Issue 32 follows on from the history making win at Anfield. The cover features Ian Porterfield with the caption “He’s good! Let’s sell him!” It’s subtitled “Sale of the Century.” The eagle eyed amongst you will know that this is a reference to the very unpopular transfer of Jason Cundy to Tottenham.
This issue was edited by Nick Brown and Jim Ross. The editorial points the finger at the transfer activity as being responsible for some pretty poor performances. It is claimed that Tommy Boyd’s transfer cost Chelsea a semi-final place in the League Cup. (Andy Myers had a nightmare in the first game and Frank Sinclair was no better in the replay at Roker Park.) The editorial also mentions pointless games versus Coventry and Sheffield United. Andy Townsend and Clive Allen had been sent off against Coventry, whilst the loss against Sheffield United was simply put down to not having any fight after the cup defeat against Sunderland.
The transfer of Cundy to Spurs initially started as a loan deal and the editorial asks the fans not to let the club get away with this one. Rumour had it at the time that Cundy had a big bust up with Porterfield on the coach coming back from Sunderland but Jason denies this saying that some of his mates from London travelled to Sunderland to watch the game and he went home with them.
Whitewall Mick or Chelsea Lottery (as I know him) reminds fan’s that the fancy dress theme for the last game of the season at Villa Park will be beach wear.
This month fanzine carries quite a few pages of letters mainly down to the performances and transfers from the previous month. Stephen Rainham from Glasgow acknowledges the fans’ despair at the departure of Tommy Boyd and the betrayal of Gordon Durie who went to Spurs the season before. He predicted that Durie would be at Rangers pretty soon. He was right. Stephen ends his letter saying that he had seen, new signing, Tony Cascarino play a few times and sends us “his deepest sympathies.”
Mark May of Grays tells the CISA that Chelsea need to buy Terry Phelan and that Dennis Wise was awful in recent games. He was also concerned with the acquisition of Tony Cascarino. Especially when Tony was quoted as saying that “Celtic play too much football”. Mark reckons Mark Robins would be the way forward.
M Bush of Beckenham says that Chelsea need more players like Paul Elliot and Vinnie Jones. (Vinnie changed our attitude of him in a short period of time.)
Tim Keay of Battersea comments on Sportnight’s remark that there were only 7,000 at the Bridge. Tim says it wasn’t remarkable it was “bloody predicable”.
Lisa Paice went to the Coventry game at the Bridge and was surprised that she also saw a comedian for her money. Of course she relates to John Martin the referee. At one point she thought the whole team would be sent off.
Jon Ladd asks the Red Card and the CISA to end their name calling. The editor denies any feud and says that he does talk with Alan Collis (Red Card Editor) regularly.
Mike Wild of East Grinstead puts the blame for the low attendances against Southampton (7,148), Coventry (10,900) and Sheffield United (11,000) firmly on Ian Porterfield. Mike is fed up with the “kick and rush crap.”
This issue carries a few articles paying tribute to the Shed and its impending closure. Adrian Bliss from Ampthill in Bedfordshire describes the Shed as “a bit like an old car, it looks out of place but once inside you feel that you could go a long way.” Johnny Dogs from New Zealand remembers when his friend was “stomped on by half the Shed and still came up smiling.”
South Croydon’s Trevor Reed was annoyed that Crystal Palace had been included in the FA’s bid to host the European Cup and not Stamford Bridge. The FA’s excuse was that they didn’t want North London to dominate the competition.
