More champagne for Curbs?
Curbs wrote to me during the week to tell me that he had enjoyed one of the bottles of champagne I sent him for Christmas after the victory over West Brom. Will he be opening the champagne again after Monday's visit by Fulham to The Valley?
Drawing on his experience of playing non-league football, my father always said that there was 'something funny' about works teams. I think that what he meant by that was that they got time for training at the expense of the firm, as well as a nice job in it. One of the last matches we saw together was when he had retired to Cornwall. Falmouth ran away with the Rothman's Western League championship three years in succession, but one Christmas Westland Yeovil helicoptered in and held them to a surprise 2-2 draw, whereas the 10-0 defeat they inflicted on Mousehole in the Cornwall Senior Cup was a more usual home scoreline.
So what about the works team from Harrods? When they were playing at Loftus Road, it was always hilarious to see Mohammed al Fayed scoring 'penalties' at half time. He claimed to have been a footballer in his youth, but when asked which position he played, he replied, 'Captain, always captain'. Al Fayed seems to have become disllusioned when his injection of cash (not to mention Christmas hampers for the officals) failed to bring as much success as he wanted. (Note to lurking lawyers: the reference to Christmas hampers is a joke). Now he is a tax exile in Switzerland.
Indeed, the Fulham crowd had to be seen to be believed. In an effort to boost numbers, seats were offered as part of a package deal to Japanese tourists near the away end who then took delight in photographing the Addickted. One Addick who got a ticket in the home end reported that a woman sunbathed throughout the game.
One of the current issues about Fulham is whether they are a mid-table club or a relegation league club. Manager Chris Coleman has admitted, 'we're always looking over our shoulder.' Although they are capable of scoring some spectacular goals, their defensive record is poor. They have conceded 28 goals this morning, one more than the Addicks. And Charlton have only let eight goals at home, four of those against Chelsea.
So champagne for Curbs? More like a nice glass of white wine. This London derby looks like a good bet for a draw.
Drawing on his experience of playing non-league football, my father always said that there was 'something funny' about works teams. I think that what he meant by that was that they got time for training at the expense of the firm, as well as a nice job in it. One of the last matches we saw together was when he had retired to Cornwall. Falmouth ran away with the Rothman's Western League championship three years in succession, but one Christmas Westland Yeovil helicoptered in and held them to a surprise 2-2 draw, whereas the 10-0 defeat they inflicted on Mousehole in the Cornwall Senior Cup was a more usual home scoreline.
So what about the works team from Harrods? When they were playing at Loftus Road, it was always hilarious to see Mohammed al Fayed scoring 'penalties' at half time. He claimed to have been a footballer in his youth, but when asked which position he played, he replied, 'Captain, always captain'. Al Fayed seems to have become disllusioned when his injection of cash (not to mention Christmas hampers for the officals) failed to bring as much success as he wanted. (Note to lurking lawyers: the reference to Christmas hampers is a joke). Now he is a tax exile in Switzerland.
Indeed, the Fulham crowd had to be seen to be believed. In an effort to boost numbers, seats were offered as part of a package deal to Japanese tourists near the away end who then took delight in photographing the Addickted. One Addick who got a ticket in the home end reported that a woman sunbathed throughout the game.
One of the current issues about Fulham is whether they are a mid-table club or a relegation league club. Manager Chris Coleman has admitted, 'we're always looking over our shoulder.' Although they are capable of scoring some spectacular goals, their defensive record is poor. They have conceded 28 goals this morning, one more than the Addicks. And Charlton have only let eight goals at home, four of those against Chelsea.
So champagne for Curbs? More like a nice glass of white wine. This London derby looks like a good bet for a draw.
posted by Wyn Grant at 7:47 AM
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