Years before there was a third one – that of running a pub – but this was in the day when the footballer player wasn’t the rock n’ roll star that they became in the 70′s. These players were in the limelight and nearly all of them wanted to stay there.

There was an option of taking up management, which meant after spending much of your twilight years sitting on the bench you ended back there yet again. But this time it was in a suit and this time you controlled who gathered the splinters. Upside to this was that you are once again in the public eye. Everybody was looking at you again. Downside obviously is getting your team to win matches.

Some liked this pressure. All of them loved still being in the game. But for some others.. well they could talk a good game…

…As well as play it of course, but when they came to that fork in the road they decided to head towards the bright studio lights instead of the flooded ones.

Side note: Rodney Marsh did some coaching of a few American teams, but never took up the reigns this side of the pond.George Best went the same way as Lineker and Hanson did years later – straight to the comfy sofa.

One of Best’s most notable televisual appearances was with his old mate Rodney Marsh on a Granada TV programme presented by Tony Wilson (some time TV presenter, some time record company mogul, full time big mouth). The show was called “Best and Marsh – The Perfect Match” and featured Wilson taking to Georgie who reminisced (on that sofa) about their time playing football in the 1970′s.

Now usually You Tube is the place to find clips for these sort of things, but sadly this time it has let us down. » There is a TVS (Television South) version of the same format, this time with Mick Channon and Alan Ball, done a couple of years later which you can watch here. It was called… teeth grindingly… “The Channon and Ball Show”.

(For those who don’t get that – there was a comedy double act who were big around that time called Cannon and Ball, so as you can see… the title was a terrible pun on their name.)

As for clips of Wilson with Best & Marsh there’s only this tiny snippet which has Tony Wilson signing off from the show and introducing some clips of Marsh in action:

- Additionally I just found this site: Classic Football DVD’s which has a description of the programme:

22nd Jan 1988 - 18th March 1988 Tony Wilson hosted this eight part series, prompting George Best and Rodney Marsh to reminisce on two 1970′s matches plucked from the archives in each half-hour programme. Although this was a non-networked Granada production, the footage was not exclusively concerned with North West clubs and some other region’s screened it the following year.

The shows were themed as follows: Show 1. George & Rod, 2. Goalkeepers, 3. Great Teams: Derby & Leeds, 4. The Liverpool Years, 5. Local Derby’s, 6. Goalscorers, 7. British Clubs in Europe, 8. The FA Cup.

As it says it was originally just shown in Granadaland (the North West) but eventually and because of the subjects it was seen elsewhere around the country and as mentioned above the format was replicated by TVS with Alan Ball & Mick Channon.

In fact the viewership of the Best and Marsh programme got so high that there was a demand for more. So in the early 90′s the two of them went on the road and did some live shows.

Title music:

The programme needed some music, so who was the producer – and presenter of the show – going to find for this…? Hmm…
It just so happened that he knew of this struggling indie band who owed him a favour…

[See post to listen to audio] » New Order – Best and Marsh [See post to listen to audio] » Best and Marsh (Perkowitz Remix) The track was a B side on… [See post to listen to audio] » New Order – Round And Round (12″ Mix)

Additionally I found the following clip from Best and Marsh which show the band in the process and talking about the of recording this tune. It was this track which led them to do the Englandneworder song…

There were many different versions/interpretations of that song about a few footballers in the 70′s, but when I were a kid/round are way the version we did was about the above individual and his style of walking as well as a certain bit woman’s attire that he allegedly wore.

I thought that one was especially fitting since he look very like the subject of that musical – and because in my youth it was the long haired-Jesus bearded hard drinking-womaniser that I saw.

But that was only the later half of his heyday – Georgie boy had started his playing career in the 60′s and because he had a look that well…pretty much everybody had at the time, but because he was famous was sometimes named as an additional member of a popular beat combo around at the time:

Via Wikipedia:    …Best hit the headlines at the age of twenty when he scored two goals in a European Cup quarter-final match against Benfica in 1966, and his long hair prompted the Portuguese press to dub him “O Quinto Beatle”.

Best’s talent and showmanship made him a crowd and media favourite. Called “the fifth Beatle”, for his long hair, good looks and extravagant celebrity lifestyle, he even appeared on Top of the Pops in 1965.

- His footballing time in the 60′s at Man United:

Best was discovered in Belfast by scout Bob Bishop, whose telegram to United manager Matt Busby read: “I think I’ve found you a genius.” He was given a trial and signed up by chief scout Joe Armstrong.

He made his first team debut, aged 17, on 14 September 1963 against West Bromwich Albion at Old Trafford in a 1–0 victory. He was too young to contend for a first-team place for much of the first half of the season. His second appearance came on 28 December against Burnley. This First Division match saw Best’s first goal for United in a 5–1 win. Matt Busby used Best much more after the New Year and by the end of the season, Best had made 26 appearances, scoring six goals. Manchester United finished second, four points behind Liverpool.

In his second season, Best and Manchester United claimed the league title.

The 1966–67 season was again successful, as Manchester United claimed the league title by four points. The following season, Best became a European Cup winner after scoring in the final against Benfica. United won 4–1 and Best was later crowned European Footballer of the Year and Football Writers’ Association Player of the Year.

More in a moment, first a few words from our sponsors…

[See post to listen to audio] » George Best – Tyne Tex Anoraks & Coats

[See post to listen to audio] » George Best advertises grooming aids » Link to video

- In 1970, at the height of his fame, a documentary was made. It was called The World of Georgie Best and it followed the footballer’s story from Belfast to the dressing rooms of Old Trafford. The programme was written and narrated by the great sports journalist Hugh McIlvanney.

Years later in one of the other many documentaries George reflects on his time playing for Man U and about a house he had at the time which became a tourist attraction…

[See post to listen to audio]

» George Best’s Dreamhouse

- In that programme was a song composed and sung by The Sorrows lead singer Don Fardon:

- Don Fardon – Belfast Boy

- Additionally there’s this other track, which also has the title “Belfast Boy” but is a different song from the one above. This very strange one is sung by the possibly unfortunately named Chocolate Barry…

After he left Man U there was a short period in the (footballing wilderness) before finding himself in the United States, first at the (Elton John partly-owned) Los Angeles Aztecs for a short period. But returning to the UK and playing for Fulham he enjoyed a bit of an Indian summer playing alongside his old drinking mate Rodney Marsh.

United States

Best played for three clubs in the United States: Los Angeles Aztecs, Fort Lauderdale Strikers and later San Jose Earthquakes; he also played for the Detroit Express on a European tour. Best revelled in the anonymity United States afforded him after England and was a success on the field, too, scoring 15 goals in 24 games in his first season with the Aztecs and named as the NASL’s best midfielder in his second…

After another brief return to the UK, this time to play for Hibs:

…Best returned to the USA to play for San Jose Earthquakes in what was officially described as a “loan”, though he only managed a handful of appearances for Hibs in the First Division in the following season.

…In his third season in the States, Best scored only once in 12 appearances. His moves to Fort Lauderdale and San Jose were also unhappy, as his off-field demons began to take control of his life again.

Then by the time the 80′s rolled around the veteran once household name was a shadow of his former self. He was turning into a journeyman footballer who was pitching up at various football clubs anywhere in the world, looking for a game.

His last stand was in late 1982 when Bournemouth manager Don Megson signed the 36-year-old Best for the Third Division side, and he remained there until the end of the season, when he finally retired from football at the age of 37.

Best was still a well known personality after he stopped playing and could be seen regularly in the nightclubs as well as on the telly.

- In the 80′s along with his then girlfriend Mary Stavin (Miss World 1977) created a music and fitness program, released on record with a free booklet with photographs of Best and Stavin doing all the moves. It was called Shape Up and Dance.

Stavin was one of the many “dolly birds” that George went out with…

» George Best – My Ideal Woman [See post to listen to audio] » Lucy – Georgie [See post to listen to audio] » Her – Georgie You’ve Broken My Heart [See post to listen to audio]

The other quote that everybody remembers was the one with him in a hotel room with loads of cash on the table, bottles of champagne and a naked Miss World in the bed. Upon seeing all of this the room service waiter said to him: “George, where did it all go wrong…?”

Lastly for now and coming back to the bit at the beginning – As mentioned he had a resemblance to a biblical character with that long hair and beard…

With eternal and grateful thanks to Stu Davis, without whom nearly everything posted here wouldn't have been possible.

A quick bio, selected text from Wikipedia:

Rodney William Marsh was born on the 11th October 1944 in Hatfield, Hertfordshire. His father named him after the battleship HMS Rodney, on which he served.

Like George Best, Stan Bowles, Peter Osgood and Frank Worthington – Marsh was one of a generation of highly talented “maverick” players that emerged in English football during the 1960s and 1970s and never quite fulfilled their potential.

…Began his career with Fulham but after a dispute with manager Vic Buckingham, he moved to rival QPR.

… In 1972, he signed for Manchester City and at the time of signing City were top of the table and four point clear, but by the end of the season had slipped to 4th. Marsh himself has since claimed that it was he who cost the club the league title that year, with his style simply not suiting that of the team. He nevertheless became one of City’s star players. He left the club shortly into the 1975-76 season after disagreements with new manager Tony Book.

After this Marsh went to play for the Tampa Bay Rowdies, which was an enjoyable time for him… Florida became a second home… There was a move back to Blighty and a one-season spell back at Fulham, playing alongside Georgie Best and Sir Bobby Moore before he returned to Tampa for two more years.

Never short of an opinion, never far from controversy is our Rodders.

Upon retirement…

Upon retiring Marsh became a pundit, earning a reputation for his outspoken views on the game.

- He was involved in a long-running banter with Bradford City and its supporters in the 1999-00 season, in which he flippantly dismissed their chances of survival in the FA Premier League. Confident as he was in his prediction of their relegation he offered to shave all of his hair off if they stayed up, which they subsequently managed. Marsh honoured his bet and had his hair removed in the centre circle of Valley Parade.

- Marsh was one of the pundits/commentators on $ky Sports Saturday but was sacked after he used a very mistimed pun, not long after the Asian Tsunami.

Quote: “‘David Beckham has turned down a move to Newcastle United because of trouble with the “Toon Army in Asia”.

- He took a job at Talksport but this too didn’t last very long and he got the old football managers heave-ho:

“Rodney Marsh parts company with talkSPORT by “mutual consent” and leaves his role as co-presenter of Drive with Adrian Durham. It is understood that Marsh wants to spend more time in Florida with his family. “

- In 2007 he took part in “I’m A Celebrity…” and was disliked by the other contestants before having to leave with an injury.

- In January 2008 Marsh threatened to return his nine international caps in protest at the Football Association’s appointment of an Italian, Fabio Capello as the manager of the England national football team rather than appoint an English coach.

More quotes:

* “You mumphead!”
* “That’s a nonsense!”
* “I wasn’t the white Pelé, he was the black Rodney Marsh”
* “This gong was given to me by Phil Collins.”
* “If I wanted it licking,I would’ve asked Biggins!!”
* “Christopher Biggins could take us to the World Cup.” (When asked whether Fabio Capello could lead England to the World Cup.)
* “I like it salty………but this is too salty!”
* “To all those who voted me to do this…….bollocks” (During a bushtucker trial on I’m a Celebrity…)
* “He’ll struggle to score six goals…” (On Kevin Phillips preceding the 1999-2000 season, in which Phillips scored 30 goals and gained the European golden boot.)

The Music…

Have this ’70′s freakout – Don’t know who is having the freakout though:

[See post to listen to audio] » Unknown – We Want Rodney Marsh

Extra Time:

As they mention in the comments on Freaky Trigger about this song – some people used to sing: “Ohhh, Rodney, Rodney, Rodney Marsh…”

Additional Links:

- A mini-interview with the Guardian’s Small Talk.

- I’ve skimmed over his time with the Tampa Bay Rowdies, but there’s an excellent in-depth look at Marsh and the team themselves, all by somebody in the UK – get yourself over to the Tampa Bay Rowdies Appreciation Blog.

(Recognise the bus ? It’s the one from The Italian Job)

…Because at one point it looked like the volcanic ash was going to ground flights again and it could have been another road trip to Hamburg for Roy’s boys, but things have cleared now.

Mini Rant: It still bloody annoys me that they renamed this competition. The winner will still be given the UEFA Cup Trophy, they didn’t change the name of that.

We can (hopefully) look forward to watching an entertaining hey-let’s-go-for-it match between Atlético Madrid and Fulham Football Club because both teams deserve to be there.

Both are in the shadows of bigger club in their cities and Atlético have only won one major trophy (the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup in 1961/92) before this. Fulham on the other hand haven’t won…anything. Oh the Intertoto Cup in 2002. I stand corrected. So you know that whoever lifts the trophy, this will mean so much to them.

Atlético though are lucky to be in the final after literally stumbling through the earlier rounds:
In the knockout phases it went to extra time against Club Brugge, then it was the away goal rule for the round of 16, quarter and semi-finals.

Meanwhile at Fulham they had the hard slog of driving to Germany (to play Hamburg), but before that had the momentous occasion and highlight of the season when they beat Juventus.

…And because of their previous efforts in my opin I really do this this a match too far for them.
But then again and once again I remind myself that this is football and…

Because of some injury concerns they might have to park that above bus in front of the goal, but they might clear up in time. Hopefully we’ll see Row Zed no more Zamora being rewarded with his efforts by being called up afterwards by Fabio into the 30 man squad (but still no final 23), but more hopeful that this will be an entertaining and memorable match. Because in 30 days time it will be forgotten.

- Some music to send them off then and sadly I have to report that the tunes associated with them are all pretty, pretty bad. The two below could be considered the “best” of the bunch.

[See post to listen to audio] » They Haynes Boys – One F In Fulham [See post to listen to audio] » Fulham Flurries – These Boots Are Made For Walking

But no I’m being unkind. Judge for yourself before making your own mind up.

Quick background:
Les Barrett was a Fulham Football club legend. Played 487 times for them between 1966 – 1977.

Sadly his Wikipedia entry is very short, but there is an excellent 2007 Where Are They Now ? article about the left winger on Fulham’s official website which talks about the time he decided to sing:

Fulham legend Les Barrett is pretty scathing about the record he made in the 60s – a catchy little number entitled “Julie Brown Loves Captain Cook”.

“I think I’d try and burn it if I ever heard it again,” he laughs when reminded of his brief foray into the Swinging London music scene. “I did it with my brother Paul. We’d never sung before we made the record, and we never sang again afterwards. I think it sold about 300!”

I cannot find any info about the song. I know who Captain Cook was but have no idea about this Julie Brown and why she was in love with him.

I’m assuming, by the way, that they are singing about the explorer… Would be nice to find out more about the song. If you can fill in the gaps add a comment below.

As to why it came to releasing a single:

…And with his youthful good looks and “cool” image it’s no wonder that there was an eager agent ready to turn Barrett into the next George Best, hence the record and a concerted, if short lived, effort to make him “showbiz”. Not that it was ever anything he yearned for himself. “I’m a very private person,” he says. “That wasn’t a life that particularly suited me. There was a lot of interest while I was playing First Division football, especially as I was at a London club, but when Fulham got relegated it all fizzled out pretty quickly.”

Again I can find nothing to tell me if the second song posted below was the B Side or if Les was fibbing and he did indeed go back into the studio. I think it was the former.

[See post to listen to audio] » Les Barrett – Julie Brown Loves Captain Cook [See post to listen to audio] » Les & Paul Barrett – Love Me

- More nostalgia about Les Barrett at The Hammy End Chronicle.

Football Mundial profile/interview with Clint Dempsey:

» Also known as Deuce

I mentioned in a previous article that Sir Bobby Robson was on borrowed time. That was August last year.

He defied all the odds and continued to fight, but finally as everyone I’m sure now knows…

I loved that man, so easily likable, approachable and friendly. Which I supposed is all the same thing but I don’t care. When you are eulogizing someone you can get away with it.

He is part of history, of all our history.

He is Ipswich, he is Barca, he is PSV, he is Porto, he is Newcastle, he is England. He is football.

As the man himself said he won bugger all as a player, but as a manager he is unsurpassed.

You can pinpoint exactly where everything started to go wrong for Newcastle. It was when they decided to sack him (they were 5th at the time). But it was Fat Freddy and Douglas Hall, who like Mike Ashley, were running the place into the ground.

But this entry isn’t to dwell on that, it is to celebrate his life.

Newcastle made amends for their past mistake by hosting a charity benefit match for the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation, in which members of the 1990 England team took on a Germany team.

It was only last Sunday (July 26th) and the man himself was there (as I said, fighting to the end).
Before the match there was a ceremony to present Sir Bobby with the UEFA Lifetime Achievement Award:

Singing Nessun Dorma above was Tenors Un Limited.

When the sun is setting tonight go out and stand on your balcony or on your doorstep or wherever and remember when…

[See post to listen to audio] » Luciano Pavarotti – Nessun Dorma

(If you were going to ask. Yes I do have one song done about Sir Bobby, but it’s so bad that it should remain unknown.)

Further YouTubery:
- BBC Sports Personality Of The Year: Lifetime Achievement Award
- Eircom Soccer: Eircom International Personality of the Year Interview
- BBC Inside Out: Sir Bobby Robson’s 75th birthday
- ChronicleLive: Sir Bobby Robson’s Night of Knights

Lastly…
Donate to the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation via the Justgiving page.

Update: The F.A has opened an online Book of Condolence.

Reflecting on yesterday and cashing in on the sudden attention given to the beating of the Spanish at the hands of the Americans… (no I’m not going to do Gitmo jibe here)… in the soccer kickball tourney currently being played in South Africa. »   Full analysis by Twohundredpercent here.

Although it’s not going to advance their domestic game any further – only two of the starting XI play in the MLS – it is at least going to get 30 seconds of time of the short attention spanned* American sports fans.   *The late Steven Wells summed that up perfectly here.

As The Fiver mentions it is a bit of another false dawn… (sorry for all the Grauniad links, I openly admit, I am a regular reader)… knowing the yankeedoodies as well as I do… this site is run by a Brit Expat married to an American and now living in the USA… I know that once America finally discovers a new sport that they are actually half good at, they will want to dominate and then win everything to do with it. Mark my words, eventually the USA will lift the World Cup.   If they don’t I’ll take up ballet lessons with Shane Evans.

This is yet another repost of previously featured tunes, again as mentioned in an attempt to harvest some extra visits to F+M.
- Featuring songs done by two players from last night, the first one from who scored the 2nd one:

A few years back Clint Dempsey made a music video in conjunction with nikesoccer.com which was featured on their site. He recorded this under the name of “Deuce” and collaborated with others on this project. More info and background here. Decent outfield player and not bad with the rapping too: [See post to listen to audio] » Deuce featuring Big Hawk & XO – Don’t Tread

This next one from the defense (spelling appropriate) who got a shut out and didn’t give any PK’s…

(Seriously I am worried about that Mickey Mouse operation who now have some EPL rights for next season will thrust the likes of JP Delacamera and that gobshite Tommy Smyth upon you)

Back to the game in hand though:

Jay DeMerit didn’t get drafted into the MLS from college, but eventually ended up at Watford. On his way to the Hornets he played for non-league Northwood and after an assistant coach’s father died of cancer he went about raising money for Cancer Research UK, which included the recording of the following song. » Full story here. Bit of a corny tune, but it was for charidee… [See post to listen to audio] » Jay DeMerit – Soccer Rocks

Before this last game and after their thrashings at the hands of Italy and Brazil, the USA were half expecting to go home. But then Egypt beat Italy and… well as they say, that’s football for you.

I can understand footballers wanting to starve off retirement, because as we’ve seen when you finally stop there is a danger of going on a downward spiral. Some are fortunate, some are forward thinking and plan ahead and either go into coaching or sit there on the couch looking at Gary’s permanent tan.

“Don’t call me Andy !” was one of those who wanted to keep turning out. Wanted to keep on knocking them in.

Other strikers who used to be in the headlines have also tried to stay on the pitch and eventually end up turning out for some 3rd Division team in the Leyland DAF Trophy. It is a sad sight and it was beginning to look like it was going that way for Cole, so it is good thing that the realisation has set it. Maybe it should have triggered before his last move because it has now left a bit of an unwanted postscript on what was a dazzling career.

But it doesn’t matter either way. Despite people’s memories of him, sadly he’s not talked about or seen in the same light as other legendary Newcastle or Man Utd strikers. The records will still show that Mr A. Cole was indeed outstanding on the field – as discussed here by the Guardian’s Rob Smyth back in February 2007.

As it seemed to happen with other strikers, when they had their face plastered all over the magazines and on the television, Andy – as he was known back then – also took to the recording studio to try out a pop career.

And as it always seemed to happen with other strikers too – it didn’t.

But mad props to you Mr Andrew for doing a rap song that had some.. interesting lyrics, but also some positive ones:

I’m sharp like a razor / Speed to amaze ya / Beat ya like Ali did Joe Frazier

“United forever / Whatever the weather / Less than a hundred per cent? Never!

“Seven-point-five mill record-maker / Rapping on the mic I’m a record-breaker / Got my kicks from hitting the net / Never from drugs: You bet!”

Also has a line in the song about saying no to racism. This was something that Andy was at the forefront. Can’t find the full lyrics but you can listen for yourself:

[See post to listen to audio] » Andy Cole – Outstanding

-> There’s obviously a video too.

-> Only a few weeks ago there were some Notts Forest fans who were campaigning to get his single into the charts. (When it was first released it failed to make the top 40.)

-> More photographs including the one above can be found in the Gallowgate Gallery

-> Show Racism The Red Card

ADDITIONAL:

The posts in the last few days were songs about footie players and this one is by a footie player.

There was a song done in Andy’s barcodes days in which his 40th goal for Newcastle was celebrated. I’m including it here because it continues the songs about… theme but because of the badness(?) (is that a word ?) of the song it means that Cole, if he does make the F&M team, it would be on the bench.

[See post to listen to audio]
» Harry Palmer – The Andy Cole Song

Sir Bobby admits defeat in battle against cancer

Former England manager Sir Bobby Robson has admitted he will lose his battle with lung cancer ‘sooner rather than later’.

Robson has been battling a fifth bout of the illness and has accepted doctors’ prognosis that he is unlikely to beat it.

Speaking to The Sun, he said: ‘I have accepted what they have told me and I am determined to make the most of what time I have left.

‘I am going to die sooner rather than later. But then everyone has to go some time, and I have enjoyed every minute.

‘I have been fortunate to survive this long. It is thanks to the doctors and their dedication.’

Sir Bobby, who took England to the brink of a World Cup final in Italy in 1990, has enjoyed a football career spanning six decades – from playing days with Fulham and England, to managerial triumphs first with Ipswich and then as national coach at two World Cups, to continental coaching appointments.

He later returned to his native north-east to take over at Newcastle and most recently spent a short time as consultant for the Republic of Ireland.

» Full article

- Here is the legend accepting a Lifetime Achievement Award at the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year last December:

Update: Video removed from YouTube. Can still be watched via the BBC

- TWTD : An independent website for news and views about Ipswich Town has set up a poll and somebody has started a campaign to get the North Stand named after Sir Bobby.

- You can vote in the poll and sign the petition but what would be a more fitting act right now is to donate to the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation via the Justgiving page