Gerry Wolstenholme's Blog - Posts Tagged "arsenal"
A Short Spell with the Seasiders: Dermot Drummy 1961 - 2017
Dermot Drummy was born in Hackney, London, on 18 January 1961 and although, at just 19-years-of-age, he only spent a very short time at Blackpool Football Club, he is still an integral part of the history of the club.
He was a midfield player who was signed by Blackpool on loan to the end of the 1979/80 season in March 1980 from Arsenal. He had joined Arsenal as a schoolboy in 1974 and became an apprentice before signing for the club as a professional in January 1979. At the time of his loan he had made no first team appearances for Arsenal but he was highly rated there.
On his signing, Blackpool’s general manager Freddie Scott commented, 'It is very hard to break into the Arsenal first team because of all the competition for places at Highbury.' And Blackpool manager Alan Ball commented on the highly rated centre or right sided midfield player, 'This lad could keep me out of the side.'
He made his League debut for Blackpool against Exeter City on 15 March 1980 when Blackpool won 1-0 and he was 'quietly brilliant in the first half when Doyle’s appetite for the fray gave him the necessary space'. Indeed, 'MacDougall, Fletcher and Drummy were all close to goals in the first half and a host of chances went begging.' However, he 'went off a touch, often because of a swirling wind, in the second half' but player-coach Ted MacDougall expressed the view 'Dermot impressed me. I’ll tell Bally that he’ll be pushed to shift this lad once he’s had a couple of games. He was quietly beavering away, making pieces of the jigsaw fit with players he had only known for two days. His lack of physical presence was more than compensated for by his vision, and speed of reaction. It would have been fitting had a fine shot near the end beaten Ian Main and not been met with a good save.'
His second and third appearances for the club both ended in defeat, a 2-0 defeat by Carlisle United on 18 March 1980 and a 4-1 defeat by Sheffield Wednesday on 22 March 1980. In both games he had quiet games and did nothing noteworthy.
He made what turned out to be his final start for Blackpool in a 2-2 draw with Millwall on 29 March 1980 when, unfortunately, his most notable moment was when he was booked for 'an off the ball scuffle with Roberts'.
Although he was left out of the starting line-up and sat on the substitute's bench for the game against Barnsley on 4 April 1980, Alan Ball made it known, 'He is still part of the club’s plans.' And what turned out to be his final game for Blackpool was when he replaced Peter Noble as a half-time substitute in that game and he 'came into midfield and played his best football for Blackpool'. The game was drawn 1-1. In view of this latter comment, it was something of a surprise that he did not appear for Blackpool again and his loan spell saw him play four League games and make one substitute appearance for Blackpool in the 1979/80 season. He then returned to Arsenal, who, with a wealth of talent on their books, released him in the close season, without him having appeared in their first team.
He joined Isthmian League side Hendon for the 1980/81 season and, after leaving Hendon, he went on to play for Wealdstone, Enfield, Ware and St Albans City. He was later player manager at Ware in the 1996/97 season but he left the club halfway through the season to become youth team coach at Arsenal.
He moved on from Arsenal and he was team manager at the Chelsea Academy from 2009 to 2011 and he was in charge of the Chelsea side that won the FA Youth Cup in 2009/10 when they defeated Aston Villa 3-2 on aggregate, drawing 1-1 at Villa Park and winning 2-1 at Stamford Bridge in front of a crowd of 10,446.
He went on to become reserve team manager at Chelsea from 2011 to 2014 and he met with further success when he was in charge of the side that won the Under-21 Premier League in the 2013/14 season.
In June 2015 he was apparently offered the manager's job at Brazilian side Bangu but he turned down the offer. Then on 27 April 2016 he was appointed head coach at Crawley Town and he remained with the club until 4 May 2017, overseeing 54 games of which 15 were won, 12 were drawn and 27 were lost..
He died on 27 November 2017 at the age of only 56. Crawley's official heart-warming tribute to him was 'Everyone at the club is devastated by the news that our former manager Dermot Drummy passed away earlier today. Our thoughts are with his family and friends. We will be issuing a full statement tomorrow after speaking to Dermot's family. Dermot was a real people person. He had time for everyone at the club and he loved to make us laugh! He brought many of the current squad to Crawley and they are as stunned as we all are at this terrible news.'
And Swansea boss Paul Clement, who worked closely with him at Chelsea, commented, 'Shocked to hear of the death of my former colleague from Chelsea FC, Dermot Drummy. Very sad. Rest In Peace.' Indeed, rest in peace Dermot and thanks for the short spell that you had with the Seasiders.
He was a midfield player who was signed by Blackpool on loan to the end of the 1979/80 season in March 1980 from Arsenal. He had joined Arsenal as a schoolboy in 1974 and became an apprentice before signing for the club as a professional in January 1979. At the time of his loan he had made no first team appearances for Arsenal but he was highly rated there.
On his signing, Blackpool’s general manager Freddie Scott commented, 'It is very hard to break into the Arsenal first team because of all the competition for places at Highbury.' And Blackpool manager Alan Ball commented on the highly rated centre or right sided midfield player, 'This lad could keep me out of the side.'
He made his League debut for Blackpool against Exeter City on 15 March 1980 when Blackpool won 1-0 and he was 'quietly brilliant in the first half when Doyle’s appetite for the fray gave him the necessary space'. Indeed, 'MacDougall, Fletcher and Drummy were all close to goals in the first half and a host of chances went begging.' However, he 'went off a touch, often because of a swirling wind, in the second half' but player-coach Ted MacDougall expressed the view 'Dermot impressed me. I’ll tell Bally that he’ll be pushed to shift this lad once he’s had a couple of games. He was quietly beavering away, making pieces of the jigsaw fit with players he had only known for two days. His lack of physical presence was more than compensated for by his vision, and speed of reaction. It would have been fitting had a fine shot near the end beaten Ian Main and not been met with a good save.'
His second and third appearances for the club both ended in defeat, a 2-0 defeat by Carlisle United on 18 March 1980 and a 4-1 defeat by Sheffield Wednesday on 22 March 1980. In both games he had quiet games and did nothing noteworthy.
He made what turned out to be his final start for Blackpool in a 2-2 draw with Millwall on 29 March 1980 when, unfortunately, his most notable moment was when he was booked for 'an off the ball scuffle with Roberts'.
Although he was left out of the starting line-up and sat on the substitute's bench for the game against Barnsley on 4 April 1980, Alan Ball made it known, 'He is still part of the club’s plans.' And what turned out to be his final game for Blackpool was when he replaced Peter Noble as a half-time substitute in that game and he 'came into midfield and played his best football for Blackpool'. The game was drawn 1-1. In view of this latter comment, it was something of a surprise that he did not appear for Blackpool again and his loan spell saw him play four League games and make one substitute appearance for Blackpool in the 1979/80 season. He then returned to Arsenal, who, with a wealth of talent on their books, released him in the close season, without him having appeared in their first team.
He joined Isthmian League side Hendon for the 1980/81 season and, after leaving Hendon, he went on to play for Wealdstone, Enfield, Ware and St Albans City. He was later player manager at Ware in the 1996/97 season but he left the club halfway through the season to become youth team coach at Arsenal.
He moved on from Arsenal and he was team manager at the Chelsea Academy from 2009 to 2011 and he was in charge of the Chelsea side that won the FA Youth Cup in 2009/10 when they defeated Aston Villa 3-2 on aggregate, drawing 1-1 at Villa Park and winning 2-1 at Stamford Bridge in front of a crowd of 10,446.
He went on to become reserve team manager at Chelsea from 2011 to 2014 and he met with further success when he was in charge of the side that won the Under-21 Premier League in the 2013/14 season.
In June 2015 he was apparently offered the manager's job at Brazilian side Bangu but he turned down the offer. Then on 27 April 2016 he was appointed head coach at Crawley Town and he remained with the club until 4 May 2017, overseeing 54 games of which 15 were won, 12 were drawn and 27 were lost..
He died on 27 November 2017 at the age of only 56. Crawley's official heart-warming tribute to him was 'Everyone at the club is devastated by the news that our former manager Dermot Drummy passed away earlier today. Our thoughts are with his family and friends. We will be issuing a full statement tomorrow after speaking to Dermot's family. Dermot was a real people person. He had time for everyone at the club and he loved to make us laugh! He brought many of the current squad to Crawley and they are as stunned as we all are at this terrible news.'
And Swansea boss Paul Clement, who worked closely with him at Chelsea, commented, 'Shocked to hear of the death of my former colleague from Chelsea FC, Dermot Drummy. Very sad. Rest In Peace.' Indeed, rest in peace Dermot and thanks for the short spell that you had with the Seasiders.
An Opportunity Missed
Alan Frederick Graham Skirton 1939-2019
Blackpool Football Club missed a golden opportunity to sign tenacious right winger Alan Skirton early in his career, some 13 years before he did finally sign for the club. Skirton, born in Bath on 23 January 1939, had begun his football career with West Twerton Youth Club and had been an amateur with Bristol City, helping the club reach the FA Youth Cup semi-finals in the 1955/56 season. He then joined Bath City, which was where Blackpool first spotted him and recognised his precocious talent. A small fee was agreed with Bath City but Skirton's parents did not want him to be going north so he remained for a time at Bath City where his talent blossomed as he scored 44 goals in 144 games. Arsenal spotted this and he signed for the Gunners for a fee of £5,000 in January 1959 and he went on to play 144 League games, make one substitute appearance and score 53 goals for the club.
Blackpool eventually got their man when the club signed him from Arsenal for a fee of £35,000 on 12 September 1966, apparently while he was on the injured list. He recovered in time to make his League debut for Blackpool against his former club Arsenal on 17 September 1966 and he scored Blackpool’s goal in a 1-1 draw, but unfortunately he had to limp off with a recurrence of his old injury. He missed three games but returned to League action against Tottenham Hotspur on 15 October 1966 when once again he scored as Blackpool won 3-1. And his goalscoring continued as, in his third game, a League Cup tie against Chelsea, he scored twice as Blackpool unexpectedly won 3-1 at Stamford Bridge.
By then he had not played at Bloomfield Road and prior to his first home game against Newcastle United on 22 October 1966 the press commented, 'Until last weekend, Skirton had had a most unsatisfactory start to his career as a Blackpool player. Signed on September 12 while still injured, he made his debut five days later against his old club, scored a goal but limped off injured again. This injury kept him out of action for another three weeks until he returned in the Reserve side on October 8. Well, Skirton came back with a bang last weekend, and answered all the critics who had been complaining about his purchase. There can be no complaints about four goals in three matches, and if he keeps up his scoring rate, Alan will undoubtedly win many friends among Bloomfield Road patrons. Mr Suart [Blackpool manager], who took a lot of criticism over the Skirton deal when the player went down injured again, saw his faith in his new purchase fulfilled at White Hart Lane and Stamford Bridge. He told me, "We have had to wait patiently until Alan was fit again and I’m glad to say he rewarded our patience." I feel that Skirton could become a big favourite at Blackpool. Tall and strong, he should continue to add firepower to the attack. His physical attributes will add weight to the line and help take the pressure off Ray Charnley who for too long has had to bear most of the goalscoring responsibilities. He has proved that he is good in the air, having scored three of his four goals with his head, and this should give the opposing defences something further to worry about. Too often in the past the instruction has gone out to centre halves, "Bottle up Charnley and you bottle up Blackpool." It should be different now.'
Skirton continued his goalscoring exploits in the game against Newcastle United when he scored twice in a 6-0 victory. He had 'a memorable home debut' with his first goal, Blackpool’s third, coming in the 31st minute when, 'playing with great confidence, [he] had helped infuse a new spirit in the Blackpool side' as 'Moir held the ball on the right then played it through as Lea ran into space … the lively winger cut inside then sent a low cross into goal and Skirton was right on the spot to side-foot the ball past the helpless Hollins'. His second, Blackpool’s sixth, came in the 57th minute when he 'volleyed a great shot into the roof of the net after a Charnley pass had been deflected into an open space by an unhappy Newcastle defender'. Ironically this was Blackpool's only home victory of the season - they won more games on Merseyside, beating both Liverpool and Everton] and they finished bottom of the table and were relegated to Division Two.
In his first season with the club, Skirton played 25 League games, scoring eight goals, three League Cup ties, scoring two goals, and three Central League games.
He missed the opening of the 1967/68 season but returned for the third match of the season when, in his first taste of League football outside the top flight, Blackpool lost 4-1 at home to Millwall. But Blackpool's form improved with Skirton playing his part and when Blackpool defeated Birmingham City 2-1 on 3 February 1968 he scored two opportunist goals to secure the victory and complete a double over the midland side. From his right wing position he was a regular on the scoresheet and at the end of the season in 37 League games and one substitute appearance, he had scored 17 goals, as Blackpool missed promotion at the first attempt by the narrowest of margins. Skirton also played two FA Cup ties, scoring one goal, and two League Cup ties in the 1967/68 season.
As the 1968/69 season began under the management of Stan Mortensen his time at Blackpool seemed to be running out and, without a goal in his 14 League games and three League Cup ties, he was transferred to Bristol City for a fee of £15,000 on 20 November 1968. He had played 75 League games, plus making three substitute appearances, scoring 25 goals, two FA Cup ties, and eight League Cup ties, scoring two goals for the club.
He remained at Bristol City until the close of the 1970/71 season by which time he had played 75 League games, made three substitute appearances and scored 14 goals. He then joined Torquay United on a free transfer in July 1971 and, in his one season at the club, he played 36 League games, made two substitute appearances and scored seven goals.
He then had a brief spell at Durban City in South Africa before returning for a two-season spell at Weymouth, who he helped win the Southern League Cup in the 1972/73 season and where, just before his retirement from the game he became assistant commercial manager at the club.
He rejoined Bath City in July 1974 when he was appointed commercial manager, a post he held until he joined Yeovil Town in the same role in October 1981. In that role he returned to Bloomfield Road in 2000 when his then non-League side achieved a memorable FA Cup victory. It was said that he 'masterminded a revolution at Huish Park', being part of the team that engineered a move to the new Huish Park ground, before becoming a familiar voice with Yeovil fans on the Tannoy system at the ground before his final retirement in 2002. However, he did remain to work on a consultancy basis for the club when needed and was in the stands when Yeovil Town gained entry to The Football League in 2003.
He died on 12 May 2019 after a long illness due to Alzheimer's Disease and everyone's thoughts are with his wife Jane and their family and friends.
Blackpool Football Club missed a golden opportunity to sign tenacious right winger Alan Skirton early in his career, some 13 years before he did finally sign for the club. Skirton, born in Bath on 23 January 1939, had begun his football career with West Twerton Youth Club and had been an amateur with Bristol City, helping the club reach the FA Youth Cup semi-finals in the 1955/56 season. He then joined Bath City, which was where Blackpool first spotted him and recognised his precocious talent. A small fee was agreed with Bath City but Skirton's parents did not want him to be going north so he remained for a time at Bath City where his talent blossomed as he scored 44 goals in 144 games. Arsenal spotted this and he signed for the Gunners for a fee of £5,000 in January 1959 and he went on to play 144 League games, make one substitute appearance and score 53 goals for the club.
Blackpool eventually got their man when the club signed him from Arsenal for a fee of £35,000 on 12 September 1966, apparently while he was on the injured list. He recovered in time to make his League debut for Blackpool against his former club Arsenal on 17 September 1966 and he scored Blackpool’s goal in a 1-1 draw, but unfortunately he had to limp off with a recurrence of his old injury. He missed three games but returned to League action against Tottenham Hotspur on 15 October 1966 when once again he scored as Blackpool won 3-1. And his goalscoring continued as, in his third game, a League Cup tie against Chelsea, he scored twice as Blackpool unexpectedly won 3-1 at Stamford Bridge.
By then he had not played at Bloomfield Road and prior to his first home game against Newcastle United on 22 October 1966 the press commented, 'Until last weekend, Skirton had had a most unsatisfactory start to his career as a Blackpool player. Signed on September 12 while still injured, he made his debut five days later against his old club, scored a goal but limped off injured again. This injury kept him out of action for another three weeks until he returned in the Reserve side on October 8. Well, Skirton came back with a bang last weekend, and answered all the critics who had been complaining about his purchase. There can be no complaints about four goals in three matches, and if he keeps up his scoring rate, Alan will undoubtedly win many friends among Bloomfield Road patrons. Mr Suart [Blackpool manager], who took a lot of criticism over the Skirton deal when the player went down injured again, saw his faith in his new purchase fulfilled at White Hart Lane and Stamford Bridge. He told me, "We have had to wait patiently until Alan was fit again and I’m glad to say he rewarded our patience." I feel that Skirton could become a big favourite at Blackpool. Tall and strong, he should continue to add firepower to the attack. His physical attributes will add weight to the line and help take the pressure off Ray Charnley who for too long has had to bear most of the goalscoring responsibilities. He has proved that he is good in the air, having scored three of his four goals with his head, and this should give the opposing defences something further to worry about. Too often in the past the instruction has gone out to centre halves, "Bottle up Charnley and you bottle up Blackpool." It should be different now.'
Skirton continued his goalscoring exploits in the game against Newcastle United when he scored twice in a 6-0 victory. He had 'a memorable home debut' with his first goal, Blackpool’s third, coming in the 31st minute when, 'playing with great confidence, [he] had helped infuse a new spirit in the Blackpool side' as 'Moir held the ball on the right then played it through as Lea ran into space … the lively winger cut inside then sent a low cross into goal and Skirton was right on the spot to side-foot the ball past the helpless Hollins'. His second, Blackpool’s sixth, came in the 57th minute when he 'volleyed a great shot into the roof of the net after a Charnley pass had been deflected into an open space by an unhappy Newcastle defender'. Ironically this was Blackpool's only home victory of the season - they won more games on Merseyside, beating both Liverpool and Everton] and they finished bottom of the table and were relegated to Division Two.
In his first season with the club, Skirton played 25 League games, scoring eight goals, three League Cup ties, scoring two goals, and three Central League games.
He missed the opening of the 1967/68 season but returned for the third match of the season when, in his first taste of League football outside the top flight, Blackpool lost 4-1 at home to Millwall. But Blackpool's form improved with Skirton playing his part and when Blackpool defeated Birmingham City 2-1 on 3 February 1968 he scored two opportunist goals to secure the victory and complete a double over the midland side. From his right wing position he was a regular on the scoresheet and at the end of the season in 37 League games and one substitute appearance, he had scored 17 goals, as Blackpool missed promotion at the first attempt by the narrowest of margins. Skirton also played two FA Cup ties, scoring one goal, and two League Cup ties in the 1967/68 season.
As the 1968/69 season began under the management of Stan Mortensen his time at Blackpool seemed to be running out and, without a goal in his 14 League games and three League Cup ties, he was transferred to Bristol City for a fee of £15,000 on 20 November 1968. He had played 75 League games, plus making three substitute appearances, scoring 25 goals, two FA Cup ties, and eight League Cup ties, scoring two goals for the club.
He remained at Bristol City until the close of the 1970/71 season by which time he had played 75 League games, made three substitute appearances and scored 14 goals. He then joined Torquay United on a free transfer in July 1971 and, in his one season at the club, he played 36 League games, made two substitute appearances and scored seven goals.
He then had a brief spell at Durban City in South Africa before returning for a two-season spell at Weymouth, who he helped win the Southern League Cup in the 1972/73 season and where, just before his retirement from the game he became assistant commercial manager at the club.
He rejoined Bath City in July 1974 when he was appointed commercial manager, a post he held until he joined Yeovil Town in the same role in October 1981. In that role he returned to Bloomfield Road in 2000 when his then non-League side achieved a memorable FA Cup victory. It was said that he 'masterminded a revolution at Huish Park', being part of the team that engineered a move to the new Huish Park ground, before becoming a familiar voice with Yeovil fans on the Tannoy system at the ground before his final retirement in 2002. However, he did remain to work on a consultancy basis for the club when needed and was in the stands when Yeovil Town gained entry to The Football League in 2003.
He died on 12 May 2019 after a long illness due to Alzheimer's Disease and everyone's thoughts are with his wife Jane and their family and friends.
