A little bit of history : Hornchurch v Purfleet (aka Thurrock) 88-9

[Jago]

Well it's all very quiet on here so I thought I'd pop in with something that may be of interest to at least some of you.  Or maybe not - but at least it's something,

Anyway - Mr McBride asked me earlier in the season for a copy of the programme when he "scored a hat-trick" for Purfleet against the Mighty Urchins "back in the day"  - you know when Thurrock were still Purfleet and you could still buy a bag of chips for sixpence (old money). 

So I checked with a couple of local experts which programme to dig out, (you know,  Hx-guru Tony, who checked with Fleet-sage Norman), and I'm afraid I have bad news Colin.    No such programme exists... largely because you didn't actually score a hat-trick - I guess your mind is a bit muddled these days. ?   Though you did bag two dodgy knee-bounces in the Thameside Trophy in 1990-91 which was a 4-2 win for Purfleet.  (I'll send you a copy of that separately).

So having started a bit of a research I thought I'd share the programme for the first match of 1988-89 which happened to be Purfleet's first game in the Isthmian League.  You'll see Colin on the teamsheet where he pottered about in a SHOCK 1-0 win for the visitors.   The actual Hornchurch team was not quite as per-programme but close enough.  (If you really want to know you can check "Hornchurch FC - The Official History - 1923-2011".  Available from all good book shops, and the Club Shop!

And more importantly you will see that I was running the line with my favourite yellow flag, suffering untold abuse from Harry & his mates on the Eastside no doubt.

The programme was 4 pages of print but I've bunged the cover on as well - so it won't take too long to read.

Anyway - hope you are all surviving.  

Jago (and no it wasn't me on the line you fools).