40th anniversary of City's 12-2 win

[geoffworcester]

To mark the 40th anniversary of City's 12-2 win over Oswestry, I am looking to put together an article for the Worcester News.

So if you've got any memories of the match, please comment on this threat or email me [e-mail] and I'll feature them in the paper.

Thank you.

[Tim Munslow]

I was there: I told my eldest daughter (she's 51 now!), who came with me to the match, tongue in cheek, City will score 11 for your eleventh birthday. Well, they went one better than that to my amazement.

The whole match was spoilt for me though when, as the teams left the field at the end, through the "cage" (remember it?) I could see that the young Oswestry goalkeeper, who didn't play badly at all, was in tears. I must be a sentimentalist I guess.

[auldreekie]

Mar 15, 2016 12:15:08 GMT Tim Munslow said:

I told my eldest daughter (she's 51 now!), who came with me to the match, tongue in cheek, City will score 11 for your eleventh birthday. Well, they went one better than that to my amazement.

A great re-collection Tim. I don't know what is more impressive your forecasting skills, your daughter going to a City match on her birthday or her Dad not missing a game on his daughter's birthday!

Being away at that time my own memory was reading (no internet or forum then!) the result in the small print in a national newspaper under "Other Results" and dismissing it as a mis-print!

[alwaysnextyear]

I was there too as a mere 14 year old. Was it really 40 years ago ? John Inglis and Barry Williams - now we are talking great City players. What we'd give to have them now. How we were spoilt by some fabulous players at that time, which was the start of the wonderful Nobby Clarke reign. What a magnetic character he was. The team played in his style - full of heart, energy, determination, flair, honesty, and entertaining. We certainly didn't always appreciate it at the time, but whilst football has moved on, great players would be great players in any era.

I can remember that the front page of the next night's Evening News had an image of 6 footballs on it celebrating John Inglis's magnificent achievement. Twelve goals in a game - now we're grateful for one !

It was a night where their keeper didn't have that bad a game, but we created chance after chance and could have literally scored 20 ! it was just one of those nights. Williams was in his finest pomp and ran the show, and Inglis was on fire. I also remember that at half time when we were 5-0 up, agreeing with my mate that we'd ease up in a goal less second half and take things easy ! By chance, I was with my same schoolboy friend yesterday, mentioned the match, and the first thing he recalled was our half time conversation as well. A glorious night.

[Deleted]

I think I'm right in remembering that John Inglis (hallowed be his name) suffered some injury problems that prevented him playing on into the Nobby Clarke (peace and blessings be upon him) era. A great team emerged - but imagine it with Inglis (hallowed be his name) added to the attack!!! He and Barry Williams (sacred is the ground he walks on) together could have frequently repeated that scoreline.

[Tim Munslow]

Barry Williams: what a player! Did I ever see him lose a tackle? I don't remember it if he did.

And those bullet-like free-kicks. Remember the time we were losing to Burton Albion in the final of the B'ham Senior Cup and he levelled the game with such a free-kick to take it into extra-time? (And we ended up winning 5-2).

[simples]

I remember the result but I was away at Swansea University having started the previous September. It took a lot of adjusting being away when the City were playing - I just did not know what to do - at the back of my mind it was always 'I wonder how they are getting on?'. It could be painful being there and watching, but far worse not being there and wondering.

Anyway in those days there was no such thing as local radio, computers were not like they are these days - the internet was a good 20 years away, mobile phones were not to become available for another 15 years and there were probably 3 TV channels. City's results sometimes did not make the national papers. By the time this game came around I had got into the routine of phoning the ground to get the final score. For some reason on this occasion I phoned just before half time to be told it was City who were 3-0 up. I remembered a couple of years previously when we played Oswestry in the Border Counties League. We were 3 up but Oswestry clawed their way back to 3-3 before City eventually won 5-3. So instead of thinking wow thats it a win for City I spent the second half wondering if there would be any more comebacks. We City supporters can be a pessimistic lot at times. I was down to my last 2p (those were the student days and the minimum call charge) and had to judge the timing of my call - too soon and the match would not be over, too late and there might not be someone to answer the phone.

I need not have worried, my timing was perfect, the match had finished and the lady on the phone told me it was 12-2. I was gobsmacked, shocked, all I could say was 'are you sure - I can't believe it' she replied 'neither can we'. For a moment I thought the phone lines in South Wales had got crossed and someone was reporting a rugby score. I double checked the score in the national papers the following day and yes it was true. Happy days.