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Christmas Day league football memories.

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cannylad68
December 25, 2019, 2:29pm
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When I first started watching the Town, Christmas fixtures were always exciting.
In those days Town usually played at home on Christmas Day, and the reverse fixture on Boxing Day.
I loved going with my Dad, complete with Christmas present of a knitted black and white scarf to the morning fixture, and then to come home to my Mum's Christmas dinner.
Entertainment at the match courtesy of Bing Beales, who would always get the crowd enjoying themselves.
It appears that this tradition started in the 1800's to finish round about 1958.
My first Christmas game was in 1951 against Scunthorpe United in front of 19,000 spectators, with the away fixture on Boxing Day in front of 15,000 spectators.

I suppose the most memorable Christmas fixtures were in 1957. Beating Liverpool at home 3-1, only to lose on Boxing Day 3-2.
If I'm not mistaken our very popular goalkeeper Clarrie Williams was injured and carried off, and obviously there were no substitutes in those days.
I don't know who went in goal, maybe someone on here can answer that.

I would enjoy reading any further posts.

Merry Christmas.
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Misterton Mariner
December 25, 2019, 2:58pm
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Great days! My memories are of the Cumbrian derby matches Workington v Carlisle United Christmas day and Boxing day. My first experience December 1956.
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Grantham_Mariner
December 25, 2019, 6:33pm

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Just too young. And I don't say that very often these days.


If the football is bad you can always watch the gulls.
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golfer
December 25, 2019, 7:16pm
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I suppose the most memorable Christmas fixtures were in 1957. Beating Liverpool at home 3-1, only to lose on Boxing Day 3-2.
If I'm not mistaken our very popular goalkeeper Clarrie Williams was injured and carried off, and obviously there were no substitutes in those days.
I don't know who went in goal, maybe someone on here can answer that.

I would enjoy reading any further posts.

Merry Christmas.
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I am not sure but I seem to remember Jimmy Fell taking a turn in goal. Don't know where i got the money from but I used to be at nearly every home and away game. Don't think we went more than a couple of games [not like today] without scoring
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pizzzza
December 25, 2019, 7:36pm

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Quoted from cannylad68

I loved going with my Dad, complete with Christmas present of a knitted black and white scarf to the morning fixture, and then to come home to my Mum's Christmas dinner.


Just out of interest, what time did these Xmas day fixtures kick off? I always assumed they were a post Xmas dinner activity but you say morning?
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cannylad68
December 25, 2019, 9:10pm
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It was definitely a morning kick off, perhaps 11.00 or 10.30.
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cannylad68
December 26, 2019, 6:44am
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Golfer,

By George I think you've got it.
( My Fair Lady ).

I remember now that Jimmy Fell was the substitute goalkeeper.
The Grimsby Telegraph match report had a photo of Clarrie Williams being stretchered off.
Very sad,.
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GrimRob
December 26, 2019, 10:13pm

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Kirky sent me this:

Just a point about the confusion on the Christmas Day thread. Clarrie Williams was carried off in the first match of the season v Liverpool (3-3) and Jimmy Fell went in goal for that match, NOT the Christmas game the previous season.


'Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.  
~ Alfred Lord Tennyson
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pizzzza
December 26, 2019, 11:43pm

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Quoted from GrimRob
Kirky sent me this:

Just a point about the confusion on the Christmas Day thread. Clarrie Williams was carried off in the first match of the season v Liverpool (3-3) and Jimmy Fell went in goal for that match, NOT the Christmas game the previous season.


Not sure who "Kirky" is but he sounds like a barrel of laughs...
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