Ireland Pre-Season Tour: Day 3

Last updated : 16 July 2016 By Michael Hewitt

You go to the seaside. Destination Bray today.

At breakfast I realise this is the old food I have had since arrival. Will have to rectify that.

On a similar day on 1991 tour Simon Featherstone, John Charles Green and the boys saw a very small cloud in the sky and went in the pub for 14 hours.

We make plans at breakfast although Kev looks rough but says his mate Heath Ochiltree is worse and still in the cot. We arrange 10:30 but time has no meaning to the Norwegians.

Kjell Skjerven late again. We left him and had to take coach back in Saltzburg last season.

We muster a dozen with three making it later.

First challenge is the ticket machine at the dart. You would think it was sent to obstruct our path, we negotiate the obstacle .Pleasant trip down the coast and off at Bray.First pub closed, I saw a look of impending doom.

We go right ,outside next pub I ask a guy working outside,’You open mate?’ ‘Yes we open’ he tells everyone individually (Benny) bless him. A couple in there then Bob Liddle is the runner to see if Hibernia is open.

It is and we move. Resident mad Irish man shaking everyone's hands and stating his love for the club.

We settle and take over. Nice Guinness,Stella for the larger boys.

A team of story tellers and the day sets off as we catch up on last year without being together and discuss the club. Peter Lorimer and the Commercial .Politics, where left is left and left is right brigade get us going. Rugby League and I say I'm a Fev fan as Leeds fans think ‘Marching on together’ is their song.

We go to its origins and quote ‘top of the pops 1972’ as our case.

This leads me to blurt our team stopped the Leeds United Supporters Club record being released.

In 1972 before the FA Cup Semi Final the SC ran a coach to Pye record studios in London. A group from South Kirkby were the younger ones and fueled on brown ale. We were word perfect and loud on arrival.

In the recording studio we were pushed to the front and sang our hearts out;
WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS ,GREATEST OF THEM ALL
WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS ALWAYS ON THE BALL
COME TO ELLAND ROAD AND HERE OUR CALL
REVIES BOYS, WE’RE GOING TO WIN THEM ALL.

We were going to be on Top of the Pops with Jimmy Saville.

Our glorious team took that mantle. We starred in ‘its a cup final knockout’ instead.


Our song did not get released but the B side was used in ‘We are the Champions’ kids TV series. Claim to fame.

Eric Carlisle has the original print of the record left to me in his will.It may get played yet.

Time flies by and we make our way back to hotel.

We split up and we find Tony Short on a whisky nightcap not quite bed before Calender news but close.

Brian and I go out to find Alex and decide we should eat.
Alex had eaten so we look for a restaurant .Two together Lobster pot and a traditional Irish one.

Could we have a table for two please?
Do you have a reservation Sir?
No .

Looks at the book shaking head. Boss comes up, ‘follow me’ and we are seated. That easy then.

Crab salad followed by Monkfish, what could be better washed down with white wine?

You guessed CORRIANDER .
Bring me the head man, no problem, swapped and make sure none with monk fish!

Must have been talking loud at this stage as next table says are you from Yorkshire? A very nice Irish lady had family in Dewsbury. Her partner was English and a WBA season ticket holder. We talked of Johnny Giles and the great Leeds team.

Time the wine and the monkfish flew bye. We had a good crack with them and the owner who said they had CORRIANDER flavour ice cream. Time to go its 10.30. I'm for bed.

Bri goes to bar. Another warrior!