Ralph Coates sits on the ball

[RalphCoatesComb]

I have taken this out of the Dwight Burns Trent thread so that those who are interested don't miss it.

Over the years, there have been a number of references to Ralph, his antics and his audacious "sitting on the ball" stunt.

In the past, others have suggested that he didn't do in in the infamous demolition of the Mighty Leeds United in 1968.

He did it, I saw it, and this piece, take from Johnny Giles Autobiography, corroborates my recollection.

He may have done it elsewhere, but I wasn't there.

[Vino blanco]

Ralph Coates definitely sat on the ball at Ewood back in day, I was there and remember it: a normal feisty affair, didn't Willie Morgan get sent off? I was on the Leeds game at the he Turf but don't remember it happening, though I could have missed it being busy fighting with the Leeds fans.

[ClaretTony]

Ralph Coates definitely sat on the ball at Ewood back in day, I was there and remember it: a normal feisty affair, didn't Willie Morgan get sent off? I was on the Leeds game at the he Turf but don't remember it happening, though I could have missed it being busy fighting with the Leeds fans.

I only recall him doing it at Ewood. And yes, Willie was sent off for aiming a kick at Mike England.

[bobinho]

Johnny Giles has no business talking about his Leeds team doing ANYTHING in style.

Even back then, one team thought it could do what it wanted, how it wanted, but didn’t like it coming back at em. Nowt a changed over the years... big teams still think they are entitled.

[ClaretTony]

Johnny Giles has no business talking about his Leeds team doing ANYTHING in style.

Even back then, one team thought it could do what it wanted, how it wanted, but didn’t like it coming back at em. Nowt a changed over the years... big teams still think they are entitled.

And Giles was the worst of the lot.

[Vino blanco]

Giles, Bremner and Hunter - the dirtiest cowardly players I've ever seen in football.

[RalphCoatesComb]

I could have missed it being busy fighting with the Leeds fans.

[Madpete]

I was at both games re Leeds but don’t remember lots now.Can’t remember Ralph sitting on the ball but we were 2-1 up at half time & Billy Bremner got the Leeds goal after two by us.Remember thinking that Leeds would come after us second half but bloody hell we got three more! Unbelievable!
Also went to Elland road on a bitterly cold evening where I remember a reasonable start & 1-1 after 15 mins or so but then leaking goals.A long,cold miserable journey home to Bacup!

[ElectroClaret]

Brian Clough had it right when he became Leeds manager and allegedly said, "You can chuck all your medals in the bin, because you didn't win them fairly."
(Or something similar.)

Didn't do him any good there though.

[Claretmisterg]

I do remember Ralph sitting on the ball at the Leeds game that was a brilliant game to watch for a Clarets fan.

[huw.Y.WattfromWare]

I was at both games re Leeds but don’t remember lots now.Can’t remember Ralph sitting on the ball but we were 2-1 up at half time & Billy Bremner got the Leeds goal after two by us.Remember thinking that Leeds would come after us second half but bloody hell we got three more! Unbelievable!
Also went to Elland road on a bitterly cold evening where I remember a reasonable start & 1-1 after 15 mins or so but then leaking goals.A long,cold miserable journey home to Bacup!

Was that their first season up? 1-1 early doors, Willie Morgan for us, then Albert Johanneson tore us a new one. We lost 5-1.

[Claret Toni]

Brian Clough had it right when he became Leeds manager and allegedly said, "You can chuck all your medals in the bin, because you didn't win them fairly."
(Or something similar.)

Didn't do him any good there though.

Oh I'm not sure Cloughie would agree with you about it not doing him any good. He left after 44 days with a rather large cheque.

[ClaretTony]

Was that their first season up? 1-1 early doors, Willie Morgan for us, then Albert Johanneson tore us a new one. We lost 5-1.

Could be. We went 1-0 up on 24 mins, they equalised 37.

https://www.uptheclarets.com/fixtures-r ... 65-results

[ClaretTony]

The Leeds game in 1968

https://www.uptheclarets.com/the-day-th ... s-a-lesson

[andyh]

I was at both games re Leeds but don’t remember lots now.Can’t remember Ralph sitting on the ball but we were 2-1 up at half time & Billy Bremner got the Leeds goal after two by us.Remember thinking that Leeds would come after us second half but bloody hell we got three more! Unbelievable!
Also went to Elland road on a bitterly cold evening where I remember a reasonable start & 1-1 after 15 mins or so but then leaking goals.A long,cold miserable journey home to Bacup!

Your surname isn’t Scanlon is it? Can’t be that many mad Petes from Bacup around that era

[gsyclaret]

The Leeds game in 1968

https://www.uptheclarets.com/the-day-th ... s-a-lesson

Was at that game, poor old Billy Bremner didn't know what had hit him, with all the youngsters coming in, I remember skippy and ralph causing chaos.

[Putneyclaret]

I was on the Longside, level with the penalty area so had a good view of Ralph sitting on the ball. Next came the sharpened coins from the Leeds wazzocks behind us.

[RalphCoatesComb]

Was at that game, poor old Billy Bremner didn't know what had hit him, with all the youngsters coming in, I remember skippy and ralph causing chaos.

POOR old Billy Bremner ? (He was a right Two-Hat!)

It was "The Ralph Coates Show". He was here, there and everywhere !

[claretfern]

I remember Ralph sitting on the ball (and thinking it hilarious) in the Blackpool - Burnley game Feb. 1967 I was taken to see as a young lad. I recall him sat on the ball with Willie Morgan stood next him. I'm unsure though whether he was up to his antics or if there was a break in play.

[Silkyskills1]

Interesting what tricks memory can play. I was at all 3 games mentioned so far (Rovers away 1966, Leeds home 1968 and Blackpool away 1967, just after the 0-0 draw in Naples) and it is the Rovers game that I recall Ralph sitting on the ball. I can picture where I was stood, picture where on the field he sat on the ball. Perhaps he did it more regularly than any of us think and we just got used to it. Fantastic player though and a tough character to go with it.

[RalphCoatesComb]

Interesting what tricks memory can play.... Perhaps he did it more regularly than any of us think and we just got used to it. Fantastic player though and a tough character to go with it.

When people used to say that it didn't happen against Leeds, I used to doubt it myself, then I found the Johnny Giles piece. Other supporters on here have confirmed it and now I KNOW that it happened

[COBBLE]

I thought I had shared my memory from when Ralph Coates sat on the ball facing the Kop.

[chekhov]

I remember Brian Flynn sitting in the ball in front of the longside during a break in play.
Would’ve been during his second spell with us, and I was just a young lad, probably no taller than Flynny himself.