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Who remembers John Beck the Cambridge boss

Rogue Badger said:
Back then footballing sides would pass it back to the keeper. He'd pick it up, roll it out to a defender. The back four would fanny around amongst thenselves until eventually passing it back to the keeper who would pick it up and roll it out to a free defender. The cycle would start over. This would go on until the keeper eventually launched it. In the late 80s and early 90s all the long ball was doing was getting rid of tedious foreplay.
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Benno and Monty having the little tickle backs to the keeper 😂
 

He was mentoring coaches who were going for their UEFA B for the FA at St Georges park around 10 years ago. Probably retired now, in his early 70s.
 
He was described as a creative midfielder as a player surprisingly.
Played a load of top flight games.
 
Essayeffsee said:
Lost 3-0 at Abbey against him. Was beginning of the end fot Denis Smith after he played Benno up front in the match. Sacked a couple of months later.
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We lost fower nowt at Huddersfield in the cup in the match before. I think the crowd turned against Denis with those results.
 
jaxaxe said:
Apparently, one of his trick was keeping the grass longer in the corners of the pitch, so long balls to the corner would slow down for his winger to get onto
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Aye, and claridge could cross it like summerbee for big Dion to nod home. Simple but devastating to shit div 2 teams.
 
SAFCOldie said:
His theory was basically just get the ball in the opposition box, free kicks, open play, throw ins, get it in there.
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It was very popular during the 80s. FA coaches were briefed on the hotspot theory and percentages at the time. People like Howard Wilkinson at Leeds showed it could work. It was based around Lee Chapman being a target man in the 'hotspot'. Suppose it worked for a while!
 
When I was at the cufc centre of excellence ( as it was called) he was a horrible man, swearing at us 13 year olds ,took the football out of it, liked the quick big lads who weren't that good, said I had a great left foot and all the skill in the world but I wasn't quick enough! Graham scarf wanted to keep me but John didn't, couldn't stand the man! Went home deflated and didn't kick a ball for 2 years! Last time I see him,he was having a piss in a sink in a nightclub in town
 
Wandofaleftpeg said:
When I was at the cufc centre of excellence ( as it was called) he was a horrible man, swearing at us 13 year olds ,took the football out of it, liked the quick big lads who weren't that good, said I had a great left foot and all the skill in the world but I wasn't quick enough! Graham scarf wanted to keep me but John didn't, couldn't stand the man! Went home deflated and didn't kick a ball for 2 years! Last time I see him,he was having a piss in a sink in a nightclub in town
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Class insight..if not a great outcome all those years ago

Some stories about him like. Massive ego. A bit weird

Wouldn't accept his players playing any other way except smash it out wide into the sanded corners and into the box
And Claridge hated him and clobbered him
 
BlackHoleSun said:
Class insight..if not a great outcome all those years ago

Some stories about him like. Massive ego. A bit weird

Wouldn't accept his players playing any other way except smash it out wide into the sanded corners and into the box
And Claridge hated him and clobbered him
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Loved claridge, i did my apprenticeship as a sheet metal worker/ welder in a workshop opposite the ground ( behind the globe pub, sadly not there anymore) claridge liked a bet and would walk past and say hello on his way to ' country boy' bookies
 
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