SUMMARY

..

Played	Won	Drawn	Lost	Ave Att:
25	8	9	8	2,300

..

..

The picture, (from the game against Mansfield in April 1983 when we drew 1-1 thanks to Mike Power strike) features Tommy Sword, (quite possibly in the previous weeks home game against Chester). The background is a singularly unoccupied (what is now) Block F of the Main Stand with the paddock still in front at that point. It was filled in shortly afterwards.

..

WEBSTER TAKES CHARGE AND QUINN ARRIVES

..

The visit of Peterborough on the opening day of 1982/83 was my sole “miss” this year. Once again cricket called. It marked a notable day in English football, Not for anything that happened on the greensward that day, but more for the fact that it was the first of 731 club appearances made by David Seaman. The Posh had acquired him from Leeds for £4,000 a couple of weeks previously. Terry Park was the first player to make him pick the ball out of the back of the net in a 1-1 draw.

The previous season, (1981/82) had ended in grim style. In 14 home games from January to May 1982 we won but 3 times and it showed in the League table. We ended up 18th, just 3 places and the same number of points above the re-election zone. It marked the departure of Jimmy McGuigan after 30 months or so in the hot-seat. He had been singularly unable to match the managerial success he had previously enjoyed at Crewe; Chesterfield and Rotherham.

Eric Webster, (below), moved into the managers chair in time for the start of the 1982/83 season. I have the highest regard for the job he did at EP. Groundsman; youth coach; and now manager. I still believe to this day that without his contribution the Club would have failed to survive in the mid 80’s. He did the utmost with what the most limited of resources, and boy oh boy, did he know a footballer.

..

..

The Peterborough game marked the debut not only of Seaman, but facing him was Micky Quinn in his first appearance for the Hatters. The tale of how he arrived at EP is told more fully in Away Day 5 (Gresty Road) but being paid to take a player off someone’s hands and then seeing him score more than regularly, then selling him on for the bank managers dream of £52,000. He developed Dean Emerson and then picked up a decent fee when he moved to Rotherham.

But his assessment of a player, and its uncanny accuracy, came across most starkly to me one Saturday morning when both he and I ended up at Lower Gigg Lane, Bury watching a Lancashire League game. It was in autumn 1988 and we got talking. I mentioned that I had been quite impressed with Brian Butler, who had joined the Club a couple of months previously Eric just said, “He’s ok but he hasn’t the physical capacity to last a full season”. He didn’t. After being a regular until March 1989 he then faded out and moved on at the end of the campaign.

Webster was also responsible for recommending Tony Hancock to then manager Asa Hartford. He came into the team from playing Sunday League football; made a huge impact, (5 goals in 12 + 10 appearances), and then moved to Burnley for £50,000! Younger County fans will never know how much they owe to Eric Webster – without him it’s more than likely there would be no club.

..

..

We finished the year well. The two Christmas fixtures, (two in two days), both brought wins over Blackpool, (3-0 at home), and then the following day it was a 2-0 win on my first visit to Sealand Road. But the highlight of 1982 for me was a 3-2 win over Crewe a couple of weeks before the festive season. Quinny smashed a hat-trick. He was rampant that day and his overall performance was justifiable reason for him being my favourite County player in all of the 57 years I’ve been watching them!!

..

..

Back to 1981 Forward to 1983 Home Games Summary Page Away Games 1982

..

THE HOME GAMES I SAW THIS YEAR

..

Day	Date	Competition	Tier / Round	Opponents	Res	F	A	Crowd	Home Game
Mon	25/01/82	Football League Division 4	Tier 4	Hartlepool United	L	0	2	1,924	130
Mon	01/02/82	Football League Division 4	Tier 4	Blackpool	L	2	3	2,948	131
Sat	06/02/82	Football League Division 4	Tier 4	Bury	W	2	1	3,157	132
Mon	15/02/82	Football League Division 4	Tier 4	Tranmere Rovers	D	1	1	1,934	133
Fri	19/02/82	Football League Division 4	Tier 4	Port Vale	L	1	2	3,001	134
Fri	26/02/82	Football League Division 4	Tier 4	Wigan Athletic	L	0	1	5,084	135
Fri	12/03/82	Football League Division 4	Tier 4	Rochdale	L	0	4	2,079	136
Mon	15/03/82	Football League Division 4	Tier 4	Hereford United	D	1	1	1,357	137
Mon	22/03/82	Football League Division 4	Tier 4	Colchester United	D	0	0	1,740	138
Fri	26/03/82	Football League Division 4	Tier 4	Darlington	W	1	0	1,831	139
Mon	12/04/82	Football League Division 4	Tier 4	Hull City	L	1	2	2,450	140
Fri	16/04/82	Football League Division 4	Tier 4	York City	W	4	1	1,938	141
Fri	30/04/82	Football League Division 4	Tier 4	Northampton Town	D	0	0	1,658	142
Fri	14/05/82	Football League Division 4	Tier 4	Scunthorpe United	D	1	1	1,945	143
Mon	30/08/82	Milk Cup	Round 1 (1st Leg)	Wigan Athletic	D	1	1	3,418	144
Fri	10/09/82	Football League Division 4	Tier 4	Hull City	D	1	1	2,252	145
Fri	24/09/82	Football League Division 4	Tier 4	Northampton Town	L	0	1	1,621	146
Mon	27/09/82	Football League Division 4	Tier 4	Rochdale	D	2	2	1,873	147
Fri	08/10/82	Football League Division 4	Tier 4	Hartlepool United	D	1	1	1,915	148
Fri	22/10/82	Football League Division 4	Tier 4	York City	W	2	1	2,014	149
Mon	01/11/82	Football League Division 4	Tier 4	Hereford United	W	2	1	1,736	150
Fri	12/11/82	Football League Division 4	Tier 4	Darlington	W	2	1	1,885	151
Fri	26/11/82	Football League Division 4	Tier 4	Swindon Town	L	1	2	2,197	152
Fri	10/12/82	Football League Division 4	Tier 4	Crewe Alexandra	W	3	2	1,860	153
Mon	27/12/82	Football League Division 4	Tier 4	Blackpool	W	3	0	3,673	154