My memory tends to conflate things so I’m hoping you lot can help me figure this out... if I remember correctly, this happened around 1993 or 1994. It’s at The Valley, we have a free kick. The kick is blocked or something, and the ball breaks loose to Carl Leaburn in the box. He tries to finish it but the referee somehow managed to get between the ball and the goal, so Carlo bundled them both over the line.
Did I imagine this? Did it happen like this? When was it?! Does anyone have a video of it? I need to know.
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Easy-peasy. CAFC 5-1 Notts County 13 Nov 93. I'm sure it will be on the season's video.
😎
Lovely bloke and a bit of a legend at Sheffield United.
It was a 43' equaliser by the big man, scored at the JS. We saw it from the Covered End, so it was well distant but clear enough that Carlo had scored a remarkable double. It energised a four goal second half. IIRC Kim Grant was taken off on 58' because of and/or accompanied by serious abuse from the crowd. Quite an afternoon!!
Odd
Just watched it on Valley Pass. Grant missed a sitter, not for the first time, and I'm sure you can hear the first rumblings of the crowd's great displeasure. Super video. I'm going to watch again. From a long-bygone age.
Link for those with Valley Pass.
What on earth was the referee doing running across the goal line?
I played against Colin when he played for Elmstead. I never played football on the same team at school as Colin, I was in the school rugby team, he obviously had more sense. I remember that when he had school boy terms at Orient the football club really dictated a lot what he could play and when. He also came down Charlton with me a few times but I don’t really think he was taken with the 1970’s atmosphere quite as much as me.
Both were good friends but as is the way when you’re young, you stay in touch for a while but inevitably go in different directions.
The atmosphere was undeniably unpleasant. I'd forgotten that Curbs was extremely angry at Grant's treatment. Not the usual reaction to a 5-1 win.
As for the game, Grant got worse as the crowd increased the booing. It’s the one and only time I’ve booed my own player - my excuse is that I was 14 and didn’t know any better! Felt dreadful about it when I saw how sad he was, especially when he didn’t celebrate the goals.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxmZkQpRVv8
I'm not very tech savvy and found a cheat you had to upload