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FA CUP GIANT KILLING BLAST FROM THE PAST
Graham Frankland
When Middlesbrough played Hednesford at the Riverside in the FA Cup fourth round in 1997, I was responsible for them being there as I had refereed their game against Blackpool at Bloomfield Road in the previous round and what an experience that turned out to be.
To cut a long story short, the Blackpool manager at the time was Gary Megson who as usual in his managerial career was not flavour of the month with his own supporters as their league form had been a bit patchy. Losing against non-league opposition was not an option for him. Step forward Mr G B Frankland of Middlesbrough.
The game had gone very smoothly for me and as we had reached the 87th minute I was looking forward to another pay day in the replay at a ground I had not visited before at Hednesford. Bang! Hednesford score and their sizeable travelling support go wild with excitement but me and Gary Megson are probably thinking exactly the same thing.............. Shit!! But for very different reasons which I was about to find out.
The game ends to a chorus of boos from the home fans and I stood in the centre of the field with a warm glow because although I wasn't getting a replay, I had performed well with no problems from a refereeing point of view.
However, I suddenly became aware of the home fans spilling on to the pitch with literally hundreds of them heading my way. My life suddenly flashed before me as I stood frozen to the spot, and I remember looking towards the tunnel for assistance but all I was met with was the sight of my minder for the day frantically waving his arms at me telling me to leg it off the pitch.
Not a chance I thought... this was it and I was going to get a good kicking from supporters for the first time so I began to brace myself for the first blows. You can imagine my relief when amazingly the fans just kept running past me as if I wasn't there. They kept on running towards........... you've guessed it.......... Gary Megson.
Now I am not one who condones violence in any way but when I saw those supporters attempting to kick, punch and spit at Megson, who by now was surrounded by six or seven burly stewards to protect him, I just stood there thinking "Thank fuck its you mate and not me!!"
Any managers playing non-league teams on Saturday - beware!
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