Blast from the past

[AZOffaly]

100% Blanket Attack. I presume that it's because the 1982 team were part of one of the great stories of football history, and also had a bit of a holy grail progression as was mentioned.

The 71-72 team (which included a couple of the 82 team) beat Kerry by 9 points in an All IReland replay. I don't think any one has beaten Kerry by that much in a final? And the fact that it was a replay is more impressive because we didn't catch them 'on the hop'.

[Billys Boots]

Picked up "Kings of September" at the local library when I was at home last Christmas - great read. Plots the story of both teams before and after the AllIreland. Anyone else read it? The Offaly County Board were not too keen on bringing in Eugene Magee as he was a Longford man (in their eyes , a county with no footballing history) even though he was revolutionising the game at UCD. Any truth to this AZ?

I don't think he wants to answer that JBM, he's not really being rude. 

[AZOffaly]

Sorry, I didn't even see it. I know there was serious reluctance to Eugene's appointment, but I'm not sure how much of that was down to him being from a 'Non Football Powerhouse'. I think there probably was an element to that, but it more about the mistrust of this young whippersnapper 'Up in Dublin' training a club team (albeit UCD), with very little experience. He was probably the same age as some of the players in 1982.

I think if he was from Kerry, he may have had less resistance alright, but I think if he was from Galway, Dublin or anywhere else, and basically wet behind the ears, there would have been the same reservations.

Even today, a fell who was in his 30s doing great work with a college or club, would still have an element of that to overcome before being appointed.