[Albion] 'Bloody Southerners' launch party, 18th October - you're all invited......

[Spencer Vignes]

Greetings all,

Spencer Vignes here - journalist, author & the guy who writes most of the retro stuff in Albion's match day programme.

I'll cut straight to the chase. I've got a new book coming out on Thursday 18th October. Published by Biteback, 'Bloody Southerners' is about Brian Clough and Peter Taylor's time at the Albion during the 1970s. It's taken a couple of years to write, features interviews with all the key players who were there at the time, and does a pretty good job (in my humble opinion) of explaining why the most sought after club manager in English football chose to take over a team sitting sixth bottom of the old Third Division.

I'm having a launch party on the evening of the 18th at the Caxton Arms in North Gardens, Brighton (Brett Mendoza's excellent place), to which you, the NSC fraternity, are all invited. My thanks to Brett and Al at the Albion Roar for helping to arrange this. Kick-off is 6.30pm. Copies of the book will be available to buy on the night and there will be several former Albion players on hand to sign them, providing you ask nicely (I still wouldn't want to get on the wrong side of Andy Rollings!).

By all means spread the word among your Albion supporting friends and come on down - it'll be good to meet you.

All the best,
Spencer

 

[AZ Gull]

 

[£1.99]

The photo is just superb!!!

 

[Foul Play Rocks]

Lovely stuff. Cheers for the invite.

 

[TSB]

That's christmas sorted for me dad.
Cheers Spencer.

 

[A mex eyecan]

Is that Jasper Carrot refereeing in the picture?

 

[Not Andy Naylor]

Got an advance copy. It's excellent, thoroughly recommended.

 

[timbha]

The photo is just superb!!!

Steve Piper (RIP). Brian Powney's track suit bottoms!!

 

[spence]

That's christmas sorted for me dad.
Cheers Spencer.

You are welcome

 

[Horton's halftime iceberg]

Looks fantastic, I am writing to Santa right now. Hopefully available in the club shop or the clock tower Waterstones.

 

[el punal]

Greetings all,

Spencer Vignes here - journalist, author & the guy who writes most of the retro stuff in Albion's match day programme.

I'll cut straight to the chase. I've got a new book coming out on Thursday 18th October. Published by Biteback, 'Bloody Southerners' is about Brian Clough and Peter Taylor's time at the Albion during the 1970s. It's taken a couple of years to write, features interviews with all the key players who were there at the time, and does a pretty good job (in my humble opinion) of explaining why the most sought after club manager in English football chose to take over a team sitting sixth bottom of the old Third Division.

I'm having a launch party on the evening of the 18th at the Caxton Arms in North Gardens, Brighton (Brett Mendoza's excellent place), to which you, the NSC fraternity, are all invited. My thanks to Brett and Al at the Albion Roar for helping to arrange this. Kick-off is 6.30pm. Copies of the book will be available to buy on the night and there will be several former Albion players on hand to sign them, providing you ask nicely (I still wouldn't want to get on the wrong side of Andy Rollings!).

By all means spread the word among your Albion supporting friends and come on down - it'll be good to meet you.

All the best,
Spencer

Sounds brilliant! Now I’ve put my thinking cap on regarding that superb action photo on who’s who, please correct me if I’ve got it wrong :

The match was the FA Cup replay against Walton & Hersham which we lost 4-0, I woz there! The Albion players pictured from left to right - John Templeman (on the goal line), Brian Powney, George Ley (?), Eddie Spearitt, Norman Gall, Steve Piper, Barry Bridges.

If my memory serves me correctly we then lost 8-2 to Bristol Rovers a couple of days later (I woz there for that one as well!).

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

Walton & Hersham at Steyning Town in The Vase on the 13th.

Looks an interesting read btw.

 

[Spencer Vignes]

Thank you for all your kind comments. Yes, the image on the cover is from the Walton & Hersham game. In fact it shows Russell Perkins, a school teacher by trade, stooping to head them into the lead in the replay at the Goldstone. Clive Foskett, a joiner at the Natural History Museum, then went and scored a hat-trick during the final eight minutes of regular play to complete the 4-0 rout.

Regarding Steve Piper, his death in December came as a massive shock pretty much to everyone. I'd been to his home earlier in the year to do an interview for the book and he was helpfulness personified, opening up his scrapbooks to take me back through his entire career, not just the bits involving Clough and Taylor. We continued liaising closely over the months that followed and there's no doubt he is one of the stars of the book. Hopefully his wife, Dawn, and other members of the family will be at the launch at the Caxton. Steve would have loved such an evening and, as such, I will be saying a few words about him. He'll be there in spirit, I know that much.

 

[Giraffe]

I enjoyed listening to you on Albion Roar the other day, could have listened to more to be honest and less of the normal presenters whoever they may be

Your book is on my birthday list. Good luck with the launch.

 

[Bozza]

For those that are unable to make it along, here's the Amazon link you'd be disappointed if I didn't post...

https://amzn.to/2zR86nE

(Affilaited, of course, which means NSC earns a small amount should you purchase after making the click)

 

[Icy Gull]

For those that are unable to make it along, here's the Amazon link you'd be disappointed if I didn't post...

https://amzn.to/2zR86nE

(Affilaited, of course, which means NSC earns a small amount should you purchase after making the click)

Done, just before my time following the Albion but look forward to reading this intriguing bit of Albion history

 

[The Large One]

I'm 100 pages in, and it's a cracking read.

 

[Spencer Vignes]

I should point out that 'The Large One' has a review copy. Everybody else has to wait until 18th October!

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Is that Jasper Carrot refereeing in the picture?

M1ke Dean, surely?

 

[Jambo Seagull]

Very sorry to hear that Stevie Piper has passed away. I'd missed that somehow. This book sounds really interesting.