Post by Bushman on Nov 18, 2010 23:28:52 GMT
QPR TOUR OF TURKEY 1948
"Turkish Delight"
by Alf Ridyard. (Coach & Chief Scout)
Following our exciting and most memorable season in English soccer, our Manager arranged our visit to Turkey in the close season, with the idea of providing us with a little relaxation, and change of surroundings, which the lads so rightfully deserved.
Wednesday afternoon, the 19th of May, was the day of departure from Northolt, in a 44 seater Swiss Airline "Skymaster"," with a crew of ten, seventeen players, two of our Directors, Mr Baker and Mr Turner, Jimmy Eggleton, Mr Barrick (last season's Cup Final Referee), and Uncle Dave Magnall and all. Geneva was to be our first stop some three hours later, with the journey so far uneventful. After a meal and a visit to a night club, which incidentally was an eye opener to most of us ( ask Don Mills and Alec Lennon), we were able to snatch a few hours sleep. Our take-off at 8 a.m. meant little or no breakfast for us, until a good old fashioned English meal was served to us when "on board."
A drop for an hour in Athens, cost our Manager £2 for a few glasses of inferior orange squash, but it did at least give us a chance to stretch our legs. This last hop brought us to our destination, one hour and a half later, some fifteen miles outside Istanbul, which as you know , was the former capital Constantinople.. Here we were met V.I. Officials of the Turkish F.A., including members of the Galatasaray, team, one of the leading Clubs in Turkey, and whose coach was none other than Peter Malloy. Our headquarters was to be at the first-class Konak Hotel, which was about ten miles the other side of the City to where we had landed.
My own impression of the country , differed very little to the scenery of our own island, except for the big majority of the old houses to be seen. The climate was, as expected, very warm, which was quite unsuitable for ideal playing conditions. Our food, was on pre-war lines, with austerity out of the question. Most meals included ,ham and two eggs in the morning and the evening, or a very nice juicy steak.
The Stadium at Istanbul, was the venue for all four matches played. The accommodation was about 22,000, and the pitch is surrounded by a first-class running track, with a ten foot high wire fence to stop the invasion of the very excitable spectators. The pitch was certainly nothing to write home about , which although flat was very bumpy, and the grass tough.
The first game was played on the evening of the 22nd against a team called Fenerbahce. Our opponents the usual continental stuff, which a lot of getting used to, and a draw was a fair result, with Fred Durrant notching our only goal. The only reflections on the game were the outstanding play of their inside left, and the erratic and poor shooting of ourselves. The second game was against Galatasaray, was a 1-0 win for us, after an awarded penalty and a conversion by Cyril Hatton. Besiktas were our opponents for the third game, and although the score 5-2 was most gratifying and convincing for us , we were unlucky enough to have encountered a number of injuries. George Stewart who was playing a marvelous game at centre-forward, and had scored two goals was unlucky enough to have sustained a broken leg. George had raced from the half-way line, beaten the back, and goalkeeper, who diving in an endeavor to retrieve the ball, fell heavily on to George's leg. As it is permitted to substitute players under their rules, the second half saw Reg Saphin keeping goal instead of Reg Allen , until ten minutes had elapsed , when a shoulder charge resulted in in him leaving the field , necessitating the return of Reg Allen.
It was found after wards that Saphin had torn a muscle of the shoulder.
The following day, Sunday the 30th, we met the strongest team of the tour , who are, I believe the same team which competed in the present series of Olympic games. Again our finishing was weak, and after dominating the play, lost the only game on tour 2-1.
The popularity of Reg Allen and Arthur Jefferson was only comparable with some of our leading film stars, with thousands of enthusiastic admirers and autograph hunters. Reg is always known to us as the "Baron," and one admirer thought that he really was one of the aristocracy of England.
Much of our time was spent visiting famous beauty spots and landmarks which included a trip to Princes Island, and bathing in the blue waters of the Med.
The arrangements for the whole tour , were in the extremely capable hands of a business gentleman names Charlie Carruna, who was the perfect host in every way.
The following Friday at 11 a.m., loaded with presents of rice, turkish delight, shirts, silks and keepsakes, we boarded the "Skymaster en route for home. A stop was made at Athens after making a detour because of bad flying conditions, and touched down at Geneva. Here, we transferred from the "Skymaster," to a Dakota, arriving at Northolt just as you were probably sipping that last pint at 10.30.
The trip as a whole did a great deal in fostering good relationships, and I know that there would be a good many "Ayes," if given another chance to make the tour again.
Link to 1948
qprreport.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=general&action=display&thread=11013
"Turkish Delight"
by Alf Ridyard. (Coach & Chief Scout)
Following our exciting and most memorable season in English soccer, our Manager arranged our visit to Turkey in the close season, with the idea of providing us with a little relaxation, and change of surroundings, which the lads so rightfully deserved.
Wednesday afternoon, the 19th of May, was the day of departure from Northolt, in a 44 seater Swiss Airline "Skymaster"," with a crew of ten, seventeen players, two of our Directors, Mr Baker and Mr Turner, Jimmy Eggleton, Mr Barrick (last season's Cup Final Referee), and Uncle Dave Magnall and all. Geneva was to be our first stop some three hours later, with the journey so far uneventful. After a meal and a visit to a night club, which incidentally was an eye opener to most of us ( ask Don Mills and Alec Lennon), we were able to snatch a few hours sleep. Our take-off at 8 a.m. meant little or no breakfast for us, until a good old fashioned English meal was served to us when "on board."
A drop for an hour in Athens, cost our Manager £2 for a few glasses of inferior orange squash, but it did at least give us a chance to stretch our legs. This last hop brought us to our destination, one hour and a half later, some fifteen miles outside Istanbul, which as you know , was the former capital Constantinople.. Here we were met V.I. Officials of the Turkish F.A., including members of the Galatasaray, team, one of the leading Clubs in Turkey, and whose coach was none other than Peter Malloy. Our headquarters was to be at the first-class Konak Hotel, which was about ten miles the other side of the City to where we had landed.
My own impression of the country , differed very little to the scenery of our own island, except for the big majority of the old houses to be seen. The climate was, as expected, very warm, which was quite unsuitable for ideal playing conditions. Our food, was on pre-war lines, with austerity out of the question. Most meals included ,ham and two eggs in the morning and the evening, or a very nice juicy steak.
The Stadium at Istanbul, was the venue for all four matches played. The accommodation was about 22,000, and the pitch is surrounded by a first-class running track, with a ten foot high wire fence to stop the invasion of the very excitable spectators. The pitch was certainly nothing to write home about , which although flat was very bumpy, and the grass tough.
The first game was played on the evening of the 22nd against a team called Fenerbahce. Our opponents the usual continental stuff, which a lot of getting used to, and a draw was a fair result, with Fred Durrant notching our only goal. The only reflections on the game were the outstanding play of their inside left, and the erratic and poor shooting of ourselves. The second game was against Galatasaray, was a 1-0 win for us, after an awarded penalty and a conversion by Cyril Hatton. Besiktas were our opponents for the third game, and although the score 5-2 was most gratifying and convincing for us , we were unlucky enough to have encountered a number of injuries. George Stewart who was playing a marvelous game at centre-forward, and had scored two goals was unlucky enough to have sustained a broken leg. George had raced from the half-way line, beaten the back, and goalkeeper, who diving in an endeavor to retrieve the ball, fell heavily on to George's leg. As it is permitted to substitute players under their rules, the second half saw Reg Saphin keeping goal instead of Reg Allen , until ten minutes had elapsed , when a shoulder charge resulted in in him leaving the field , necessitating the return of Reg Allen.
It was found after wards that Saphin had torn a muscle of the shoulder.
The following day, Sunday the 30th, we met the strongest team of the tour , who are, I believe the same team which competed in the present series of Olympic games. Again our finishing was weak, and after dominating the play, lost the only game on tour 2-1.
The popularity of Reg Allen and Arthur Jefferson was only comparable with some of our leading film stars, with thousands of enthusiastic admirers and autograph hunters. Reg is always known to us as the "Baron," and one admirer thought that he really was one of the aristocracy of England.
Much of our time was spent visiting famous beauty spots and landmarks which included a trip to Princes Island, and bathing in the blue waters of the Med.
The arrangements for the whole tour , were in the extremely capable hands of a business gentleman names Charlie Carruna, who was the perfect host in every way.
The following Friday at 11 a.m., loaded with presents of rice, turkish delight, shirts, silks and keepsakes, we boarded the "Skymaster en route for home. A stop was made at Athens after making a detour because of bad flying conditions, and touched down at Geneva. Here, we transferred from the "Skymaster," to a Dakota, arriving at Northolt just as you were probably sipping that last pint at 10.30.
The trip as a whole did a great deal in fostering good relationships, and I know that there would be a good many "Ayes," if given another chance to make the tour again.
Link to 1948
qprreport.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=general&action=display&thread=11013
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