Kevin Randall

SaltergateBorn · (This post was last modified: 30-03-2019, 11:54 by SaltergateBorn.)

Very sad to hear of the passing of Kevin Randall. I hope the club does something meaningful to pay suitable tribute to him.

My memories of the club go back quite a few years and I still reckon he`s one of the best front men we`ve had in my time. He was a creator and a scorer and there were games when the opposition found the combination of him and Ernie Moss impossible to handle. Their interplay and understanding were fantastic to watch sometimes. I think it was the season that Jimmy McGuigan` team won the old Fourth Division - about 1970, it would be - I reckon they they scored about 40 goals between them.

In my mind`s eye I can still see that chunky frame scuttling down the right wing and slinging in an inch-perfect cross onto Ernie`s head as well as slotting home a goal from Ernie`s lay-off. ( I can also remember the cheeky `Hand of God` goal he scored – at Mansfield, of all places.) Great stuff.

The last I heard of him, he was Chief Scout for Neil Warnock when he was managing QPR; I know that the two of them they had a close working relationship for some time, but I suppose KR had been retired the last few years.

Happy days. Fond memories. RIP Kev.

Devongone · 30-03-2019, 13:49

Played cricket against him a couple of times. I was a young boy about 15, he was a man. He was kind, encouraging, a proper sportsman.

He was certainly one of our best ever front men, if not always the hardest working. Could always beat a man, had vision, could create and score. His goal at Mansfield was a gem - how come everyone but the officials saw it? Even Kev was surprised it was allowed. And Ernie completed the joy by scoring with his bottom.

Can't believe he's dead. Makes me feel even older.

Dancingwilldoit · 30-03-2019, 14:02

A minutes applause before the game today.
Should do a lot more but we will see.

SaltergateBorn · 30-03-2019, 17:02

That`s what I meant by `meaningful`, Dancing; something more substantial than just a minute`s applause. As you say, though..........we will see.

**spireitematt** · 30-03-2019, 20:42

(30-03-2019, 13:49)Devongone Wrote: Played cricket against him a couple of times. I was a young boy about 15, he was a man. He was kind, encouraging, a proper sportsman.

He was certainly one of our best ever front men, if not always the hardest working. Could always beat a man, had vision, could create and score. His goal at Mansfield was a gem - how come everyone but the officials saw it? Even Kev was surprised it was allowed. And Ernie completed the joy by scoring with his bottom.

Can't believe he's dead. Makes me feel even older.

Is there anybody you haven't play cricket or football against?

Devongone · (This post was last modified: 01-04-2019, 13:11 by Devongone.)

At that time you got to play cricket against every Chesterfield player who could play cricket and lived locally, because they had their own team playing out of the Racecourse Tavern. John Archer was a decent cricketer from earlier times, Randall was a very good cricketer, Pughie used to play, old Nobby Clarke was a good cricketer ......... then I played in Phil Tingay's team anyway ..... but in those days there was more of a division between the seasons. Footballers got chance to play cricket. Chris Marples played both for Derbyshire at cricket and Chesterfield at football (and had to watch me keep goal badly for his dad's team in the worst season I ever had!). Steve Ogrizovic was a talented cricketer. Alan Stevenson played. Ernie Moss could play. Geoff Miller played for Derbyshire schools at football, represented the county at table tennis - if you were around the same age as these people you got chance to play with and against them. I played against Derek Randall at cricket twice - he was only miles and miles better than me. And even 25 years ago very good footballers like Bob Newton and Richard Dawson were still happy to become amateurs again and play in the Chesterfield League.

If you play competitive football every Saturday and most Sundays from the age of 15 till you cripple yourself at 26 you get to play with and against a lot of people. When you then help to run teams and and even leagues you get to meet a lot more. Leaving Chesterfield at the age of 40 ended all that. I miss it.

**spireitematt** · 01-04-2019, 18:44

(01-04-2019, 13:10)Devongone Wrote: At that time you got to play cricket against every Chesterfield player who could play cricket and lived locally, because they had their own team playing out of the Racecourse Tavern. John Archer was a decent cricketer from earlier times, Randall was a very good cricketer, Pughie used to play, old Nobby Clarke was a good cricketer ......... then I played in Phil Tingay's team anyway ..... but in those days there was more of a division between the seasons. Footballers got chance to play cricket. Chris Marples played both for Derbyshire at cricket and Chesterfield at football (and had to watch me keep goal badly for his dad's team in the worst season I ever had!). Steve Ogrizovic was a talented cricketer. Alan Stevenson played. Ernie Moss could play. Geoff Miller played for Derbyshire schools at football, represented the county at table tennis - if you were around the same age as these people you got chance to play with and against them. I played against Derek Randall at cricket twice - he was only miles and miles better than me. And even 25 years ago very good footballers like Bob Newton and Richard Dawson were still happy to become amateurs again and play in the Chesterfield League.

If you play competitive football every Saturday and most Sundays from the age of 15 till you cripple yourself at 26 you get to play with and against a lot of people. When you then help to run teams and and even leagues you get to meet a lot more. Leaving Chesterfield at the age of 40 ended all that. I miss it.

Footballers wouldn't be allowed to play cricket or even amateur football today in case they get injured, but the thing is you could get injured walking down the stairs. Dave Beasant broke his toe dropping a bottle of Salad cream on it and David James pulled a muscle reaching for the TV remote.

Devongone · 02-04-2019, 16:44

And if I had a wish it would be to send every pro goalkeeper to play cricket, fielding slip throughout games during the summer. Every one of them would improve.

Why Kevin Randall struck me as such a decent bloke was because I was batting towards the tail end as a 15 year old in a crappy team. It had rained after his team had got far too big a score for us ........... and they were left with hardly any time to bowl us out. But still we had collapsed and given them a chance. Then I came in and 15 year olds tend to bat correctly and I just did - and they weren't getting me out. So they put on a guy who wasn't one of their best bowlers and he roared in and bowled me a quick and very short ball. I swayed out of the way, but Kevin Randall was about to tell him he couldn't bowl at a kid like that, when he saw me smiling. So he settled down to see what would happen next ball. Short and quick again and I pulled it for four. Kev applauded. Next one same ball, same result, Kev delighted. I could always hook and pull. We held out. I scored somewhere in the teens, Kevin Randall shook my hand and was really genuine in his congratulations. I floated back to the dressing room. Kevin Randall was A okay, even if he did once spend almost an entire half searching for contact lens at Saltergate one Saturday.