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Post by mosher on Aug 22, 2023 11:37:15 GMT 1
Wasn't sure if I'd ever seen him play, but texted uncle Bob with news of his death and he says I have.
I remember watching a keeper at Town wearing no gloves around the time I was 7ish (so about 1980) when we were over from Germany in the hols so it must have been one of those odd occasions.
RIP Andy
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Post by marshterrier on Aug 22, 2023 12:21:54 GMT 1
Rankin collided with Bates when he fractured his skull in that match. Well there you go. Theres an interview with Andy on the Watford site, he mentions the skull. Hes got a few things slightly wrong about his time here. He says Freeman was already here but he came in on loan late that season, maybe after the Rankin injury? I was in the Cowshed that day and Bates was lucky to stay on the field. He had a habit of roughing up GKs as i saw him do the same thing on old highlights. Sadly, he dies a few years ago also - apparently alzeimers / dementia but is still revered by the Shrews fans.
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Post by themanfromatlantis on Aug 22, 2023 12:32:06 GMT 1
Nice tribute thread.
Life was much simpler back then, of course many of us didn’t have the responsibilities we’ve accrued over the years, but football was the working man’s game back then.
I remember him as a steady and reliable stopper, helped by a decent defence for that level as well.
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Post by themanfromatlantis on Aug 22, 2023 13:00:53 GMT 1
That’s a lovely piece. Always interesting to see how many players in that era and before just accepted they’d made a decent living from football, but went on to work outside of football afterwards. I’m not surprised he didn’t talk too much football, it probably wasn’t the topic it is nowadays. Always reminds me of Mr Glazzard and his grocers shop in Sheepridge. As a young kid I never knew what a legend that bloke was.
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Post by harrythedog on Aug 22, 2023 13:16:50 GMT 1
He lived for a long time in the last red-brick semi on Westerley at Shelley, opposite the Cricket Club and before the lego houses were built. Certainly whilst he was still playing as my dad pointed him out and I remember being star struck that a hero of the 1980 team lived there.
I went to the Charlton away game in April 1981 and even as a nine year old remember him having a blinder that day. I think he had been injured on and off that season and it may have been his first game for a while?
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Post by billy143 on Aug 22, 2023 13:35:43 GMT 1
He used to work at Waddingtons in Clayton West, had many a conversation with him there. Also FA Cup match at Tranmere in Dec 1980, think it was the game when the wall collapsed in the Town section and they moved us behind the goal. AR made some great saves that day. Bryan Hamilton,the Tranmere player/manager, was shooting from everywhere, but to no avail.
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Post by dugnet on Aug 22, 2023 14:01:25 GMT 1
I remember watching World of Sport in the days they used to have a report from games that had finished. The Charlton game was due to be on the Big Match on the Sunday (I am sure it has been on the recent retro re-runs) and Brian Moore was eulogising about Andy's performance.
I was also at his first game v Rochdale.
My condolences to his family and friends. R.I.P Andy
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Post by gledholt terrier on Aug 22, 2023 14:05:25 GMT 1
I remember watching World of Sport in the days they used to have a report from games that had finished. The Charlton game was due to be on the Big Match on the Sunday (I am sure it has been on the recent retro re-runs) and Brian Moore was eulogising about Andy's performance. I was also at his first game v Rochdale. My condolences to his family and friends. R.I.P Andy
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 22, 2023 14:06:34 GMT 1
RIP Andy, like many on here, one of the first goalies I saw having started watching in the 79/80 season. Saw Alan Starling a handful of times, but the Rankin took over and even at that tender age, i recall been very impressed by him as I was a GK as a kid. His Town career wasn't actually that long (mid 79/80 - early 81/2 seasons), however his contribution was massive to our promotion and also the following season when we just missed out. I don't recall him making any costly errors, maybe if he'd not been injured we'd have got the extra few points to go up in 80/81. As others have said, it's such a shame that our heroes from back then earned a pittance in comparison to todays players. Driving a fork truck is something MBenza should be doing, not a hero like Andy Rankin. I thought he did wear gloves at Town .... as proven in the pic below, although i've seen ones in his early days without... huddersfieldtowncollection.wordpress.com/1980s-press-photographs/
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Post by overtonterrierspirit on Aug 22, 2023 14:23:20 GMT 1
I always liked the Everton teams of the 70’s and 80’s so I’ve liked Rankin for a long time. Watching “Big Match Revisited “ is starting to get a bit depressing now. Noticing how many of the footballers you admired are now no longer with us.
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irverino
Jimmy Glazzard Terrier
Posts: 4,664
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Post by irverino on Aug 22, 2023 14:32:39 GMT 1
No frills Andy Rankin, you did exactly what it said on the tin......you kept goal & bloody good at it too..RIP.
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Post by themanfromatlantis on Aug 22, 2023 14:58:04 GMT 1
I remember watching World of Sport in the days they used to have a report from games that had finished. The Charlton game was due to be on the Big Match on the Sunday (I am sure it has been on the recent retro re-runs) and Brian Moore was eulogising about Andy's performance. I was also at his first game v Rochdale. My condolences to his family and friends. R.I.P Andy Thanks for sharing that, brilliant to watch. No blatant cheating or gamesmanship. A single substitute. Players not arguing with the Ref. I’d forgotten about how early fences came into being as well. Plus loads more plus points I can’t be bothered to list. Worth the few mins to watch it. Cheers…
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Post by gledholt terrier on Aug 22, 2023 15:25:49 GMT 1
Thanks for sharing that, brilliant to watch. No blatant cheating or gamesmanship. A single substitute. Players not arguing with the Ref. I’d forgotten about how early fences came into being as well. Plus loads more plus points I can’t be bothered to list. Worth the few mins to watch it. Cheers… One of either Godley or Crème in the Charlton dugout.
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Post by smax on Aug 22, 2023 16:44:34 GMT 1
Remember him making his debut at The Shay, along with Stevie Kindon (I think). RIP Andy. Stevie came on as sub.
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Post by Porrohman on Aug 22, 2023 16:47:54 GMT 1
Thanks for sharing that, brilliant to watch. No blatant cheating or gamesmanship. A single substitute. Players not arguing with the Ref. I’d forgotten about how early fences came into being as well. Plus loads more plus points I can’t be bothered to list. Worth the few mins to watch it. Cheers… One of either Godley or Crème in the Charlton dugout. Kevin Godley aka Derek Hales.
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Post by Bubbles on Aug 22, 2023 17:01:10 GMT 1
Thanks for sharing that, brilliant to watch. No blatant cheating or gamesmanship. A single substitute. Players not arguing with the Ref. I’d forgotten about how early fences came into being as well. Plus loads more plus points I can’t be bothered to list. Worth the few mins to watch it. Cheers… R.I.P Andy Rankin. Very sad news. And a great video that,havent seen it for years. Mally Brown bombing forward and slamming in a trademark free-kick. Interesting to hear " You'll never Walk alone" being sung just before Kindo scores. I'd forgotten we used to sing that!
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Post by westislandterrier on Aug 22, 2023 17:01:34 GMT 1
Thank You 28901 ! - Aye some lovely eulogies on here for Andy and they are well earned... Aye have read back just there and seen that - Amazing and he must’ve had hands made of Leather !!! I see a lot like myself remember him coming to Town around 1980 and playing in Mick Buxton’s teams for a few seasons and at Lovely old Leeds Road which must’ve been great at the time - I’m sure they’ll be Loads & Loads of fond reminiscing about him on this thread and from his team mates of his time at Town that are still in touch - And having seen the videos of The Final Whistle I & II there were some really great characters in that team and I’m sure that they’ll give him a very fitting and finest send off ! I was sceptical about you earlier and may have made some ill judged knee jerk comments which I am prone to do. I completely apologise if I did. Your posts are a joy in dark moments and you have, without doubt, achieved legendary status on here. Again thanks 28901 - I can’t remember much negativity towards me although when I started out on DATM one or two thought that I was something called a WUM which I hadn’t a scooby what it meant but found out that it is shorthand for ‘Wind up merchants’ ! I suspect that this would be the (very natural) assumption that it’d be improbable that there would be a HTAFC fanatic in the back sticks of rural Scotland in The Whisky Isle of Islay also known as The Queen of The Hebrides ! (It turns out that there is one more guy that supports Town - His parents are from Huddersfield and Brighouse) and there was a lassie that seen me in one of my Town tops one day and said she was from Birkby and had bought a house on The West Island at Glenagedale across from Islay ‘International’ 😊 Airport, but I’ve not seen her for a few years since before lockdown really... But I’m sure Andy will have a wry smile up there now if he looked down on ma old footy field when I played with the village kids in Bruichladdich in goal and many a time shouted after one of my pure fab saves - “And yet another great save by Rankin” ! Jeez these were beautiful memories 28091 - It’s just a shame that it takes the sad passing of a former Town stalwart like Andy Rankin to rekindle them...
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Post by Leporid on Aug 22, 2023 17:13:01 GMT 1
RIP Andy Rankin.
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Post by Leporid on Aug 22, 2023 17:15:26 GMT 1
I remember watching World of Sport in the days they used to have a report from games that had finished. The Charlton game was due to be on the Big Match on the Sunday (I am sure it has been on the recent retro re-runs) and Brian Moore was eulogising about Andy's performance. I was also at his first game v Rochdale. My condolences to his family and friends. R.I.P Andy Great stuff. Up Town! Top Rankin.
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Post by 28901 on Aug 22, 2023 19:29:28 GMT 1
Thanks for sharing that, brilliant to watch. No blatant cheating or gamesmanship. A single substitute. Players not arguing with the Ref. I’d forgotten about how early fences came into being as well. Plus loads more plus points I can’t be bothered to list. Worth the few mins to watch it. Cheers… It was still fairly unsegregated on that huge terrace at the Valley. Town fans were to the left side of the camera stood right next to the Charlton fans. There was a fair bit of tension and stand offs all afternoon.
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Post by overtonterrierspirit on Aug 22, 2023 20:55:06 GMT 1
Thanks for sharing that, brilliant to watch. No blatant cheating or gamesmanship. A single substitute. Players not arguing with the Ref. I’d forgotten about how early fences came into being as well. Plus loads more plus points I can’t be bothered to list. Worth the few mins to watch it. Cheers… It was still fairly unsegregated on that huge terrace at the Valley. Town fans were to the left side of the camera stood right next to the Charlton fans. There was a fair bit of tension and stand offs all afternoon. Town fans to the left of me, jokers to the right …..
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Post by 28901 on Aug 22, 2023 21:04:25 GMT 1
It was still fairly unsegregated on that huge terrace at the Valley. Town fans were to the left side of the camera stood right next to the Charlton fans. There was a fair bit of tension and stand offs all afternoon. Town fans to the left of me, jokers to the right ….. Brian Moore stuck in the middle..
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Post by Porrohman on Aug 22, 2023 21:12:13 GMT 1
It was still fairly unsegregated on that huge terrace at the Valley. Town fans were to the left side of the camera stood right next to the Charlton fans. There was a fair bit of tension and stand offs all afternoon. Town fans to the left of me, jokers to the right ….. Keep seeing a Tranmere flag on a FB post. It says "Sheepshaggers to the left of me, Scousers to the right. Here I am. Stuck in the Wirral with you" 😁
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Post by andyeastleake on Aug 23, 2023 8:37:31 GMT 1
Remember him making his debut at The Shay, along with Stevie Kindon (I think). RIP Andy. My recollection was that he made his debut in the (rare) Friday night game with Rochdale before Christmas. I don't always trust "99 years and counting" but it backs this up. IIRC the general feeling amongst fans at the time was surprise that MB decided to relace Starling (can't recall an injury). Andy Rankin was a very solid keeper over the next few years. RIP.
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Post by Chips Longhorn on Aug 23, 2023 8:51:58 GMT 1
Remember him making his debut at The Shay, along with Stevie Kindon (I think). RIP Andy. My recollection was that he made his debut in the (rare) Friday night game with Rochdale before Christmas. I don't always trust "99 years and counting" but it backs this up. IIRC the general feeling amongst fans at the time was surprise that MB decided to relace Starling (can't recall an injury). Andy Rankin was a very solid keeper over the next few years. RIP. Kindon's debut was definitely at home (either rochdale or Halifax?) I do think Starling had an injury or accumulated injuries Ps our other thread is missing you fella
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Post by htafcokay on Aug 23, 2023 8:55:56 GMT 1
Remember him making his debut at The Shay, along with Stevie Kindon (I think). RIP Andy. My recollection was that he made his debut in the (rare) Friday night game with Rochdale before Christmas. I don't always trust "99 years and counting" but it backs this up. IIRC the general feeling amongst fans at the time was surprise that MB decided to relace Starling (can't recall an injury).Andy Rankin was a very solid keeper over the next few years. RIP. As mentioned in the obituary that I posted, Rankin was initially brought in because reserve goalkeeper Dick Taylor was injured and Alan Starling had a potential ban looming over him after being sent off by the referee in the tunnel against Hereford. Then Starling ended up getting injured and Rankin came in and kept his place. Starling never played another game.
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Post by gledholt terrier on Aug 23, 2023 10:16:30 GMT 1
My recollection was that he made his debut in the (rare) Friday night game with Rochdale before Christmas. I don't always trust "99 years and counting" but it backs this up. IIRC the general feeling amongst fans at the time was surprise that MB decided to relace Starling (can't recall an injury). Andy Rankin was a very solid keeper over the next few years. RIP. Kindon's debut was definitely at home (either rochdale or Halifax?) I do think Starling had an injury or accumulated injuries Ps our other thread is missing you fella I thought Kindon watched us demolish Rochdale at home and decided to sign because of it, before making his debut in the 2-1 defeat at Halifax, but I’m no htfcokay!
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Post by Chips Longhorn on Aug 23, 2023 10:26:33 GMT 1
Kindon's debut was definitely at home (either rochdale or Halifax?) I do think Starling had an injury or accumulated injuries Ps our other thread is missing you fella I thought Kindon watched us demolish Rochdale at home and decided to sign because of it, before making his debut in the 2-1 defeat at Halifax, but I’m no htfcokay! No I think you're right . For some reason I had us beating Halifax at home just before the boxing day away fixture . But it was much later in the season (5-0 Kindon scored)
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Post by tyketaffy on Aug 23, 2023 14:01:18 GMT 1
I thought Kindon watched us demolish Rochdale at home and decided to sign because of it, before making his debut in the 2-1 defeat at Halifax, but I’m no htfcokay! No I think you're right . For some reason I had us beating Halifax at home just before the boxing day away fixture . But it was much later in the season (5-0 Kindon scored) It was defo Halifax away he made his debut (Kindon) which we did indeed lose. The Charlton match brings back memories, a van load of us from Brighouse traveled down for the game and stayed overnight in Cambridge on the way back thinking we would go up then came the home loss to Millwall and the away loss to Burnley I remember the Charlton match as well for a plain clothes copper trying to get people riled up and fighting. Some guys went up to a uniformed office at half time and pointed him out and asked they to remove him as he was an obvious plant shit stirring to get people arrested.
I remember Andy Rankin starting work behind the bar of the Victoria Tavern in Brighouse to learn the trade before he retired.
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