ARTICLE: Naffed off Stan says four players won’t play again

[ClaretTony]

The infamous York game, 25 years ago today

See link
https://www.uptheclarets.com/naffed-off ... play-again

[Mondsley]

I can still remember sitting outside our house, having just arrived home, listening to this on the radio wide eyed and open mouthed. Our son, home from Uni was equally gobsmacked. We sat there for about 15 minutes after which Mrs M came out to enquire if something was wrong. We said, "Yes!! Stan's just sacked nearly half the team live on the radio". Her response was along the lines of, oh I thought it was something serious, your tea is going cold.

[mdd2]

Seems like only yesterday. I was shocked listening to that on the radio home, as were my children down from Uni at the time.
Wonder how Stan would be managing today's prima donnas?
I bet the Board wondered who they had appointed as Stan gave free transfers to players who at the time cost the club a few quid. Not sure if we paid anything for Williams but the other three were not freebies as I recall. I think Winstanley had been with us since Heath's time or even Jimmy Mullen the other three signed by Waddle. Cant think of any of Waddles signings who did much apart from swopping Barnes for Payts.

[dsr]

Nine of the clubs in that division (if I've counted right) have played in the PL since then. And about 6 or 7 (I'm not as well up on non-league nowadays) have been relegated out of the league. (In Luton's case, it's both!) Football can be pretty volatile.

[ClaretTony]

Seems like only yesterday. I was shocked listening to that on the radio home, as were my children down from Uni at the time.
Wonder how Stan would be managing today's prima donnas?
I bet the Board wondered who they had appointed as Stan gave free transfers to players who at the time cost the club a few quid. Not sure if we paid anything for Williams but the other three were not freebies as I recall. I think Winstanley had been with us since Heath's time or even Jimmy Mullen the other three signed by Waddle. Cant think of any of Waddles signings who did much apart from swopping Barnes for Payts.

Winstanley was a Mullen signing in 1994 but he’d only just signed a new deal prior to the season kicking off.

[mdd2]

Winstanley was a Mullen signing in 1994 but he’d only just signed a new deal prior to the season kicking off.

And it certainly kicked off on August 22nd 1998.

[jdrobbo]

Will never forget this.

[colner]

Everytime Stan did an aftermatch presser,my house came to a standstill,that was my all time favourite,pur gold. He spoke like a fan that day,loved him,still think he should have got the gig instead of Brian Laws

[Jimmymaccer]

I got back to The Stork pub in Read that day after the match to see Blatherwick sat at the bar with a friend who lived in the village…………

Said he’d never experienced anything like it as a pro footballer being told to get changed, leave and never play for this club again………(in slightly more dramatic language)!

He subsequently set up a successful football player agency with same said friend………

[claretburns]

Nine of the clubs in that division (if I've counted right) have played in the PL since then. And about 6 or 7 (I'm not as well up on non-league nowadays) have been relegated out of the league. (In Luton's case, it's both!) Football can be pretty volatile.

I counted 9 who have been in the Premier League and 9 who have been in non-league (Luton for both).

Premier League:
Blackpool
Bournemouth
Burnley
Fulham
Luton
Man City
Reading
Stoke
Wigan

Non-League:
Bristol Rovers
Chesterfield
Lincoln
Luton
Macclesfield
Notts County
Oldham
Wrexham
York

[claretburns]

Then the remaining 7 who have been EFL clubs only since - Walsall, Colchester, Millwall, Preston, Gillingham, Northampton and Wycombe.

[ClaretTony]

I got back to The Stork pub in Read that day after the match to see Blatherwick sat at the bar with a friend who lived in the village…………

Said he’d never experienced anything like it as a pro footballer being told to get changed, leave and never play for this club again………(in slightly more dramatic language)!

He subsequently set up a successful football player agency with same said friend………

In slightly more dramatic language

[Herts Clarets]

I got back to The Stork pub in Read that day after the match to see Blatherwick sat at the bar with a friend who lived in the village…………

Said he’d never experienced anything like it as a pro footballer being told to get changed, leave and never play for this club again………(in slightly more dramatic language)!

He subsequently set up a successful football player agency with same said friend………

I didn't think Blatherwick was that bad, certainly in comparison to the other three that Stan targeted.....

[matttheclaret]

I didn't think Blatherwick was that bad, certainly in comparison to the other three that Stan targeted.....

I think that's fair. Blatherwick went on to play for Chesterfield at a decent level (League 1?) for about another 10 years I think

[ClaretTony]

I didn't think Blatherwick was that bad, certainly in comparison to the other three that Stan targeted.....

Totally agree on Blatherwick

[bfcjg]

He was a character , ,I remember being a bit stunned by the brutality of it, perhaps part was to deflect criticism of his tactics.

[AmbleClaret]

I got back to The Stork pub in Read that day after the match to see Blatherwick sat at the bar with a friend who lived in the village…………

Said he’d never experienced anything like it as a pro footballer being told to get changed, leave and never play for this club again………(in slightly more dramatic language)!

He subsequently set up a successful football player agency with same said friend………

Pretty sure I know your friend, grew up with him if I'm correct.

[dsr]

He said in his book that there was an attitude problem with some of the players, if I remember correctly. Perhaps the public sacking was by way of putting a rocket up the backsides of everyone else in the squad?

[Herts Clarets]

I think that's fair. Blatherwick went on to play for Chesterfield at a decent level (League 1?) for about another 10 years I think

Just checked - he played 223 games for Chesterfield after leaving Burnley.

[ClaretTony]

Blatherwick became the Dyche replacement at Chesterfield - think it was 225 league games he played for them with injury bringing his career to an early end. Very well thought of at Chesterfield.

[4:20]

That photo of the protesters is a blast from the past, I'm on it. Completely forgot it existed but seeing it triggered the memory of exactly where I was when I heard Stan's infamous radio moment (live or a replay of it) a short while later.
Many thanks.

[Rowls]

Blatherwick recovered and had a good lower level career. As Stan said at the time, the first team players were no better than the youth players. There was a rotten culture at the club and Stan cut it out.

The sacking of the players was pivotal. It showed everybody were the expected minimum standard was and it was well above a lot of them.

[ClaretTony]

That photo of the protesters is a blast from the past, I'm on it. Completely forgot it existed but seeing it triggered the memory of exactly where I was when I heard Stan's infamous radio moment (live or a replay of it) a short while later.
Many thanks.

Troublemaker

They were a regular occurrence back then, going on over a number of years during the Teasdale era.

[4:20]

Troublemaker

They were a regular occurrence back then, going on over a number of years during the Teasdale era.

That was the only one I ever ended up in! Couldn't resist joining in with the singing. It all died out after a few minutes or so but I vaguely recall anytime a curtain or blind twitching on the upper floor of the Bob Lord Stand windows, we'd all boo, jeer and sing another song.

[Ilkley claret]

Dare to say Kilby was not a happy man when I went to see him the morning after!

[ClaretFelix]

After listening the Glen Little in Undr the Cosh, I'd say most of the time Stan was at the club was pretty bizarre!!!

[Cirrus_Minor]

I can't believe it is 25 years since Stan threw the four players under a bus.live on the radio. In some ways, it seems like a million years in the way the club has changed since then. It was an incredible thing to do, even for Stan Ternant, but definitely the right decision. What a character.

[Commy]

Was that the match when he sent them out early for the second half and they were stood around like lemons for ages?

[burnmark]

Was that the match when he sent them out early for the second half and they were stood around like lemons for ages?

Possibly or could have been the Gillingham game later in the season.