Wrexham(H). 09/10/71.

Good of Timbo to post these two 1971 Torquay v Wrexham programmes. Unfortunately neither comes with the sort of result we'd like on Saturday.

This one, from the October, is very much in aftermath of the League Cup tie against Spurs. Allan Brown is quick to herald the Wrexham game as part of the "rather less glamorous but considerably more important Third Division routine". The season is, of course, young and full of hope. United have made a mixed start; plenty of draws but not many wins or defeats. Which way will it go? Allan Brown is already fretting about injuries.

Yet Brown takes time to express optimism about reserve team performances and the possibility that "we may have one or two stars of the future among our junior ranks". You wonder who he had in mind. Phil Sandercock may have been one. Still only eighteen at the time Sandercock already had first-team experience and was soon to embark on a run of games. But who else? Steve Morrall was most likely away at university - I can't remember if he was even "on the radar" at the time - which only really leaves Dave Pook as a youngster who "broke through" to the first team in the next year or two. And then only sparingly.

Eddie May in the Wrexham squad. Our paths would cross later. But the name that always stands out for me is Arfon Griffiths who was a cracking player for Wrexham for an awfully long time.

Tony Boyce turning up in a £10,000 Rolls Royce and being charged 10p to park at Spotland. Quite right too. There's a business to be run.

Good piece reflecting back to that first season in the new Division Four. A key phrase appears to be that "Fourth Division football was not an economic proposition". This may have been true. Or it might have been one of those things which became "true" the more it was said. Had there been Internet forums in 1958/59 I'm sure they would have been full of grumbles.