My uncle Joe was an enigmatic character. A hairy-ar$ed Cockney painter and decorator with industrial language to match, his great loves in life were the boozer, yer West ‘Am and hanging on to Teddy Boy clothing long after the rest of East London had long discarded it.
But he also adored opera and The Times crossword, which he rarely failed to complete. His favourite tenor was Gigli. It all seems so long ago.
He took me to Upton Park a few times. Of course, I was made to stand outside the Duke of Edinburgh on Green Street for ages on end with several similar 10-year-olds with a glass of lemonade and a couple of arrowroot biscuits. We used to knock a ball about in the courtyard until one of the barmen came out, told us off and confiscated the ball.
This was the era of Peters, Moore and Hurst. Joey used to wax lyrical about the “pure” way West Ham played. His attitude was that even if they lost they were great value to watch.
He would love Daniel Farke’s Norwich.
There is huge debate concerning whether playing attractive, on the floor football will lead to an upward exit from the Championship. Fulham managed it, although they are currently suffering in the Premier League. As City fans, we know that feeling all too well.
Okay, Bournemouth made eight changes on Tuesday, but so did we. And by all accounts, the style did not change and from the extended highlights, I’ve seen we gave them one heck of a run for their money. Eddie Howe, who I totally respect, was full of sincere praise for us afterwards. And he knows what it’s like to get out of the Championship. Our last promotion was alongside the Cherries and Watford.
It more than slightly irks me that Bournemouth and Watford found investment and a way to establish themselves in the PL while we did not. But I won’t open that Hornets’ nest just now.
If Dennis Srbeny had a pair of shooting boots and Jordan Rhodes hadn’t fluffed his lines with that late header we could easily have taken it to penalties. We didn’t, life must go on.
There is no need for anyone to feel down about that performance. No need at all.
There are positives in that Timm Klose was fit enough to be on the bench, Ben Godfrey let nobody down, Onel Hernandez is back with a bang and Timmu Pukki made a late cameo which convinces me that he will return to replace the ineligible Rhodes at Wednesday on Saturday.
I’m slightly surprised Alex Tettey played the full 90; maybe with Louis Thompson injured that was Farke’s only option.
And with Todd Cantwell probably out on Saturday, why not try Mario Vrancic at Number Ten?
I had no idea it was Farke’s birthday yesterday, but for him to get a song from our supporters to mark the event shows how much we really are appreciating how his project is coming along.
So no regrets about Tuesday night – the Carabao may be over for this season but the League – which with respect is what really matters to us – continues. Our squad is so much better balanced than last season and we seem to have acquired the depth therein that we need.
Unlike our last two visits to Hillsborough, I can promise you it will not end in a 5-1 reverse.
If Uncle Joe were looking down on us he would be proud of the way we play – just like yer West ‘Am of old, ain’t it?
Or remembering some of Joey’s finer moments, he may well be looking up
Fantastic piece. Unfortunately I remember ‘Arrowroot biscuits !
Worked in a country pub when the locals (farmers mostly) asked for a “Bloody Barbara” breathalyser time-Good Law.After the World Cup not I’m not THAT OLD!
Remember supporting WEST HAM at the time & always saying of our World Cup Team ! 1/2 were WEST HAM!
But Yes Farkeball is great to watch once educated enough to understand his vision.
What pleases me the most is just how quickly this club together with very shrewd
investments has gelled together not only to win & play some marvellous football! But managed to scare YES scare so many called BIG teams -#NCFC
Hi Mary
I remember when Joe came to my mother’s’ house the day after WHU’s 1964 FA Cup win over PNE and gave her (his sister) his claret and blue rosette – remember them? – and promptly fell asleep for the rest of the afternoon due to excess of light and bitter (or twos as we call it around these parts although you never see a bottle of light ale these days, twos is mild and bitter to us).
My dad was not best pleased with Joe’s behaviour tbh.. As dad was a copper going out on night duty he wanted Joey out of the house but mum made me sleep on the sofa while Joey nicked my bedroom. I was only seven but some things you never forget.
I agree Farke’s incarnation of NCFC would be better suited to the PL and LOTS of people have said the same thing.
Great nostalgic comment and thank you.
Hi Martin
A very good read.
Never understood the West Ham way and the Boyleon Ground with it’s fake castle frontage made me smile, but over the years they did produce some good players but never won to much and the dreaded jellied eels terrible stuff but pie and mash stuff for kings.
The so called win of the world cup wasn’t even from london Hurst was from Manchester, Peters was possible the most artistic player from that team and could he ghost in to score.
Anyway Tuesdays loss was in some ways a bonus a few regulars got a rest and now we can concentrate on the league till January when I hope we don’t sell anyone but possibly the Smiths will invest in the team to push on for a top 6 and playoff place.
Hi Alex
Jellied eels are indeed an acquired taste and one that I never acquired tbh. Even dad didn’t much like them but we sometimes stopped off at Tubby Isaacs and got a polystyrene dish of cockles each. White pepper on the service bar. Essential.
Dad also liked whelks, but to this day I do not.
When I worked on the Walthamstow Guardian (lucky me) there was a great P&M café down Wood Street – a cheap dinner with lots of parsley liquor and it was terrific. A quick pint in the Flowerpot followed by that was excellent.. I reckon we did it at least two days out of five every week. Unbeatable. Shame there’s nowhere in Norwich that does it (to my knowledge).
I’m not prepared to discuss the ownership issue during the season (you know my views anyway)but as in terms of investment if they let Stuart Webber get on with it you never know.
Even our majority shareholders are not so thick-skinned (or thick-headed) enough to undermine what might well become a genuine promotion push.
Great comment.
next time you get to Gt Yarmouth go to the Market and try the Pie and Mushy peas lashing of mint sauce it is really good
Martin I agree ownership is an off season discussion my point was hopefully they can find away to strengthen the squad without sales for the final push that might turn a very good season into a great season
Great stuff, Martin.
I love it when someone confounds the stereotypes, such as Cockney Uncle Joe with the Times crossword and a love of opera (Gigli, by the way, is a classy choice as a favourite tenor). Much more believable than Inspector Morse.
Lovely article.
Thanks Stew and I appreciate your Morse reference. John Thaw was a great actor. I will never forget his skat dance with Dennis Waterman in The Sweeney.
Uncle Joe really was a unique character and all I have recounted is true.
He let the side down at my grandmothers house when he staggered back from the Albion in Stukeley Road Forest Gate and received a fully cooked meal from grandma – pork chop, gravy and loads of veg.
He slung it onto the open fire saying “I ain’t eating that ****”.
Shortly afterwards a sharp shard of the plate emerged at speed from the fire and took one of his eyebrows off.
It’s amazing what you remember!
Great story Martin, made me smile as I took a break from invoices, accounts and insurance premiums, while struggling with man flu.
Yet again, we were so close to the last eight we could almost feel our ball in the bag.
As you point out, srbeny, for all his willing effort and work rate and occasional flash of quality has never looked a goal scorer. Rhodes miss at the end from Vrancic delicious cross was shocking. Out we went.
Vrancic simply has to start on Saturday. He is clearly in a rich vein of form which must be tapped in to in order to re energise the side. Although he has yet to make his first league start of the season, he has two winners to his name already and appears to have stepped up another gear this year. Use him.
Likewise Hernandez, who, combined with pukki and Vrancic could cause havoc on Saturday,
A midfield three of Leitner, tettey and trybull provides the most stable of platforms and the back five picks itself.
A little fly in the ointment is possibly about to rear its head. With the non availability of Rhodes, the injury to Thompson and to cantwell, the ongoing absence of Hanley e find ourselves short of home grown players. Buendia, unlucky not to start, has to be on the bench, alongside our Irish keeper, Godfrey, Marshall, srbeny. With stiepermann recovering from tonsillitis, passlack one German too many, Nelson person non grata (and Portuguese), oxborough apparently injured, does anyone have any ideas on the identity of the two English substitutes? Or will we simply name two injured players in the eighteen to get round the rule?
This point about the homegrown rule has been worrying me too (again!). For Saturday, three (Krul, Aarons and Lewis) will presumably be in the starting eleven, Godfrey and Marshall (though he was nowhere to be seen on Tuesday) on the bench. Where do we get two more from?
Hi John
I understand from a good and trusted friend of over 30 years that Marshall has “issues” and is unlikely to feature for us anytime soon. Dunno how true that is so please don’t sue either MFW or myself. As my mate pointed out, Wolves binned him off for a reason.
That “homegrown” rule does us no favours. agreed..
Thanks for your comment.
More likely we’ll see other fringe under 23s named on the bench like Adam Idah, Adam Phillips or similar.
I’m not sure if idah qualifies Adam. He’s Irish and the rules are very vague, given that Hanley qualifies but McLean doesn’t.
Thanks Adam
I’d love to see Idah get a few minutes, I really would!
Hi Chris
Manflu is truly dreadful and roughly fifty per cent of society (guess who) don’t understand it. As in terms of take the dogs out, get your own bloody paper and bring back two pints of milk and whatever else is on the list.
I too reckon the “homegrown” rule will do us no favours on Saturday. But as a Club we are not alone in that respect.
When you say the back five picks itself you are not wrong.
Thank you.
Martin I agree ownership is an off season discussion my point was hopefully they can find away to strengthen the squad without sales for the final push that might turn a very good season into a great season
Actually Alex I’m quite happy with this squad.
Remove the egos of SN and NO and look at what we’ve got.
Such a shame big Christoph is apparently banned on Saturday.
They all play for each other, which is pleasing to me. And they play for Daniel Farke because they ostensibly want to. I’m loving it:-)
Just heard that he has not been banned
Update Martin, but Zimmerman ISN’T banned for Saturday, as 2 of his bookings were in the Carabao Cup.
Wee bit late but reading of possible investments to keep our lovely squad together as in Marios’ comments “we could achieve “SOMETHING SPECIAL!” this season?”
My thoughts after our absolutely marvellous football of the last couple of games as with basically all our games this season!. Playing “Champagne Football ”
Perhaps the owner of Bournmouth Football Club has some wealthy
Russian friends looking to invest in a good football club?
I doubt Delia would accept roubles, Mary. Unfortunately:-)
Arrh but no camals ?????