[Lord Snooty]

August 9:

On this date in 1969, the season got under way for 69/70, a season that would end with Town, managed by Ian Greaves, winning the Division Two title.

We started on this day with a trip to the Manor Ground to play Oxford United. They had won the 3rd Division title a couple of seasons earlier and this was only our second ever visit there after they were elected into the Football League in 1962. They were managed by Gerry Summers for the first time, following Ron Saunders, who had left to manage Norwich. Their captain back in those days was Ron Atkinson, who would later become a flamboyant and controversial manager and tv pundit.

But this was our time and we won this game 2-1 with Trevor Cherry and Colin Dobson scoring the goals. We won the next two games as well and were never out of the top six all season.

From a great opening to a season, to possibly the worst. On this date in 2014, Town welcomed AFC Bournemouth to the McAlpharm Stadium and we were one down within the first twenty seconds of the new season. That was scored by Marc Pugh, who had played in their Play Off defeat against us just three years earlier.

Town manager Mark Robins had gone with Joel Lynch at centre back, but strangely left Murray Wallace on the bench, preferring to play midfielder Matt Crooks alongside him, for his debut.

Robins had tried in the summer to persuade Callum Wilson, who he had with him at Coventry, to join us. He declined and instead went to Bournemouth, who had Eddie Howe back in charge after his brief stint at Burnley. And it was Wilson who made it 2-0 in the 32nd minute.

They were all over us and we were lucky it was only two at half time. It was three though not long after the break, with Yann Kermorgant scoring. Robins responded by subbing Radoslaw Majewski, who was playing his first match on loan from Nottingham Florist. The stadium rang with boooooooooos! The poor lad thought we were booing him, but it was for Robins taking off the only player who showed like he was worth his place on the pitch.

Wilson then made it 4-0 just after the hour and thankfully, they declared.

The team were booed off at the final whistle and not long after Robins walked out of the stadium without a job. Had he been sacked or did he resign? Who knows? Who cares? The dopey prick was gone and Mark Lillis will be in as caretaker for the next few games.

What a situation to be in!