When I was a lad!

[rover-n-out]

Just thinking the other day about my schooldays at Hatfield Secondary Modern School and our school team.
Didn't think we had such a bad team then, 1962/63, with players like Johnny Arnold, Mervyn Friar, Tom Sides, Pete Sadd, Albert Murray, Mick Connvery and Stuart Howsley ( who, funnily enough I didn't see for years until I saw him at Belle Vue on the coaching staff for Yeovil).

I can remember we always struggled against Richmond Hill, Bentley, and Armthorpe, and wondered if there was anyone on here who actually played for their school team and maybe played against Hatfield, or remembers if they had any other school bogey teams.

Just to lighten things up a bit.

[drfc1951]

Did Mick Connvery move to Rosso a couple of years later.Iremember get picked on by him at school.

[Nudga]

The Balby Carr team  off 1991 to 1993 was just frickin awesome. Nothing stood in our way.

I remember scoring five against Adwick in an 11-0 win.

[bigbadjack]

Probs played against you nudge when I played for hall cross comp

[Nudga]

I don't remember playing Hall Cross, maybe silly question but where did you play your home games?

[Lesonthewest]

I remember one year when playing for Stainy modern we didn't win a game all season, we had two 2-2 draws against Snaith, who were as bad as us by the way, the rest defeats, including  1 at Edlo on a sloping pitch where we were 1 up at half time on a sloping pitch (anyone know which school one that was?), then proceeded to concede 9 in the second half! Happy days though.

[Bentley Bullet]

St Francis Xavier, Roberts road, Balby 1965.......Vintage year, great side! Particularly good left back as I recall. 

Also St Peter's at Cantley the following year. Half the St Francis team progressed into that team.......That's how awesome they were! 

[Nudga]

I remember one year when playing for Stainy modern we didn't win a game all season, we had two 2-2 draws against Snaith, who were as bad as us by the way, the rest defeats, including  1 at Edlo on a sloping pitch where we were 1 up at half time on a sloping pitch (anyone know which school one that was?), then proceeded to concede 9 in the second half! Happy days though.

Sloping pitch in Edlo could have been Granby pitches.

[Nudga]

St Francis Xavier, Roberts road, Balby 1965.......Vintage year, great side! Particularly good left back as I recall. 

Also St Peter's at Cantley the following year. Half the St Francis team progressed into that team.......That's how awesome they were! 

Surprised you lot could walk let alone run.

[Bentley Bullet]

St Francis Xavier, Roberts road, Balby 1965.......Vintage year, great side! Particularly good left back as I recall. 

Also St Peter's at Cantley the following year. Half the St Francis team progressed into that team.......That's how awesome they were! 

Surprised you lot could walk let alone run.

We were always good at pushing up whilst keeping It tight at the back.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

Couldn't get anywhere my school team at Adwick. Likes of these chuffs kept me out....

Dave Speedie, our very own Paul Wilson, Graham Reed, David Hall (I'm sure I've missed one) who all went on to play league football. Only time I got to play with them was in the cricket team !!

[not on facebook]

St Peters high school cantley

Teams Colours were same as a early 1970s villa strip

[Bentley Bullet]

St Peters high school cantley

Teams Colours were same as a early 1970s villa strip

Correct!

[JBRover]

Edlo Hill Top!!!

I remember one year when playing for Stainy modern we didn't win a game all season, we had two 2-2 draws against Snaith, who were as bad as us by the way, the rest defeats, including  1 at Edlo on a sloping pitch where we were 1 up at half time on a sloping pitch (anyone know which school one that was?), then proceeded to concede 9 in the second half! Happy days though.

[RobTheRover]

Switching codes, I was captain of the Rosso comp rugby team 1984 and 85.  I particularly remember hammering McAuley at their place a couple of times.  I dragged about 4 of their backs over the line for one try.

[Bentley Bullet]

Play Rugby - Feel a man......Puffs game! 

[RobTheRover]

Hmmmmmmm, Bentley (rusty) Bullet (hole)?

[not on facebook]

Recall playing for st Peters against Wilby carr cantley.

Two schools in cantley with Wilby carr Been 100 per cent locals,as st Peters had class mates bussed into to School from. All over.

Back to the football,we Won the game but got kicked to fcuk afterwards outside the school.

The kit Bag was left behind in haste,as the Wilby carr lot gave out beatings to us

It was thr norm back Then for Wilby carr and st Peters
To have punch ups round Bottom shops in cantley

Or Even on school playing fields during school

[roversdude]

Only allowed to chase eggs at DGS footy was for Sunday morning

[hoolahoop]

I remember one year when playing for Stainy modern we didn't win a game all season, we had two 2-2 draws against Snaith, who were as bad as us by the way, the rest defeats, including  1 at Edlo on a sloping pitch where we were 1 up at half time on a sloping pitch (anyone know which school one that was?), then proceeded to concede 9 in the second half! Happy days though.

No wonder didn't 2 players have to share each pair of shorts at Stainy ?

[The Red Baron]

Just thinking the other day about my schooldays at Hatfield Secondary Modern School and our school team.
Didn't think we had such a bad team then, 1962/63, with players like Johnny Arnold, Mervyn Friar, Tom Sides, Pete Sadd, Albert Murray, Mick Connvery and Stuart Howsley ( who, funnily enough I didn't see for years until I saw him at Belle Vue on the coaching staff for Yeovil).

I can remember we always struggled against Richmond Hill, Bentley, and Armthorpe, and wondered if there was anyone on here who actually played for their school team and maybe played against Hatfield, or remembers if they had any other school bogey teams.

Just to lighten things up a bit.

I too am an alumnus of Hatfield- Hatfield High as it was when I went there (it was a Comprehensive by then).

We had this odd arrangement whereby we did egg-chasing before Christmas and then "proper" football after. I never made the school first team for either, but I did play cricket for the school XI.

[graingrover]

who remembers Primary school football in the area. In my youth the very best were Dunscroft Primary . Unfortunately I was at the top road school Dunsville Primary and we got murdered by them. Nevertheless our left winger John Meredith went on to Hatfield Modern then  Rovers and Sheff Wednesday( briefly) before many seasons at Gillingham.I went to Thorne Grammar ... oval ball only allowed on those playing fields... but luckily I got in at Rovers Juniors.
           That was the era when Donny boys won the English School Shield v Brierley Hill infront of 14,000 at Belle Vue.

[Tiddysdad]

Only allowed to chase eggs at DGS footy was for Sunday morning

Having read the above it just reminded me of when I was there in the mid 70's

Donny Grammar played Rugby and Hockey (Boys) both to a very high standard - Neither of which I was interested in - I remember the main games teacher was Hockey coach for the england mens squad and the swimming teacher was an Olympic weightlifter . The Football team was ran by a parent in a Sunday morning league, home games on town fields.

It was amazing how all the rugby snobs who wouldn't entertain even talking about football changed when we played Liverpool and then disappeared until we played Tottenham.

[jonnydog]

I remember one year when playing for Stainy modern we didn't win a game all season, we had two 2-2 draws against Snaith, who were as bad as us by the way, the rest defeats, including  1 at Edlo on a sloping pitch where we were 1 up at half time on a sloping pitch (anyone know which school one that was?), then proceeded to concede 9 in the second half! Happy days though.

Sloping pitch in Edlo could have been Granby pitches.

I would say it was definitely the pitch at the back of the Granby club. It never seemed fair, but whenever we played on it, we always seemed to play better and score more when kicking up hill!!

... Happy days!

[ScillyRover]

Just thinking the other day about my schooldays at Hatfield Secondary Modern School and our school team.
Didn't think we had such a bad team then, 1962/63, with players like Johnny Arnold, Mervyn Friar, Tom Sides, Pete Sadd, Albert Murray, Mick Connvery and Stuart Howsley ( who, funnily enough I didn't see for years until I saw him at Belle Vue on the coaching staff for Yeovil).

I can remember we always struggled against Richmond Hill, Bentley, and Armthorpe, and wondered if there was anyone on here who actually played for their school team and maybe played against Hatfield, or remembers if they had any other school bogey teams.

Just to lighten things up a bit.

Although I didn't go to Hatfield Sec. Modern I'm familiar with some of those names. Merv "I'm struggling...old age and poverty" Friar of The Bay Horse Inn, Tommy Sides, who now lives locally to me in St. Ives and Johnny Arnold.
I went to Danum and had Eddie Beaglehole (Father of Steve who once managed Rovers) as a PE teacher. Eddie was a great coach. I never played for the school first eleven but did eventually play for Loversall Utd. in the Sunday league.

[DMnumber4]

I remember one year when playing for Stainy modern we didn't win a game all season, we had two 2-2 draws against Snaith, who were as bad as us by the way, the rest defeats, including  1 at Edlo on a sloping pitch where we were 1 up at half time on a sloping pitch (anyone know which school one that was?), then proceeded to concede 9 in the second half! Happy days though.

Had exactly the same experience not so long back v Edlo Top Club in the sunday morning league, not sure where in Edlo the ground was though (sounds a similar place).

1-1 at half time, lost 9-1, former Rovers Youth captain Brett Lucas doing most of the damage. Managed a 4-4 draw in the reverse, Brett, who had already scored, hobbled off 20 minutes in after twisting his ankle in a divot.

[BillyStubbsTears]

Being a left-footer on the east side of the borough, I ended up at Pope Pius school at Wath. Only a small school, but we had a reight team, partly because we had to be tough because everybody wanted to kick the shite out of Catholics, it being IRA-time.

My claim to fame was breaking my arm in a match against Wickersley in a tackle with Ray Warburton (who went on to be a brick shitehouse centre half for York, Northampton and Rushden) and staying on the pitch cos we didn't have a sub. I was stuck out of the way on the wing, clutching my arm tight to my chest to stop the f**king thing hurting every time I moved. The Wickersley players forgot all about me and twice I jogged onto long hoofs out of defence, had a pop from 30 yards and scored as we beat them 3-0.

Played for Meccy Grammar first team after that. Twice in the previous 10 years they had won the English Schools U-18 FA Cup, with Peter Kitchen, Alan Sunderland and Ian Banks playing for them.

We were shite, and I was the shitest of the lot.  Apart from Standanista.

[RedJ]

Pope Pius? Christ, int that far reaches of poor old Rovrum?

I feel for thi.

[Mr1Croft]

I was never good enough for the school team. Though my old man captained Stainforth Junction Road in the late 60's. Picture here:



He did go on to have a successful trial for Rovers but after a couple of years and never playing for the first team, Notts County cast their eye on him, playing at FB in his trial he was up against Graham Rix (I think)?? which ended his short lived career... Must have been a dirty bugger mind, broke my brothers leg a few years ago on cleggy beach going in for a tackle from behind...

[Sammy Chung was King]

I Played for Campsmount,but we only played for the first two years of school,because some the lads decided to have a scrap with some of the lads from that school along York road so the school teacher in charge of us banned the lot of us,which i still think was unfair!!,i can't remember what it's called now,we played on a pitch across the road from the school,jossey lane i think it's called,anyway we got beat 4-2,it was a surprise because that year,apart from the odd one here and their we were winning most games,but it was no surprise if you had looked at the first year of school we got beat every time near enough.

The game that sticks in my mind was a home game against Thorne,we beat them either five two/or three,i got a hat-trick,not bad for a right winger!!,the thing that got us winning more the second year of school,was a subtle change,we previously used size five match balls,we changed to size four and things improved,inspired bit of thinking from the teacher,plus we also as a team got a bit bigger and better,we were a tiny team the first year,the year will have been 1992,we used to wear a 1970s green and yellow striped kit with pointed collars,the second year,we got the Sheff wednesday blue and white stripes but diagonal stripes rather than straight up and down,Some Good days!!