| 20 years ago - The redemption of Bam Bam (Long Read) 23:41 - May 28 with 2345 views | patrickswell |
F***KING USELESS T**T! OF COURSE HE’D BLOW IT, WOULDN’T HE? STRIKER? DON’T MAKE ME LAUGH! HE’S ALWAYS BEEN S**T. HE SHOULD NEVER PLAY FOR US AGAIN!
This was the rant I launched into as I was watching the end of the recording of the first leg of the playoff semi final between Ipswich and Bolton at the Reebok Stadium on 16 May 1999. My rant was the bursting of a dam which had been swelling to flood out from the moment Town’s chances of getting automatic promotion had been taken out of their hands after they had suffered a late loss to Crewe with two games left to play. I was convinced that it would all be OK. I was sure that Bradford would falter and when they drew 0-0 with Oxford the following weekend, I thought I would be proven right. I continued to laugh in fate’s mocking face as Town went to Birmingham the following day and James Scowcroft twice had headers cleared off the line before Birmingham scored the only goal of the game. “No, we’ve got this,” I said trying to remain upbeat, “There’s still a twist to come”. Bradford had to travel to play a Wolves side who were coming with a late run to try and break into the play-offs while we were at home to a Sheffield United side with nothing to play for. We did our job, the game was over by half-time, but although Wolves did their best, Bradford won through 3-2, with a little help from one of the Molineux goalposts. It would not be the first time that Paul Jewell would inflict a harmful blow on Ipswich Town. But I was still positive and wanted to say to the tearful Kieron Dyer and that Town fan whose footage gets used whenever Sky do a package about “Ipswich wanting to avoid any more play-off pain”, that it was still going to be OK. No-one loses three times in the play-offs and neither would we. “Wembley, here we come” said George Burley on Ceefax in the immediate aftermath of the Sheffield United game, and I was sure he was right.
Watching that first leg match the following weekend, I felt the rictus grin of optimism that I had worn over the preceding three weekends start to buckle and strain as the ball repeatedly fail to fall for Town when they were in attacking positions and when Mark Halsey turned down penalty appeals when David Johnson was brought down by, was it Mark Fish? Let’s say it was given that Town were hampered in 1998-99 by people like Fish and Jewell who subsequently worked for us and whose contributions to the positive well-being of our club can be measured out with a teaspoon. Anyway, with the score goalless and the 70 minute mark passed, suddenly Richard Naylor was through one-on-one. This was the moment, surely! But no... as he went into the box, he trod on the ball and by the time he had got it out of his feet, Steve Banks was able to dive on the loose ball. And that was when I lost it. To be fair, I think the rant was encompassing disgust at the whole squad for how they had bottled the last few weeks of the season, but nevertheless, it was Bam Bam who took the brunt of my stored up angst when history seemed to beckon and he tripped over his own bootlaces. There was a further explosion of invective when Michael Johansen scored the only goal of the game but with it also came a certain serenity, as for the first time in weeks I accepted that we would fail. The second leg was titanic but I was in a state of neutrality throughout. I couldn’t believe promotion would simply happen anymore; it either would or wouldn’t and thanks to away goal rules, it didn’t. What did the future hold? I hadn’t a clue, but if I’d been George Burley then it’s probable that Richard Naylor would have been sold.
But he wasn’t and at the beginning of the following season, he was an automatic pick and was scoring goals. Or he was until injury inevitably sidelined him to the substitutes’ bench again. By the time he was fit, he was fourth choice in any line-up behind Johnson, Scowcroft and new signing Marcus Stewart. And yet on the day of the 2000 play-off final, with a mere 20 minutes played and an outplayed Town a goal down to Barnsley, the man who I had excoriated so viciously a year before was getting ready to come on to replace the injured Johnson. On the bench behind him, dressed in a suit rather than his kit was Scowcroft, ruled out before the game. For myself, I hoped that the Naylor who had played those early games of the 99-00 season would be coming on and that maybe Stewart could snaffle a chance or perhaps we could work something from a set-piece. If we were to do this, Naylor would be crucial to it with his physicality and never-say-die spirit.
What no-one counted on, least of all me, was that on this day, Bam Bam would not only bring into the game all the things that we knew he could do, but a whole load of things that we never knew he had in him. Touch, control, passing, thought, finesse. Through him, the Town performance improved by around 20% and every time he got the ball, something looked like it would happen. Barnsley simply could not cope with him. He looked lethal, he looked focussed. He looked like he knew...Here on the biggest stage in British football and in a fixture that had taunted us like a mirage for four years, our fourth choice striker was having the fabled Game Of His Life. A goal to put us ahead, a takedown from a long ball by Mark Venus which led to the ball being crossed in for Stewart to make it 3-1; Ron Atkinson when summarising that takedown on the ITV highlights mentioned Richard Naylor in the same sentence as Stanley Matthews and Ferenc Puskas - never as great a player as either of them, but on this day, he played just like them, just when we needed him to. And finally, at the end, the characteristic Bam Bam fight to dig out the loose ball in a centre circle scrimmage and set up “Reuser....PREMIERSHIP!”
Tony Mowbray won the Man of the Match award but it should have gone to Bam Bam. He bent that game to his will and decisively stamped his authority on it in a way which galvanised his team-mates. It was also a decisive moment for him too. He had finally arrived as a footballer, 4 years after his debut although he would continue to find himself queuing behind others as a striker. It would take a move to central defence before he truly established longevity at Ipswich, but his place in a line-up was now a symbol of a truly “good” player turning out for us. And my 1999 rant turned to ashes in my memory. As the injuries settled down, he had a career to look back on with some satisfaction. 10 years later, he would be on the winning side against Manchester United at Old Trafford in the FA Cup with Leeds United, the photos of him running alongside Wayne Rooney still make me smile. In assessing Richard Naylor’s career, one is tempted to use that well worn phrase, “He got the very maximum out of his ability”, but at the 2000 play-off final, he went beyond the limits of his ability in a way he never had before or subsequently. And for that he earned the undying gratitude of every Ipswich Town supporter.
[Post edited 28 May 2020 23:47]
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| 20 years ago - The redemption of Bam Bam (Long Read) on 06:59 - May 29 with 2161 views | Steve_M |
To add to which, Naylor at the start of 99-00 was in superb form. The front three of him Johnson and Scowcroft got us off to a flying start in a way we had failed to in in prior seasons. He was superb at Wembley, absolutely key to the win as you say.
He probably wasn't clinical enough the rest of the time but his workrate and all round game were very good and appreciated by those he played with, the 3-0 win at Everton owed much to Naylor's hassling of defenders.
And then Royle decided to make him defender and, actually, the combination of him and de Vos worked pretty well. |  |
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| 20 years ago - The redemption of Bam Bam (Long Read) on 08:56 - May 29 with 2052 views | C_HealyIsAPleasure |
Long read warning shouldn’t put anyone off, great read
More than happy to admit that coming into that season I too thought he was, well, useless. And even after his decent start to the season, and contribution to the semi final win, I was still wincing when I realised he was coming on at Wembley. How wrong I was |  |
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| 20 years ago - The redemption of Bam Bam (Long Read) on 10:06 - May 29 with 2000 views | BlueBadger |
| 20 years ago - The redemption of Bam Bam (Long Read) on 06:59 - May 29 by Steve_M |
To add to which, Naylor at the start of 99-00 was in superb form. The front three of him Johnson and Scowcroft got us off to a flying start in a way we had failed to in in prior seasons. He was superb at Wembley, absolutely key to the win as you say.
He probably wasn't clinical enough the rest of the time but his workrate and all round game were very good and appreciated by those he played with, the 3-0 win at Everton owed much to Naylor's hassling of defenders.
And then Royle decided to make him defender and, actually, the combination of him and de Vos worked pretty well. |
I loved that Naylor, Johnson, Scowie trio - 'pace, power and puts defenders on their arsees' was how my grandad described it. |  |
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| 20 years ago - The redemption of Bam Bam (Long Read) on 17:35 - May 29 with 1876 views | Wickets |
| 20 years ago - The redemption of Bam Bam (Long Read) on 06:59 - May 29 by Steve_M |
To add to which, Naylor at the start of 99-00 was in superb form. The front three of him Johnson and Scowcroft got us off to a flying start in a way we had failed to in in prior seasons. He was superb at Wembley, absolutely key to the win as you say.
He probably wasn't clinical enough the rest of the time but his workrate and all round game were very good and appreciated by those he played with, the 3-0 win at Everton owed much to Naylor's hassling of defenders.
And then Royle decided to make him defender and, actually, the combination of him and de Vos worked pretty well. |
I remember George Burley on TV about 10 years ago say "I apologise to Bam Bam as he kept telling me he is a defender and i never believed him ! Burley was on Sky commenting on a Leeds game and Naylor scored for Leeds from a corner . |  | | |
| 20 years ago - The redemption of Bam Bam (Long Read) on 17:48 - May 29 with 1851 views | PhilTWTD |
| 20 years ago - The redemption of Bam Bam (Long Read) on 17:35 - May 29 by Wickets |
I remember George Burley on TV about 10 years ago say "I apologise to Bam Bam as he kept telling me he is a defender and i never believed him ! Burley was on Sky commenting on a Leeds game and Naylor scored for Leeds from a corner . |
Naylor was a defender in the academy but one season they were short of a striker and then sent him up front, he did well and he ended up staying there for the next few seasons as he broke through into the reserves and the first team.
I hadn't realised that he'd also played in central midfield in the academy until Kieron mentioned it when he was talking about Alan Lee's best XI.
 My Best Town XI: Alan Lee 22nd Apr 2020 15:19In the 16th part of the series, Kieron Dyer catches up with Alan Lee, who selects the best XI from his time playing for the Blues before Dyer assesses the former striker’s team.  9
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| 20 years ago - The redemption of Bam Bam (Long Read) on 19:11 - May 29 with 1769 views | ghostofescobar |
I loved Bam Bam. Not a great footballer, not even close to one of our greatest, but never-the-less, I would rarely say anything bad about him. A man who knew his limitations, but gave it everything, every game. Oh for a Bam Bam now. Think the closest we have is a Meh Meh. |  |
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| 20 years ago - The redemption of Bam Bam (Long Read) on 19:17 - May 29 with 1762 views | sparks |
| 20 years ago - The redemption of Bam Bam (Long Read) on 19:11 - May 29 by ghostofescobar |
I loved Bam Bam. Not a great footballer, not even close to one of our greatest, but never-the-less, I would rarely say anything bad about him. A man who knew his limitations, but gave it everything, every game. Oh for a Bam Bam now. Think the closest we have is a Meh Meh. |
He was a better footballer than people suggest ,or this thread makes out.
As a strike partner- seeing things, holding the ball, feeding people... He had an awful lot. The idea that the playoff game was way above his normal ability isnt accurate.
He made half of Finidi's chances int hat famous finidi game. Playoff against bolton- instrumental in one of those goals with fantastic run and poise. |  |
| The presence of those seeking the truth is infinitely to be preferred to the presence of those who think they've found it.
(Sir Terry Pratchett) | | Poll: | Is Fred drunk this morning? |
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| 20 years ago - The redemption of Bam Bam (Long Read) on 20:06 - May 29 with 1725 views | allezlesbleus |
| 20 years ago - The redemption of Bam Bam (Long Read) on 19:11 - May 29 by ghostofescobar |
I loved Bam Bam. Not a great footballer, not even close to one of our greatest, but never-the-less, I would rarely say anything bad about him. A man who knew his limitations, but gave it everything, every game. Oh for a Bam Bam now. Think the closest we have is a Meh Meh. |
He was a good bloke off the pitch too.
We could do with a few like him now. |  | | |
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| 20 years ago - The redemption of Bam Bam (Long Read) on 22:09 - May 29 with 1639 views | Bent_double |
| 20 years ago - The redemption of Bam Bam (Long Read) on 20:06 - May 29 by allezlesbleus |
He was a good bloke off the pitch too.
We could do with a few like him now. |
The mate I went to matches with at the time could never understand my adulation for Bam Bam...my type of player. Solid. |  |
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| 20 years ago - The redemption of Bam Bam (Long Read) on 15:57 - May 30 with 1510 views | Wickets |
| 20 years ago - The redemption of Bam Bam (Long Read) on 22:09 - May 29 by Bent_double |
The mate I went to matches with at the time could never understand my adulation for Bam Bam...my type of player. Solid. |
Heart on his sleeve sort of bloke who would always give 100% .I loved him too . | | | |
| 20 years ago - The redemption of Bam Bam (Long Read) on 18:57 - May 30 with 1436 views | Epiphone |
Definitely one of the stars of the Play Off Final,probably his finest hour. |  | | |
| 20 years ago - The redemption of Bam Bam (Long Read) on 19:10 - May 30 with 1419 views | Herbivore |
| 20 years ago - The redemption of Bam Bam (Long Read) on 19:17 - May 29 by sparks |
He was a better footballer than people suggest ,or this thread makes out.
As a strike partner- seeing things, holding the ball, feeding people... He had an awful lot. The idea that the playoff game was way above his normal ability isnt accurate.
He made half of Finidi's chances int hat famous finidi game. Playoff against bolton- instrumental in one of those goals with fantastic run and poise. |
Agree with this. His main issue was that he wasn't much of a finisher, which is a bit of an issue for a centre forward, but he was a clever player with a decent amount of ability. |  |
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