Knox in positive mood despite Yeovil defeat

 n their first home match in the Southern League Premier Division in 1976 Brakes lost 0-1 to Yeovil, then seen as non-league giants.   Defeat came in the last five minutes when Garratt who hadn’t had one on target ball to deal with in the whole match missed a hopeful cross from Thompson.  

‘Disappointed but not dismayed after Tuesday’s shock defeat, Knox nevertheless thinks his side is good enough to finish in the top ten.  Knox, always more of a realist than an optimist, made that judgment after the match against Wimbledon [a 0-0 away draw] and was by no means shaken from his views after Tuesday.  “We’ve played the teams who were first and second in the league last year.  They were good competent sides, but I don’t feel we were out of our depth.  I was just a wee bit concerned that the lads would react.   It was expected that they would play well against Wimbledon, but I’ve nothing but praise for the way they played against Yeovil.  They did more than enough to get a point which they didn’t get.” 

Knox is obviously happy with AP’s form – although he never had any real doubts about the side’ s capabilities.  But that must be one of the factors that will persuade Knox to sign a further two year contract (with an option for another 12 months) in the very near future’.  “The chairman and I have talked about the contract for two or three weeks now and I don’t see any difficulties.”  

Three years ago. he pledged Premier Division soccer – now how does the Windmill boss see the next few years ahead of him?  “We will have to see, in the Premier Division it’s an awful tall order to say we’ll be at the top.  But one thing’s certain, we will still be in the Premier.  Things are beginning to happen at the club, especially at the financial level, and that’s where we need to add a better class of player to the squad.’ 

‘Away from league issues Knox is looking for a run In the FA Cup – the football money spinner.  But this time, AP have to win five games before they reach the first-round proper, and the trail begins tomorrow at the Windmill when Leamington take on Midland Combination outfit Moor Green in the preliminary round.  With Ivor Talbot, Mick Keeley and Micky Boot all recovering from wounds received as a result of ferocious tackling, Knox is unlikely to name a final 12 or 13 until Friday evening.   And with everything sorted after a travelling mix up “lost” John Davis, Knox isn’t likely to choose who plays between the posts – Davis or Dave Garratt – until just before kick-off. 

The feeling at the club was one of slight disappointment on Tuesday with the 695 gate.  It had been hoped that AP’’s first league home appearance after an excellent result at Wimbledon would swell the crowd to around 1,000.  Chairman Gerry Locke was one who had hoped for such a number.  He said: “We’re only a young club in relative terms, but the club has a lot of things going for it and we want the people of Leamington to help us grow.  My personal target is to see us finish in the top eight and in the next three years I will be disappointed if we’re not an established side in the Premier Division.”

When Gainsborough Trinity were in the EFL

During their relatively brief stay in the Football League, Gainsborough Trinity met some of the top teams in English football.  In October 1906 they entertained Nottingham Forest for the first time in the league (they had met in the FA Cup).  It was noted, ‘The Lincolnshire club have a very useful side at their command and they were strong enough to get the upper hand of the “Wolves” on Wednesday, and establish themselves well up the table.  It was a beautiful afternoon, and Forest’s visit created considerable interest, 5,000 people, which is an abnormal gate for Gainsborough, being present.’   Forest ‘had the advantage of the slope’ on a ‘very rough’ pitch and scored the opening goal.  

Gainsborough then started to play long ball, sending high balls into the box.  ‘The football was very poor on the whole, the ball being a great deal in the air.’  When there was play in midfield, it was ‘of the crudest description’.    However, the style of play clearly unsettled Forest: ‘Forest tried hard but could make little of the quick rushes of their opponents who were content to proceed by haphazard methods.’  2-1 ahead at half time, Gainsborough won 3-2.

 At Christmas 2010 Gainsborough found themselves at Stamford Bridge playing Chelsea.  Described as ‘the wooden spoonists of the Second Division’, they were spending the holiday in London with a Boxing Day match against Clapton Orient.  ‘A comparatively small crowd of not more than 12,000 people witnessed the match, which was played in dull and depressing weather.  The turf, which was much cut up, provided very heavy going.’   

The visitors had a couple of early shots on goal, but ‘this was the end of the visiting team’s enterprise.  Chelsea quite monopolised the remainder of the play.  They rained in shots from all positions and all directions, but the Gainsborough defence was as firm as a rock, and Robinson’s goalkeeping was remarkable.  He saved a dozen shots in as many minutes.’ 

With Robinson exhausted, Chelsea almost scored, but a defender was able to clear off the line.  Despite receiving a leg injury, Robinson was ‘quite invincible’.  With the score 0-0 at half time, Robinson ‘received an ovation for his splendid goalkeeping.’  However, his injury troubled him more in the second half and Chelsea won 3-0.

Back in the Midland League at the end of the First World War, Gainsborough decided that wartime experience was the key to success: ‘It is questionable whether any club will number more soldier players in its ranks during the coming season than Gainsborough Trinity.   Recognising that football form is just now something of an unknown quantity, the executive have decided to pin their faith largely to local players of known cleverness prior to enlistment, but whom Army training and Army football has developed almost out of recognition.   One thing is certain: Trinity will be able to put down a fast and tricky forward line.  Gainsborough has always been known for its team-building capability.’

Three keepers had been hired with the favourite possibly being A. Pashley who ‘played in goal for the Royal Engineers and was one of the team that won the Army Cup.’  At full back Harry Hallam was an old Trinity player ‘who was soon snapped up by the Royal Artillery crack team for whom he did good work.’   None of the recruited players had been in the Navy, which offered fewer opportunities for football, but half back S Fenton had played for the Birmingham R.A.F. team.

Brakes shock Wimbledon and Garratt is the hero of the hour

Brakes faced the toughest possible Southern League Premier Division baptism at Plough Lane on Saturday.  The prospect does not worry them.  

Said manager Jimmy Knox: “We are in the top flight on merit and are capable of giving anyone a run for their money.  Wimbledon will be more concerned about our unknown quantity than we are about their known strength.   It’s the perfect start,’   

The summary report in the Coventry Evening Telegraph stated: ‘Leamington shocked Wimbledon supporters by holding the home team to a goalless draw.  Dons, who hit 74 goals last season and are seeking their third successive Southern League championship, failed to open their goal account.   It was refreshing to see Leamington playing attacking football away from home.  But their fine spirit deserted them in the final period when, playing for a point, they fell back on defence.  Fortunately, Dave Garrett made a string of magnificent saves and set the seal on his fine performance with a penalty save in the 90^th minute.’   A local newspaper report from the area praised AP’s ‘stubborn defence’ and said that they could be a surprise package of the division.

The Courier reported: ‘Dave Garratt should have been playing a leisurely game of cricket on Saturday but instead found himself repelling wave after wave of Wimbledon attacks.  Garratt, injured for most of last term, and having played only 45 minutes of a pre-season friendly since the end of May turned in a brilliant show – included one in which the Dons’ own Dickie Guy, who denied Leeds two years ago, said he would have been proud of.  

Yet until 11 am that morning he had no notion he would be playing at Plough Lane.  It was only when John Davis failed to appear for the trip south that manager Jimmy Knox called up second choice Garratt … and what a game he had.   In the first ten minutes he achieved what he set out to do – have a great start.   In the fourth minute, he safely took a Cooke flick-on, and got down superbly to block a Connell drive, as Brakes took time to get into gear. 

But it was really in the second half that the AP keeper distinguished himself.  Kent referee Don Jackson (the match was featured in the Thanet Times) awarded an innocuous penalty after Alan Jones beat Marlowe in the air fairly and squarely.  However, Garratt put justice back on the rails when he flung himself to the right to parry Holmes’ spot kick.   In the closing 15 minutes, Wimbledon really stepped up the pressure and Garratt excelled himself, denying an Edwards blockbuster in the 80^th minute, helping his own defence hack away a goal line scramble five minutes later, and then stopping Tilly in the last minute.   

Probably Garratt’s save of the day came in the 86^th minute when Dons looked like breaking through.   Marlowe nodded in a fast and low header from ten yards.  However, Garratt pulled out a tremendous reflex save to parry and save AP.  

The Windmill outfit never looked out of their depth and had many chances to shock the top Premier Division outfit.  Talbot went close with a far post header; Keeley had a fierce volley blocked; and Stewart brought out the best from Guy in a run from the halfway line.   Finally, perhaps it was fitting for a game marred only by some astounding refereeing divisions that the final whistle should be blown when Stewart had broken through and was running towards the home goal.  Attendance 1225.’