As a footnote to recent articles I must acknowledge responses I have had before leading into a game from the early 1990s.
Mention of the opening speedway meeting for the Comets in 1970 had a follow-up from Workington mayor of the time, Jack Miller.
I mentioned Jack entertained us all in the mayor’s parlour after that first meeting with Berwick Bandits.
His brother Keith, from Workington, had heard from Jack about that night and like me it was one he will never forget.
Jack now lives in Golburn in Greater Manchester but the last time I saw him was on Bray railway station in County Wicklow, Ireland!
A party from the Miner’s Arms in Workington had gone ton Dublin for a stag weekend in 1992.
A day at Leopardstown races on the Saturday was followed the day after with a train journey out into the country to find a point-to-point meeting.
The train went as far as Bray and the point to point was an expensive taxi ride away so we were debating what to do on the station when I saw a familiar face.
It was Jack and his wife who were on a weekend away to relax in Ireland. Small world.
We exchanged pleasantries and reminiscences and then two of us went to watch Bray Wanderers play Athlone Town while the others went to the bowling alley which overlooked the ground.
To this day I have never seen anything like the game Bray and Athlone put on that Sunday afternoon.
To say it was physical and competitive was an understatement. They kicked lumps out of each other.
In all this the referee – who seemed to know everybody by their Christian names – was just telling them to get on with it.
Mind you there was no play-acting when someone got fouled, and actually there were no fracas or even handbags at six paces.
They all just got wellied in, accepted a knock or two, got up and went on with the game.
Now in fairness there wasn’t much passing football. Bray had a 5ft 6ins centre forward and his manager was continually urging his team-mates to hoof it forward to him. I don’t think he won a ball all afternoon.
Different and gripping stuff. But I can see where the phrase “winning ugly” really came from – Athlone Town certainly did on that occasion.
