What a game today!
The ultimate example of a game of two halves. First-half, Harrow Borough rubbish, Margate sublime. 3 first-half goals for Robin Trott's blue & white army, 2 by ace striker Danny Hockton.
Sky Sports pundit, Millwall's ex-manager and journeyman striker, *Steve Claridge at 40 years of age, scored the equalizer for Harrow B. on 15 minutes to the delight of their fans. Claridge thought he would be clever by celebrating his goal, a tap in from 1 yard, by pulling off his red shirt and exposing his Marks & Spencer white singlet. He was promptly booked by the efficient referee, 37 year-old, Gavin Muge. Harrow's fans, all 87 of them, barely managed a roar. They were eclectic mix of OAP's, chavettes (showing a bit cleavage), cocky male teenagers, who attempted to goad Margate's fans, and peculiar looking stewards all of whom reguarly turn up to the Earlsmead "Stadium" somewhere in a Middlesex postcode called HA2. The ground reminded me of Ramsgate's ramshackle ruin called Southwood.
The travelling Margate supporters on the other hand, were in ecstatic mood as da 'Gate bulldozed their way through Harrow's limp defence on numerous occasions. If it wasn't for Harrow's goalkeeper, Keiron Jimmy ( who once played for some team called Brook House), hapless Harrow would have been 5 down at the break.
Despite suffering from a vile sore throat, I was in reasonably good mood whilst downing my cuppa and was looking forward to seeing the Margate forwards teach Harrow a footballing lesson. Just after the break, Danny Hockton was put clean through with just the goalkeeper to beat but sadly his well drilled shot scuffed an upright and went out for a goal-kick. Almost immediately, Margate goalie Charlie Mitten seemed to fumble a free-kick and there was Steve Claridge on hand to slide in the rebound. 3-2. No problem one would think. But as the second half went on, Harrow grew in confidence and managed not only to equalize but had the temerity to score what looked like a match-winning fourth. A sickening silence fell about Margate's supporters. Still the 'Gate drummer boy and his young friends were soon back in song and with just a couple of minutes to go, striker Danny Hockton secured a point for Margate from the penalty spot after a Robin Trott header was handled on the line. Final score 4-4.
(Margate drew 4-4 against Northwich Victoria in the Conference some 5 years ago. Charlie Mitten was also at fault for an oppostion goal that day. He fumbled a Jimmy Quinn shot. Margate clawed back from a 4-1 deficit at half-time. History always repeats itself!)
* The last time I saw Claridge, he was playing for Weymouth at Margate's temporary home of Ashford FC in Kent. The Terras won 1-0 that day and I interviewed him for BBC Radio Kent after the match. A former Margate player thought that Steve Claridge was "egg & chips" i.e - ordinary.
London, UK On January 11th, 1978 storms reeked havoc along the Kent Coast and Margate bore the brunt with it's famous jetty smashed to smithereens. The photos are from a special booklet produced at the time by the now defunct East Kent Times. (A few years earlier our family's beach hut was washed away from Foreness Bay)
This event was one of many nails in the Margate coffin. The fortunes of this once proud seaside resort has continued to decline with few facilities for holiday-makers and day-trippers alike.
My wife bought an old barber's mirror because she liked the frame. The mirror rattled a little in the frame so she asked me to fix it.
I soon realised that someone had fixed it before because backing the mirror, inside the frame, was a layer of newspaper.
I read the reports.
There was a report of a classroom incident for which both teacher and pupil were in court. It appears that the lad had refused punishment from the teacher. The teacher had grabbed the lad and a struggle ensued in which the teacher beat the lad's head against the wall. The lad stuck the nut into the teacher and, with more experience "On the cobbles" even at 13 years of age, begat giving teacher a hiding. Teacher ran to his desk and produced a bayonet. Lad, pre-emptively, gets out his own jackknife and stabs teacher.
Then there was a report on an innovative approach to juvenile crime. Trade training. Equipping young rascals with the skills to earn a living and develop self respect. Abandon the barbaric concept of punishment and embrace rehabilitation. And so the new enlightenment piece went on.
The newspaper was from London in the 1890s.
My late father told me about the ...... boys he went to school with in the 30s in Ipswich. The woodwork teacher could not even cow them with a smack from a lump of four by two. The old fella admits to almost feeling sorry for the Germans because the ----- boys all joined up in 1940. Commandos, paras etc. But the old chap joined the RN ended up fighting alongside Italian partisans and thinking "Thank God we got people like the ----- boys on our side" and "f-ck the Germans"
There is nothing new in school violence.
In Thanet there was a new innovation. Magna Carta commits the monarch to appointing as constables only men who know the law and who keep it well. So how come Thanet unilaterally departs from that and the Pc Schools Liaison officer was a convicted criminal liar ? What message does that send ?
We live in the age of the internal combustion engine and three phase electricity. Yet we have an education system which does not teach it. Nor does it teach first aid, lifesaving, self defence etc etc
The education system should strive to change the curriculum and make itself relevant. It has been a particularly offensive joke, causing immense damage to the national economy and to public standards, since WW2.
One of my grand daughters was bullied at school. She took up kick boxing (aged 8). came home from school in trouble. She had decked the bully and stuck the boot in once the other girl was down.
I told her "Well done".
And if the bully's parents want some then old grand dad will be happy to oblige.
This is the reality. The only choice is whether or not to be a victim.