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    Suited and Booted. Archived Message

    Posted by el Sombrerero on 15/5/2020, 1:49 pm

    My recollections of my friendship with former referee, Ron Groves reminded me of some of the games I went to with him. 1 in particular. The first one.
    Chris, a team mate and still a friend of mine told me Ron was reffing Chelsea vs City. I (very cheekily) called into the Westlands Social Club on my way home from training and introduced myself as a good mate of Chris's who he knew very well.
    A couple of days later, Ron called me and said he was ok to take me as a guest of his. I had to dress smart of course.

    After getting a little tour of Stamford Bridge and going on the pitch, Ron left me in the players lounge.
    At the time, there was great interest in men's hockey and IIRC, England had a semi final in the World Cup on the telly.
    Chelsea's then version of Vernon Bear came into the lounge after handing sweets out to kids to watch the game.
    When he took the the head and upper body off his lion suit, he was the epitome of why Chelsea was then, a very scary ground to go to as an away fan!!!

    He was built like a brick shithouse and plastered in tattoos. He looked frightening and there's no way his mates on the Shed would have known it was him under the costume. I was convinced he was doing community service as Chelsea's mascot

    I have little memory of the game itself. My records tell me Chelsea won the division 2 game 2-1 in front of a crowd 10 shy of 13,000

    But I've never forgot that mascot fella and I'm wondering now if any of you lot have memories - funny or otherwise - of going to a game - any game - in an official capacity?

    Hope you enjoyed my little stroll down memory lane.


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    • Suited and Booted. - el Sombrerero 15/5/2020, 1:49 pm