State vs Private
#11
(05-06-2020, 03:33 PM)wba13 Wrote: I was part of that , used to play for high cross bakery , the social club was above the old coop in bearwood . Played football in Londonderry lane I think was the old Smethwick Highfield FC and cricket at the coop sports ground in Barrows lane Yardley. Good times plenty of ale.
I played Sunday mornings for Queen’s Head Londonderry, late 70s early 80s home pitch was West Smethwick Park. 
Can’t remember names but there were a lot of perms about Big Grin
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#12
(05-06-2020, 02:10 PM)Offside Wrote: when i was a kid,  probably circa 1958/59  I remember being in Black Patch Park Smethwick  on a Sunday morning.

It was either for the final of the work's league equivalent of the FA Cup, or the deciding game for the league title.  

There were thousands of people on the touch line,  ten deep on all four sides of the pitch, and they created an incredible atmosphere for a game of that stature and location.

Works football was a very big deal then,  with companies like the Carriage Works , Averys, Tangys, IMI, Nettlefolds, the Drop Forgings in Rolfe Street, the bike companies Phiillips and Sturmey Archer in Bridge St and Downing St, and Mitchells and Butlers,  putting out several teams over the weekends.  I've probably missed quite a few but those spring to mind.

This was an era when Albion and the Wolves were dominating the league. But none of that matters now because football only started in this country when Sky say it did.
Huge then. M and B played cricket in the B'ham league when that and the Lancashire league were 2nd only to County Cricket.
Dunlop on Tyburn Rd had what could only be described as a sporting complex. There was another huge works sporting venue on Sedgley rd. East (or West!), by the Grovewood, London Works, Vono units. Golden years for sport and often being good at it was a clincher for a job.
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#13
(05-06-2020, 01:44 PM)baggiebloke Wrote: I worked for a bank once. We played cricket and football and there was an annual inter-bank sports tournament.

Best of all though was an It's A Knockout event at Himley Hall that some (of us) took very fucking seriously.

You’ve just reminded me of a 5 a side tournament we used to have for staff at a Bham office of a bank about 30 years ago.  It was fucking carnage with very hard tackles, elbows and fists flying. All in front of the MD who would be in one of the teams. Shin guards were a must, gum shields an optional extra Big Grin
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#14
(05-06-2020, 03:34 PM)Kit Kat Chunky Wrote:
(05-06-2020, 01:44 PM)baggiebloke Wrote: I worked for a bank once. We played cricket and football and there was an annual inter-bank sports tournament.

Best of all though was an It's A Knockout event at Himley Hall that some (of us) took very fucking seriously.

I was in the Bank football and cricket team - it was a branch in Brum city centre, so quite a big one. We used to play the local Solicitors and Accountants.

I hope you gave them a good shoeing.
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