Friends of Fulham

General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: Sir Alec of good Stock on August 10, 2020, 02:19:33 PM

Title: Almost 40 years ago Rugby League comes to Craven Cottage
Post by: Sir Alec of good Stock on August 10, 2020, 02:19:33 PM
https://youtu.be/aSGZemJlHdw
Title: Re: Almost 40 years ago Rugby League comes to Craven Cottage
Post by: SP on August 10, 2020, 02:24:38 PM
Can't believe it's 40 years. 

'Too many tarts at football' - brilliant.
Title: Re: Almost 40 years ago Rugby League comes to Craven Cottage
Post by: grandad on August 10, 2020, 02:37:57 PM
I went to every game. So refreshing. Great entertainment. Sad when it left the Cottage. The groundsman was more than happy though.
Title: Re: Almost 40 years ago Rugby League comes to Craven Cottage
Post by: Cambridge Pete on August 10, 2020, 02:50:18 PM
Only went to one game but it was fun. Abiding memory was ITV interviewing some skinheads (not all of whom were violent) and asking why they were so well behaved. One replied something like "you seen the size of the players they would hurt us if they came on the terrace" 064.gif
Title: Re: Almost 40 years ago Rugby League comes to Craven Cottage
Post by: filham on August 10, 2020, 03:55:15 PM
Rugby was an unusual deviation at the Cottage, thankfully it didn't last long. I wonder if the Chairman is likely to introduce anything new when the new stand is up and working.

At the Bridge of course for may years they had Greyhound Racing and can any one else remember the period of midget car racing.
Title: Re: Almost 40 years ago Rugby League comes to Craven Cottage
Post by: Dodgin on August 10, 2020, 04:04:47 PM
I went once, looked totally exhausting game , enjoyable we had a pin up boy called Cambriani.
Title: Re: Almost 40 years ago Rugby League comes to Craven Cottage
Post by: FFCpmd on August 10, 2020, 04:38:59 PM
The crowds soon dropped off after the initial interest - I remember taking my 10 year old nephew to watch us at home to Batley (as I remember). The ground seemed virtually empty, and at the end of the match which we won, my nephew and I went down to the foot of the Putney end terrace, by the goalposts, and my nephew shouted out 'Well done Fulham!' To my amazement, one of the Fulham players who was about 6'10" and about 20 stone made a beeline for us, grabbed my nephew's hand, shook it, and said, "Thanks Mate!"

Can't see that happening in a football match here any time soon......
Title: Re: Almost 40 years ago Rugby League comes to Craven Cottage
Post by: mrmicawbers on August 10, 2020, 04:51:33 PM
Remember going to a game maybe the first and going on the terraces with Packs of beers.Not 100 percent regarding the rules and then jumping up and down as our winger got it and scored.Can't believe it's 40 years though frightening.
Title: Re: Almost 40 years ago Rugby League comes to Craven Cottage
Post by: res on August 10, 2020, 07:55:06 PM
Quote from: Sir Alec of good Stock on August 10, 2020, 02:19:33 PM
https://youtu.be/aSGZemJlHdw

Went to a lot of games, great fun and sportsmanship (normally), with some great characters. Big crowds to begin with, and big wins against the likes of Wigan and Leeds. The travelling took its toll though, as most players were based in the north, so even home games needed organising and funding. The attraction of playing the likes of Workington and Huyton took its toll on attendances, which dipped alarmingly (surprising to me as it was still a good Sunday p.m. entertainment.
A big negative factor was the impact on the pitch...there were a series of Sunday p.m. games in monsoons, which tore the pitch to pieces, especially with the scrums. Our near footballing promotion side (managed by SuperMac) was built on silky passing, and so it took a lot out of the football team and probably cost them promotion.
But great memories.