[Lord Snooty]

February 19th:

Odd one to start with. In 2008 Town beat Millwall at the McAlpharm 1-0 with a goal scored by Luke Beckett from the penalty spot. I remember it was a really foggy night and there was no way it was visible enough to play on. But play on they did. From our halfway line vantage point, it was bad enough. Millwall almost scored up at the Panasonic End, but there was no noise from the away fans up the other end. They couldn't see a bloomin' fing, guv'nor. The weather was that bad that only 6,326 turned up for it.

Anyway, the reason I remember all this is because I had to rack my brains to see if I could remember anything about the day and night as it was reported the next day that a girl had gone missing, suspected kidnapped, from the Dewsbury Moor area earlier that day. And we had been there in the afternoon for our Brian's birthday.

The girl's name was Shannon. You might remember the story. 

Well that was a low crowd. Not as low as this day in 1936 when only 4,366 people came to Leeds Road for a First Division match against Middlesbrough. It was a midweek game, played in the afternoon, before we had floodlights, which would explain the empty spaces in the massive Leeds Road ground,that had 67,000 in a few years earlier. It wasn't a one off low crowd though. There were under 4,000 for the visits of Everton and Blackburn Rovers. And this is in a season where we were still one of the top teams in the country and finished the season in 3rd place. But times were hard and football would be seen as a bit of a luxury.

Anyway, we won 4-1 and Jimmy Richardson, who I mentioned a few days ago setting up a famously controversial Cup Final goal for Newcastle at Wembley, scored a hat trick. And Frank Chivers got the other and I've mentioned him before because he got killed in a mining accident.

Jimmy Richardson

We did have a massive crowd though back in 1921 when 60,627 came to see the 'Udders play at Villa Park in an FA Cup 3rd round (5th nowadays) match. It was a repeat of the previous season's Cup Final, which the Villa won 1-0 and it was they who won again, 2-0 this time.

And there was another big turn out in the FA Cup at a famous club to see the brilliant 'Udders. This was at Anfield in 1955 for a 5th round match and we beat Liverpool 2-0 in front of 57,115 spectators. Not a bad turn out for the 2nd Division club against the 1st Division Town. Yes kids, Liverpool in the 2nd Division.

Anyway, goalscorers in this win? Obviously Jimmy Glazzard got one, but the other one is a name I haven't heard of before. Albert Hobson is the name and it was the only goal he got for us in the 14 matches he played. We signed him from Blackpool and he went to York City after us.

Jimmy Glazzard

[HerefordBull]

Aye, fog can add an interesting dimension to supporters.........remember being at Tynecastle in the 70's where the fog sounds as bad if not worse. Fans cheered and chanted when the ball came into view and didn't really matter who had it.

[Lord Snooty]

February 20:

On this day in 2012, Town appointed Simon Grayson as manager, to replace Lee Clark. A dyed in the wool Leeds fan. Most Town fans weren't happy with the decision, if I remember correctly and I sent in a text to Radio Leeds saying it was a terrible decision, one of the worst possible managers we could've chosen and was roundly written off by the presenter on the night, Gareth Jones. What does he know? More to point, what do I know and who the hell do I think I am, all Mr High n Mighty?

We'll find out.

On the field, we have won the last four matches on this day. Last season, in 2021, we beat Swansea City at home, behind closed doors 4-1. Goals that day coming from Fraizer Campbell, Lewis O'Brien and two from Duane Holmes, one of which was the Goal of the Season.

In 2016, we beat Wolves at home 1-0. Nahki Wells getting the goal this time.

In 2010, we won at Hartlepool. A Gary Roberts penalty and one from cult hero Neal Trotman, one of only two goals he got for us.

And in 2007, a 3-2 win away at Rotherham United. At Millmoor this one was and the goals on this occasion, when Gerry Murphy was in charge following the dismissal of Peter Jackson, were scored by Luke Beckett (2) and Michael Collins.

[Lord Snooty]

February 21st:

The FA Cup 3rd round (nowadays 5th) match at home to Plymouth Argyle on his date in 1920, was the first in an unbeaten run of games that would go to 15, ending with defeat in the FA Cup Final against Aston Villa. There were 35,000 people there to see this one, which Town won 3-1 with goals from Sammy Taylor, Charlie Slade and Jack Swann.

Liverpool at home in the quarter finals will be on the 6th of March at Leeds Road.

Sammy Taylor

On this date in 1989, we played Scarborough for the first time. This was in the Football League Trophy, known then by the name of the Sherpa Van Trophy. It was our first entry into this competition, having just been relegated to Division Three. After group games against Scunthorpe and Halifax, we beat Grimsby in the first round proper and so this was the Area quarter final when the Seadogs came to Leeds Road.

Neil Warnock, who had got Scarborough promoted to the Football League while being a chiropodist and doing the manager's job part time, had left earlier in the season to join Notts County. But that didn't stop them coming here and winning against a Town team managed by Eoin Hand. It was a 1-2 defeat for the Terriers, with Craig Maskell getting the goal in front of 4,665 spectators.

On this date in 2017, Town met Reading at the John McAlpharm Stadium on a Tuesday night in front of a crowd of 19,894. Ali Al Habsi saved a penalty from Rajiv van La Parra in the first half, so we should've all known a few months later what a good penalty saver he was.

But it was a Town win in the end with Phillip Billing snatching a late winner from a tight angle to give us our sixth league win on the bounce. In the table after this one, we were 3rd, they were 4th and well above Norwich in 7th. Surely we would both make the Play Offs.

[Lord Snooty]

February 22:

Well first of all, it's a happy 21st birthday to not one, but two of our young players, born on the same day in 2001. They are Ben Jackson and Micah Obiero.

Ben was born in Stcokport and is now on loan at Doncaster, where he made his Rovers debut in a 5-0 home defeat against Rotherham. To be fair, he was a second half substitute and they were 2-0 down when he came on at half time.

But for us, he has 3 appearances, sadly all defeats, so we won't dwell on that. He spent last season at Bolton where he played five times and scored once, in a 1-0 win at Morecambe.

Micah was born in Redbridge, in that there London and has one Town first team appearance to his name. That was coming on as a half time sub in the last game of the season down at Millwall, just after Danny Cowley had been sacked and Danny Schofield was in as caretaker.

He has had a loan out at Carlisle, scoring once in a CheckaPizzaPaintPotSherpaVanWindscreen Trophy match against the Villa u23s. He also made one sub appearance in a short loan spell at the Shay.

Born a few years before these two, in 1952, so celebrating his 70th birthday today is the goal scoring machine of the Mick Buxton team, Ian Robins.

He started his career with Oldham and was part of their team that won promotions from the 4th up to the 2nd Division and on the way up, he scored a hat trick in a 3rd Division match against Town when we got stuffed 6-0 at Boundary Park. Buxton made him his first signing when he got the job in 1978 and he went on to become a massive part in our rise from the 4th to the 2nd Division as well.

He scored 25 league goals in the 79/80 season when we won the 4th Division title. His two goals in the 2-1 win at Leeds Road on the final day of the season were the 100th and 101st league goals of the campaign. In total, he got 67 goals for the Terriers and stands in equal 14th place with another goal scoring machine, Marcus Stewart.

Unfortunately he got a few injuries in the 3rd Division and decided to retire at the end on 81/82 when he bought a newsagent's shop in Wigan. A devastating blow to the club as we had just lost Steve Kindon and Peter Fletcher to injuries as well. His partnerships with both those strikers will always be remembered fondly by us Town fans of a certain age, ie knocking on a bit. Can't believe he's 70 though. Where does the time go?

Back in time now to our successful run to FA Cup glory one hundred years ago in 1922. Today we have the replay against Blackburn Rovers in the 3rd round (5th nowadays). And after drawing one apiece at Ewood Park on the Saturday, 31,899 spectators came to Leeds Road on the Tuesday afternoon to see the mighty blue n white stripes beat the odd looking blue n white quarters 5-0. Frank Mann scored again to add to his goal on Saturday then we had two each from Ernie Islip and Billy Smith.

We have another home tie in the quarter finals, that's against Millwall on March the 4th. Can't wait. 

The next game on this date was in 1930 and another big victory, 4-1 against Sheffield Wednesday, but after that, only one more win and some real down times.

That solitary win was in 2003 at Oakwell against Barnsley with an Andy Booth goal. Low points include a home defeat by Halifax Town, losing 2-1 in 1975 with an Alan Gowling penalty all we had to show as we were stuck on the very bottom rung of the 3rd Division.

Other teams we have failed to beat on this date include Portsmouth in 1983, Reading in 1992, Tranmere in 2005, Dagenham & Redbridge in 2011, Wednesday in 2014 and most recently, a 3-1 defeat at the Liberty Stadium against Swansea in 2020 with Steve Mounié grabbing a late equaliser, only for the Swans to go and bag another two.

[Lord Snooty]

February 23:

Born on this day 74 years ago in 1948 was Trevor Cherry, who would've been 74 today, had he not died in 2020. He was born in Huddersfield, played for the Town and won the 2nd Division title in 69/70 with us.

He should be a fully fledged Town legend as such, but sadly, he went to Bellend Road to play for Don Revie and became a Leeds legend instead. I can't bear to go on about all that, so I won't

After them, he went and became a Bradford City legend as well, getting them promoted by winning the 3rd Division title. Sadly, on the day they were due to receive the trophy, they had a bit of a fire. I say a bit of a fire....... you all know the story.

So he was a legend at Huddersfield, Leeds and Bradford. Why he didn't go and get the full house at Halifax, I'll never know.

He won 27 caps for England, all during his time at Leeds. In one of them, he had the disgrace of being sent off in a match against Argentina. He got sent off despite the Argie player knocking two of his teeth out. Proper football!

On this day in 1924, we played an FA Cup match at Turf Moor against Burnley. Such was the popularity of our superb football team that there were 54,775 spectators there, which was and still is the record crowd at the ground. Burnley won 1-0, but of course we got our own back 98 years later.

We have a couple of big wins against different sized opponents on this day over the years. Back in 1957, we had a 2nd Division match at Leeds Road against West Ham United, who in less than ten years time would win the World Cup for England. 

We absolutely hammered the Hammers 6-2. Ken Taylor, who also played cricket for Yorkshire and England, scored 8 goals in this season. Four of them he scored in this match. The other two were scored by Les Massie and Bill McGarry.

How many did Ken score?

A slightly less glamorous opponent came to Leeds Road in 1974. Rochdale were the visitors and it was their first proper visit to our ground. By that I mean it was the first time in league or cup action. We did play them in the Wartime League and beat them 11-0 in 1941. This was another big win, in our first ever 3rd Division season, but at half time it didn't look likely. It was 0-0 at half time, but by full time we had beaten them 5-0. Goals coming that day with 2 for Jimmy Lawson, two for Alan Gowling and one for Phil Summerill.

Phil Summerill

[WakeyTerrier]

I've just the one game attended on this day and to be fair it sounds like it was instantly forgettable

2013
Town 0 v 0 Ipswich.

I got told a story about Trevor Cherry at Xmas time by a mate who had been to a wedding in leafy Cheshire last December. I'll tell you it in person if I see you down at the Mac pre match one day....Story came from the lips of Steve Bruce, old fat head himself.

[Lord Snooty]

February 24:

Widely regarded as one of the best footballers ever to have played the game, Denis Law was born on this day in 1940 and is celebrating his 82nd birthday today.

He was our youngest ever player when he made his debut for Town on Christmas Eve 1956, only 16 years old. He was 18 when he made his Scotland debut, scoring as well against Wales. He was chosen for that game by Matt Busby, who would later sign him for Man Utd, for whom he would play the majority of his career.

He scored 19 goals for Town in 91 matches before Man City paid us a British record transfer fee in 1960 and we spent the £55,000 on a new set of floodlights.

Anyway, I haven't time or space to write about all he achieved in the game, so if you've got a spare 13 minutes, watch this Sky documentary about him, it's very good.

Another one for you to watch, just seven and a half minutes this time. It's from this date in 2018 when we beat West Brom at the Hawthorns in the Premier League. A fantastic performance it was and gave us all belief that we were actually going to stay up, which we did. Goals from Rajiv van La Parra and Steve Mounié.

[HerefordBull]

What a player Denis Law was.

His scoring record especially for Scotland was impressive.

[theo_luddite]

Ah yes, The Prima Donna League.

Where you've no 'ope of reading who your shirt sponsors are let alone knowing who or having any connection with what they are.