Football: That was the weekend that was

Monday 15 December 1997 00:02 GMT
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Small price for a piece of history

Chelsea fans are used to paying premium prices to see their star- studded team in action - but surely even they would balk at pounds 245 for a seat.

Apparently not. Leaflets thrust into the hands of supporters arriving at Stamford Bridge on Saturday afternoon offered some 2,000 West Stand seats at that price - and the suppliers confidently expect to shift the lot.

This, however, is an offer with a difference. These seats come with wooden backs and cast alloy legs and are ready to take pride of place in front of the television in your own front room.

And before anyone assumes that this is yet another example of merchandising gone mad in Chelsea's club shop, let it be pointed out that the Stamford Bridge chairman, Ken Bates, is not making a penny from it.

The seats are actually the property of T McGee and Company, the demolition firm who knocked down Chelsea's old West Stand, who stand to make pounds 1.5m from the Blues fanatics, who will eventually become the chairs' owners.

The idea of salvaging and restoring the seats - 30 years old and made of high quality mahogany - came from Chelsea supporters Adrian and Frank O'Sullivan, who both work for McGee's.

They set about renovating one of them as a prototype, stripping it with caustic soda and applying three coats of varnish, and presented the idea to McGee's management, who then gave the go-ahead for the whole batch to be restored.

"We cannot believe the response we have had from supporters," Frank O'Sullivan said. The seats come with a brass plaque and the original number stencilled on the back.

Their only regret is that 4,000 of the 6,300 seats removed from the West Stand had actually been destroyed before they thought of the idea.

Terriers' great escape goes awry

Here is a novel idea that Christian Gross might like to try if all else fails at White Hart Lane. It comes from Peter Jackson, a fellow manager of whom Tottenham's beleaguered new coach may not have heard, but who knows just how he is feeling at the moment.

Jackson took charge at First Division relegation favourites Huddersfield in October and, like Gross, quickly discovered that he had taken on a somewhat Herculean task.

But he reckons that he has found a unique way to remind his players of their responsibilities as they take to the field at the McAlpine Stadium - he has the Tannoys turned up and booming out the theme tune from The Great Escape.

The idea came from the Terriers' fans, who have adopted the tune as their own anthem during a run of five wins in seven games, which has given Jackson's side renewed hope of pulling clear of the drop zone.

"It's a very catchy tune and it is sure to get everyone involved and a really good atmosphere going," Jackson said. "And our objective at the end of the day is to perform a great escape, so why not?"

Having located a recording in time for Saturday's match against Norwich, Jackson sent out his players with renewed purpose, intent on securing the three points that would lift them out of the bottom three and set them on the road to safety and respectability.

Unfortunately, however, that is where the plan went wrong. After three minutes, Norwich scored; after 40, they scored again.

And although Marcus Stewart did manage to pull one back for Town in the second half, the East Anglians eventually ran out 3-1 winners.

FAMILY

TREE

Had it not been for the turmoil of South Africa in the 1960s, English football might never have enjoyed the talents of Edwin, Brian and Chelsea's Mark Stein.

"My father was always involved in the fight against apartheid," Brian, the former Luton striker, recalls. "He was in prison at different times and also kept under 24-hour house arrest. Eventually, the time came when we had to get out.

"That was 1967. Mark was just a baby but Edwin and myself were already keen on football, although we knew nothing about the game here."

In the event, it offered unexpected opportunity. By the time he was 20, Brian had been spotted by Luton and launched on a career that ultimately won him an international cap. Edwin, later to enjoy success with Barry Fry at Barnet, followed him to Kenilworth Road.

"For me, getting into the game was pure luck," Brian said. "When I was doing my O-levels, I actually gave up football so I could work on Saturdays, but then Sudbury Court offered to pay me pounds 5 to play as well as buying me some boots - and I scored 70 goals in a season."

Nowadays, Brian, 40, having played for half a dozen non-League sides since leaving Luton in 1992, mixes scouting with work as an agent. His own son, 11-year-old Holden, shows more inclination for rugby. Edwin, 42, is studying for a sports degree at Middlesex University.

GOOD BOYS . . .

THE PREMIERSHIP'S

LEADING SCORERS

John Hartson 17

(West Ham)

Andy Cole 15

(Man Utd)

Dennis Bergkamp 12

(Arsenal)

Chris Sutton 12

(Blackburn)

Francesco Baiano 11

(Derby)

. . . and BAD BOYS

THE SEASON'S RED AND YELLOW CARDS

Leeds United

Arsenal

Coventry

Bolton

Crystal Palace

Missing...

Dean Richards

(Wolves)

The former England Under-21 international, regarded by many as the best defender outside the Premiership, has not played since January because of knee trouble, a legacy of a car crash 12 months earlier. Richards underwent a cruciate ligament operation and a long rehabilitation programme, but returned to training two weeks ago and took part in his first reserve- team action last week, with a view to being in first-team contention over Christmas or early in the new year.

Adrian Forbes

(Norwich City)

Of similar build and stature to Norwich old boy Ruel Fox, the 18-year- old winger struck his fourth goal of the season in Saturday's win over Huddersfield, which will only strengthen the East Anglian club's bargaining position should they decide to cash in on his potential. Derby and Newcastle are said to be interested in a player for whom Norwich will want around pounds 1m.

After speedway, EastEnders bosses are rumoured to be looking at another plot with a sporting angle in which Grant Mitchell discovers a talent for football. The search for his body double led the BBC to a Premiership club in the Midlands, where filming has already begun...

Lee Carsley

The 1st Eleven

Rejects United - 11 talents their first clubs failed to appreciate

David Seaman (Leeds, 0 apps) Earl Barrett (Man City, 4) John Beresford (Man City, 0) Matt Elliott (Charlton, 1) Paul Warhurst (Man City, 0) Ian Bishop (Everton, 1) Ray Houghton (West Ham, 1) David Platt (Man Utd, 0) Andy Cole (Arsenal, 2) Stan Collymore (Wolves, 0) Ashley Ward (Man City, 3)

RUMOURS

Fact and ction from the Sunday papers

Sven Goran Eriksson, the Swedish coach who turned down Blackburn, will offer his services to Liverpool if Roy Evans steps down, the Sunday Mirror reports. Evans, meanwhile, is looking at Portugal's Fernando Couto as the answer to his side's defensive problems.

Everton's sights are somewhat lower, according to the People, who predict the arrival of a third signing from Sheffield United at Goodison Park, with Howard Kendall said to want right-back Chris Short to join brother Craig and link up with ex-Bramall Lane chums Mitch Ward and Carl Tiler.

Savo Milosevic's plans to leave Aston Villa on a free transfer next summer have been dashed, the People says, by Villa's decision to exercise their right to extend his contract, tying him to the Midlands club until summer 1999. The Yugoslav recently turned down a pounds 4.5m move to Napoli.

David Platt is the No 1 target for managerless West Bromwich Albion, the News of the World reports. The Arsenal and England player has made his ambitions in management known and can leave Highbury for pounds 1m.

Arsenal are renewing their interest in Juventus defender Moreno Torricelli, according to the Sunday Mirror, who also say Italian side Parma are willing to trump Manchester United's bid for Chilean striker Marcelo Salas by offering pounds 18m. The News of the World reckons Real Madrid have also joined the chase for the 23-year-old River Plate striker.

Despite having Kevin Hitchcock, Ed de Goey and Frode Grodas at his disposal, the People reckons Chelsea manager Ruud Gullit is planning a pounds 3m swoop for West Bromwich Albion's goalkeeper Alan Miller.

The News of the World says Barry Fry has turned down a pounds 750,000 bid from Liverpool for Peterborough goalkeeper Mark Tyler.

PREMIERSHIP TEAM OF THE WEEK

NIGEL MARTYN

LEEDS UTD

DAVID WETHERALL

LEEDS UTD

COLIN HENDRY

BLACKBURN

LUCAS RADEBE

LEEDS UTD

PER FRANDSEN

BOLTON

TIM SHERWOOD

BLACKBURN

NEIL REDFEARN

BARNSLEY

KEITH GILLESPIE

NEWCASTLE

DARREN HUCKERBY

COVENTRY

KEVIN GALLACHER

BLACKBURN

MICHAEL OWEN

LIVERPOOL

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