handsofclay Posted November 1, 2015 Report Share Posted November 1, 2015 In light of the lack of success in bringing in an extra striker this summer to partner the new addition of Kodjia, it has struck me as amazing to reflect upon our four year tenure in the top flight between 1976 to 1980. This is all from memory, so correct me if I am wrong, but the conclusion is mind blowing if my facts are correct. When City got promoted in 1976, we had the following strikers on our books: Cheesley, Ritchie, Fear, Gillies, Lee and Mabbutt. We tried to sign Tudor from Newcastle that summer, but failed. I also think Alan Gowling was linked. After one game in the top flight, Cheesley was injured and effectively his career ended. Lee was then sold to Torquay after only making the subs bench for us and in about 1977 Fear went to Plymouth. About that sort of time Gillies was converted to a full back. Thus, out of those 6 strikers, 4 of them were soon after promotion no longer in our forward line. Now this is the amazing bit. In our 4 year tenure in the top flight I can only think of 2 strikers we brought in. We resigned Garland and in Nov 77 signed Joe Royle, initially on loan. I cannot think of any other strikers we brought to the club, although I recall a prolific goalscoring reserve player called Doyle being handed a couple of sub outings. I have a vague recollection we were linked to Frank Worthington at one time but cannot remember any other moves being made for forwards. Yet, our major failing in the top flight was not scoring enough goals! Indeed, soon after relegation we were the butt of a Not the Nine O'Clock News joke about Lord Lucan having been found...he'd been playing as a centre forward for Bristol City! Two strikers brought in to replace four who had effectively left and one striker promoted briefly from the ranks in four years...and we had tried to recruit an extra striker to add to those 6 in John Tudor before the season started.Otib would've gone into meltdown. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
handsofclay Posted November 1, 2015 Author Report Share Posted November 1, 2015 I just thought of another striker we had on our books in 76, Sean Penney. However, he never made it to first team level so once again can be classed as a further depletion in the forward ranks during that period. I recall we spent heavily on him getting a good education as part of the enticement for him to sign for his local club, being a prolific scorer for the England Under 15 team in the days when the England v Scotland Under 15 international used to be shown live on World of Sport each year on ITV. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davefevs Posted November 1, 2015 Report Share Posted November 1, 2015 Doyle......Ian Doyle from memory. Shaun Penny - turned out to be one of the best non-league strikers in the south west. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
handsofclay Posted November 1, 2015 Author Report Share Posted November 1, 2015 Yes, I too thought it was Ian Doyle. What happened to him after? We know what happened to Shaun Penney, in fact for a while he was manager of the non league club I support, Mangotsfield United. A mate there edits the prog, he did write the manager's notes that appeared in each prog in Penney's name. When I discovered that I couldn't help but comment on the fact that Penney shouldn't have needed a ghostwriter with the education City had paid out for him! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Major Isewater Posted November 1, 2015 Report Share Posted November 1, 2015 1 hour ago, handsofclay1909 said: In light of the lack of success in bringing in an extra striker this summer to partner the new addition of Kodjia, it has struck me as amazing to reflect upon our four year tenure in the top flight between 1976 to 1980. This is all from memory, so correct me if I am wrong, but the conclusion is mind blowing if my facts are correct. When City got promoted in 1976, we had the following strikers on our books: Cheesley, Ritchie, Fear, Gillies, Lee and Mabbutt. We tried to sign Tudor from Newcastle that summer, but failed. I also think Alan Gowling was linked. After one game in the top flight, Cheesley was injured and effectively his career ended. Lee was then sold to Torquay after only making the subs bench for us and in about 1977 Fear went to Plymouth. About that sort of time Gillies was converted to a full back. Thus, out of those 6 strikers, 4 of them were soon after promotion no longer in our forward line. Now this is the amazing bit. In our 4 year tenure in the top flight I can only think of 2 strikers we brought in. We resigned Garland and in Nov 77 signed Joe Royle, initially on loan. I cannot think of any other strikers we brought to the club, although I recall a prolific goalscoring reserve player called Doyle being handed a couple of sub outings. I have a vague recollection we were linked to Frank Worthington at one time but cannot remember any other moves being made for forwards. Yet, our major failing in the top flight was not scoring enough goals! Indeed, soon after relegation we were the butt of a Not the Nine O'Clock News joke about Lord Lucan having been found...he'd been playing as a centre forward for Bristol City! Two strikers brought in to replace four who had effectively left and one striker promoted briefly from the ranks in four years...and we had tried to recruit an extra striker to add to those 6 in John Tudor before the season started.Otib would've gone into meltdown. We had the same problems then as we have now ,we are not a 'dream' club for footballers to join ,we are unfashionable , underperforming and geographically alienated football wise. Believe it or not ,we were one of the top payers in our First division days ,we needed to be to entice players here . There are parallels with Middlesborough ,they had won bugger all in their history until their chairman invested in top players and the ground . We have the ground under way ,when do we get the players ? Money is n't everything but one or two shrewd signings should have been bought in even if it costs because relegation will cost us a lot more . The only other way a club like ours can compete is to produce our own players and that is way behind Schedule for the moment. So ,in brief lack of intelligent investment and planning for the future has been our problem for years . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedYoshi Posted November 1, 2015 Report Share Posted November 1, 2015 1 hour ago, handsofclay1909 said: the conclusion is mind blowing if my facts are correct. If this is your conclusion: 1 hour ago, handsofclay1909 said: Otib would've gone into meltdown. ...then it's not as mind blowing as I'd hoped. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
handsofclay Posted November 1, 2015 Author Report Share Posted November 1, 2015 Looked up Ian Doyle and discovered that he didn't come through the ranks but was signed from Barnstaple Town in 1978 for £6,000. It is still the record transfer fee that club has ever received for a player. It seems like he went back to non league after his brief City career and ended up with Gloucester City. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldstandrobin Posted November 1, 2015 Report Share Posted November 1, 2015 3 hours ago, handsofclay1909 said: Yes, I too thought it was Ian Doyle. What happened to him after? We know what happened to Shaun Penney, in fact for a while he was manager of the non league club I support, Mangotsfield United. A mate there edits the prog, he did write the manager's notes that appeared in each prog in Penney's name. When I discovered that I couldn't help but comment on the fact that Penney shouldn't have needed a ghostwriter with the education City had paid out for him! didnt they send him to Millfield ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
handsofclay Posted November 1, 2015 Author Report Share Posted November 1, 2015 Yes, it was Millfield. I believe he met a millionaire's daughter there and think he married her. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davefevs Posted November 1, 2015 Report Share Posted November 1, 2015 Wasn't Mark McGhee with us for a short while around that time too? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Major Isewater Posted November 1, 2015 Report Share Posted November 1, 2015 1 hour ago, handsofclay1909 said: Yes, it was Millfield. I believe he met a millionaire's daughter there and think he married her. I wonder what attracted him to her ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aizoon Posted November 1, 2015 Report Share Posted November 1, 2015 What about Peter Cormack? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Major Isewater Posted November 1, 2015 Report Share Posted November 1, 2015 4 minutes ago, Aizoon said: What about Peter Cormack? Was n't he more of a midfielder ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aizoon Posted November 1, 2015 Report Share Posted November 1, 2015 Just now, Major Isewater said: Was n't he more of a midfielder ? Hence the question mark. Not a hard worker whatever he was. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
handsofclay Posted November 1, 2015 Author Report Share Posted November 1, 2015 I think Mark McGhee was about 1974ish. And although I believe Cormack started life as a striker at Hibs he was a midfielder at Liverpool and in that role signed for us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
handsofclay Posted November 1, 2015 Author Report Share Posted November 1, 2015 32 minutes ago, Major Isewater said: I wonder what attracted him ... I think David Beckham also married a millionaire's daughter. My cousin married a miller's Daughter...but that's coz he's hard of hearing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lanterne Rouge Posted November 1, 2015 Report Share Posted November 1, 2015 Prepared to be shot down by the stattos but iirc we used to score a fair few from midfield, the likes of Jimmy Mann etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
handsofclay Posted November 1, 2015 Author Report Share Posted November 1, 2015 Yes, Mann, Tainton, Cormack and Gow used to contribute a few and Geert Maier, but we were generally amongst the poorest scorers in the league. In fact the season after relegation I think we actually acquired more points than we actually scored goals and that was in the days of 2 points for a win! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Son of Fred Posted November 1, 2015 Report Share Posted November 1, 2015 4 hours ago, Major Isewater said: I wonder what attracted him to her ... I believe they went to church club,held hands and think pure thoughts......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nogbad the Bad Posted November 1, 2015 Report Share Posted November 1, 2015 6 hours ago, handsofclay1909 said: Yes, Mann, Tainton, Cormack and Gow used to contribute a few and Geert Maier, but we were generally amongst the poorest scorers in the league. In fact the season after relegation I think we actually acquired more points than we actually scored goals and that was in the days of 2 points for a win! Well, 2 goals for Gertie anyway! Where I was in the open bit of the EE that early debut goal (v. Brum?) seemed to somehow be slotted home from near the corner flag. Remarkable start but 13 starts including one more goal in 11 months and he was back in Holland. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanatopia Posted November 2, 2015 Report Share Posted November 2, 2015 16 hours ago, Major Isewater said: We had the same problems then as we have now ,we are not a 'dream' club for footballers to join ,we are unfashionable , underperforming and geographically alienated football wise. Believe it or not ,we were one of the top payers in our First division days ,we needed to be to entice players here . There are parallels with Middlesborough ,they had won bugger all in their history until their chairman invested in top players and the ground . We have the ground under way ,when do we get the players ? Money is n't everything but one or two shrewd signings should have been bought in even if it costs because relegation will cost us a lot more . The only other way a club like ours can compete is to produce our own players and that is way behind Schedule for the moment. So ,in brief lack of intelligent investment and planning for the future has been our problem for years . Although not on the 'nice places to live' front. As Big Tone would say of Mid'bro' '5hit hole of epic proportions'. Once City have a nice finished new stadium and are 'stable' in this division I see no reason why we would not attract most players we can afford. Just look at a few clubs that have made it to the Prem whom all can agree are in the Big Tone category: Wigan, Barnsley, Burnley, Stoke, .. the list is pretty long actually. Geographically is the only issue but lets be frank here... there are few nicer regions in the country all things considered. Whatever perceptions are out there need changing because they are way wide of the mark. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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