Hamman and Melia would be my dream team.
Hamann’s brilliant ‘zonal marking’ system and Jimmy busting moves in his dancing shoes could have been the perfect combination for success…alas poor Jimmy was dismissed after an awful season in charge of The Hatters (how the optimism ebbed away after a great 1986/87 pre-season before crashing down to Earth at his first game in charge at Swansea. We left the ground distraught with ‘bald wigs’ littering the terraces behind us…well I saw two)
Melia wasn’t far off success… if only he had a zonal marking system in place!
It all ended when we at least got a draw at Peterborough towards the end of thee season, although 30+ of us didn’t make the match as the coach spluttered to a perminant halt in Newark (where the ridiculous Hampton was shoved into a fetid pond)
Having nicked a football from some kids, I remember I scored a world class diving header worthy of a Tommy Sword effort (assisted by Steve Callahan with a superb through ball) I celebrated alone as nobody else gave a toss, but I was happy considering I’d missed the match.
The police turned up due to County fans climbing up lampposts and predictably became excited when we told em we were skint and couldn’t get to the station…the miserable coppers felt they had to get rid of us so turned their police vans into impromptu free taxis.
…and became even more excited as they were called to the town centre pub for folk being ‘rowdy’….as you’d expect it was us (“you told me you were skint but you’re nursing two pints and by the look of you have entertained a good few more!!”)
One particular Constable became even more excited and took offence when it was pointed out to him that he was a dead ringer for Daniel Peacock.
Still despite very fed up plod and Hampton stinking to high heaven…we eventually were escorted to the railway station and left celebrating County as a League Division Four club for another season despite Mr. Melia’s attempt to scupper us to bottom spot and none league obscurity (that of course come some years later!)
It’s a pity our finest gambler…sorry…manager, Didi Harmann never actually met Melia but fate conspired against County yet again!