An Unhappy Football Memory

[Wheelbarrow repair man]

Awhile ago my Mum passed away and going through her house sorting things out, I came across an Old Chest of Drawers and one of the draws wouldn't open properly. I managed to get my hand in side the Draw and something right at the back was wedged in such a way the Draw stuck. I managed to work it Free and pulled it out it was a letter that I hadn't seen in 50 odd years and didn't know my Mum still had, I would think in was put in the Drawer and Forgotten about. So here's the Unhappy Football Memory that Letter  Contained.

In 1966 England were Crowned Kings of the Footballing World and four years later they set out to defend that Title in Mexico. As the Tournament approached all the papers were full of different things about England, and the News Of The World Ran a Competition WIN AN ALL EXPENCE FREE TRIP TO MEXICO.  What you had to do was pick an England Squad of 24 Players who you think will Go to Mexico. So I sat down and went through the Names of Players who had made the England Squad of 32 Players and I had to Whittle them down to 24. The Winner of the Competition would be the contestant who came the nearest to Choosing the Squad picked by Football Experts, EX-Players and Football Journalists. So off went My Entry Posted First Class. Around a Fortnight later I Got a Letter. CONGRATULATIONS YOU ARE THE WINNER OF OUR ENGLAND IN MEXICO Competition!!

Me and My Dad were Going to Mexico to watch England in the World Cup. Only we Didn't, a couple of days later I received the Letter I Now held in My Hand. I Had Been Disqualified From The Competition. The Reason Why? 

I WAS TO YOUNG (13) and shouldn't have been Allowed to Enter the Competition in the First Place. That Letter bought back An Unhappy Memory. But I Did Get Some Satisfaction, from getting a Match and Setting It Alight and Watching It Burn To A Cinder.

[liampie]

its still a memory and although sad, you could have seen how it bought you and your dad potentially closer. i am sure you still remember the thrill of winning and how excited you were. its a shame you did not manage to go to mexico, i would have been inclined to try to make it happen if i were in your dads shoes but i can imagine that could have been much harder said than done back then. still i think you and your dad would have had a blast if you had managed to go, hope you can find the happier side to it in time.

[Fan of Big Tone]

Oh no, you must have been devastated @Wheelbarrow repair man I can’t imagine anything more disappointing for a 13 year old, to be told you won that amazing prize and then to be told you couldn’t go must have been awful.

 

[Wheelbarrow repair man]

@liampie

My Dad and I were always close right through his life and I Miss him Terribly and My Mum for that matter. Around 1970 the time of the Mexico Tournament  I think my Dad was on about £20 a week. Out of which he gave Mum her house keeping Money, Paid the Rent and Bills then made sure my sisters and I were always turned out well. He also paid for the Family Holiday, so there wasn't a lot of cash about for Foreign Trips to Mexico. But we enjoyed following England up until the Quarterfinal Defeat by West Germany.

@Fan of Big Tone

Aye it was a Massive disappointment, but Dad helped me get over it pretty quick.  And years later I came to realise that's part of Life sometimes your down in the Dumps and other times you're on Cloud 9.

[super_ram]

 @Wheelbarrow repair man I think they could have given you a gift ,however small, as compensation for their oversight but that wouldn't make up for your disappointment would it. I hope your dad changed his choice of Sunday newspaper

[Wheelbarrow repair man]

@super_ram

No I Never Got A Thing. Come to think of it I think Dad did switch to the Sunday Mirror. But it was So Long A Go and I'd Forgotten about it until I was sorting out that Chest of Drawers and Found the  Ruddy Letter. Ah Well Such Is Life.

[Fan of Big Tone]

4 hours ago, Wheelbarrow repair man said:

Around 1970 the time of the Mexico Tournament  I think my Dad was on about £20 a week.

Yes it sounds ridiculous now but in 1970 I was a journeyman of two years having served an apprenticeship and £20 a week was my approximate wage then. People would swop jobs for a 5 shilling rise, (25p)!

[Wheelbarrow repair man]

@Fan of Big Tone

I Know it's Crazy to think about the Amount of Money people took home in their Wage Packets Back Then. I remember in the Early 70's when I was an Apprentice Brickie, one of the Labourers went to the Foreman to ask for a rise. He was Told No, and he walked off the Site saying A Couple of Coppers extra, that's all I Wanted. Mind you it was easier to get another job back then as well.

[Fan of Big Tone]

5 minutes ago, Wheelbarrow repair man said:

@Fan of Big Tone

I Know it's Crazy to think about the Amount of Money people took home in their Wage Packets Back Then. I remember in the Early 70's when I was an Apprentice Brickie, one of the Labourers went to the Foreman to ask for a rise. He was Told No, and he walked off the Site saying A Couple of Coppers extra, that's all I Wanted. Mind you it was easier to get another job back then as well.

Yes it was easier to get jobs back then, certainly in my trade (printing) I once had a boss come to my house to ”interview” me, I was newly married and the interview consisted of a charm offensive mainly aimed at my young wife!

[Chris]

This sounds like a very unfortunate thing to have experienced, very harsh to have built up the excitement and then let you down @Wheelbarrow repair man. In this day and age, I doubt they would have got away with keeping quiet, plus any player worth their salt upon hearing about something like this no doubt would have tried to reach out.

It's not right, and I can understand the disappointment leading to a very unhappy memory.

Different scenario, but it reminded me of an experience I had when I was younger. My grandfather Ray, he would come round for Sunday dinner with my grandmother. Super would cook the dinner, and we would all eat in the living room. I have fond memories of this, looking out at the back of the front garden sitting on the sofa waiting to see his car park up.

Every Sunday, he would bring a chocolate bar and a can of pop for me and my brother each.

My Grandfather, loved Lilt, and he would often try to get me to drink it. I really wasn't a fan of the taste, but grew to love it. One of the chocolate bars he gave to me and my brother, it had the chance of winning various electrical devices. One of which was a state-of-art CD player.

To my surprise, the bar I had taken upon opening the wrapper said I was a winner.

I recall waiting ages to learn as to what and when I would receive my prize. I do remember, being told by my parents that they didn't have any more prizes or the item I had won wasn't something they could deliver on. I thought, we wouldn't see anything of it and I felt disappointed. Yet they did send out a CD player by Sony which was supposed to be worth a lot more than the one I would have won.

It was our first CD player, my dad and mum has a massive collection of tapes and other older media formats. Yet CDs seemed such a futuristic step forward. I used to listen to my tape player often, but I hated rewinding and when the tape would get jammed.

Sooner after getting the CD player, we as a family started obtaining more albums that we could play on it, my brother collected a magazine aimed to teach young people about classical music.

[Robbie]

My daughter was a keen Forest Fan, yes that's right, & it's a long story why she chose Forest over Notts.

Well I was lucky to have a mate who had two tickets for the Liverpool v Forest semi final on 15th April 1989.

So I bought them off him and we all went to the match together & little did we know that the biggest tragedy to hit English football was about to unfold when we went through those Kop end turnstiles.

It will be a day that I will never ever forget nor will my daughter who was 12 years old at the time.

I don't like talking too much about that day but I thought it was important to reveal that my daughter & I saw everything unfold & it's terrible aftermath.

And it has had a lasting impression on both of us & all those who were there & witnessed it that day.

[Wheelbarrow repair man]

 

Well @Robbie that story Knocks mine into a Cocked Hat. At the time of that Tragedy I worked with a Lad who was a Big Forest Fan and he also went to that Match. When he came back to work after the event we could see a change in the Guy. He did talk about it to us and I think in some way it Helped him. He was also a member of the Saint John's Ambulance and he said one of the Hardest things for him was the fact, people were Injured and dieing in Front of Him and there was Nothing he could do about it being unable to get down to the Pitch, to help Out. He left a short time later. It's something I hadn't thought about in many years but your story remined me of his .

[upthepies]

I hope you had the chance to watch England play international football abroad, @Wheelbarrow repair man. It’s unfortunate that they didn’t respect or verify the age of the applicants before raising your expectations. Thank you for sharing.

[Wheelbarrow repair man]

@upthepies

Funnily Enough I have Never watched England Live. Both my Sons have and both Enjoyed the Experience. I just watch them on the Tele.

[liampie]

i have only watched notts live myself @Wheelbarrow repair man, but having watched all of last seasons games. i would like to get tickets to see england play at wembley some time. its been good travelling on match days with @CliftonMagpie and @TheSkipper.

i at least hope you have managed to watch live football with your sons.  

[Wheelbarrow repair man]

@liampie

I have indeed watched Notts live with my Sons. The First time I brought my Eldest to Meadow Lane was with Tickets given to his School by the Club. In my Younger Days I did go and watch Derby at the Old Baseball Ground and even on one (just one mind) occasion I went to the City Ground and watched Forest get thumped 3-0 by Arsenal the year the Gunners did the Double, 70/71? I think it was.

[CliftonMagpie]

It’s disappointing that they didn’t honour your win, even with your parents’ permission. I don’t see why your age should have been an issue, especially with your dad’s support. It’s simply wrong that they let you enter, announced you as a winner, and then let it amount to nothing.

[Wheelbarrow repair man]

@CliftonMagpie

I Guess that's what it was like back then. As a Kid I soon got over the Disappointment and  forgot about it. If I hadn't have found the Letter stuck in the rollers of the Draw, it never would have crossed my mind again. When I found the Letter I thought I'd share it with the Rest of the PON Membership and compared to what @Robbie and his Daughter went through my disappointment  pales into insignificance compared to the Horror they saw.