Comic Relief When I first got interested in football ,at around the age of 8 or 9. I not only followed the League of Ireland and English football but also the”football comic world”. These comics provided fantastic escapism from the real football world when things got bad. After City’s recent poor run at home my thoughts drifted back to those times. So to this end I’d like you to join me in a trip down memory lane (if you are under 30, this will mean very little to you, but ask your older brother or your Dad !). When people talk of football comics ”Roy of the Rovers” is always to the fore and quite rightly so, but more of Roy later, first lets take a look at some the other characters and stories from the golden age of football comics..A bit of Comic Relief!! Jimmy of City and Jack of United featured in a comic called Score and Bobby of the Blues who played for a team called Everpool (they must have been up all night thinking of that one) was a cracking tale of football heroics… last minute winners and magical penalties when needed most. The Football Family Robinson which featured in a comic called Jag. The team were Thatchem United made up almost entirely of the one family. A raggle•taggle outfit in the 2nd Division who were dirt poor but still pulled off heroic victories. For those of you who can remember this comic•story ,their pitch was uncannily like Turners cross at the time. Raven on the Wing was another fascinating story about a Gypsy Boy who was a gifted footballer but always played in his bare feet and was useless wearing boots.(I wonder if he have been offended by the recent “This is not a Halting Site” banner at the Cross considering his origins ?). Which brings me on to Billy’s Boots, which appeared originally in the Scorcher comic. Billy was useless until he put on a pair of ancient boots belonging to a long dead character called “Dead Shot Keen” and his skills passed on to Billy.(maybe he was Roy’s or Robbies Great Granddad?) Billy Dane would score hat•tricks, win cups, for his school wearing these boots. The plot, such as it was, would always go something like “Oh no. Grans given my Boots to the dustman ,oh I must get them back or let the school down”….and of course with the school losing 3•0 with 20 mins to go and Billy havin a stinker the Boots would turn up and Billy would score all four in a famous victory.(If only real football was like this). The Hard Man… Johnny Dexter who played for Danefield Utd. was a rock hard player that always done the business (Deccie Daly type player). Remember “Lags Eleven” a prison football team led by a character called “ Brilliant Genius”,where the plot always led to a chance for the team to escape or win a cup•final… They never escaped but won many cups. And the there was Nipper Lawrence and his dog Stumpy,(will the dog who used to be let on to the pitch at City matches a few years ago ever make a comeback.One of the best chants ever in the Shed was “Doggie! Wooh,wooh,wooh, City wooh,wooh,wooh” !!!) And so to the greatest of them all Roy Race of Melchester Rovers or more commonly known as “ROY OF THE ROVERS! Roy first appeared in The Tiger in 1954 then his own comic(Roy of the Rovers) came out in 1976 and finishing in BBC’s Match of the Day magazine in 1999.Roy was the greatest player of all time, hat•tricks, wonder goals, last minute winners and a medal collection that no one could equal.. A hero in every sense of the word, this boy had everything, passing, tackling, crosses dribbling, speed, scoring with right, left and headers, the lot. His medal tally was 9 League Champions, 9 FA Cups, 4 European Cups, 4 European Cup Winners Cups, 1 UEFA Cups, and 2 League Cups. .Aye never a dull moment with our Roy ! (of course that he played for 45 years and never ageing helped) Add to this he was shot, he was in a Helicopter crash, 8 of his team mates were killed in a terrorist attack ,had his foot amputated (bet it grows back if there is a comeback)and also his wife Penny was killed in a car crash… Makes Dream Team and Footballers Wives look like documentaries ! Amongst his team mates wereTubby Morton, Jimmy Slade Blackie Gray,Lofty Peakes and Geoff Giles .Celebrities also played with Melchester Rovers include BobWilson, Emylyn Hughes, Malcolm MacDonald and Martin Kemp of Spandu Ballet and Eastenders fame played for a season ?????. To this day any sporting feat against the odds is called “Roy of the Rovers stuff” Oh happy days indeed ,all those comic heroes are now gone but if you lived the dream with them, then lucky you… … … .(The End) Regards Frankie Sky..