Silent Blade
Well-Known Member
We all are wondering what team Wilder will pick for tomorrow's match I am taking a look back at our past managers' line ups for their first matches. I am not going to include managers that were appointed during the close season (Porterfield, Spackman, Bruce, Heath, Wilson, Weir, Adkins, Wilder and Jokanovic) or caretaker managers for short spells.
1970s
The line up for John Harris last match in the 3-1 defeat at Coventry was
1. Connaughton
2. Badger
3. Hemsley
4. Flynn
5. Colquhoun
6. Speight
7. Woodward
8. Salmons
9. Dearden
10. Currie
11. Bone
At the time Furphy took over we were sat in 14th position of the table. Only one change was made for Furphy's first match at QPR two weeks later, Dave Staniforth coming in for Jim Bone although in the previous Saturday John Harris named Staniforth to play in the postponed home game against Ipswich.
From what I remember the football under Furphy seemed to be less carefree than it was under Harris.
Badger, Hemsley, Colquhoun, Woody, Salmons and Currie (until his cartilage op in April) were the regular starters for the rest of the season. Eddy came back to the starting line up in Furphy's first match (v Southampton) after recovering from a broken collarbone and played in every game for the rest of the season. Connaughton was dropped from the team in January and Hope was brought back as our first choice keeper until we signed Brown from Chesterfield. Dearden played in only 3 more games after the QPR match as he had injury problems. Speight was banned for a few games in March after being sent off against Stoke and almost left the club on deadline day. Flynn had a spell in the reserves in March and April. Furphy also signed Garbett and Field who I didnt rate. Staniforth fell out of favour in the New Year and was transferred to Bristol Rovers. Cammack played in a few games as did Nicholl.
October 1975. Line up for Furphy's last match in 2-0 defeat at Birmingham
1. Brown
2. Badger
3. Hemsley
4. Calvert
5. Colquhoun (Franks)
6. Flynn
7. Woodward
8. Speight
9. Cammack
10. Currie
11. Field
Cec Coldwell was the caretaker manager in the League Cup defeat at Hull and the 5-1 defeat at Wolves. It was announced before our home game against Stoke that Jimmy Sirrel was to be our new manager but weirdly Sirrel insisted on serving a 4 week notice at Notts County so Cec had to take charge for the Stoke game. In the next few days the Notts County board told Sirrel that it would be better if he starts his new job immediately.
Sirrel's line up in the 1-0 defeat at QPR was
1. McAlister
2. Badger
3. Hemsley
4. Eddy
5. Colquhoun
6. Flynn
7. Woodward
8. Calvert
9. Guthrie
10. Currie
11. Dearden
McAlister returned to the 1st team after a 2 year absence as Brown suffered a shoulder injury against Stoke. Guthrie returned to the team against Hull after injury. Not sure if Dearden played up front with Guthrie or returned to his old position on the left wing?
Badger, Hemsley, Eddy, Field and Cammack didnt play many more games towards the end of 1975 as Sirrel preferred Franks at right back and brought in Garner from Huddersfield to play at left back. Hemsley stayed at the club until 1977 but Badger, Eddy, Field and Cammack left in the New Year and Dearden left during the close season. Sirrel signed ex Celtic superstar Johnstone but he was well past his prime. Sirrel was keen on giving youth players a chance instead of some of the experienced players. We remained bottom of the division between September and May.
September 1977. Line up Sirrel's last game in the 2-1 defeat at Brighton was.
1. Brown
2. Cutbush
3. Kenworthy
4. Speight
5. Colquhoun
6. Flynn
7. Franks
8. Campbell
9. Edwards
10. Salmons
11. Hamson
Think Woody was ruled out of the game due to an injury but he was back in the side in Coldwell's first match in his 4 month caretaker spell replacing Kenworthy. We beat Southampton 3-2
1. Brown
2. Cutbush
3. Franks
4. Speight
5. Colquhoun
6. Flynn
7. Woodward
8. Campbell
9. Edwards
10. Hamson
11. Salmons
I was very disappointed that we didnt keep Salmons although being at school prevented me from seeing him play in the loan spell. My dad was disappointed too. We couldnt match what Leicester had offered for him. Coldwell's caretaker spell started well as we rose from 2nd from bottom to 7th place on New Years Eve. I kept telling my dad that we should make Coldwell our permanent manager but he disagreed every time saying that he is "limited". He didnt really rate him as a player too! In the next game Calvert was our regular left back and remained there for the rest of the season also Brown, Cutbush, Colquhoun, Flynn, Campbell, Edwards and Hamilton were regulars during Coldwell's spell.
After an exciting 2-2 draw against Spurs we then conceded 5 goals in the next three matches.
The line up in the 5-1 defeat at Sunderland was
1. Brown
2. Keeley
3. Calvert
4. Speight
5. Franks
6. Flynn
7. Woodward
8. Campbell
9. Stainrod
10. Hamson
11. Longhorn
February 1978. Stoke at home was supposed to be Haslam's first match but it was postponed due to the pitch being waterlogged. He kept Coldwell in the backroom staff.
His first line up in the 1-0 defeat at Palace.
1. Brown
2. Keeley
3. Calvert
4. Speight
5. Franks
6. Flynn
7. Woodward
8. Campbell
9. Stainrod
10. Hamson
11. Edwards (Cutbush)
There werent much chopping and changing for the rest of the season.
Next - the 1980s
1970s
The line up for John Harris last match in the 3-1 defeat at Coventry was
1. Connaughton
2. Badger
3. Hemsley
4. Flynn
5. Colquhoun
6. Speight
7. Woodward
8. Salmons
9. Dearden
10. Currie
11. Bone
At the time Furphy took over we were sat in 14th position of the table. Only one change was made for Furphy's first match at QPR two weeks later, Dave Staniforth coming in for Jim Bone although in the previous Saturday John Harris named Staniforth to play in the postponed home game against Ipswich.
From what I remember the football under Furphy seemed to be less carefree than it was under Harris.
Badger, Hemsley, Colquhoun, Woody, Salmons and Currie (until his cartilage op in April) were the regular starters for the rest of the season. Eddy came back to the starting line up in Furphy's first match (v Southampton) after recovering from a broken collarbone and played in every game for the rest of the season. Connaughton was dropped from the team in January and Hope was brought back as our first choice keeper until we signed Brown from Chesterfield. Dearden played in only 3 more games after the QPR match as he had injury problems. Speight was banned for a few games in March after being sent off against Stoke and almost left the club on deadline day. Flynn had a spell in the reserves in March and April. Furphy also signed Garbett and Field who I didnt rate. Staniforth fell out of favour in the New Year and was transferred to Bristol Rovers. Cammack played in a few games as did Nicholl.
October 1975. Line up for Furphy's last match in 2-0 defeat at Birmingham
1. Brown
2. Badger
3. Hemsley
4. Calvert
5. Colquhoun (Franks)
6. Flynn
7. Woodward
8. Speight
9. Cammack
10. Currie
11. Field
Cec Coldwell was the caretaker manager in the League Cup defeat at Hull and the 5-1 defeat at Wolves. It was announced before our home game against Stoke that Jimmy Sirrel was to be our new manager but weirdly Sirrel insisted on serving a 4 week notice at Notts County so Cec had to take charge for the Stoke game. In the next few days the Notts County board told Sirrel that it would be better if he starts his new job immediately.
Sirrel's line up in the 1-0 defeat at QPR was
1. McAlister
2. Badger
3. Hemsley
4. Eddy
5. Colquhoun
6. Flynn
7. Woodward
8. Calvert
9. Guthrie
10. Currie
11. Dearden
McAlister returned to the 1st team after a 2 year absence as Brown suffered a shoulder injury against Stoke. Guthrie returned to the team against Hull after injury. Not sure if Dearden played up front with Guthrie or returned to his old position on the left wing?
Badger, Hemsley, Eddy, Field and Cammack didnt play many more games towards the end of 1975 as Sirrel preferred Franks at right back and brought in Garner from Huddersfield to play at left back. Hemsley stayed at the club until 1977 but Badger, Eddy, Field and Cammack left in the New Year and Dearden left during the close season. Sirrel signed ex Celtic superstar Johnstone but he was well past his prime. Sirrel was keen on giving youth players a chance instead of some of the experienced players. We remained bottom of the division between September and May.
September 1977. Line up Sirrel's last game in the 2-1 defeat at Brighton was.
1. Brown
2. Cutbush
3. Kenworthy
4. Speight
5. Colquhoun
6. Flynn
7. Franks
8. Campbell
9. Edwards
10. Salmons
11. Hamson
Think Woody was ruled out of the game due to an injury but he was back in the side in Coldwell's first match in his 4 month caretaker spell replacing Kenworthy. We beat Southampton 3-2
1. Brown
2. Cutbush
3. Franks
4. Speight
5. Colquhoun
6. Flynn
7. Woodward
8. Campbell
9. Edwards
10. Hamson
11. Salmons
I was very disappointed that we didnt keep Salmons although being at school prevented me from seeing him play in the loan spell. My dad was disappointed too. We couldnt match what Leicester had offered for him. Coldwell's caretaker spell started well as we rose from 2nd from bottom to 7th place on New Years Eve. I kept telling my dad that we should make Coldwell our permanent manager but he disagreed every time saying that he is "limited". He didnt really rate him as a player too! In the next game Calvert was our regular left back and remained there for the rest of the season also Brown, Cutbush, Colquhoun, Flynn, Campbell, Edwards and Hamilton were regulars during Coldwell's spell.
After an exciting 2-2 draw against Spurs we then conceded 5 goals in the next three matches.
The line up in the 5-1 defeat at Sunderland was
1. Brown
2. Keeley
3. Calvert
4. Speight
5. Franks
6. Flynn
7. Woodward
8. Campbell
9. Stainrod
10. Hamson
11. Longhorn
February 1978. Stoke at home was supposed to be Haslam's first match but it was postponed due to the pitch being waterlogged. He kept Coldwell in the backroom staff.
His first line up in the 1-0 defeat at Palace.
1. Brown
2. Keeley
3. Calvert
4. Speight
5. Franks
6. Flynn
7. Woodward
8. Campbell
9. Stainrod
10. Hamson
11. Edwards (Cutbush)
There werent much chopping and changing for the rest of the season.
Next - the 1980s
