There's a saying about...going from the Sublime to the Ridiculous
Here we have The Ridiculous going on about The Sublime
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Here we have The Ridiculous going on about The Sublime
The feeling was probably mutual
Yes, he was not Catterick's idea of a CF - yet in my time of supporting the blues - I have never ever seen the fans' adulation for him - it was tremendous - banners chants etc & when he scored the Grand Old Lady shook - Bally was next in line, but on his day the GV was unplayable, but he admitted himself too inconsistent - The Catt wanted a bustling no 9 & when Fred Pickering was signed - The GV was favourite to go - instead it was Roy Vernon who was a more prolific scorer back then, but he spent time in the Tiger club on the Dock road
The Catt had him tailed - so much so - when Stoke City approached to sign him - they could not track down the rebel captain Roy Vernon - anywhere they telephoned the Catt back - who had given permission for talks - The Catt just told them where the Tiger club was - & Roy signed the paperwork in the Tiger club toilets to join Stoke there & then hearing the Catt wanted to rid of him - 1965 - he missed out on the 1966 cup triumph, & blamed the Catt for selling him too early, but Roy was peaked with us & only did okish at Stoke City -
When the GV moved on as player manager for Glentorian the Catt diddled him out of his severance pay - the GV complained to him where the other half was & The Catt dryly remarked if you're in management get it in writing - let that be a lesson to you - yes they never hit it off from day one - they had a very sour relationship .....
The GV stated if he had not been out injured, for a sustained period - he may have saved John Carey his job - he got on well with Gentleman John Carey - whose football team was just coming good & was sacked in a Taxi !
Ironically, Carey's team 80 % of them took the title a year later ..... in 1963 -
I only ever saw Catterick's team in 1962 - my older brother reckoned Carey's team was just gelling when he was sacked .....
it may have happened, but we'll never know, with Catterick it Did happenDifferent world back then.
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That's what I have read in all the books I have - the Catt was ruthless -Joe Royle stated it was like being back at school signing in at Bellfield & the fines were big just for being a minute late etc -
Different world back then.
Bobby Collins stated Carey was a soft touch & some players took advantage - chalk & cheese managers .....
Me - personally I loved the Catts foresight to develop youth players - no way would he have got rid of Antoniee Robinson for example, when we are crying for a top left back - he was given away - the catt did break a top team up in 1971 far too quickly though & his midus touch evaporated.....
He didn't 'break it up' - it fell apart
But by then...1971...he was already a sick man and didn't have the energy or time to put it back together.
As you say his last decent signing was Kendall in 1967.
Selling Ball was a big mistake - only a few months before The Catt stated he would not sell him for 1/2 a million sold to Arsenal for £220 000 ? His health was going - John Moore stated he should have been moved upstairs a lot sooner - Only HK saved us from relegation one season MOTM most games ..... we went from champions - to very low in the league in one season - the Catt blamed Mexico 1970 world cup ....
IMO Labby should have been given the captaincy back to save Bally - who was shouting at the players far too much IMO at that time ....
