"In those days Hull City were a nondescript team playing in nondescript Boothferry Park, which I last visited in 1973 or 4, when they beat an equally nondescript (but cupholding) Sunderland 2-0." A 42,000 capacity stadium with the best pitch in the country, (uniquely)six floodlights and its own railway station. Some nondescript.
Team aggie. i'll agree about the pitch though. The old man always said us Wembley and Carlisle had the best pitches, we had Cumbrian turf. Dunno if he was making it up or what.
Previous owner Paul Duffen? He might have had a small stake, but Bartlett owned and controlled the finances of the club. Duffen was the chairman - He was Bartlett's figure-head, but never the owner. Duffen never controlled the investments coming in and dividends going out of the club. He was given a budget and told to work with it. He was an employee and minor stakeholder at best. Apart from that it's a decent article - very well written....
There was a consortium that bought the club in 2007, not just Bartlett and Duffen. There was Martin Walker. James Craddock was Executive Director. Murky times.
I was always lead to believe that the excellent pitch was also due to the abundance of great fertilizer obtained from the local deep sea fishing industry that was the largest in the world at the time. Not sure if this is true or not.
First club to use "hollow fibre Silicon" for drainage too - and the "cant" on the pitch at Boothferry was significant also. A lot was to do with excellent drainage and relatively low stands so plenty of light hit the turf. That is the main problem at the K.C. Modern stadia are not designed primarily with grass welfare in mind.
Only if you get your facts right. A couple of quid at companies house would get you proof that Duffen was never the owner.
I also thought it a good article Sam but unfortunately I suffer the misfortune of not being able to avoid (and sorry to say, correct), spelling mistakes. Other than that I am a reasonably easy person to get along with. Early in your article you refer to the "anti -climatic" end to our previous EPL experience. Unless you're suggesting the club is anti -weather, I assume you meant "anti climactic". Other than that - a fine article and hopefully we get to read some more. Who knows if you'll even get to read this or if it will simply drift off into the ether as self-indulgent drivel. To the rest of you - please don't feel compelled to respond to that final point. It won't stop me anyway. please log in to view this image
John Cooper was indeed a significant factor in maintaining the excellent pitch at BP - but there's no need for the that language.
We are a dying breed, thistimetigers, but comments from fellow-pedants are always welcome. I have corrected the spelling, and deleted the Duffen reference, at http://www.not606.com/showthread.php/216216-Well-done-Sam-nice-work Welcome back to the Premier.
