Totally off-topic, as teenagers we would sometimes see Brian Clough walking around Derby or on the touchline when Nigel was playing Sunday League on our local park. Not a chatty man, Cloughie. You'd get a brief hello or nod and that would be it. But a lot of people I'm still in touch with still hold him in great esteem. He put Derby on the map - something that hadn't happened since Charles Edward Stuart rode into the market place in the winter of 1745.
I saw Jim Standen play for the 'mighty' hammers. One of those talented sportsmen that also played county cricket. Bobby Moore had a sports shop opposite Upton Park and then a pub in Stratford and a part ownership in the Epping Forrest Country club. My claim to fame was asking Bobby to stand aside so that I could get to the bar at the Retreat pub Chigwell Row.
I checked what hooped t shirts I have and found New Look, Lee and Marimekko (and a vintage West ham shirt) in the waldrobe.
In the 70s Marimekko sold great hooped t shirts and even today they are iconic, expensive and still being worn, mainly by Finnish women.They are now made in Estonia (and not Finland) but still charge top dollar.
West Ham probably meant more to me as a child than any other team - until I fell in love with Manchester United circa 1968. Geoff Hurst was a hundred per cent my hero, closely followed by Moore and Peters. I could still quite happily watch DVDs of 1960s matches, without partisanship. I just loved football.
West Ham used to be everyone's second favourite team especially in the 60s. When I'm back home I still go to watch them but it's got very 'tribal' and I don't get the irrational 'hatred' of other teams.
@Robbie, I played in the same District football team as Jim Standen's son Nick. He was a nice lad, but would what I would describe as a below average footballer, couldn't trap a bag of cement. I lost count of the decent balls I whipped into the box from the left wing only for him to head wide or completely miss altogether.
Jim was an absolute Gent, always lovely and chatty to my mum. He eventually sold up and moved to LA with his family about 40 years ago.
Runninggeez - This made me laugh 'couldn't trap a bag of cement.' It was an expression my dad used when he watched me play. There was an obsession with trapping the ball with his generation. I never did master it but I was a great header of the ball. Dad said I had a head like a thruppenny bit. That wasn't true as I practised heading. Probably why I can't remember what I had for breakfast yesterday Ha
@Robbie, ha ha, I was also going to say his third touch let him down.
Runninggeez-I watch the modern game and I'm always impressed with the passing accuracy today. Half the West Ham players, however seem to have an inability to receive the ball and control it and we end up losing the ball to the opposition.
I also played on the left but didn't make District level mainly due to two really good schoolboy players that went on to play at a professional level.
And I had to attend church every Sunday when my mates were improving their skills over the park. I'm full of excuses. I would have preferred to open the bowling at Lord's anyway.
Robbie- Bowling or batting at Lords or even the Oval now that is something special.
Robbie , sent you a PM earlier, slightly off subject re sport, cheers- Stax
Just read and replied to your PM Stax. Missed it earlier
Thanks Robbie, reply sent ! Cheers,Stax