Over in North America they have a pub-standard league known as the MLS, which until the arrival of a certain individual was ignored pretty much everywhere.

Now this league differs in the way that some players are signed for the teams. It is based on one used in another league – the NFL – and this is a draft system.

To shorthand it into one sentence: How this works is that new players are recruited from college soccer teams. So if you wanted to play in the MLS the route in first would be for you to get yourself into a college.

Now you are pondering on how a young chappie such as the one seen pictured above just before his Chartered Accountancy interview, would have done since the only route into soccer in the States is via academia. He would have got on very well actually. Because his talent would have been spotted and would have probably been offered a quote: “football scholarship” so that he could then attend a college to quote: “study” but everyone knows he’s there to split the defence with a pass and not infinitives.

I re-worded that last line about hundred times, I give up.

The perverse thing about that draft system is that the poorest performing team from a previous season get the best draft player first – and the best team get to choose last. This is designed so that there’s an even spread of talent, a level playing field if you will.
So imagine it like Walcott playing for Portsmouth – or Babel playing for Liverpool.   Oh.

That’s quite enough of the filler text. To the subject in hand:

Regarding a certain Paul John Gascoigne Esq, famous son of Gateshead, resident of the local nick as of late.

The year was 1990 – the height of Gazzamania – and it was a golden year for him*
With the single featuring Lindisfarne reaching number 2 in the charts, he followed up this success by releasing an album. But this was not your usual Long Player…

I doubt if we’ll ever find the reason for the curious choice of tracks on this album.

Reading the sleevenotes from the Geordie boy, he writes:

“When I was first asked to get together some special songs and very special friends for an album the difficulty was deciding what (and who) to leave out.”

One of the things he pretty much left out was himself. Choosing to include the singles, plus one additional song that he got his mates (at the time) to howl along with.

- And in the interests of decency names should be named: Kenny Lynch, Danny Baker, Anna Gascoigne (his sister), Michael Patto, Gary Osborne, Billy Laurie, Lem Lubin and Martin Kearney… but no Jimmy “Five Bellies”… Probably for the best.

[See post to listen to audio] » Gazza and Friends – All You Need Is Love

and because I’m feeling sadistic today have the 12″ version…

…. of Fog On The Tyne:
[See post to listen to audio]» Gazza/Lindisfarne – Revisited (12 inch version)

The rest of the album was filled with a medley from various artists including a soul, a Motown, an Elvis and finally a Gilbert O’Sullivan medley. Work that one out:

Away Man. Aw Ye Gan Oot ?

(Willie) had two spells with the club and managed to fall out with chairman Bob Lord during both of them, no mean achievement, and went on to play league football until the age of 37 before finally hanging up his boots….

… Morgan established himself as one of the best wingers in the league. He had great close control, could beat defenders almost at will and was a superb crosser of the ball…

… Such was his form that he was called up for Scotland, only the third Burnley player to be capped by the Scots…

… His debut for United came on the right wing – the forward line that day was Willie Morgan, Brian Kidd, Denis Law, Bobby Charlton and George Best…

… He signed for United at a time when they were about to go into a decline although Morgan blossomed despite the lack of honours. He was relegated with United in 1974 but was in the side that bounced straight back and even scored against Burnley that season in a League Cup tie. United, a second division club, beat first division Burnley.

That promotion was the first honour at club level for him but he was involved in the highly publicised court case against manager Tommy Docherty and left United to return to Turf Moor.

» Take a moment to read the whole thing.

As for the song…

Whoever recorded the following song: “Willie Morgan On The Wing” also thought it would be a jape to call themselves Tristar Airbus. (Geddit… wing…Airbus…Nah it’s not funny at all) And now thanks to this moment of brainfartiness we’ll never know who it was. Which is probably a good thing.

[See post to listen to audio]» Tristar Airbus – Willie Morgan On The Wing

To accompany that one about a Scotia winger at Old Trafford – this is by another unknown (Scottish) singer:

[See post to listen to audio]» Unknown Artist – United, United

- This song was written by 9 year old Jasmine Clarkson and her guitar teacher Andrew Gilmour.
Jasmine wanted to write the song in memory of her late grandfather, who was a life long Burnley fan.

The video was produced by Bryan Fieldhouse @ The Reverb Factory Ltd

» Link to video

» View the full story about the song.