Down Memory Lane

By popular demand, the club are launching this new section which invites past players, management and supporters to offer contributions recalling memorable occasions, unforgettable games or even funny moments that can be shared and enjoyed by readers of www.canterburycityfc.com.

We begin with a contribution from past player Bill Denton who recalls the night when City entertained double European Cup finalists Rheims.

All contributions are welcomed and should be sent to canterburycityfc@aol.com

or via keith.vaughan3@btinternet.com

Contributions from

Bill Denton Graham Hall Mark Wyver Dave Morgan Norman Fox Chris Gray Dave Morgan

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Memory Lane has gone rather quiet recently. Probably far too much of what's going on now to think about the past. Anyway, perhaps I can kick-start it by asking for thoughts on the best Kent born, or Kent based, players you ever saw. I'll start by offering two from a long way back: Jimmy Blair (Ramsgate), a brilliant Scottish international inside forward, and Peter Vandepeer, who was a wonderful centre forward for Margate and finished his football career coaching at Canterbury while teaching at the old Technical College in Longport.

Norman Fox

Canterbury City Cup Final Win Remembered

With City just two games away from reaching the Kent Junior Cup, memories have been rekindled of the club's last county cup final which was played at Sittingbourne FC in April 1980.

City played a strong Cray Wanderers team in the final of the Kent Intermeidate Cup bringing the silverware home following a fine 2-1 win.

The following memorabilia may bring back some fond memories of the occasion and the club would like to hear from any players or supporters who were present that afternoon.

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Canterbury City v Rheims

Kingsmead Stadium – August 19^th 1962

From Bill Denton

Canterbury City had the chance to play a pre-season friendly against the current French Champions Rheims who had recently appeared in two European Cup Finals (losing both to the great Real Madrid side of the late 1950s).

Unfortunately Kopa and Fontaine did not play in the game but that did not prevent over 2000 turning up at Kingsmead to cheer the Southern League side on. The game itself was played in great spirit, with Canterbury City winning 1-0 through a goal by Johnny Ray.

The Canterbury City side was:

Ian Black, Dereck Wells, Mike Buscall, Roy Proverbs, John Carragher, Davie Laing, Wally Hinshelwood, Johnny Ray, Tommy Dick, Peter Larraman and Bill Denton.

The team was managed by Ike Clarke.

I would like to hear from any players or supporters who remember those days and can be contacted on anbill@bigpond.com

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Gone To The Dogs

From Graham Hall

During the 1980s City were playing at Kingsmead. The speedway had finished and the pitch was surrounded by the greyhound track. It was in the days before any club had a fans forum.

The way for fans to express any views was often through a fanzine. City had a fanzine called ‘Gone to the Dogs’. The name was certainly prophetic. Perhaps at that time ‘Going to the Dogs’ would have been totally accurate! Does anyone remember it?

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The Six Minute Match

From Mark Wyver

Canterbury City entertained Dover at Kingsmead for a Southern League fixture in season 1979/80. After just six minutes and with the score at 0 - 0 the referee abandoned the game due to an icy pitch. Quite what City manager Brian Yeo (ex-Gillingham striker) made of it all is not recorded.

Can anyone confirm whether this is a record for an abandonment due to inclement weather conditions or recall any other details from the 'match'?

From Dave Morgan

It is odd how a match that lasted but 6 minutes can stick in the memory so long.I can recall the many disgruntled souls filing out after the game understandably not happy. The club were obviously in a difficult position as this was a big derby game. Worse it was New Years Day, so not only was the crowd a large one, but many probably had been suffering the effects of the night before! Still I do remember being probably one of the very few to leave with a smile on their faces. Why? Well as a fresh faced teenager I enjoyed collecting City programmes but arrived at the match shortly before kick-off to find every one had been sold. The good news though was that I spotted one of the disgruntled fan throwing his copy into a bin and promptly rescued it.

Keep up all the excellent work.

Best Wishes

Dave Morgan

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City Draw With Arsenal

From Norman Fox

Canterbury City are on equal points with Arsenal and have three games in hand. Chelsea are only one point ahead of them both. The Championship is there for the taking. In your dreams? Well, in a way because it was a long time ago. That was the situation in March 1960. OK, it wasn't the First Division. At that time City were in the Metropolitan League and doing pretty well. Indeed, they went up to Southgate and drew 4-4 with Arsenal after leading by two goals within half an hour.

This was one of the club's most remarkable games. Player-manager Roy Evans was outstanding, as was Gallacher, but the star was Crawford, who scored a hat-trick. He got his first goal after 27 minutes and another two minutes later. Arsenal revived. Court, later to become a first team player, scored and Burton added another before half-time. O'Neill then set up goals for Court and Anderson.

City, 4-2 down, seemed beyond hope but three minutes from time Evans scored with a lob that hit the underside of the bar after Snedden, a regular in the Arsenal first team, made a poor clearance. With a minute remaining, City players crowded into the Arsenal penalty area and Crawford managed to prod in the equaliser.

City finished their only season in the Metropolitan League in third place and scored ninety-nine goals, the second highest number in their history.

Arsenal: Moore; Read, Meldrum, Belger, Snedden, Ashberry, O'Neill, Burton, Court, Head, Anderson.

Canterbury City: Lloyd; Whitington, Morley, Gallacher, Burtenshaw, Evans, Hooper, Devonshire, Smith, Crawford, Cousans.

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Memories

From Chris Gray

Supported Canterbury City FC as a schoolboy in the 1960's. Remember great excitement when floodlights arrived at Kingsmead Stadium, around 1964 or 1965 I think. Also remember biggest win which was I believe 10-0 v. Deal Town at home, and biggest defeat away to Corby Town, lost 0-9. Also game v. Hastings United 1965 when Bobby Smith, not long from Spurs and Brighton, played for visitors. Also great excitement when Vic Groves signed from Arsenal. Remember being so keen cycled from home in ice/fog to watch reserves one late December evening, only to find ground deserted and match postponed. Also devoured "Kentish Gazette" every Friday for news, reports, results of City. Happy days !

With best wishes for 2007/08,

Chris Gray

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The Tractor Ride Goal Celebration

From: Dave Morgan

Co-ordinated goal celebrations seems to be the in-thing to do these days in the professional game, whether it be rocking the baby, holding the foot or simply doing a jig. Hopefully Dave Fairclough and his coaching team won't spend too much time on the training ground perfecting such a routine. But does anyone recollect many unusual goal celebrations by anyone wearing City colours?

One to be going on with came from the nineties when the greyhound people tended to leave their track equipment lying around anywhere it came to rest. A diminuitive City player called Paul Burke had an eye for an occasional goal and in one match popped up with such a strike with City attacking the old Speedway pits end. Conveniently the greyhound people had left a large piece of equipment lying around - a tractor! Paul did no more than wheel away in celebration and park himself on the seat of the tractor while teammates gathered round presumably wondering just what to do next. There was no actual tractor ride involved but this became his trademark celebration at Kingsmead Stadium. This impromptu celebration was a real bonus - most of us were just happy that City had managed to score!!!

From Mo Glover

The same Dave Morgan ?

I've been reading Down Memory Lane and I am wondering whether Dave Morgan was the person who used to help out at the programme hut which was situated on the left hand terrace as you walked into Kingsmead.

City gave me many memorable moments in the early eighties because it was my first experience of watching live football for which you had to pay. My favourite players of that time were Ray Hales and Peter Venn (I think that was his name, though it was twenty-five years ago). I was amazed at the skills of Alan Wilks - never seen a player who appeared to be so flat-footed ! Dover games in the FA Cup were classics, and watched by big crowds. As a Maidstone season ticket holder, I hope you guys enjoy a similar run of form to us and Faversham and get back to the top level of Kent football. Kent needs its senior clubs and the competition that creates.

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From John Ward

Just to keep your records straight re the article by Chris Gray: record win versus Deal Town. I was in goal for Deal.that night. The score was 12 nil and not 10. However, I did not feel the score reflected my performance that night. It was a mid-week game. I got dropped and they went to Stevenage on the Saturday and lost 12 nil, with Lennie Long in goal . Hope this tidies things up for you.

Very best regards

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