Newspaper Clippings - Dick Butler - page 109
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1 Bridgnorth overcome cash crisis WHEN MIDLAND Combination First Division Club Bridgnorth Town heard they had been drawn at home against South Shields in the fifth round of the FA Challenge Vase , they held their heads wondering how on earth they could afford to stage the match . SPORTS SPECIAL DICK KIRKUP previews South Shields big day EXILED SHIELDSMAN CHRIS WILL BE ' DOLLED UP ' TO GREET THE MARINERS greeted by a supporter dressed from head to toe in their amber and black colours . Hill when South Shields were in the Second Divi sion of the Football League . He is 62 - year - old Chris Beck THEY say where ever you go you are sure to find a Geordie ... and when South Shields meet Bridg north Town in tomorrow's FA Challenge Vase fifth round tie deep in the heart of Shropshire they'll be cheered on by a crowd of exiled Geordies including several from South Shields . Indeed , when the Mariners trot out onto the Crown Meadow pitch they'll be who " emigrated " from Shields to Bridgnorth 40 years ago and works in a carpet factory . Chris has been busy this week pre paring his costume and he promises a real breath of home for the Mariners , a name he used to shout as a youngster at Horsley Chris has been telling all the locals about " The good old days " of football in South Shields when they enjoyed League status . . . and he says if Shields get to Wembley this season he'll be there as well . a colony of North Easterners at Telford , ten miles from Bridgnorth , and many of them are mem bers of the Hills Lane Social Club . They have hired a coach , which they have filled , and they will make the trip to " cheer Shields on as loudly as we can . " But Chris won't be the only exiled Geordie supporting Shields tomorrow . There is 1 have no names , but I understand several of them come from South Shields , Sunderland and Newcastle . MARINERS BID FOR WEMBLEY GLORY NEWCASTLE UNITED have North - East dominated the soccer scene lately with their sensational exploits in the League Cup and FA Cup ... but tomorrow it is the turn of our very own South Shields to make their bid for Wembley glory . Bridgnorth secretary Ray Northover said : " When we heard the draw we were pleased to be at home against attractive opposition , but we were worried about the financial aspects . With South Shields so far away , they are entitled to an over night stop and we must pay . " Just as the Gazette tries to do its bit for local sport and charities - the Bridg north Journal rushed to the rescue with an appeal to the townspeople for help . It was pointed out that the club who entertain the Mariners at their Crown Meadow needed ground tomorrow something in the region of £ 150- £ 200 to pay the match expenses a sum they didn't have . At once the town came forward with assistance . Pubs and clubs in the area gave donations as did local organisations , and the winner of Bridgnorth Town's tote double even returned his £ 5 cheque to the club to help out . It is understood that the club has now reached its target and all bills will be met . - S Courving - 1 They travel to Shropshire to meet Midland Combination First Division club Bridgnorth Town in the fifth round at the FA Challenge Vase , and victory for the Mariners would give them a place in the quarter - finals just two matches away from the Wembley final . The official party of players and officials travelled today for an overnight stay , and tomorrow morning two more coach loads of supporters will set out from Shields on a journey that they hope will ultimately end at Wembley . And while Shields have been drawn away four times out of five in this competition , they are going to Bridgnorth determined to give their hosts a run for their money . If tomorrow's tie ends in a draw , South Shields will not be appealing for financial expenses for the replay . The Shields club runs a highly successful weekly money raising scheme and they pride themselves in being self supporting . Says club chairman Martin Ford : " We have all worked hard to get our weekly ticket scheme established , our com mittee and our magnificent agents , and we have always tried to be self supporting . We have achieved this , and we are gradually consolidat ing our financial position . " If we have to stage a replay with Bridgnorth we will be more than able to meet all the expenses . " I recall a Football Associa tion spokesman telling me at the time the fifth round was Patterson hurt Their task is a difficult one in view of the fact that the Midland Combination is a higher class league than the Northern Alliance , but against that is the unques tionable truth that Shields could hold their own in a higher class league them selves , so possibly the differ ence between them and the other 15 survivors in the Vase is not as great as some think . Shields are taking their full pool of 14 players and Elwell says he won't announce his line - up until the last possible moment . Gazette all - in - one a Bridgnorth , whose sloping pitch is leased from the local council , оссиру lowly position in the First Division of the Midland Combination and it is this that worries Elwell . in training SOUTH SHIELDS goalkeeper Dick Patterson is doubtful for tomorrow's FA Challenge Vase tie against Bridgenorth Town following an injury picked up in last nights training session . Says manager Bobby " I don't want my players Elwell : " The lads were having a game of basketball to go out thinking they've got an easy task . It's going to when there was an accidental collision and Dick put his our shock defeat last week be very hard , but perhaps thumb out of joint . just the right time . " brought us down to earth at Shields , who will have a light work - out at Stafford Rangers ' ground tomorrow morning , select from the following 14 players : Patterson , Craig , McDonald , Rutherford , Young , Madden , Compton , Carr , Graham , Hunter , Suggestt , Robson , Parker , Pringle . drawn : " Now that we are down to the last 16 , we feel that the standard of clubs left in is very even . There's not a lot to choose between them " . So on that score , Shields will not feel small fry tomor row . Indeed , Bridgnorth's league record does not exact ly strike fear into Shields ' heart . To date Bridgnorth have played 15 league games and their record is : A Pts P W D L F 15 3 8 4 19 20 15 Last week they lost 4-1 away to West Midlands Police , a side they defeated 4-1 away in the Vase , and this defeat dropped them to fifth bottom in the table . The Police are in the top half of the table but a long way adrift from the leaders . Bridgnorth , managed by Gerry Harris , the former regular Wolves first team and England Under - 23 full back ( Bridgnorth is 14 miles from Wolverhampton ) , are expecting a gate of between 500 and 1.000 so a record attendance is virtually as sured . Their record gate is just over the 300 mark , set up in a Welsh Amateur Cup tie in 1972 . Their average attendance this season just around 100 , so tomorrow's crowd is going to be something extra special . Bridgnorth itself has a popu lation of around 10,000 and is agricultural market town . an The club was formed in 1947 and they still have the same chairman in Terry Briggs . They kicked off life in the Kidderminster League but in 1968 joined the Mid land Combination . At the end of last season they dropped their reserve team because of the cost and now have a squad of 14 players , a set - up similar to Shields . Their best known ex - player , of course is Derby County's Roger Davies . While Davies led their attack , Bridgnorth won the Welsh Amateur Cup in 1970 and also the Shrop shire Senior Cup . Bridgnorth have keeper problem BRIDGNORTH have a goal for to keeping problem morrow's match against South Shields because regular goalkeeper Billy Hall is getting married and is definitely out . of deputy reserve 4141 * loin2-27 Shields Gazette , Friday , January 30 , 1976-13 The choice nests between striker Peter Bradburn , who has had consilerable experi ence as a goalkeeper , and newcomer John Cullen , but it seems that Bradburn will play . How Most of the Bridgnorth team are local players and have played gely in the Jeague in that area . ever , skipper Colin Hemsley , whose brother Ted is with Sheffield United and plays cricket for Worcestershire , was once an apprentice pro fessional with Shrewsbury Town , while young defender Bob Evans has had trials with Walsall . com have In their four rounds of Vase this season's Bridgnorth petition , scored eight goals and con ceded only one , they occupy a lowly league placing , their cup form , as so often is the case , is some thing else altogether . SO while So far they have benten West Midland League side Halesowen 2-1 away , fellow Midland Combination side West Midlands Police 4-1 BO away , and they followed that with a tremendous 1-0 home victory over FA Cup giant killens Coventry Sporting who knocked out Tranmere Rovers in the FA Cup this selasion . In the last round Bridg . month eliminated another Midland Combination side Evesham United 2-0 away . Evesham are below Bridg north in the league tabbe . row Pictured here is the Bridgnorth Town team . Back ( left to right ) Alan Rogers , Peter Bradburn , Keith Banks , Robert Evans , Vin Francis , Trevor Jones , Richard Pugh , Sam Wolley . Front row ( left to right ) John Quartly , John Green , Derek Dawes , Steve Francis . Reyrolle name 15 REYROLLE choose from the following squad of 15 for tomorrow's home Wearside League Cup game against Annfield Plain 1.30 ) : McMahon , Tatters , Proctor , Young , Ingle , Scott , Jobling , Fagan , Cummins , Coleman , Gallagher , P McCaffery , J McCaffery , Winton and Mcintosh . Meet ground , 1.0 . Look at this offer ! NOW PETROL from 71p ★★★ ★★★★ ***** 71p 72p 73p *** **** ***** PLUS DOUBLE GREEN SHIELD STAMPS From TEXACO RIDGEWAY 1 SERVICE STATION KING GEORGE ROAD , SOUTH SHIELDS |
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