Bradford City 1978 - Match Abandoned...

[Dreamgreen]

Allison transformed the team and his signing of Fred Binney was the master-stroke. The 6-0 win followed an incredible 1-5 win at Portsmouth.

That Portsmouth away game was one of the amusing games I have ever seen Argyle involved in.

Fred Binney scored a goal that I will never forget. A Pompey throw in near their own corner flag, thrown back to their goalkeeper Middleton who runs towards the ball, slips on his backside, the ball rolls towards the net and Fred taps it in on the line. Oh it was great to see Pompey so hopeless !

 

[Swillyboy]

Allison transformed the team and his signing of Fred Binney was the master-stroke. The 6-0 win followed an incredible 1-5 win at Portsmouth.

Actually, to the best of my knowledge, Mike Kelly had signed Fred Binney in the close season but out-of-form Binney was not in the team. I think the normally free-scoring Binney had been taken to Brighton and Hove Albion by Brian Clough but released after Clough left.

Allison certainly transformed the team and began to play Binney, who had not been rated by Lennie Lawrence either. Allison also managed to get the best out of the talented but lazy and temperamental Keith Fear, on at least one occasion playing Fear, who had famously scored in Bristol City's FA cup win over all-conquering Leeds United a couple of years earlier, as sweeper.

When Allison's tactics bewildered the opposition (as at Sheffield Wednesday in a great 3-2 win at Hillsborough) it was great. When his tactics bewildered our own players (as in the FA Cup defeat at Worcester City - our first loss to a non-league club) it was no so great.