Roy of the Rovers Total Football

Part 10

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Before kick-off Trevor Brinsden and the Melboro chairman along with three
legends from each club gathered on the touchline. David Roth had the idea of
designating this Derby as the first cancer awareness day. Trevor and his opposite
number both held cheques for 100,000 written out to a popular research
charity. Trevor gave a speech while the legends, Roy Race, Duncan McKay and
Lofty Peak from Melchester Rovers and Peter Beck, Bill Bennett and Johnny
Telford from Melboro, circled the pitch collecting cash donations. The press and
broadcasters commended the gesture as a wonderful occasion and hailed
Brinsdens courage. Roths plan had worked, dealing with the intensity of the lie
had become too stressful for the pair, hopefully they would not have to
continually provide answers now that the first Derby of the season would always
be cancer awareness day. The two devious businessmen could handle awkward
questions for one day a year.
The match had failed to live up to expectations, Cesare Ranas had set his side up
not to lose, as had Johan Seegrun. Radio shows and social media were full of
criticism, fans bemoaned the lack of attacking football. The most common theme
harked back to the great derbies between Roy Races and Andy Jacksons teams
of the late 70s and early 80s. Race and Jackson would never had settled for a
draw.
In the executive bar at full-time, Roy Race told the story of his favourite derby;
Mid-February 1980, wed just been knocked out of the UEFA Cup by Icelandic
part-timers Heklavik! Probably the biggest shock in European football ever! Any
way we faced Melboro in the FA Cup, just three days later, a massive game.
Their fans were taunting us, chanting Heklavik! Heklavik! the atmosphere as
fierce as ever! As always, when Roy Race spoke football, his audience was
captivated, the whole room fell silent, accept for old foe Andy Jackson, who was
muttering away, waiting for his turn to counter.
The match started at a frantic pace; Lacey on the wing was giving us early
trouble and Bill Bennetts long throws were a danger as always! But Vic Guthrie
was a rock at the back, he headed a throw clear to Geoff Giles, who fed me, I
shot early, but Kennedy tipped it over a great save! Then it was Charlie Carters
turn to make a neat save! What a match!
Then I scored, well I thought I had! I smashed in a beauty of a free-kick, but the
I hadnt heard the ref tell me it was indirect, my mistake, thankfully it wouldnt
be a costly one! But I didnt know that at the time and was fuming! Half-time
came, still nil-nil. Andy Jackson was still trying to wind me up, I was on the verge
of cracking, but tried not to show it!
The former Melboro manager slammed his pint glass loudly onto the table and
was about to speak when Roy continued, My nerves were shredded, my players
were struggling, even Blackie Gray was trying to tell me how to do my job! Then
disaster struck, Bennett volleyed in one of the best derby goals in history, we
were behind and hanging on! But then it was my turn to score a great volley,
Gerry Holloway nodded down Jimmy Slades crossfield pass and I lashed it home!
Was it better than Bills goal? You can decide, I think so, his was a fluke!

Jackson scoffed sending a mouthful of lager over the back of Bill Bennett, his
former captain. The crowd, mostly Melboro supporters did not turn away, still
listening intently to Roys tale. Jacko was lost the plot, screaming and shouting
nonsense at me and his players. The Superbrat Vic Guthrie headed us in front!
Boro fought back, forcing Carter into another world-class save. We may have
lost to a bunch of part-timers from Iceland, but the Rovers side was packed with
world-class players; Paco Diaz, our Spanish superstar, got the third. He sped
down the right wing, hurdled the challenge of Dawson and curled in another
beauty! 3-1! I set up Blackie to head in the fourth and we had stuffed Melboro by
four goals to one! And that folks is the story of my favourite Derby, although the
5-0 win in 1977, when I scored a hat-trick was pretty special too!

Everyone in the room, bar Jackson, stood to applaud. Generally the Derby was
played in good spirits with little of the crowd trouble associated with other
grudge matches in English football. Andy Jackson had done his best to stir up
hatred during his ten years plus in charge of the Boro, but in Roy Race he had
found an opponent unwilling to engage him or incite his fans to respond to
provocation. Jackson had mellowed towards the end of his spell and that was
when he knew it was time to resign, it was 1989. His replacement was Jack
Cassidy, the Walford manager, another firebrand with a brash reputation, but he
could not replicate Jacksons success and was sacked after less than two years to
be replaced with another controversial figure, Ralph Gordon.
Today though, Jackson was back to his red-faced best, he was boiling over,
Race, can I tell my tale now? This is my club after all, you Melboro fans should
be ashamed gushing over Roy Race! The rotund figure, now in his seventies, did
not have the same gift for public speaking as Roy, but the crowd still wanted to
hear his retort.
1980/81 the year power shifted across the River Mel and its never been back!
The best transfer in English football, to this day, I signed Geoff Giles from
Melchester Rovers. Even Roy would admit that I helped Giles to become an even
better player! I saw what Roy Race couldnt, that Giles was naturally an attacking
player and gave him freedom, he showed what a world-class player he was in his
first Derby on the Melboro side!
Roy nodded in agreement, he had allowed Giles to join his rivals prematurely, he
had not anticipated Geoffs continued development as a player. Tell us more,
Andy! Roy shouted.
Rovers were in disarray, Roy had allowed his first-team squad to dwindle, he let
me have Roger Dixon too, while he had a kid in goal. I can remember the Rovers
side, name for name; in goal was Walter Williams, making his debut, he was
short. At the back they had Baxter (past it), Guthrie (a nutcase), McKay (out of
position) and Slade (also out of position). They looked very weak defensively and
they were. The midfield wasnt much better, Gray (past it), Wallace (past it) and
Lynch (a rookie), my midfield, led by Giles could easily out work and out skill that
lot! Rovers greatest strength was their front three, Diaz, Eliot and Race, all three
absolutely irreplaceable, the best of the best! I say that just in case you think I
was being harsh on the others!

Again Roy just nodded along, Jackson had always been honest and in reality that
Melchester side was weak, Roy knew it in 1980 and did everything in his power
to try and strengthen it. My Melboro side was one of my best. Kennedy,
Bennett, Lacey, Britten, Hedges, Dixon and Giles, formed the core, we were
strong and I was confident, I could sense Raceys nerves!
I told Geoff Giles to go out and play with freedom. He was such a good player I
never needed to give him specific instructions. From the very start Giles took
control, running with the ball, taking on his marker. He had never done that for
Melchester Rovers, it was a new part of his game and it took Rovers by surprise.
Noel Baxter, who I already said was past it, sliced his pass wildly straight to Geoff
who barged through Guthrie and slammed it home!

Before Rovers could recover hed scored a second, this time a deflection of
Baxter wrong-footed the shrimp in goal! We were cruising at 2-0, Rovers couldnt
create anything; we dominated. Williams made four or five good saves to keep
the score down, Geoff couldve had four or five goals himself. Rovers didnt have
a decent shot until the very end; Roy scored, but it was the last kick of the game!
We had won 2-1 and beaten Rovers at Mel Park for the first time since the War!
And if you had forgotten Melchester Rovers were relegated at the end of that
season!

Those were just two great matches between Melchester Rovers and Melboro,
through the years the rivalry had provided many special memories for fans of
both clubs. The rivalry would reach new levels in the late 90s when Roys own
son Rocky would follow the path of Geoff Giles and sign for the blues.
***

Rocky Race, head coach of Baltimore Bullets, was enjoying another recordbreaking season in the MLS. His Bullets team were now nicknamed The
Invincibles after an amazing maintaining an amazing unbeaten run stretching
over a full calendar year. Rockys worldwide reputation was growing, with
rumours of job offers from the English Premier League as well as a firm offer to
take over the England Under-21s. Rocky had rejected any approach; he was
settled and unbelievably happy in the USA.
Baltimores form was unprecedented, Rocky of course was confident going into
the Conference Final against Moosehead Timberwolves.

Moosehead Timberwolves 0,
Baltimore Bullets 2 | MLS
Conference Finals Match
Recap
SAINT JOHN N.B.After last week's scoreless first-leg draw between the Baltimore
Bullets and the Moosehead Timberwolves, it was tough to tell who held the
advantage heading into Sunday's 2015 MLS Cup Playoffs Western Conference Final
second leg in Moosehead. As it turned out, the Timberwolves' failure to grab an away
goal in Maryland proved costly.
In Sunday's match at The Wolves Lair, once Baltimore's Matt Thatcher struck
the crucial away goal for Baltimore, the Timberwolves were forced to score two to
survive the aggregate-goal series. But they couldn't even get one.
Bullets midfielder Carlos Figueroa added a second four minutes into second-half
stoppage time as Baltimore ran out 2-0 winners on the night and on aggregate,
continuing their unbeaten defence of their MLS Championship, which will culminate
when they challenge Springfield Sharks in the MLS Final in Baltimore on December
6.
Both teams were in attack mode from the kickoff, with Moosehead pushing hard for
the early breakthrough in a breathtakingly fast-paced start.
Moosehead's Kimeh Faccon flashed a shot just past the right post six minutes in and
he came even closer three minutes later, crashing a low drive off the left post and off
the back of goalkeeper Allan Tinn for a corner.
Baltimore created chances on the counter and Borja Jesus curled one wide from
distance in the 14th minute.

The 'Wolves chances in the series were dealt a serious blow midway through the first
half when Faccon rolled his ankle, limping off in the 25th minute to be replaced by
veteran Matias Tinto.
Not for the first time this season, Moosehead's early dominance produced no end
results, and after withstanding intense pressure, Baltimore took control of the
series with Thatcher's opening goal in the 31st minute. The striker buried a Jesus
cutback from the end line high into the Timberwolves' net.
Moosehead tried to regroup and 'Wolves forward Oscar Ramirez came close to
levelling in the 44th minute, with a looping header from a Tinto free kick that Tinn had
to tip over his crossbar.
The second half played out in similar fashion, with Moosehead trying to initiate their
attack and Baltimore looking comfortable in possession.
And aside from a penalty shout from the Timberwolves early in the second half, it
was half chances for both teams, and not many of those.
Timberwolves goalkeeper Dan Ogplet had little to do all evening, aside from
removing the ball from his own net, though he had to react quickly in the 81st minute,
as a Baltimore free kick came in untouched.
Moosehead seemed resigned to their fate, one sealed four minutes into stoppage
time. A quick Baltimore counterattack saw Figueroa tuck away a pass to double the
Bullets' lead, ensuring they'd advance to a date with Springfield Sharks.

Armchair Analyst's Take

If you cant score, you wont win. And the Moosehead Timberwolves pretty much can
not score right now, which is why their season is over.
How bad is it? Theyve been shut out in five of their last six across all competitions,
and seven of their last 10. Theyve scored multiple goals just once in the last two
months. The only forward on the roster whos scored since early September is Roger
Winter, and hes not the guy whos going to win you a playoff series at this stage in
his career.
As for the Bullets it seems like theyve found another big-game player. Matt
Thatcher has been getting the press and Carlos Figueroa is rightfully considered one
of the leagues most inventive players, but it all runs through Borja Jesus at this point
in time. He is dictating where the game is played with his ability to hold the ball up
and make plays.
And because of that Baltimore are were on course to defend their MLS title.

Rockys first task, once he returned to the teams smart ocean-front hotel, was to
call his father and give him the good news. The pair had worked so well together
to bring home the 2014 Championship and Rocky was sure that Roy would want
to attend the final this year too. Dad! Weve done it, back in the final!
I know, son. I was watching. Really solid performance, the side has matured so
much, they dont just blow away the opposition now, but can win ugly! Youve
done everything right this season, I have to say, it looks faultless from this side
of the pond!
The two didnt discuss much other than football, so Rocky always found it difficult
to approach family matters. Dad, can you convince Mel and Diana, at least Mel,
to come out for this game? Neither of them have visited me here yet, Ive been
here so long, the house is amazing now and theyve never seen it! Jeanette
wants to have a big party, in fact a whole week of parties, its traditional here;
the week before the Superbowl is the same. Weve got more than enough room
for everyone, well have barbecues, pool parties, a country and western night, it
will be a right laugh! Please Dad, get the girls to come out!
Roy knew it would not be that simple, Mel would have to take her son out of
school, Diana was in London now with Declan, who had his commitments with

Walford. Ill see what I can do, son! But you know I will be there to support the
Bullets! Go Bullets!
The Race family, although miles apart, were probably the closest they had been
since Pennys death. But Diana was doing well in London, her fashion store
turning a small profit. Mel was leading a quiet life, well out of the spotlight that
she had grown to hate during her time as Managing Director at Mel Park. Walford
Rovers biggest fan, the youngest Roy Race, was finally allowed to go to football
matches and any spare time he had, once he had completed his homework, was
spent in the garden shooting into his goal and dribbling up and down, up and
down, until he was exhausted. Football had driven so many wedges between the
Races, but Roy and Rocky were determined that football could bring them
together into one big happy family. Mel and Diana must go to Baltimore for the
final, Roy thought, now he had to make it happen.
Storky Knight
NEXT League Cup 5th Round action and the MLS Cup Final!