In'gill Connection To Recently Promoted
Blackpool FC.

Those who watched the Championship play-off final and saw Blackpool beat Cardiff 2-1 to gain promotion to the premiership
would have seen the cameras often zoom in on Blackpool & England legend Jimmy Armfield.
Stu reached into his memorabilia and scanned some pics just to prove the link between Invercargill and Blackpool.
They played one of their series of games here.
Blackpool had a training session at the Thistle ground in the morning (Sheff Utd were at Waverley Park)
at which many local players attended, quite unofficially, (I think sick granny's was the call )
and enjoyed rubbing shoulders and getting tips with the top English players of the era.

Here's a wee story I remember from the day.
The coach and Manager left Thistle for an hour or so to inspect the pitch, when they returned they approached the
smallest player in the squad and told him he would not be playing because
" if he fell down one of the ******* holes they would never get him out"....true.

Despite several requests the Rugby Union of the day refused to level the grass and roll it so the heavy playing
conditions as described were quite atrocious.

PS:  I seem to recall Mum and my Sisters having pairs of those shoes too :-)