Alan Ball Testimonial?

Hi chaps.

I have been going to watch Saints for donkeys years, and can clearly remember as a young lad, during the mid 80s, my old man took me to the Dell for a match I believe was some sort of testimonial or similar for our legendary midfielder (and future manager), Alan Ball.

From what I remember it was contested between the current Saints side and a team of "legends", but am struggling to remember much more than this other than it pre-dated all seater stadia and it was a bit of a goal-fest. Can anyone shed some light on this, or can they remember it?

Cheers, Sean

Steve mills!!

Crikey, yes of course it was, after he passed on. Bally played in the game, so did Mick Channon. Thanks for the correction mate. I think my dad was excited about seeing Ball again, which in my eight year old mind translated as it being a match for Alan Ball.

Saints played v Alan Ball's Vancouver Whitecaps one year in the early 80's

Can't edit! Cannot remember what the occassion was, maybe just a preseason friendly, but Bally went over there for the summer iirc, played and managed them. Game ended with a strange shoot off, outfield players started at halfway then had 10 seconds or something to score.

Bruce grobelaar sp was in goal for the white caps that night I think...have the pink card program from that tach..I too was there with my dad...had this wired alternative to a penalty shoot out where you dribbled from the half way line....!

That one was before my time - Bally was at Vancouver the year I was born - 1979-80 season!!

I think that was the game that there was a competition open for a fans place in the saints team, and the bloke that won I think scored from a corner. Apart from that cant remember much else about the match.

Crikey, yes of course it was, after he passed on. Bally played in the game, so did Mick Channon. Thanks for the correction mate. I think my dad was excited about seeing Ball again, which in my eight year old mind translated as it being a match for Alan Ball.

No, Steve Mills was still alive when the game was played, he led the two teams out.

Good night that was, very emotional and raised lots of money for the Steve Mills Fund.

Was just about to say that he was still alive, remember he had on a flat cap and long jacket and lead the teams out and spoke on mike quite a bit!

I think Ball's greatest performance was the 2-1 defeat of Man City in the League Cup quarter final at the Dell. A classic night game, absolutely pulsating match and performance by Ball pulling the strings for Channon et al. Watched it from the Archers road end.

Saints played v Alan Ball's Vancouver Whitecaps one year in the early 80's

If I remember correctly the game was played with 35 yard lines behind which you couldn't be offside. Or did I dream it?

ANyone got any good memories of the Steve Mills game? Seen footage of it, great crowd in, quite a few came on the pitch at the end to congratulate him etc? Looked a great night.

I went to that game and have the program somewhere. Pretty sure Peter Beardsley played for the Whitecaps that night and that Jimmy Greaves was also on the team sheet for them. Don't remember him actually playing though?

Jimmy Greaves was in the Saints team as a guest.

ANyone got any good memories of the Steve Mills game? Seen footage of it, great crowd in, quite a few came on the pitch at the end to congratulate him etc? Looked a great night.

Very emotional night all round.

Chris Nicholl was The Saints Manager, and having a bit of a rough time, was playing for The Legends Team. As each name was announced a huge cheer went up, until poor old Chris's name which was met with some cheers, some taking the mickey boos and some genuine boos!! The Saints line up had a lot of the up coming youngsters of that era, including Alan Shearer, who I remember being absolutely pole axed by Nicholl - and we had a league game coming up a few days later!!

Seeing Steve Mills on the pitch with his wife and family, looking so frail from his Chemo treatment was quite a shock to me at how it could effect some one so relatively young and fit. It was a very emotional moment and he seemed genuinely overwhelmed at the response he'd got from the Legends such as Bally, Channon and Keegan etc who'd turned up and at the size of the crowd who had come to pay their respects to him and his charity work.

No idea what the score was, but it was a very special night indeed.

There was a video of the Steve mills match..we did have a copy, but the quality was poor...no idea where it is no which is a shame...

The Steve Mills game also had a pre-match game between (a fair bit) older ex-Saints, can't remember many without checking but Cliff Huxford rings a bell.

I have programme, video and a ball signed by loads of players involved with the 2 games. Could be tempted to sell if offers are sufficient to clear my mortgage

If I remember correctly the game was played with 35 yard lines behind which you couldn't be offside. Or did I dream it?

That one was before my time - Bally was at Vancouver the year I was born - 1979-80 season!!

Saints played v Alan Ball's Vancouver Whitecaps one year in the early 80's

Can't edit! Cannot remember what the occassion was, maybe just a preseason friendly, but Bally went over there for the summer iirc, played and managed them. Game ended with a strange shoot off, outfield players started at halfway then had 10 seconds or something to score.

Bruce grobelaar sp was in goal for the white caps that night I think...have the pink card program from that tach..I too was there with my dad...had this wired alternative to a penalty shoot out where you dribbled from the half way line....!

That was my first Saints game. I'm sure it was either '79 or '80, as I remember talking excitedly to my teacher about it. I thought David Harvey, ex of Leeds, was in goal, but now you mention it, I remember something about Grob as well, maybe they took one half each. I've still got the pink programme in the loft. I think for the shoot-out they dribbled from the 35 yd line.

Very emotional night all round.

 

Chris Nicholl was The Saints Manager, and having a bit of a rough time, was playing for The Legends Team. As each name was announced a huge cheer went up, until poor old Chris's name which was met with some cheers, some taking the mickey boos and some genuine boos!! The Saints line up had a lot of the up coming youngsters of that era, including Alan Shearer, who I remember being absolutely pole axed by Nicholl - and we had a league game coming up a few days later!!

 

Seeing Steve Mills on the pitch with his wife and family, looking so frail from his Chemo treatment was quite a shock to me at how it could effect some one so relatively young and fit. It was a very emotional moment and he seemed genuinely overwhelmed at the response he'd got from the Legends such as Bally, Channon and Keegan etc who'd turned up and at the size of the crowd who had come to pay their respects to him and his charity work.

 

No idea what the score was, but it was a very special night indeed.

Copied/Pasted from Wikipedia.....

Despite being hospitalised by the side effects of his medical treatment, he organised the biggest charity match ever seen in the South of England with an all-time Saints XI playing the then current team at The Dell in May 1988, involving players such as Mick Channon, Alan Ball, Kevin Keegan and Martin Chivers playing in front of a capacity crowd of over 20,000. Steve received an emotional standing ovation when he appeared on the pitch.

A few months later, Steve lost his fight against the illness, dying on 1 August 1988.

Copied/Pasted from Wikipedia.....

 

Despite being hospitalised by the side effects of his medical treatment, he organised the biggest charity match ever seen in the South of England with an all-time Saints XI playing the then current team at The Dell in May 1988, involving players such as Mick Channon, Alan Ball, Kevin Keegan and Martin Chivers playing in front of a capacity crowd of over 20,000. Steve received an emotional standing ovation when he appeared on the pitch.

 

A few months later, Steve lost his fight against the illness, dying on 1 August 1988.

Just looked it up in In That Number.

Unfortunately very sparse info - played 28 Mar 88, Saints beat The All stars team 7-3 with goals from Townsend 2, Danny Wallace, Alan Shearer, Derek Statham, Steve Davis, and Graham Baker.

I was a mascot at this game and I remember walking out in front of Kevin Bond

If I remember the crowd was quite a bit higher than we were averaging for Div 1 games around that time.

I think that was the game that there was a competition open for a fans place in the saints team, and the bloke that won I think scored from a corner. Apart from that cant remember much else about the match.

Steve Hopkins

ANyone got any good memories of the Steve Mills game? Seen footage of it, great crowd in, quite a few came on the pitch at the end to congratulate him etc? Looked a great night.

My memory of that night was Nicholl battering into Shearer who then scored showed had ability to take a challenge.

Although Maddison looked the better player injury robbed him of a better career.

Mills was a brilliant full back he looked so ill that night.

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Remember this. I was 10 and got Kevin Keegan's autograph after the game!