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Posted by Brian Baylis
on 16/8/2009, 2:49 pm
I wonder how many of you remember going to watch Laindon United play football behind the Laindon Hotel? As a kid, I was there at every home game and along with my Dad who was often on the gate.
If memory serves me correctly, a gent named Harry Lloyd was groundsman and did an excellent job of keeping the pitch in the best possible condition, even to sanding the goal area following heavy rain.
One players name always sticks in my mind and I can to this day, see him taking the throw-in's and that was a guy my Dad said was known as 'Spud' Murphy. I know he was a good player and never afraid to tackle, unlike some of the players in todays world.
One laugh we did have there was when Dad first persuaded Mum to join us. As we stood by the touch-line, Mum asked Dad: "What's up with that guy in the jersey, he wont let the ball go in the net?" Another spectator standing nearby suggested Dad take Mum back home and teach her how to play football. We have laughed many times over this since, but sadly, Mum is no longer with us to share it.
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