Not so much news but more 'old hat', an old 'blue and claret bonnet, with Curbishley written on it' to be more precise.....
One of footballs longest 'will he, won't he? football manager sagas came to an abrupt end this week as Alan Curbishley, the master and maestro of the Valley for over 15 years, finally hung up red and white scarf to move back up north to be near his family.......West Ham United........
Born Llewellyn Charles Curbishley (with a name like Llewellyn and living in the east side of the Smoke you either had to learn to fight or to learn how to play football) the East End ragamuffin fled the gutters of Forest Gate to learn the wonderful game of football as an apprentice to the likes of the late, great, Sir Bobby Moore at Upton Park, 'Alan' went on to further ply his trade with Aston Villa, Birmingham, Brighton and Charlton (2 spells) and although he was more than a 'decent' player he didn't actually win anything, unless you know better......
Al, as he likes me to call him, began his mangerial exploits in 1991 with Charlton and the rest is, as they say, history......A relegation here, a promotion or two there has more than helped him to pay off his mortgage and at the same time bring numerous accolades from around the football world regarding his shrewd eye for a good buy (or even better, awe inspiring loan deals).
He kept 'little Charlton' afloat in the Prem for several years and, despite some accusations of being a master tactician in 'boring and negative' football, when fellow managers all around him lost their heads he at least managed to keep his......
So highly regarded was Al he became a firm favourite with the bookies as every time a head rolled he'd instantly be linked and installed as favourite contender for the job, from Barrow to Barnsley, East Ham to England, it made no difference, Curbs was the boy for the job. The undying loyalty Curbs showed to his SE7 masters meant that many a bookie spent a peaceful night counting the bountiful income from the numerous failed betting slips from the nations armchair punters.
Eventually, patience no longer became a virtue to Al and he played his joker with chairman Dicky Murray regarding contract, ambition and funds. Dicky, known for keeping his cards (and his cash) to his chest called Al's bluff and so he quickly folded and left the table in the Valley in a gentlemanly fashion, had he known the dastardly Murray had £12 million quid hidden up his sleeve the parting of the waves may well have been a tad more acrimonious.
After six months of hoovering the lounge and taking the mutt to the beauty parlour Curbs started to get the football itch once more. Within five minutes of Curbs being spotted down the Plaistow job centre Pardew got the chop at the aptly named 'Boleyn Ground' securing the comeback all West Ham fans had been waiting for hundreds of years.
The return of Llewellyn Charles Curbishley as the 'prodigal son' has sparked even more interest in 'knees up muvver brown' land than when Jack the Ripper opened up a kebab shop on the Whitechapel Road in the late 1880's. Even Pearly Kings and Queens are naming buttons after him. The fact he deserted Upton Park 27 years ago after playing a bit part for two brief seasons seems to have fluttered by most mallet fans.
It seems rather ironic that the boy from the gutter should return to his kingdom only to find his beloved Hammers are in the exact same gutter from whence he came. Not known for wearing his heart on his sleeve I'm sure the pleasant and unasuming gentleman that he is will set about the task of reviving the insipid and rusting 'Irons' forthwith, good luck.
Finally, I would like to state for the record, I bear the man no malice and wish him bon chance in every venture he endeavours to partake in (except when he plays us of course).
Thankyou Alan Curbishley.
One of footballs longest 'will he, won't he? football manager sagas came to an abrupt end this week as Alan Curbishley, the master and maestro of the Valley for over 15 years, finally hung up red and white scarf to move back up north to be near his family.......West Ham United........
Born Llewellyn Charles Curbishley (with a name like Llewellyn and living in the east side of the Smoke you either had to learn to fight or to learn how to play football) the East End ragamuffin fled the gutters of Forest Gate to learn the wonderful game of football as an apprentice to the likes of the late, great, Sir Bobby Moore at Upton Park, 'Alan' went on to further ply his trade with Aston Villa, Birmingham, Brighton and Charlton (2 spells) and although he was more than a 'decent' player he didn't actually win anything, unless you know better......
Al, as he likes me to call him, began his mangerial exploits in 1991 with Charlton and the rest is, as they say, history......A relegation here, a promotion or two there has more than helped him to pay off his mortgage and at the same time bring numerous accolades from around the football world regarding his shrewd eye for a good buy (or even better, awe inspiring loan deals).
He kept 'little Charlton' afloat in the Prem for several years and, despite some accusations of being a master tactician in 'boring and negative' football, when fellow managers all around him lost their heads he at least managed to keep his......
So highly regarded was Al he became a firm favourite with the bookies as every time a head rolled he'd instantly be linked and installed as favourite contender for the job, from Barrow to Barnsley, East Ham to England, it made no difference, Curbs was the boy for the job. The undying loyalty Curbs showed to his SE7 masters meant that many a bookie spent a peaceful night counting the bountiful income from the numerous failed betting slips from the nations armchair punters.
Eventually, patience no longer became a virtue to Al and he played his joker with chairman Dicky Murray regarding contract, ambition and funds. Dicky, known for keeping his cards (and his cash) to his chest called Al's bluff and so he quickly folded and left the table in the Valley in a gentlemanly fashion, had he known the dastardly Murray had £12 million quid hidden up his sleeve the parting of the waves may well have been a tad more acrimonious.
After six months of hoovering the lounge and taking the mutt to the beauty parlour Curbs started to get the football itch once more. Within five minutes of Curbs being spotted down the Plaistow job centre Pardew got the chop at the aptly named 'Boleyn Ground' securing the comeback all West Ham fans had been waiting for hundreds of years.
The return of Llewellyn Charles Curbishley as the 'prodigal son' has sparked even more interest in 'knees up muvver brown' land than when Jack the Ripper opened up a kebab shop on the Whitechapel Road in the late 1880's. Even Pearly Kings and Queens are naming buttons after him. The fact he deserted Upton Park 27 years ago after playing a bit part for two brief seasons seems to have fluttered by most mallet fans.
It seems rather ironic that the boy from the gutter should return to his kingdom only to find his beloved Hammers are in the exact same gutter from whence he came. Not known for wearing his heart on his sleeve I'm sure the pleasant and unasuming gentleman that he is will set about the task of reviving the insipid and rusting 'Irons' forthwith, good luck.
Finally, I would like to state for the record, I bear the man no malice and wish him bon chance in every venture he endeavours to partake in (except when he plays us of course).
Thankyou Alan Curbishley.
1 comment:
"The return of Llewellyn Charles Curbishley as the 'prodigal son' has sparked more interest in 'knees up muvver brown' land since Jack the Ripper opened up a kebab shop on the Whitechapel Road in the late 1880's."
LMFAO - on this as usual your dry wit has brightened up an as per usual uneventful day. Look forward to Curbs not finding it easy to keep West Ham up - taking the easy options of spunking the money on new players in the New Year only to find that they can't/won't play with the other players - and us soar to dizzy heights of at least 19th in the table.
Anyways good luck with the blog mate and keep it coming. :O)
RILS
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