Class Of ’92 Making Their Mark In Allestree

As Ryan Giggs celebrated turning up for a Wales friendly fixture for the first time his first game as Wales manager with a 6-0 win in China, I wondered whose influence was the most prevalent on him.

Clearly he is his own man, but Alex Ferguson’s methods must be ingrained in Giggs’ psyche, whilst he has often spoke in glowing terms of Louis van Gaal too.

However, I wonder if he has picked up any tips from Salford City’s old school managerial duo of Bernard Morley and Anthony Johnson.  Salford are the subject of a BBC documentary as the Class of ’92 (minus Beckham), which includes Paul Scholes, Phil Neville, Gary Neville, Nicky Butt and Giggs, have purchased a football club and are trying to take them into the Football League.

In all fairness, they are doing a pretty good job of it and Bernard and ‘Jono’ are the men driving the club forward with two promotions in three years and the prospect of another this season to take them to within one promotion of joining the official 92 club.

This duo are now full time but Morley was a former ceiling fixer and partitioner whilst ‘Jono’ is ex forces and it is fair to say they are ‘hungry’ for success.  Taking into account the need to make the documentary as explosive as possible, I can’t remember one episode since they arrived from Ramsbottom United, where ‘Jono’ hasn’t questioned the size of a players  b*****ks or, basically offered someone out!

However, they obviously do far more than that in terms of tactics, recruitment and coaching but that doesn’t make for good TV.  However, as I was sitting in the 180 – Red Cow  DE22 2DZ watching Wales romp to victory on the big screen in the bar I was pondering how Giggs would manage Gareth Bale, who bagged a hat trick, and became their all-time leading scorer ahead of Ian Rush.

(Bale looking pleased)

Would he give the team the Fergie ‘hairdryer’ treatment when necessary?  Apparently Van Gaal could display some Dutch no-nonsense tendencies as well so, despite Giggs’ apparent mild mannered nature, maybe he will question the size of player’s b*****ks if the going gets tough in the Euro 2020 qualification campaign.

The Red Cow is in a suburb of Derby known as Allestree and has been on an upward curve for almost a year after hitting hard times…

It was my first visit and I was impressed, but if you look at this article from the Derby Evening Telegraph then it is clear a change was needed. https://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/news/derby-news/allestree-locals-get-pub-back-724483.

It’s a multi-roomed boozer and whilst there were only six of us in the bar…

(bench seating, classic windows – a proper pub bar)

…there were plenty of other people in the lounge/eating areas for around 1pm on a Thursday afternoon.

It’s a pub that has clearly been here as a 17^th century coaching inn for many years and subsequently extended with some marvellous windows in the ‘new bit’

The owners, who brought it from Mitchells & Butlers in January 2017, showed a football style ruthlessness to sack the chef and pub manager after the pub appeared to be struggling and the transformation has apparently been swift.

It’s clean and bright and whilst no one was particularly chatty, it looked like a place that should be thriving as it is swamped with houses nearby.

To celebrate the fact we had two analysts (at taxpayers’ expense) explaining to Jason Mohammed on BBC Sport how Wales had beaten China 6-0, the Manic Street Preachers were on in the background with “A Design For Life” and a youngish couple with two terrier style dogs were having an absolute ball on social media.

The two old boys at the bar were chatting to themselves whilst I had a very nice pint of Citra (Oakham) at £3.30 and was thankful they weren’t showing the cricket on Sky Sports after England’s score of 58 all out in New Zealand (that’s not a typo Russ, it really was the score).

(spot the red cow…)

The Manics gave way to Dr Beat by Gloria Estefean (not heard that for years) and there was plenty to suggest this pub caters for its local audience with football sweepstake style cards on the noticeboard, recognition of good charity work…

…and pictures of local sporting teams adorning the walls.

(apparently this team made 59 all out)

I think Giggsy would have been impressed with the b*****ks shown by the owners to change the manager but it was a move that is paying dividends as the Red Cow has  a steady food and drink trade on a Thursday with a cracking beer garden…perfect for a local, well-populated village boozer.