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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

Beckham called up for 1914 Replay


Anneca

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In today's Sunday Times:

http://www.thesunday...icle1277745.ece

The printed article goes on to say:

"Star players from the past may also be invited to make an appearance, Ernie Brennan, director of the National Children's Football Alliance, said it had considered inviting Sir Bobby Charlton, a member of England's World Cup winning team of 1966, as well as Franz Beckenbauer, a defeated finalist in 1966, who led his side to victory in 1974. A spokesman for the culture department said "The unofficial Christmas Truce on the Western Front in 1914 was a poignant moment during the Great War. We are keen to see it marked as part of the centenary project and a football match feels like the right way to do it." Don Mullan, creator of The 1914 Christmas Truce project, is raising £1.25m for a football pitch and stadium on the Flanders Peace Field near Messines. After the commemorative game, the pitch will be used for children from around the world to play in matches to promote international understanding.

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If I click on the link I just get a blank page which probably sums up what I suspect my reaction might be anyway.

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Probably because the Times uses a paywall.

It's the usual tedious reinterpretation of history, featuring a Boxing Day match at Messines (presumably this particular turkey wouldn't fly on ********s Day) in the interests of reconciliation and keeping the profile of footieup there for the kids.

Nonsense, of course, but I suppose Sky will be televising it live, which might be why the Times is so keen on the story.

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Will the players get a shilling for their day's work?

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No mention of the money, but it does seem to think the Huns won the original game 3-2. The research behind this piece of historical horlicks beggars belief. Jumpers for goalposts ... I think not.

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Will the re-enactment continue beyond the game?

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I believe Millwall and Chelsea have sigbed up.

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..have sigbed up...

Sigbed? Is that what Freud died on? :whistle:

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Jeux-sans-frontiers at Verdun ?

Grief - I think this forum will need its full reserve of exclamation marks before the centenary is out - and it hasn't even begun.

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Is there any good evidence that such a match actually took place in 1914? Everything I've ever read about it has been rather vague hearsay.

Anthony

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Jeux-sans-frontiers at Verdun ?

Sadly, Eddie Waring's gone to that great up and under in the sky and the other chap (name escapes me) is otherwise detained ...

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That would be Stuart Hall.............. :wacko:

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Eddie Waring - ah yes, always good for a quote. 'Good evening and welcome to Joox on, er Joox on, er Issa Knockout!' Jack

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"Oh,how do you solve a problem like Maria".

Maria is at the helm at the moment but according to the political pundits,she is destined for a transfer of her skills to another post in the autumn.

Meanwhile at Messines on Boxing Day 1914...pitch yet to be put down on the Irish Peace Park site,there will be conflict again but with the round ball...Stuart Pearce will again be re-engaged as a manager by the FA.....shirts to be designed by Vicky.

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Now, just who is going to volunteer, or be volunteered, to explain to these footballers what World War One was?

I can imagine that some think it s the title given to the first football cup.

What can you expect when the committee running the shindigs are both fiction writers.

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The Mayans (or another of those S American so called civilisations that practised human sacrifice) had a foot ball type game played by teams on a knock out basis. After each heat the loosing team were sacrificed (and I imagine a red card didn't mean just sending off). Now that might justify some of the huge salaries. A firing squad waiting behind the goal could add a certain incentive - even to the England defence!

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Just thought, will the spectators get the chance to shoot the players the next day?

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do you think the boy David will miss a chance of some publicity, no way

what a load of tosh

Billy

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Just thought, will the spectators get the chance to shoot the players the next day?

I imagine it will be the other way round?
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One for the re-enactors to be careful of:

Q: What do you do if David Beckham throws a pin at you?

A: Run for your life ... he's got a grenade in his mouth!

Maxi

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Is there any good evidence that such a match actually took place in 1914?

I can't recall seeing any, Anthony.

"Eye witness testimony" (as it seems to be called these days) from Ernie Williams, a 6th Cheshire, is that there was not a formal match but there was a kickabout. In a 1983 TV interview, he reckoned that there was about a couple of hundred playing.

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The match introduced several traditions which are still in place today. The managers spend most of their time in dugouts, there is always a risk from German subs and the Chelsea manager is subject to rapid firing.

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After the commemorative game, the pitch will be used for children from around the world to play in matches to promote international understanding.

This is already happening to an extent in the area anyway... I think that the already existing 'Christmas Truce Tournament' is more in the spirit of things than the mega-publicity ego-trip that the suggested 'match' would probably become. This was first contested by the kids teams (9 aside, U-12s) from Manchester United, Borussia Dortmund, RC Lens and RC Genk and held at KVK Ieper's ground in December 2011. In December 2012 it was contested by the U-12s from Manchester United, West Bromwich Albion, Club Brugge, Anderlecht, Valenciennes, Schalke 04, Borussia Moenchengladbach and Beerschot. The first event was an 'invited guests' event, but , in 2012 and due to it's popularity, it was contested by many more teams that had taken part in a qualification schedule.

Dave.

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I'm not really sure what to make of the idea. I gather it's more of a symbolic affair, in the sense that the players won't be in 1914 uniforms playing in a muddy field...

Perhaps this will inspire a re-creation of the little known hockey match between the Canadians and the Germans that I am certain took place near.... Of course, European viewers might not be able to discern what part represents the game and what part represents the continuation of the fighting afterwards......

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