07/12/81: Man United (H) Tony Brown Testimonial

Not only were the mighty Reds dispatched 4-2 but the Gulls raced into a 4-0 half time lead.

This game must have been almost unique for a testimonial in that Frank O'Farrell hit upon the idea of putting our lads on a win bonus and I remember Bryan Robson no less being furious during half time at the commitment and strength of tackling he was up against!

I never got to see the first half as it was all hands to the pump counting the gate money from a crowd of around twelve thousand (was it?) and I recall hearing in incredulity the roar of the crowd as each of the four first half goals went in. I do however, recall the outstanding performance put in by trialist Dave Butler who certainly had something to prove that night.

Incidentally the number four in the Torbay Reds squad is Mickey (Leo) Stuart of Newton Spurs who is now married to my former wife!

Compiling that programme was a real pleasure as it meant working hand in hand with Tony Matthews a real pro in the programme and journalistic game and the ultimate authority on all things Baggies being the club statistician of West Bromwich Albion. Ron Atkinson was a real joy too and readily came along to one of our Junior Supporters' meetings the day before the game armed with the biggest bar of Cadbury's Chocolate ever made.

Tony Brown was a real gentleman, and several years later made me really welcome at The Hawthorns when we went up and played the Albion there in the old Third Division.

If it's any consolation to the likes of Roscoe Dsane and Wayne Carlisle, the Plainmoor crowd in their infinite wisdom took it upon themselves to give him some outrageous and unwarranted stick during matches failing completely to miss the point that the guy was in his mid thirties by the time he came to play for us and had obviously had to adapt his game for the lower level of football and the lesser skills and appreciation of the game at that level.

To acquire a player like Tony Brown was in my opinion a fine piece of football management on behalf of the football club and a tribute to the reputation in the game of Frank O'Farrell and Bruce Rioch.

Officially 7,200.

Who did you say counted the money?

I always wondered how he could afford the London life style on a busmans wages

went to the game and got loads of autographs on my programme except for a very arrogant and ignorant Gordon McQueen (dickhead)

Beat Forest 2-0 with Shilton breaking Butler's ribs in a collision.

To complete the trio of games during the big freeze we played Birmingham and lost 2-0 with an outstanding display by Frank Worthington

Nearly right Stu.

15/01/82 H v Nottingham Forest W 2 - 1 Winn, Jones 2,266
20/01/82 H v Birmingham C L 1 - 2 Brown 1,423