Comments on: Sassafras, Scallywag, Flabbergast, Balderdash

By: Ian

Ian — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 21:06:37 +0000

Fantastic goal. I have no idea why any league in the modern game wouldn’t want a showpiece highlight like that. I know it was thoroughly anti-English, but I say bring back the donkey.

By: Brian

Brian — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 13:53:17 +0000

Seriously. Lambs everywhere are demanding an apology.

By: TrentToffee

TrentToffee — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 13:42:11 +0000

…oh, and boy don’t Ernie Hunt’s “Lamb chop” sideburns look the business ?

By: TrentToffee

TrentToffee — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 09:52:44 +0000

I remember watching the match highlights on MOTD in 1970. It was the featured match. My brother howled with laughter. I just howled. It was great listening to Harry Catterick talking in his very clipped plummy tones afterwards – managers knew how to speak English in those days, even the English ones – “It shouldn’t be allowed” he said, “It’s like some sort of circus trick !”.

Needless to say, come Monday, the playground was full of kids perfecting their “Donkey kick” technique. Me included.

By: Brian

Brian — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 22:45:41 +0000

Tom, that’s fantastic—I read a Times piece from a few years ago that talked about how after the match every playground in England was full of kids trying to duplicate the donkey kick. Nice to know it wasn’t empty rhetoric. From what I can tell, actually, it’s so difficult that Carr and Hunt didn’t even get it right the first time, but apparently had to try it in a few other matches before they finally got it to come off.

Martha, I don’t know—it might just as well be a case of me trying to hide from mine.

And my God, the referee hop. Just grand.

By: Tom

Tom — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 16:04:04 +0000

When I first saw this goal as a kid (not actually in 1970), my friend and I immediately ran to the park and literally spent all afternoon recreating this goal. I can tell you it’s not as easy as it looks (to get both parts right).

By: Martha

Martha — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 14:51:40 +0000

And here I was just thinking how great those kits are. Is this is a sign of age?

I’m with Sp3ktor, the referee’s little hop rivals that of the player for its hornswoggle-ness.

By: Sp3ktor

Sp3ktor — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 13:09:03 +0000

My favourite part of the clip is the ref’s signal for why he’s given the free-kick.

More of this, I say, in the modern game

By: Brian

Brian — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 12:45:14 +0000

Also: In the face of the overwhelming evidence contained in this clip I have no choice but to admit that old-fashioned kits were not always better. Coventry look they’re waiting for their mom to bring them a glass of water in the middle of the night, and Everton are just a pair of wristbands and their sister’s tasselled handlebars away from being the weird new kid on your street who knows a little too much about fireworks.

Whereas today, Coventry City look like they’re in 17th place in the Championship, and Everton look like they spent too much money buying replica Everton kits. It’s confusing all the way around.