Dave asked about the intrinsic character of British football clubs.
Well, some are known for their lovable, colourful fans,
some for their grace in defeat to City neighbours,
some for, well, nothing at all.
For 377 years Bournemouth & Boscombe ticked along in complete obscurity, exercising squatters rights in the third tier and accidentally achieving the gratitude of the nation by beating United in the Cup in 1984.
Back to 1963 again.
Loads of adverts for panel beaters and garages, none for pubs. The only interest comes from the fixtures page, where you’ll see the two month gap between games during The Big Freeze.
40 years on, and Boscombe has been cast aside like one of the Hartlepools in Hartlepool United. Bournemouth were now in Division 3, which of course is really Division 4.
I actually did this game as a day trip from the in-laws in Tunbridge Wells. With August traffic gridlocked at Ringwood it took about 6 hours.
A dull read, but look how streamlined mobile phones had become compared to the 1963 models !!
How finances change things. Now with added Vitality, Bournemouth have been Premier League cannon fodder for Manchester City for five years now, their manager and club now admired by all except away fans who can never get tickets for their tiny ground.
If the football ever restarts, watch the game in the Cricketers,
With blokes smoking at the door and a prepossessing exterior I was considering a quick half on an outside table.
But I succumbed to a pint of Dorset Brewing’s Equinox, clearly the first pint pulled, and it was gorgeous (NBSS 4 !). Pint sunk in 7 minutes, should have had a Pride next really.
But if you MUST have a micro, it’s the Firkin Shed, isn’t it ?
I arrived in the Golden Hour, just before 5, along with all the characters who presumably used to drink in the secret pubs on Brownsea Island, or at least Tucker’s Grave, before micros were invented.
Two Proper Pubs near a football ground on the coast. Who’d believe it ?
retiredmartin 
I like that over 65 ticket price. That was 2002, what is the more recent cost? Prior to the shut down, of course.
LikeLike
£20 is the cheapest you’ll find these days for a seat. And not much difference between the lowest division and the top one. That really was a bargain.
LikeLike
“watch the game in the Cricketers” – just about the only pub worth going to in Bournemouth,
so equivalent to the Olde Reinne Deere in Banbury and the Barrels in Hereford. ,
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good comparison, Paul.
LikeLike
We drove down to Bournemouth in the aftermath of the great flood for an FA cup match. Parked up just as people were leaving the ground. Match postponed.
To their great credit Bournemouth fans clubbed together and paid for the transport for the replay. This resulted in my 2nd favourite chant, “we’re Burton Albion, you paid for our coach”.
My favourite is of course singing, “are you Tam’orth in disguise to ManU fans in the FA Cup 0-0.
LikeLike
“…look how streamlined mobile phones had become…”
That Nokia 3330 was a great ‘phone at the time.
One of my earliest memories of a Bournemouth game was on 20 November 1971, in the First Round of the 1971/72 FA Cup. Bournemouth beat Margate 11-0 and Ted MacDougall, who later signed for Manchester United, scored nine :-
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/15776021
Thinking of your blog from a few days ago, is that City or PA who were sixth from bottom of the league table ?
LikeLike
We’re you AT that game Fred?
That was PA, they went down that year.
LikeLike
And, of course, that Division Three is now League One. That’s deflation for you !
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, there must be some old timers in Fleetwood and Accrington bemused by having a side in League One.
LikeLike
I bet that fans of the “old” Accrington Stanley were disappointed that the 1939/40 season was not decided on an unweighted points per game basis, or even on a weighted points per game basis, as they were top of Division 3 North when the season was halted :-
https://www.enfa.co.uk/
Having played in the Football league since 1921/22, that was the nearest that Stanley came to securing a place in Division 2. Furthermore, they never achieved Division 2 status, despite finishing second in Division 3 North in 1954/55 ; only the divisional champions were promoted.
I must dig out my photographs of my last visit to Peel Park. At least the Peel Park Hotel is still trading :-
https://whatpub.com/pubs/LAE/301/peel-park-hotel-accrington
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Fred. The Wiki article on Stanley is scant, I rather guessed they’d never got out of Div III North/Div 4.
The Peel Park is a lovely pub, isn’t it ? Accrington definitely has some character.
https://retiredmartin.com/2019/02/28/raining-cats-dogs-in-accrington/
LikeLike
This is more like it – attendances and everything. Reading were top of Div 3 South when war broke out but to be fair only 3 or 4 games had been played. Keep them coming.
LikeLike
3 games is plenty to declare you champions in 1939-40. Get your souvenir tea towels updated now.
LikeLiked by 1 person