keyberrygull
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Favourite Player: Steve Cooper
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Post by keyberrygull on Sept 21, 2012 12:58:27 GMT
 I noticed this photograph in a local publication a week or two ago. Recognize anyone? |
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Post by stefano on Sept 21, 2012 13:04:03 GMT
Yes all 24 of them!  |
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keyberrygull
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Posts: 992
Favourite Player: Steve Cooper
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Post by keyberrygull on Sept 21, 2012 21:25:30 GMT
I noticed this photograph in a local publication a week or two ago. Recognize anyone? Yes all 24 of them! Starting from the top left ... |
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sam
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Post by sam on Sept 22, 2012 11:58:59 GMT
What a team that was. Many of the players could have received considerable expenses at other clubs especially the irrepressible Steve Spear, but chose to play for Devon & Cornwall. Many players traveled considerable distances for the home games let alone the away ones. This all achieved around shift work for which getting time off wasn't always easy. No ringers either, all serving police officers. The late John Hillson second from top left, great fun and boundless enthusiasm.
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Post by stefano on Sept 23, 2012 16:19:01 GMT
What a team that was. Many of the players could have received considerable expenses at other clubs especially the irrepressible Steve Spear, but chose to play for Devon & Cornwall. Many players traveled considerable distances for the home games let alone the away ones. This all achieved around shift work for which getting time off wasn't always easy. No ringers either, all serving police officers. The late John Hillson second from top left, great fun and boundless enthusiasm. Yes it was a very good team who won the Devon Premier Cup twice in three seasons. That particular photo was taken at Stoke Gabriel before a pre-season friendly in August 1992. Over 20 years ago. Doesn't time fly? An unusual aspect of that photo is that it features no ex-professional players. That period saw a number of ex-professionals join the local police and turn out for the force team:- Gerry Nardiello and John Durham (Torquay United), Gordon Nisbet (Hull, WBA, Argyle), Rhys Wilmot (Arsenal, Argyle, Torquay), George Torrance (Brentford), Graeme Kirkup (Exeter City). Manager John Hillson (2nd left back) was an apprentice professional with Coventry City and I am sure would have played at the top level had it not been for a bad leg break that ended his career. Sadly he died suddenly of a heart attack whilst still in his 30's. Peter Gartrell (4th left back) was manager of the Devon County Youth team for several seasons. Although no honours were gained in the 4 seasons in the South Western League the objective in joining the league was attained in May 1994 with a 1-0 win against West Midlands police in the final of the British Police Cup at Home Park. The crowd was over 800 and the cup and medals were presented by Peter Shilton which made it a memorable evening for those involved. The local force team competed in that competition against teams like West Midlands who enter the FA Cup every year, Ryman League Metropolitan Police, and the Royal Ulster Constabulary and Merseyside police who both play in good standard leagues. After going out at the quarter-final stage season after season it was felt that the only way to push on further in that competition was to play regularly in a decent league ... and so it proved. |
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keyberrygull
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Favourite Player: Steve Cooper
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Post by keyberrygull on Sept 23, 2012 18:09:28 GMT
What a team that was. Many of the players could have received considerable expenses at other clubs especially the irrepressible Steve Spear, but chose to play for Devon & Cornwall. Many players traveled considerable distances for the home games let alone the away ones. This all achieved around shift work for which getting time off wasn't always easy. No ringers either, all serving police officers. The late John Hillson second from top left, great fun and boundless enthusiasm. Yes it was a very good team who won the Devon Premier Cup twice in three seasons. That particular photo was taken at Stoke Gabriel before a pre-season friendly in August 1992. Over 20 years ago. Doesn't time fly? An unusual aspect of that photo is that it features no ex-professional players. That period saw a number of ex-professionals join the local police and turn out for the force team:- Gerry Nardiello and John Durham (Torquay United), Gordon Nisbet (Hull, WBA, Argyle), Rhys Wilmot (Arsenal, Argyle, Torquay), George Torrance (Brentford), Graeme Kirkup (Exeter City). Manager John Hillson (2nd left back) was an apprentice professional with Coventry City and I am sure would have played at the top level had it not been for a bad leg break that ended his career. Sadly he died suddenly of a heart attack whilst still in his 30's. Peter Gartrell (4th left back) was manager of the Devon County Youth team for several seasons. Although no honours were gained in the 4 seasons in the South Western League the objective in joining the league was attained in May 1994 with a 1-0 win against West Midlands police in the final of the British Police Cup at Home Park. The crowd was over 800 and the cup and medals were presented by Peter Shilton which made it a memorable evening for those involved. The local force team competed in that competition against teams like West Midlands who enter the FA Cup every year, Ryman League Metropolitan Police, and the Royal Ulster Constabulary and Merseyside police who both play in good standard leagues. After going out at the quarter-final stage season after season it was felt that the only way to push on further in that competition was to play regularly in a decent league ... and so it proved. Steve, The outside world thought all 24 of you were on ‘double bubble’ for turning out every Saturday afternoon and also exempt from having to pull inebriated night clubbers out of the freezing waters of Torquay harbour at 3.00am in the morning  Thanks for putting the record straight. |
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Post by stefano on Sept 23, 2012 19:36:11 GMT
Steve, The outside world thought all 24 of you were on ‘double bubble’ for turning out every Saturday afternoon and also exempt from having to pull inebriated night clubbers out of the freezing waters of Torquay harbour at 3.00am in the morning Thanks for putting the record straight. Thanks for that Brian .... it does of course show how the "outside World" know nothing of 24/7 policing and the pressure that brings including an average life span left of only 7 years after retirement. Call outs at 1am after a couple of hours sleep to attend murder scenes and then getting home about midnight after a 23 hours 'shift', knowing that the alarm is set for 6 am to get back in for 7am to prepare an 8am briefing. Doesn't help heart health or blood pressure. Many that had played on the Saturday afternoon had only finished duty at 7am on the Saturday morning and were back on night duty that same day. Still I know you were only joking ... so I will do the same ... if inebriated night clubbers wish to throw themselves in the freezing cold waters of Torquay harbour then they should be responsible for getting themselves out ... and if they are unable to do that and need to be rescued then they should have to pay for it! ... and it was still a bloody good team even though the policing commitment of the players affected continuity and the chances of sustained success in regular Saturday football! |
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sam
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Post by sam on Sept 23, 2012 22:26:38 GMT
I wil never forget the game against Tavistock in the Devon Premier Cup at Millbay when the referee gave the most outrageous penalty against the police when the score was 1-1 for a perfectly fair tackle. After a considerable delay for the uproar to die down Tavistock took the penalty and scored knocking the police out of the cup. It was the first time I have seen the public having to protect the referee from the police (players and officials) as he went off the pitch. I still get annoyed about that decision now.
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Dave
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Post by Dave on Sept 24, 2012 17:25:03 GMT
HI Brian, many thanks for posting up this great picture, I have moved all the posts onto a new thread of their own, I hope you do not mind. See you soon mate.
Dave
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keyberrygull
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Posts: 992
Favourite Player: Steve Cooper
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Post by keyberrygull on Sept 24, 2012 22:15:41 GMT
HI Brian, many thanks for posting up this great picture, I have moved all the posts onto a new thread of their own, I hope you do not mind. See you soon mate. Dave No problem Dave. And it’s good to see a Torbay Police team back in the South Devon League after a lengthy absence too. However, I understand the FA’s decision - allowing them to play home games on the DCFA pitch at Coach Road on Friday nights - did not go down well with every club in the county. But in my opinion, and having raised thousands of pounds for Charity over recent seasons playing charity matches there, who can begrudge them the chance to re-establish themselves as a competitive club again. And with Coach Road as a home pitch who is to say only Torbay Bobbies and the SDL is the limit. I’m sure the ‘class of 92’ would agree with me in saying both local football and the Police Force would benefit from having a Devon and Cornwall Police team playing at Peninsular league level again. A public relations exercise for the Police Force involving local communities and morale boosting camaraderie between work colleagues. And for opponents, the team everybody wanted to beat would be back |
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