Celebs prove a draw

RANGERS topped the Priaulx, only Centrals were below Bels in the table, Rovers had a decent team and if that was not strange enough Martin Tyler was on the scoresheet at Blanche Pierre Lane. Yes, odd things were happening in local sport in the build-up to Christmas 1977.

Away from football, Dave Hearse was reaching the semi-finals of the men's singles at the island badminton championships and, although out of season, Cobo were making the cricket headlines with a series of behind-the-scene rows leading to 'Cobo in turmoil' headlines.

The period was notable for three major football matches, two of them particularly serious and the other not so.

The fun first.

On the last Sunday of November Jimmy Greaves headed the BBC All-Stars into action against an Italo-Guernsey side and among the Beebers were a posse of high-profile voices and faces of national football coverage, John Motson, Jim Rosenthal, Bob Wilson, Alan Parry and Greavsie himself.

More than 600 crammed into BPL to see the celebs win 2-1 with a header from Tyler and former Hereford star Ricky George cancelling Franco Crispini's effort.

Off the pitch, the stars allowed themselves to be peppered with questions by locals at a football forum at the Carlton Hotel staged by the Guernsey Round Table.

It proved to be quite a hoot for all and it's ironic that at a time when half of England are fretting over the identity of their next football manager, that the Carlton panellists 30 years ago spent much time on the merits of potential England bosses.

'There is no one outstanding enough,' said Alan Parry.

In the same week on the same ground, a crowd only a third the size had seen St Martin's win for the first time in the then Rothmans Cup.

Hellenic Premier League side Thame United were the opposition for Jim Cooley's side and a single goal from Colin Fallaize was enough to propel Saints into the second round.

Saints may have edged that game but rthey had been denied at the semi-final stage of the Stranger Cup.

Vale Rec, chasing a seventh Stranger on the bounce, had got past Cooley's men after a replay and awaiting them in the final were Rovers and, in particular, their new player-coach, Colin Renouf, who despite worsening knee joints remained one of the island's most respected defenders, three years after he had played his last Muratti final.

Fourth in the table, Rovers were not the soft touch they have been for so much of their three full decades and a bit in the top echelon of local soccer.

They had already drawn with Vale that season so there was some hope going into the Stranger that the blues might be able to sneak their first major trophy. The blues' strength lay largely with the quality and organisation of the defence built around Renouf.

In goal, Jon Dorey was as good a shot-stopper as anyone, even though he might be prone to being easily intimidated by those forwards with knowledge of his short fuse.

At right back, big Trevor Sarre was an under- rated, tall and solid performer and at left back was Ian Hardman, who would put his life on the line if it meant saving a goal.

Alongside Renouf was Phil Corbet who, for those too young to have seen him play, was unlucky not to be capped at Muratti level, such was his reading of the game, speciality in slide tackles and good distribution.

Unfortunately, the Port Soif men were not quite so clever in the middle of the park and up front the wily and tough Andy McMillan was a fading force as a striker, playing alongside the nippy and elusive Kev Mahieu and a man who was to become senior coach in seasons to come, Graham Hockey.

For nearly half-an-hour the game was in the balance, but once ahead Vale ripped the visitors apart with four goals in the final 15min. of the first half.

By the end it was seven and Rovers even spurned the chance of a consolation from the penalty spot.

To be fair, Vale were some side at the time and would today's coaching team not give their right arms to be able to call on the likes of the Blondel brothers, Dave Lesbirel, Milko Millman, Brian Knight, Colin Reeve, Tich Bougourd, Colin Hargreaves, Goosey Gleeson and Peter Cameron, who played that evening.

Corbet can still recall the occasion, the brilliance of the opposition and his central defensive partner.

'He organised us right around the park,' referring to Renouf.

'I think we had a side that if you transferred to today would have done very well. We were very organised.'

Brian Mercer coached the team and after the final put forward a typically Irish viewpoint on matters.

'At least we were there to be hammered'.

Indoors, Graham Martin and Sally Leadbeater were winning the island badminton titles while a couple of miles away in the future Dyslexia Centre at KGV, Rob Batiste was at the centre of a dispute which was to rock Cobo Cricket Club to the very foundations and leave them at their most vulnerable for seasons to come.

The decision to install the youngster as vice-captain to Mick Fooks caused a ruction among those who had wanted Warren Barrett, the best player in the island, to be deputy to Fooks.

While one side took the view it was best to allow a youngsters to learn the ropes with a view to the future first-team captaincy, the other saw it as a slight on Barrett.

The decision stood and a long line of top players departed for other clubs leaving the youngster to rebuild with a virtual whole new first team.

Cobo survived to rise again, while Saints lost in the next round of the Rothmans Cup, beaten 2-1 at home by Forest Green Rovers, nowadays a Conference outfit good enough to have beaten Rotherham in the first round of the this season's FA Cup.