and joined the Coldstream Guards.  Several years elapsed but my passion never waned. Favourite memories?  Derby away FA Cup Q/F 84.  Colchester home when we clinched promotion in 74.  Burnley away a couple of seasons ago when we went down.  Alas no longer living in Devonport.  Living in Basildon in Essex with the wife and two great kids, Jack aged 14 and Madeleine aged 6.  Tried to get Jack into Argyle but with limited success.  Of the 24 games I have taken him to he has seen Argyle win a paltry 5 times!  I work as an Operations Manager for Michelin Tyre Plc.  Enough ramblings from me.
    

Tim O'Hare

Plymouth

England

I grew up in Somerset, mad on football in a non-football family. I moved to Plymouth in 1992 to work in the University (lecturing in Ocean Science in the Institute of Marine Studies) and adopted Argyle as my first, and only team. I get to almost every home game and currently write match reports for the official club site and make occasional contributions to the on-line commentary. I live in Peverell with my wife and two daughters within sight and sound of Home Park.
    

Richard Partington

St Tudy

England

Hello to all Argyle fans. I was born in Truro in the late eighties, which must make me one of the younger fans on the UK map. I live and always have lived in North Cornwall, I have supported Argyle for most of my life, and I can currently be found in the Devonport End with my younger brother Ben and my mate Olly. I started going to Argyle alone as no-one would take me (the family are all from up north) but in the last few years have managed to drag along these two, who now have become almost as addicted to PAFC as myself.

My favourite Argyle players over my supporting years are Mick Heathcote, Ronnie Mauge, Mickey Evans, Paul Wotton, Romain Larrieu, and Marino Keith. My favourite manager is obviously Paul Sturrock.

Finally, thank you for reading this (you must have been bored). Look out for my home-made flag at away games. Support the Pilgrims to the full and keep the green blood flowing.

Phil Patton

Maidstone

England

My name is Phil Patton, I’m now 51 and I live at Maidstone in Kent.  How did I become a green?  Well, one of my earliest memories is of watching my father wait for the paperboy on a Sunday morning so that he could get the Argyle Saturday result.  This was in the days before everyone had televisions and media coverage by today’s standards, was almost non-existent.  If you never had a radio or you missed the 5.00 Saturday football results you were stuck.  As a youngster I used to imitate my father using my comic.  My father was born and raised in Devonport but met my mother during the war when he was stationed in Kent.  After the war they went back to Plymouth to live.  I was born in 1951 when they were living in Ernesettle, bonding me to Argyle for life and confirming me as a true green.  However, in my father’s trade, unemployment became a problem in 1953 and my parents moved back to Kent, where at that time the prospects were much better.

The first time I watched Argyle was in the late fifties, possibly 1958 or 1959 in the old third division south.  My father took my brother and myself to Gillingham.  A car trip today would take about 20 minutes, in those days we never had a car and the train journey seemed to go on forever.  Did Argyle win? No they lost 1-0.  The only thing that I really remember well was that Dad got us standing by the pitch-side railings and my brother got hit in the stomach by the ball.  Watching Argyle in those days was limited to perhaps one trip a year. This was usually by train to Charlton and each year they always seemed to lose, usually 1-0. 

In the sixties when Malcolm Alison managed Argyle, they were on a roll. At Charlton I was in seventh heaven, before the match I had met Johnny Newman outside the dressing rooms and to a small lad he looked an absolute giant.  He promised me that Argyle would win.  Two early goals and Argyle were leading 2-0, the first time I had seen them score.  Names that spring to mind of that era as my heroes were Frank Lord, Tony Book, Nicky Jennings, Barrie Jones, Norman Piper, Cliff Jackson, Johnny Newman, John Leiper, Noel Dwyer to name but a few.  Just before half time Charlton pulled one back.  Five minutes before full time Charlton scored twice, one from a penalty that saw an Argyle player get sent off.  I was absolutely devastated.  Before the match, I think Argyle were laying third in the old second division.  The following week I seem to remember that Frank Lord broke his leg at Cardiff in a 4-0 defeat, and the roll was over. 

A few seasons later I went to Crystal Palace.  Another Argyle defeat 2-1, although I wasn’t really sure of the score until later as Palace put the ball in the Argyle net as the ref blew for time. Later outside the ground, fans further down the road were waiting for Argyle players to board the team bus.  As I was watching them the Argyle bus pulled away and moved to another entrance near to where I was. Without thinking I simply got on the bus. Nobody stopped me or asked me what I was doing.  Some Argyle players were already on the coach.  I talked to every player, got their autographs and waited for those that came on later.  I remember having some affinity with Derek Ufton the Argyle manager as he was a former Kent Cricketer.  For a schoolboy I was on a high for weeks after.

Nobody forgets his or her first match at Home Park.  Dad had promised us a holiday and we finished up in a caravan at Bovisand.  I’ll never forget the first time that I saw the floodlight pylons from somewhere down near North Rd Station.  The anticipation of the promised land. The excitement, the dream about to become reality.  The match was a second division evening game against Aston Villa about September 1965.  Villa had been relegated from the old first division the season before.  I stood in the Devonport end and the noise was tremendous.  I think we fell behind to an early goal but won it with two late goals.  Argyle were awesome and justified the years of love I had given them.  On the Saturday I was there again as Argyle played Portsmouth.  The Argyle lesson was hard to learn, they take you up, they let you down, and we lost 2-1.

Argyle are part of my life, like an addiction that can never be broken.  Fortunately my wife understands this (bless her) and realises why I have to be by a television or the internet on a Saturday afternoon and why the spare bedroom come study, is decorated with Argyle shirts, scarves, quilt cover, pillow case and memorabilia etc.  (Shh, There’s even a cuddly Pilgrim Pete who sits on the bed)  Is that sad or what? I don’t think so.  Teletext exiles have strange superstitions, they believe that certain rituals can change the score. When successful or when a last minute winner is scored the ritual has to be repeated every week.  On a bad day Pilgrim Pete gets thrashed with a rolled up newspaper unless my daughter gets there first to save him.

As an exile I cannot get to many games a year.  Those that I do go to are usually away from Home Park.  In recent years, places like Gillingham, Southend, Barnet, Leyton Orient and Watford have become annual pilgrimages.  For fans like me, there are limited opportunities to see ‘live’ a good result, the pressure therefore becomes intense at every game.  From experiencing a run of several years of defeats, over the last two seasons I have not seen Argyle beaten.

Has my loyalty ever been tested?  Well I could take a 20 minute drive to Gillingham and watch first division football or a 50 minute drive to Charlton and watch premier league football on a regular basis but I’m just not interested.  For twelve years I’ve worked as a College Lecturer in South East London with youngsters who support Palace or Millwall. (just mention 1967 and Jimmy Bloomfield).

In the recent past I regularly watched the rise of Maidstone United.  As my adopted local club they progressed from amateurs to league status.  When they were drawn against Argyle in the F.A.cup they were desperate for a good result to propel them into the limelight.  Even with the chance of a replay in Maidstone, I couldn’t contain my relief when Argyle safely avoided the potential banana skin and won 3-0 at Home Park.

One memory of Argyle as a club happened towards the end of Peter Shilton’s time at Argyle.  I found myself in Plymouth for an afternoon so went up to Home Park.  The ground was open so I walked in and stood below the Mayflower.  Whilst imagining the match day atmosphere a guy came across and asked if he could help in any way.  He turned out to be Gorden Nisbett and he spent the next hour taking my family and myself around the ground.  In the dressing rooms he found and signed an old used Argyle shirt that I could take back to Kent for my father.  Brilliant hospitality from a brilliant club.

Like most Argyle fans, the high points have been the League Cup Semi’s, the F.A. Cup run and Semi-Final, and the 96 Play Off Final at Wembley.  A never to be forgotten day. After that memorable match (which the whole family attended) we went into a café outside the stadium.  My father started talking to a couple of elderly greens about the old days.  It turned out that they lived almost next door to my Father’s only remaining living relative in Plymouth.

The low points, well there are no lows, I’m proud of my birthright and have enjoyed many years of pleasure as a result of Argyle.  I’m thankful that they will always be a part of me.  Thanks Argyle and thanks Dad, I’ll try to do the same for my son and daughter.

Reg Patton

Maidstone

England

My name is Reg Patton and I was born in James St, Devonport in 1921.  My earliest memory of Argyle was when playing as young lads in Devonport  Park or wherever we could, and one side always had to be Argyle.  The first time that I ever saw Argyle play was against Chesterfield in about 1933.  I remember that it was either Chistmas Day or Boxing Day.  In those days teams used to play each other home and away over both days.  As Argyle mad kids without any money, remember this was the depression of the 1930’s the entrance fee was 6 pence for juniors.  All we could do was to get up to Home Park about ten minutes before the end of a game so that we could get in when they opened the gates.

In 1939 I was called up and left Plymouth to do my duty for King and Country in the Eighth Army (not the green army).   When I returned to Plymouth in 1945 the dressing rooms had apparently been damaged and Argyle had to use a double decker bus as temporary accommodation.  The ground was very different then to what it is now.  Having met and married a Kent girl in 1949 I eventually left Plymouth in 1952 and returned to Kent to live.  Players that can never be forgotten are Sammy Black, Bill Short in Goal, Pat Jones, Jack Chisolm and Archie Gorman (who later took over the Bristol Castle I think), Dave and Bob Thomas, Jack Leslie and Mike Bickle.

When my two boys were small I used to take them to see local away matches whenever I could, places like Gillingham and Charlton.  These days as I am now 81, its the other way around and they now take me.  In recent years this has taken in matches at Orient, Southend, Barnet and Watford.  My greatest moment was seeing Argyle beat Darlington at Wembley in 1996.  The amount of support from the green army was tremendous as we won 1-0 with a goal from Ronnie Mauge.  At 81 it’s hard to recall players names pre-war.  With today’s technology and dedicated fans like Steve GOS & Pilgrim Trev though, I can sit at my sons on the internet and look at past player’s names to stir up nostalgic memories.

I would like to hear from someone approximately my age who remembers the 1930’s and the minimal players wages, compared to what they get today.  The family here all support Argyle as I trained them.  Good luck, beat wishes and have a great season, hope to be there whenever I can.

Chris Prew
(Barnsley Green)

Barnsley

England

My transformation into an Argyle fan began on a Saturday afternoon in February 1984. It was on that day that my dad, a former Argyle ball boy, picked me up from my Birmingham home and took me to The Hawthorns where Argyle were due to play West Brom in the FA Cup.

A 1-0 victory followed and so, eventually, I ended up at Villa Park for the Semi-Final against Watford. The bug must have bitten, as I then shunned Aston Villa and picked up the Green Flag.

There have been many ups and downs along the way - it wouldn't be the same following Argyle if there weren't, but I've been fortunate enough to be at some of the important games in our history - Wembley '96 and Darlington '02 to name two.

Living in Yorkshire, it's hard to get to home games, but getting to away games is not too bad. It helps when you meet people through websites such as P@SOTI who live close and are happy to offer lifts etc.

I've recently invested in my own flag, emblazoned with my P@SOTI moniker - "Barnsley Green" - which made its debut at Oakwell on 14/09/02 and will now go to every game I attend.

This picture was taken after the fan's photo at Home Park this summer (2002). I'm the one with the hat, the other is my brother Robert.

Rocky Argyle Rhodes

Waiheke Island, Nr Auckland

New Zealand

Born in the U S of A (that's the Unencumbered Sounds of Argyle) , Devonport actually, and lived a stone's throw from HP for the first 9 years of my life, next door were Argyle players boarding, Gordon Astall (who went on to play for England whilst at Birmingham) Tony McShane and Graham Adams, so got taken to training sessions when I was knee high to a grasshopper.

So started going to games unaccompanied in 1958/59 season and I don't think I missed many home games in the sixties until leaving for the antipodes in 1969. Now living on an island in the Hauraki Gulf of New Zealand.

Best moments: 8 - 3 Mansfield 1959, 3 - 0 West Ham 1962, 7 - 1 Preston 1962

Best player has got to be Johnnie Williams, when he hit the ball it stayed hit, 55 goals for Argyle, but then I didn't see Mariner, Tynan or Sammy Black!  Have made a few visits back to Plymouth and usually take in a game or two, pleased that the pasties are still of the same standard, hot and peppery.

Hardly miss a game on P@soti chat room and its almost like being there.

And my name? I changed all 3 names legally in 1997 on my 50th birthday to something more interesting.

Mark Roberts

Adelaide

Australia

Born in Plymouth 37 years ago (Honicknowle) and lived there until 1989. Wandered a bit and ended up in London (someone has to raise the tone) and then for three years (of Uni) in Manchester (someone has to mock the Reds). Last year I finally used the fact of my mother's Australian birth to some effect and am now an Oz citizen, living in Adelaide (someone's got to). Currently - Jan '01 - I am experiencing a record heatwave in the driest state of Oz. 16 days in a row above 35Celcius. Gasp. This makes trying to imagine frozen and/or waterlogged pitches a bit difficult. However, I'm due for a return trip and shall be at the Southend game (rain/frost permitting). I meet a lot of interested Aussies but the subtleties of football are lost on them. "Not enough goals", "They fall over like a bunch of poofters" and "What's the point of a draw?" are common questions. However, as soon as the Socceroos (see what I'm up against) get somewhere in the World Cup or whatever then every second bloke will be an expert. This could happen sooner rather than later.  
 

Peter Russell

San Luis Potosi

Mexico

I first went to Argyle in the early 80´s and vaguely remember the successful cup run and more so the promotion season. I was a season ticket holder in the Mayflower end for most of my childhood before switching to the Lyndhurst to watch games from 1995, when I also started frequenting away games more often.

In 1996 I went to the University of East Anglia, and so for many of Argyle´s lean years was spared the agony of watching Argyle, week in, week out, and instead opted for away games in the midlands and south east, or watching Norwich for free (press pass) on spare Saturdays and letting out a cheer whenever Argyle unusually won.

I left for the Czech Republic in the year 2001 to follow a travelling career in teaching, which has since seen me live in, Spain, France, Japan, China and currently, Mexico, and travelling through many more. It has also enabled me to add to the growing number of stadiums I have visited and adopt other footy teams as well as Argyle: The Bohemians (also Green) in Prague, Valencia CF (Also champions in 2002, boy how I partied) in Spain, Kashiwa Reysol near Tokyo (where I added to their repertoire of chants) and now San Luis in Mexico, unfortunately missed seeing Gazza perform in SARS infested China.

I am a regular visitor to both P@soti and Greens On Screen and very much appreciate the work put in by David and Steve respectfully.

On my occasional visits to England I join up with my brother Mark in the Devonport end, where he supports the greens for me in my absence and travel to any away games that we possibly can whilst I'm home.

Trevor Scallan
(Pilgrim Trev)

South Kirkby,
Nr Pontefract

England

Despite not being from Plymouth nor ever having lived in Plymouth I have been an Argyle fan since my first game aged 5 in 1977 (we lost to Bury). A year or three on Dartmoor is the closest I have got.

In the eighties and early nineties I saw as many games as was possible from Hampshire but having moved to Yorkshire in 1994 I found myself almost totally cut off from all things Green and had to resort to things such as Clubcall (!) to support my meagre few games per season.

Salvation came with the internet in 2000 and I have met so many wonderful people through sites like this and P@SOTI - so much so that I decided to make my own Argyle records site (www.semperviridis.co.uk). I now get to between 15 and 20 games per season and always make sure I get in one or two visits to Home Park. Meeting like minded people has made the Argyle experience all the more enjoyable for me and the lifts can be handy too!

My son was born in 1994 and I named him Mark David Argyle and thankfully (with a small dose of brainwashing) he has become an Argyle nut as well. He was the mascot for the home match against Mansfield in February 2002. He has however been renamed (cheers Tyhee Slim) Harry Potter - to which he now answers!

My favourite Argyle moment before this season had to be Wembley but I think it now barely makes the top ten! Clinching promotion at Rochdale was the most amazing moment of sheer joy and the celebrations mixed with tears were something I will never forget. Watching the goals flying in at Darlington was the icing on a big Green cake. Seeing my son run onto the pitch with Paul Wotton at Nou HP was also a magical experience.

The photo shows me (right) and John Shattock with the championship trophy after the Cheltenham game.

Clare Williams

Bracknell

England

Sister of regular contributor and USA exile Mark (Oregon) Williams, I'm based in Bracknell. I graduated from Portsmouth Uni and am working as Assistant Manager of the health club in The Coppid Hotel. I regularly visit the Westcountry to catch a game ... trying to convince my parents in Mary Tavy I actually drove down to see THEM. I don't fool my Mum!

I used to work in the Pilgrim Shop when I was still at school in Ivybridge! 

Andy Zaple

Sydney

Australia

Born and raised in Plympton. Argyle season ticket holder throughout the Tony Waiters glory years. Best game? The 2-1 win against Blackburn in our promotion season. Went to Nottingham University and lived only 5 minutes from the City Ground during the time of Forest's European victories (led, of course, by a Plymothian - Trevor Francis).

Exiled in Liverpool for 14 years before bringing my wife (Dawn), 2 kids and 2 dogs to Sydney. Attended every Argyle game in the North and West during my stay in Liverpool, including Tommy Tynan's embarrassment at Goodison. Great day out at the Villa Park semi. If only Colin Randell had kept that shot one foot lower!

Managed our local under 7 soccer A team last year. My eldest son, Jack, has my sporting prowess and it's likely to be the under 8 C team next season! I work in North Sydney. We've got a new soccer team - Northern Spirit - captained by Robbie Slater who used to play for Blackburn (during Bobbie Saxton's reign?). Sadly, soccer trails a distant fourth of the "football" codes here (behind Aussie Rules and the two versions of rugby).