John Pratt, Mark Falco, Jake Livermore

[RickyVilla]

I met John Pratt last Thursday. Thoroughly nice chap and told a great story about the AC Milan game in 72.

 

[Lighty64]

It has always happened as far as I can remember (Back to the mid 60's) Then and up to the early 80's we in the main only signed top class players and regularly broke transfer records in doing so and became spoiled as a result of this. Relatively few youngsters got the chance to come through the ranks and I think we as fans got used to seeing the finished (expensive brought in) player appear in the team and when a youngster was blooded they were rarely given a fair crack of the whip by the fans.

we didn't do to bad bringing in Glen Hoddle, Neill McNab, Micky Hazzard, Gary Brookes, Chris Houghton, Terry Gibson, David Howells

Johnny Pratt always reminds me of a Steffan Fruend, he worked bloody hard, made alot of mistakes in his passing, the only difference being he could score occassionally. i remember he got an absolute screamer, as Spurs beat Man U 3-2 at OT, when we were losing 2-0 with about 10 mins to go

i think the only player i have ever vented hate at waring a Spurs shirt was Ian Moores who seemed to score everytime he played against us when he was at Stoke, but apart from a hat-trick when we beat Bristol Rover he was pretty useless, made Falco look like Pele

 

[southlondonyiddo]

My first memories of going to WHL are from the 1975 season onwards. Unfortunately all those early years consisted of watching John Pratt. It seemed he was an ever present at all those early years.

We were absolute shite for those 3 years until the emergence of the 'king of WHL'

The memories of John Pratt during those years still sends shivers down my spine because I can categorically state that he was bloody awful!!!
As stated many vented their anger at JJ for years. I can tell you John Pratt couldn't lace his boots

Mark Falco knew where the goal was and had it not been for the brilliance of Neville Southall we may have even won the league with him scoring many a valuable contribution that season. Problem was he was clumsy and pretty slow which made him a scapegoat for many

Livermore has hardly played and will probably hardly play unless our squad becomes worse. You can't slag off fringe players who may just not be quite good enough, it's not their fault they weren't born with the same gifts as others

 

[Flashspur]

Venables was a boo boy .. Lots of stick from sections of the crowd back in the 1960's

...thats really because of the Chelsea connection. It was like a Gooner coming across to a lesser extent and when Bill Nick bought him people expected him to come in as a playmaker and fill either the Blanchflower or White roles which Tel was never going to be able to do. I mean who could replace either of them? They were just exceptional players. Still he was important in '67 on the way to the FA Cup Final and didnt do too badly for us against his old club at Wembley.

 

[Archibald&Crooks]

I found John Pratt a nice bloke to talk to, friendly and approachable, I played against a team he managed once, Barkingside I think it was. As a player, well, i'd categorise him as 'workmanlike'

 

[class of 62]

I found John Pratt a nice bloke to talk to, friendly and approachable, I played against a team he managed once, Barkingside I think it was. As a player, well, i'd categorise him as 'workmanlike'

I knew john well as a kid!.. had a sweet shop in Hoxton near opposite crown & manor boys club with another footballer called tony bond.
got my photo done with ossie & ricky either side of me with me holding the f.a cup in the middle thanks to john.
as stated not the most gifted spurs player but a gent still to this day.

 

[Archibald&Crooks]

I knew john well as a kid!.. had a sweet shop in Hoxton near opposite crown & manor boys club with another footballer called tony bond.
got my photo done with ossie & ricky either side of me with me holding the f.a cup in the middle thanks to john.
as stated not the most gifted spurs player but a gent still to this day.

Nice one. Can't imagine anyone having something like a sweetshop today. Well, one name springs to mind.........

Was it Dave Mackay who had a tie shop or something just off the Seven Sisters Road?

 

[gilzeantheking]

Nice one. Can't imagine anyone having something like a sweetshop today. Well, one name springs to mind.........

Was it Dave Mackay who had a tie shop or something just off the Seven Sisters Road?

Yes it was, the company still exists. I recently brought a regimental tie from the regiment concerned as a present for someone and the makers label said "Dave McKay Ties"

 

[class of 62]

Nice one. Can't imagine anyone having something like a sweetshop today. Well, one name springs to mind.........

Was it Dave Mackay who had a tie shop or something just off the Seven Sisters Road?

it was on green lanes at winchmore hill.

 

[gilzeantheking]

it was on green lanes at winchmore hill.

It moved there in the late 70's up till then it was on Seven Sisters Road by Wards Corner.

Edit it's now in Enfield. (Lancaster Road)

 

[class of 62]

It moved there in the late 70's up till then it was on Seven Sisters Road by Wards Corner.

Edit it's now in Enfield. (Lancaster Road)

fair enough mate

 

[Kalim]

Falco was a little bit shit.

Very unusual for me to disagree with you, because I like a lot of what you post, especially your player ratings which I usualy look for with interest.
Falco was a player of his time, big strong and good in the air, and like spud said was not great technicaly, but he wasnt shit, and did score a lot of goals [please dont castigate me wiith Defoe, cos I know].

I think the difference to Defoe, is that Falco wasnt selfish, and also put in a shift and definately let the cb's know he was around.

Sorry about the Doh rating, but I thought you were too flippant.