40 years on … December 1982 …. Rochdale away … The 92nd days

[sugarwray]

On Friday 3^rd of December 1982 Crewe Alexandra drew 1-1 at home to Torquay United. Like Tranmere Rovers and Stockport County at that time, Crewe often played home fixtures on a Friday night in order to draw higher crowds than they would attract on a Saturday due to nearby clubs in the first division. This point for Crewe took them above Bristol City on goal difference. City took their place at the bottom of League Division Four and found themselves in 92^nd place at the foot of the Football League.

The previous three seasons

The 1979/80 season started promisingly with City 6^th in the top flight, then called League Division One, in September. Liverpool soon overtook City and went on to win the league, while at the other end City ended up in the final relegation spot with 9 wins and 13 draws resulting in 31 points out of 42 games. They finished four points behind Everton but ahead of Derby County and Bolton Wanderers.

The 1980/81 season also ended with relegation. City finished second bottom, seven points ahead of Bristol Rovers. Their tally of 30 points from 7 wins and 16 draws was notable for the fact that City managed more points than goals scored (29). This would be the last time any team would do so before three points for a win was introduced the following season. Cardiff City in 19th place finished above relegated Preston North End on goal difference, both teams finishing 6 points ahead of City. West Ham United were champions, promoted together with Notts Counts and Swansea City.

The 1981/82 season saw a record breaking third consecutive relegation. Although they secured 11 points from the last 5 games, City finished with 46 points from 46 games with 11 wins and 13 draws in the first season with three points for a win. City finished in 23^rd place, 14 points ahead of Chester and seven points below Walsall who finished above relegated Wimbledon on goal difference, who in turn finished one point ahead of Swindon Town. The champions Burnley were promoted together with Carlisle and Fulham. Bristol Rovers finished 14^th on 61 points having been deducted two points for fielding an ineligible player.

Rochdale away 4 December 1982

This was Bristol City’s first ever match against Rochdale in the Football League.

Programme signed by John Shaw

Rochdale came into the game just one point ahead of Bristol City thanks to a 3-2 away win at Torquay United the previous week. Due to the 7:30 kick-off in Torquay the supporters coach had planned to travel via Ashton Gate to watch City’s 3 o’ clock fixture against Colchester United. As it happened that weather conditions prevented them from making a scheduled journey break in Bristol to witness Colchester’s 0-2 win in front of a crowd of 4,310. In the programme notes it was reported that after the game the supporters coach gave four stranded Dale fans a lift back to Rochdale on the Saturday night and reminded supporters that this was a one-off.

Despite best efforts from a determined Bristol City, the game was decided by a late strike from Dale’s Peter Farrell, his first of the season, that barely had the power to reach the net.

The away following at Spotland was sparse. Rounding up, there were an estimated fifty City supporters including the four in my group who had travelled the relatively short distance from Liverpool to be among the crowd of 1,307. The previous Saturday the same group had been on the Kop watching Dalglish score twice in a 3-0 mauling of Tottenham Hotspur. The contrast with Spotland could hardly have been greater. Grass was growing on the terraces and various building materials were stored in the away end for this encounter sponsored by Apex Steeplejacks. The gents’ toilet block included a design classic gap in the brickwork so you could actually watch the came while using the urinals. There were no queues for the ladies’ toilets!

The matchday programme underplayed the circumstances somewhat by mentioning that “City had problems last season when at one time it looked as though they would go out of business”. Terry Cooper the ex-Leeds United player was the player manager. Goalkeeper John Shaw (who by 1982 had alopecia) and Tom Ritchie (who ended the season with 12 goals) were part of the team that played in the first division from 1976 to 1980. Glyn Riley, was top scorer with 16 having joined on a free from Barnsley. Rob Newman was the pick of the youngsters having made his debut earlier in the year. He spent a decade at Ashton Gate, leaving him seventh on the all-time appearance chart. He joined Norwich City and played his part in the defeat of Bayern Munich in the UEFA Cup, a career highlight.

Special mention should be made of Tony Harling. A dedicated fan from the London Supporters Branch, sporting his distinctive City bucket hat he was notable for his solo chants. Without any sense of irony, he belted out “I’ve heard more noise in a trappist monastery”. Forbes Phillipson-Masters’ booking on what was his second appearance for the club was notable for the extended time taken by the referee to record his name in the book and the moment gave rise to the rarely heard chant “one Forbes Phillipson-Masters, there’s only one Forbes Phillipson-Masters”. A truism if ever there was one. As the game drew to its conclusion Tony let out a heartfelt rendition, to the tune of Vera Lynn’s We’ll Meet Again, of “We’ll win again, don’t know where don’t know when, but I know some sunny day we’ll win again”.

Tony (aka Terry) Harling Tony in the Matchday Programme Man U H 25 April 78

On the final whistle there was a mixed reaction, the players had worked hard, it was not their day, they thanked the fans who in turn mostly applauded them off in the Lancashire rain. 40 years on, this result remains Rochdale’s only win against Bristol City.

The few who were there were witnessing a City team leave the pitch in 92^nd place for the first time in the club’s history. Fourteen days later City would be climbing the football league again. Touch wood, they have never come close to the bottom spot since.

Re-election process until 1986

Until 1986 there was a re-election process. Clubs that finished in the bottom four places of the league structure faced a vote at the Annual General Meeting at which the League club representatives decided whether to re-elect existing members or replace them with non-League applicants. Historically, chances of re-election were good. Hartlepool United (known as Hartlepools United until 1968) survived 14 votes, including 11 in 28 seasons. Since 1958, from which date League Division Three North and South became League Division Three and Four, the following teams lost their places:

1960 Gateshead were replaced by Peterborough United

1970 Bradford Park Avenue were replaced by Cambridge United

1972 Barrow were replaced by Hereford United

1977 Workington were replaced by Wimbledon

1978 Southport were replaced by Wigan Athletic

In 1962 Accrington Stanley resigned and Oxford United were elected

In each case Southern teams replaced Northern teams. Bristol City finished the season well clear of the bottom four in 14^th place and thus avoided having to apply for re-election. Bristol Rovers had to apply once.

The 92nd days

Following the defeat at Rochdale City remained 92^nd in the football league, on the same points as Crewe Alexandra who had played a game less. Both teams had 14 points but City’s goal difference was minus 17 (11 worse than Crewe) after 18 games with two wins, eight draws and eight defeats.

Following the Rochdale defeat City stayed at the foot of the table after losing 1-0 away at Chester City one week later. In the following campaign City would secure promotion with a 2-1 win on the last day of the season at the same ground. A 2-2 draw away to Bury on the 18^th of December was enough to take City off the bottom spot one point ahead of Crewe Alexandra who had a game in hand but had lost two consecutive fixtures.

In total City were 92^nd for almost fifteen days. Saint and Greavsie gave the event a passing mention showing a League table from three years earlier on their show to illustrate the dramatic fall from the top division. As Bristol City did not play a home game during this time, the ignominy of taking the field in 92nd place at Ashton Gate did not happen and there was no home programme showing the team at the bottom of the football league.

1982/3 season

Bristol City finished in 14^th place at the end of the season which was something of a recovery. 56 points from 13 wins and 17 draws reflected a stronger finish and set up a promotion winning campaign the following year. The Division winners Wimbledon with 98 points were heading all the way to the top flight in four seasons. One of their rare defeats was a 4-2 reverse at Ashton Gate in October. Other promoted sides were Hull City, Port Vale and Scunthorpe United. At the bottom Hereford ended up in 92^nd place, below Crewe Alexandra, Hartlepool United and Blackpool. All four were re-elected to the Football League.

Home attendances were low. Following a 7-1 defeat at Northampton Town and a 2-0 defeat at home to Scunthorpe United, a season low crowd of 3,041 at Ashton Gate attended the 1-0 loss against Torquay United. By way of comparison, three seasons earlier 28,763 packed Ashton Gate for the league visit of Manchester United. The club had fallen a long way. Without the Ashton Gate Eight it would have been so much worse. Things got better.

 

Acknowledgements: Wiki, 11v11.com

[Norn Iron]

Shows how time plays tricks on our minds. I have always thought that we were 92nd when we played at home to Wimbledon and won 4-2.

 

[Rudolf Hucker]

Loved reading that. Hated living through it. 

[BanburyRed]

Utmost respect to all those who travelled around the country at that time, I was only 12 and too young but more than made up for it since!!

[sugarwray]

36 minutes ago, Norn Iron said:

Shows how time plays tricks on our minds. I have always thought that we were 92nd when we played at home to Wimbledon and won 4-2.

 

Whoops ... every diamond has its flaw (Dutch expression). A very good spot. Gary Johnson once said you can't read a table until after 10 games. Per 11vs11 from the 19th to the 22nd October we were in 92nd. There might have been an updated League table in the Wimbledon programme. Thanks. 

[slartibartfast]

1 hour ago, sugarwray said:

On Friday 3^rd of December 1982 Crewe Alexandra drew 1-1 at home to Torquay United. Like Tranmere Rovers and Stockport County at that time, Crewe often played home fixtures on a Friday night in order to draw higher crowds than they would attract on a Saturday due to nearby clubs in the first division. This point for Crewe took them above Bristol City on goal difference. City took their place at the bottom of League Division Four and found themselves in 92^nd place at the foot of the Football League.

The previous three seasons

The 1979/80 season started promisingly with City 6^th in the top flight, then called League Division One, in September. Liverpool soon overtook City and went on to win the league, while at the other end City ended up in the final relegation spot with 9 wins and 13 draws resulting in 31 points out of 42 games. They finished four points behind Everton but ahead of Derby County and Bolton Wanderers.

The 1980/81 season also ended with relegation. City finished second bottom, seven points ahead of Bristol Rovers. Their tally of 30 points from 7 wins and 16 draws was notable for the fact that City managed more points than goals scored (29). This would be the last time any team would do so before three points for a win was introduced the following season. Cardiff City in 19th place finished above relegated Preston North End on goal difference, both teams finishing 6 points ahead of City. West Ham United were champions, promoted together with Notts Counts and Swansea City.

The 1981/82 season saw a record breaking third consecutive relegation. Although they secured 11 points from the last 5 games, City finished with 46 points from 46 games with 11 wins and 13 draws in the first season with three points for a win. City finished in 23^rd place, 14 points ahead of Chester and seven points below Walsall who finished above relegated Wimbledon on goal difference, who in turn finished one point ahead of Swindon Town. The champions Burnley were promoted together with Carlisle and Fulham. Bristol Rovers finished 14^th on 61 points having been deducted two points for fielding an ineligible player.

Rochdale away 4 December 1982

This was Bristol City’s first ever match against Rochdale in the Football League.

Programme signed by John Shaw

Rochdale came into the game just one point ahead of Bristol City thanks to a 3-2 away win at Torquay United the previous week. Due to the 7:30 kick-off in Torquay the supporters coach had planned to travel via Ashton Gate to watch City’s 3 o’ clock fixture against Colchester United. As it happened that weather conditions prevented them from making a scheduled journey break in Bristol to witness Colchester’s 0-2 win in front of a crowd of 4,310. In the programme notes it was reported that after the game the supporters coach gave four stranded Dale fans a lift back to Rochdale on the Saturday night and reminded supporters that this was a one-off.

Despite best efforts from a determined Bristol City, the game was decided by a late strike from Dale’s Peter Farrell, his first of the season, that barely had the power to reach the net.

The away following at Spotland was sparse. Rounding up, there were an estimated fifty City supporters including the four in my group who had travelled the relatively short distance from Liverpool to be among the crowd of 1,307. The previous Saturday the same group had been on the Kop watching Dalglish score twice in a 3-0 mauling of Tottenham Hotspur. The contrast with Spotland could hardly have been greater. Grass was growing on the terraces and various building materials were stored in the away end for this encounter sponsored by Apex Steeplejacks. The gents’ toilet block included a design classic gap in the brickwork so you could actually watch the came while using the urinals. There were no queues for the ladies’ toilets!

The matchday programme underplayed the circumstances somewhat by mentioning that “City had problems last season when at one time it looked as though they would go out of business”. Terry Cooper the ex-Leeds United player was the player manager. Goalkeeper John Shaw (who by 1982 had alopecia) and Tom Ritchie (who ended the season with 12 goals) were part of the team that played in the first division from 1976 to 1980. Glyn Riley, was top scorer with 16 having joined on a free from Barnsley. Rob Newman was the pick of the youngsters having made his debut earlier in the year. He spent a decade at Ashton Gate, leaving him seventh on the all-time appearance chart. He joined Norwich City and played his part in the defeat of Bayern Munich in the UEFA Cup, a career highlight.

Special mention should be made of Tony Harling. A dedicated fan from the London Supporters Branch, sporting his distinctive City bucket hat he was notable for his solo chants. Without any sense of irony, he belted out “I’ve heard more noise in a trappist monastery”. Forbes Phillipson-Masters’ booking on what was his second appearance for the club was notable for the extended time taken by the referee to record his name in the book and the moment gave rise to the rarely heard chant “one Forbes Phillipson-Masters, there’s only one Forbes Phillipson-Masters”. A truism if ever there was one. As the game drew to its conclusion Tony let out a heartfelt rendition, to the tune of Vera Lynn’s We’ll Meet Again, of “We’ll win again, don’t know where don’t know when, but I know some sunny day we’ll win again”.

Tony (aka Terry) Harling Tony in the Matchday Programme Man U H 25 April 78

On the final whistle there was a mixed reaction, the players had worked hard, it was not their day, they thanked the fans who in turn mostly applauded them off in the Lancashire rain. 40 years on, this result remains Rochdale’s only win against Bristol City.

The few who were there were witnessing a City team leave the pitch in 92^nd place for the first time in the club’s history. Fourteen days later City would be climbing the football league again. Touch wood, they have never come close to the bottom spot since.

Re-election process until 1986

Until 1986 there was a re-election process. Clubs that finished in the bottom four places of the league structure faced a vote at the Annual General Meeting at which the League club representatives decided whether to re-elect existing members or replace them with non-League applicants. Historically, chances of re-election were good. Hartlepool United (known as Hartlepools United until 1968) survived 14 votes, including 11 in 28 seasons. Since 1958, from which date League Division Three North and South became League Division Three and Four, the following teams lost their places:

1960 Gateshead were replaced by Peterborough United

1970 Bradford Park Avenue were replaced by Cambridge United

1972 Barrow were replaced by Hereford United

1977 Workington were replaced by Wimbledon

1978 Southport were replaced by Wigan Athletic

In 1962 Accrington Stanley resigned and Oxford United were elected

In each case Southern teams replaced Northern teams. Bristol City finished the season well clear of the bottom four in 14^th place and thus avoided having to apply for re-election. Bristol Rovers had to apply once.

The 92nd days

Following the defeat at Rochdale City remained 92^nd in the football league, on the same points as Crewe Alexandra who had played a game less. Both teams had 14 points but City’s goal difference was minus 17 (11 worse than Crewe) after 18 games with two wins, eight draws and eight defeats.

Following the Rochdale defeat City stayed at the foot of the table after losing 1-0 away at Chester City one week later. In the following campaign City would secure promotion with a 2-1 win on the last day of the season at the same ground. A 2-2 draw away to Bury on the 18^th of December was enough to take City off the bottom spot one point ahead of Crewe Alexandra who had a game in hand but had lost two consecutive fixtures.

In total City were 92^nd for almost fifteen days. Saint and Greavsie gave the event a passing mention showing a League table from three years earlier on their show to illustrate the dramatic fall from the top division. As Bristol City did not play a home game during this time, the ignominy of taking the field in 92nd place at Ashton Gate did not happen and there was no home programme showing the team at the bottom of the football league.

1982/3 season

Bristol City finished in 14^th place at the end of the season which was something of a recovery. 56 points from 13 wins and 17 draws reflected a stronger finish and set up a promotion winning campaign the following year. The Division winners Wimbledon with 98 points were heading all the way to the top flight in four seasons. One of their rare defeats was a 4-2 reverse at Ashton Gate in October. Other promoted sides were Hull City, Port Vale and Scunthorpe United. At the bottom Hereford ended up in 92^nd place, below Crewe Alexandra, Hartlepool United and Blackpool. All four were re-elected to the Football League.

Home attendances were low. Following a 7-1 defeat at Northampton Town and a 2-0 defeat at home to Scunthorpe United, a season low crowd of 3,041 at Ashton Gate attended the 1-0 loss against Torquay United. By way of comparison, three seasons earlier 28,763 packed Ashton Gate for the league visit of Manchester United. The club had fallen a long way. Without the Ashton Gate Eight it would have been so much worse. Things got better.

 

Acknowledgements: Wiki, 11v11.com

I was there, seem to remember having a "difference of opinion" with a few Dale knuckle-draggers by some garages (where the coach was parked (until plod arrived in a squad car ) !

[slartibartfast]

47 minutes ago, BanburyRed said:

Utmost respect to all those who travelled around the country at that time, I was only 12 and too young but more than made up for it since!!

Think nothing of it ! 

[spudski]

One of my earliest memories was standing in the lower Williams and hearing behind me some loud shouting...and me thinking ' Crikey...who's this bloke chanting and singing on his own in such a loud voice'...

Turns out it was Tony Harling mentioned and pictured above. What a character he was. 

Another early memory was some blonde girl who would routinely ger her tits out at most home games...usually after a few lads chanted at her to do so. 

It's funny how the mind remembers such stuff...I can remember so much from back then, yet can't remember nothing hardly from this season :laugh: 

The walk through the turnstile, getting a pie in the kiosk. The toilets to the right overflowing. Walking up the slope into the lower Williams. Leaning against the same crash barrier...the same faces all around every game. 

Such fond memories

 

[Sheltons Army]

Legend

 

[archie andrews]

13 minutes ago, spudski said:

One of my earliest memories was standing in the lower Williams and hearing behind me some loud shouting...and me thinking ' Crikey...who's this bloke chanting and singing on his own in such a loud voice'...

Turns out it was Tony Harling mentioned and pictured above. What a character he was. 

Another early memory was some blonde girl who would routinely ger her tits out at most home games...usually after a few lads chanted at her to do so. 

It's funny how the mind remembers such stuff...I can remember so much from back then, yet can't remember nothing hardly from this season

The walk through the turnstile, getting a pie in the kiosk. The toilets to the right overflowing. Walking up the slope into the lower Williams. Leaning against the same crash barrier...the same faces all around every game. 

Such fond memories

 

A friend of mine has asked if theres any pics of the young lady about... 

[archie andrews]

Remember tony outside the wedlocks once giving out stick to wimbledon fans passing by... 

[spudski]

5 minutes ago, Sheltons Army said:

Legend

 

Fantastic...thanks for sharing that. Brought a big smile to my face

5 minutes ago, archie andrews said:

A friend of mine has asked if theres any pics of the young lady about... 

If we had mobile phones back then I'm sure there would be numerous...she was proper ' wench size '

[archie andrews]

2 minutes ago, spudski said:

Fantastic...thanks for sharing that. Brought a big smile to my face

If we had mobile phones back then I'm sure there would be numerous...she was proper ' wench size '

Okay spud ill tell him that... 

 

[spudski]

3 minutes ago, archie andrews said:

Okay spud ill tell him that... 

 

[1960maaan]

2 hours ago, Rudolf Hucker said:

Loved reading that. Hated living through it. 

I know what you mean, but considering everything, I look back at following City all around the lower Leagues as some of my favourite times watching football. 

 

[weepywall]

Wasn't the blonde girl a stripper by trade and obviously a stripper in her spare time aswell !!

[Fodbarmyarmy]

10 minutes ago, weepywall said:

Wasn't the blonde girl a stripper by trade and obviously a stripper in her spare time aswell !!

I believe this was the case....  I think she was also obliging at Wembley v Bolton ... Twin Towers indeed .......

[Bristol Oil Services]

Rochdale, straight up the M5/6, on a weekend? Luxury. This was a Saturday, so one for the fair-weather/glory hunters, of 1982. Halifax away, midweek, now those were the diehards (you 'ad to get on Coach One half an hour before it arrived at AG to get to 'alifax midweek in 1982 ....)

But, you know, we were happy in those days, though we were shite (probably because we were 40 years younger than we are now)

[Tin Soldier]

Great memories and quite scary when you think back how bad it got down AG in 82 etc.

I used to sit in Dolman B block and could hear Tony Harling as clear as day during the match. Think the blond was a stripper from Chaplins in the centre but may be wrong as visited a few strip clubs back in the day - Oops?

[Bristol Oil Services]

47 minutes ago, 1960maaan said:

I know what you mean, but considering everything, I look back at following City all around the lower Leagues as some of my favourite times watching football. 

 

Because, perhaps:

1. There were only two seasons of Div 4, and

2. One of those two seasons ended in promotion, and possibly also

3. You was young back then.

 

If I may be so bald ....

[italian dave]

1 hour ago, Sheltons Army said:

Legend

 

Wow! What Memories. I didn’t think I’d hear those dulcet tones again . Thanks. 

[GrahamC]

3 hours ago, Rudolf Hucker said:

Loved reading that. Hated living through it. 

Same.

I was there, I saw 44/46 league games that season.

Now everyone claims we were on our way back that season but being bottom of the entire football league at Xmas & getting hammered by the likes of Hartlepool & celebrating a midweek draw at Halifax (fewest number of City fans I can ever recall, maybe 30?) was absolutely no fun at all.

[Bristol Oil Services]

44 minutes ago, GrahamC said:

Same.

I was there, I saw 44/46 league games that season.

Now everyone claims we were on our way back that season but being bottom of the entire football league at Xmas & getting hammered by the likes of Hartlepool & celebrating a midweek draw at Halifax (fewest number of City fans I can ever recall, maybe 30?) was absolutely no fun at all.

44/46? In 82/3? Not bad, I must say.

So, you managed to miss Northampton away (1:7), what was the other one? 

[22A]

I was living abroad at the time and heard that City were bottom of the League. When I could see results I found City had started picking up some points and hen came Hereford 1 - Bristol City 3.  I t was so pleasing to see that City were now out of the bottom four.

Several mentions of Chester in the OP. City's last game in Div 3 was against Chester, the only team beneath them, with an attendance 0f 3,200; the odd 200 were Chester fans. Both teams knew they were relegated, so to my mind those 3,200 are true fans.

Two years later City's final game in Div 4 was away to Chester and so many fans booked travel, that City had to send their own Stewards up to Sealand Road to help with handling the crowds.

[Nongazeuse]

The nadir for my City supporting years was that 1-7 loss at Northampton.  I thought we were bottom then but clearly not.

The away day that season at Hereford (New Year's Day I think) was a cracking trip - left Bristol in the morning for an evening kick-off.  Following various pub stops en route we had a good following (many in fancy dress) and won 2-1.  

40 years on I can still remember those 4th Division matches despite the beer consumption - I struggle to recall matches played a few months ago though.

Living in London at the time I often travelled on the train with Cliff Rhodes and Tony Harling. Both characters in their own way (especially Tony).  

[Rudolf Hucker]

3 hours ago, spudski said:

One of my earliest memories was standing in the lower Williams and hearing behind me some loud shouting...and me thinking ' Crikey...who's this bloke chanting and singing on his own in such a loud voice'...

Turns out it was Tony Harling mentioned and pictured above. What a character he was. 

Another early memory was some blonde girl who would routinely ger her tits out at most home games...usually after a few lads chanted at her to do so. 

It's funny how the mind remembers such stuff...I can remember so much from back then, yet can't remember nothing hardly from this season

The walk through the turnstile, getting a pie in the kiosk. The toilets to the right overflowing. Walking up the slope into the lower Williams. Leaning against the same crash barrier...the same faces all around every game. 

Such fond memories

 

I used to stand in the Enclosure, with Tony Harling sat in the Williams behind. Towards the back of the Enclosure was a guy called Jack, with a Woodbine or equivalent in the corner of his mouth, who used to moan constantly, in particular about Keith Fear - “‘kin Feary, you’re a ‘kin waste of space …”. It was funny listening to him though (unless you were Keith Fear). A humorous bloke. 
 

Pre-dating him, there was a bus inspector (similar to ‘Blakey’ - long black raincoat and peaked cap) who only ever shouted “Come on the City, come on the Robins, come on the lads”. 
 

Blimey, there were some characters at AG back in those days!

[CyderInACan]

Just goes to show that football is about much more than, well, the football! 

[1960maaan]

2 hours ago, Bristol Oil Services said:

Because, perhaps:

1. There were only two seasons of Div 4, and

2. One of those two seasons ended in promotion, and possibly also

3. You was young back then.

 

If I may be so bald ....

Valid points, you could add;
It was almost siege mentality , the same group going every week. 
I met lads I'm still mates with now.
Although it could be dodgy, atmosphere was great almost everywhere.
We had a 40 year old TC steaming down the wing

and ...
Beer was cheaper 

[Mr Chappers]

Happy days, same faces at away games every other week, no problem with crowded terraces. I went to Rochdale by train, as I recall it was a standard away day, beer very good, football disappointing. 

[RedRock]

Tony Harling ‘migrated’ over to the Dolman at some stage didn’t he? 

Think he managed to virtually clear an entire block of supporters on that side of the stadium too. 

So many characters around in that era. Tony was one of, if not, the best.