First things first, what if the weather in England in January 1988? Well, as you read on, you’ll find it was pretty standard fare. Cold, damp and miserable.
But enough of that maudlin nonsense. Let’s celebrate the fact that I had decided to keep another diary, which would be chock full of pithy reminiscences of a particular time in my life. Yes, after missing out on 1987 altogether, I had acquired a diary for 1988, and I fully intended to use it!
It must have been me and exam years. Or something.
Anyway, as per, the way it is with these things, I started at the tail end of 1987.
Monday 28 December 1987
“[Shrewsbury] Town drew with Birm[ingham] City.”
This draw left Shrewsbury in second from bottom. A point gained, it must be said.
In other news, I had managed to get my thumb shut in the car door just as we’d parked up before the match. I was very brave, and it didn’t hurt. I think it was cushioned by the rubber seal around the door, so there was no harm done.
I made a note that my UCCA final offer had arrived. These being the days when Polytechnics were still a thing, this was the Universities Central Council on Admissions and related solely to those august organisations. Polys had their own body, known as PCAS or Polytechnics Central Admissions System.
I’m not sure whether the term final offer was the last from the five universities to which I had applied or a final reckoning from the body itself – I had chosen Liverpool, Birmingham, Sheffield, Warwick and the outlier, Surrey. The bare comment, “UCCA final offer came,” belies my complete indifference at the process. I was going to go to Liverpool so I could go to every single home game at Anfield and that would be it.
Tuesday 29 December 1987
“Ode to ’87… Um! (I’d just like to say)”
And there you go
Wednesday 30 December 1987
Today, I went to town and bought jeans, shoes, a video and a new computer game. It rained very much, and I got home at 3:15 pm.
No comment re which video or computer game, but at least it shows that the old C64 was still chugging along.
Thursday 31 December 1987
Here we were again. New Year’s Eve. I was in a philosophical mood, with the comment, “Here we are, the last day of 87, good riddance I say. Hope I personally have better luck in 88.”
Dong! Those bells were really tolling for me, weren’t they?
Friday 1 January 1988
Here we go! A new year, Happy New Year to one and all.
Things were beginning to pick up for Shrewsbury Town as they won 3-1 over bottom-placed Huddersfield Town at Gay Meadow. At this point in the season, Huddersfield had managed to eke out 20 points. They only managed 8 more in the rest of the season, to be relegated bottom of the division.
In other football news, Liverpool defeated Coventry City 4-0 at Anfield.
In the evening, the family attended a party at Milly’s house for his eighteenth birthday which was imminent. I noted that it was “[a] good do.”
Saturday 2 January 1988
More football as Shrewsbury Town went to Maine Road and inflicted a 3-1 defeat on Manchester City. I noted too, that we had a party at a local pub in honour of our cousins who had been over from Canada for the festivities – no doubt they were getting ready to fly home again.
Sunday 3 January 1988
There was football on the TV today, as Everton won 1-0 versus Nottingham Forest.
The weather was a bit of a mixture, with rain and some sunshine. I must have had first hand experience of it, as my source of cash was still my paper round.
Monday 4 January 1988
There was no scope for any further festive frivolity as it was back to college today. My previous flowery turns of phrase regarding such events had obviously been worn away as I was quite matter of fact in my assessment of the day, noting, “So, holidays are over; mocks start on Weds. I do not really feel up to college, but I have no choice! Tried to revise today but found it impossible.”
Oh dear.
Tuesday 5 January 1988
The theme continued today with, “Have no real chance of doing well in these mocks, but must try, and learn something in the few days left before they come up.” Followed by what must pass for a slice of philosophy, “College was much the same as ever. Quite boring, but no problem!” That’s the spirit!
Wednesday 6 January 1988
It was the first mock today and Physics. It did not go well, I described it as “a total piss off.” It had two elements, a multi-choice and an options part, whereby you were required to choose a number of questions from a range.
The multi-choice was “allright (sic)” but “the options bit was a dead loss.” I rated my chances at 10 out of 39. See that’s what you get if you don’t revise – which was something that I promised to do for the real exams. It’s funny, but when my younger son made the same announcement regarding his A Levels, I damn near spat my tea out.
Thursday 7 January 1988
I had a driving lesson and bemoaned my lack of concentration – just occasional lapses appearing to do the damage. I was so right, wasn’t I? I mean, you only have to have a momentary lapse of concentration and there’s a cyclist plastered all over your windscreen*.
I reported that Industrial Studies was to be tomorrow morning’s exam – “I hope it’s a good one.”
*true story, dat
Friday 8 January 1988
Regarding that Industrial Studies exam, I came out thinking “it was quite easy, but that could be misleading.”
In the evening, there was another birthday party for Milly, down at the local pub. I noted that I had spent, “rather a lot of money.” I slept over at his too.
Saturday 9 January 1988
Today was the FA Cup third round. A special day in the English football calendar.
Milly, Pedro and I were obviously not too worse off for last night’s celebrations as we were out again, on a mini pub crawl before rolling along to Gay Meadow to watch Shrewsbury Town defeat Bristol Rovers by a score of 2-1. Not a million miles away, Liverpool drew 0-0 at the Victoria Ground.
Sunday 10 January 1988
Why I mentioned it, I’m not sure, but Man U were apparently, “lucky to win v Ipswich on telly.”
Monday 11 January 1988
I had a note to “send in UCCA thing by today,” which, if the note from 2 weeks ago was anything to go by was possibly superfluous.
In the proper way, the draw for the fourth round of the FA Cup was made at twelve-thirty, during the Jimmy Young Show on BBC Radio 2. I listened with a couple of like-minded individuals crowded around a radio in the sixth form library. Shrewsbury Town’s reward for beating Bristol Rovers was a trip either to Plymouth or Colchester. Liverpool or Stoke City would be away to Aston Villa.
Tuesday 12 January 1988
I had two more exams today – Physics in the morning, followed by Industrial Studies. I made no comment regarding how hard they were, but I was slightly enamoured that, “at least I’ve got tomorrow off.”
In their third-round replay, Peter Beardsley’s goal after just nine minutes was enough to defeat Stoke.
Wednesday 13 January 1988
I got up at 8:30 am this morning, a bonus lie-in because of no college. I, erm… bought (presumably rented) a “dirty vid from [the village] shop [his morning], but it wasn’t all that dirty really!” My God, what to do with one’s newly found adult status? Hmm…
I did do some ‘Mechanics’ revision for tomorrow – I was doing Pure Maths with Mechanics for A Level. “I think I may do OK, but who knows?”
Thursday 14 January 1988
Today was boring until 11:30 am when I, having thought I had missed the bus, was relieved to see it come around the corner. I had a driving lesson and then my ‘Mechanics’ exam.
Friday 15 January 1988
Today, I declared was “an exciting day.” Liverpool had a new shirt sponsor, so I would have to go out and buy a new one. This was in the days when football clubs were a little less mercenary in their consideration of their fans and a new home kit would be current for two seasons. A change in sponsor mid-way through a season was more than a little beyond the pale then. But hey, suckers like me would cough up the cash, so why not?
Again, I got up at 8:30 am on account of no college, did my paper round and then “did nowt else all day!”
Saturday 16 January 1988
I went to the match today at Gay Meadow, Shrewsbury Town versus Leicester City. There were no goals, although I grammatically incorrectly stated, “that they should of (sic) won.”
In the First Division, Liverpool beat a strong Arsenal side 2-0 at Anfield with goals from John Aldridge and Peter Beardsley. I watched it on Match of the Day at 10:40 pm.
Sunday 17 January 1988
Sports coverage moved on to darts as I reported that it was a John Lowe versus Anderson final which Bob Anderson* won 6-4.
*things you didn’t know you didn’t know about Bob Anderson: he was selected for the 1968 British Olympic team as, appropriately a javelin thrower. Unfortunately, he broke his arm before the team left for Mexico which obviously prevented his participation in those games, but also ended his javelin career.
Monday 18 January 1988
I received both my Physics result and my Pure Maths mark. 45% for Physics and 53/116 for Maths which were both par amongst my contemporaries. However, they were way below those who “really turn it on and get up your nose,” which is code for ‘study and revise properly.’
Tuesday 19 January 1988
A slightly garbled note for today regarding my Industrial Studies mark. It noted that I had got “only 40 marks of what I’ve had back, I’m gonna get less than 40%.” It makes more sense* if you read it in the voice of Rik Mayall reading out something from the Guardian of the 1980s.
As far as Maths went, I scored a bang average 51% across the two papers.
*doesn’t sound as stupid; may even sound humorous… or not
Wednesday 20 January 1988
I got 46% in the first paper for Industrial Studies – “not good enough.”
We played the big boys (of Shrewsbury’s strangely named College of Arts and Technology, or SCAT) and got hammered, figuratively and literally by 25-4.
On the telly, presumably on Sportsnight, I watched Oxford 2-0 Man U; Sheff W 0-1 Arsenal and Everton 2-0 Man C.
Thursday 21 January 1988
Today was OK, actually. Although it was very cold. I made a promise to myself – nay a resolution – “to revise all notes for all subjects and to do all homework to the best of my ability. I MUST PASS!”
Friday 22 January 1988
It snowed last night and there were no buses into Shrewsbury this morning. I managed to get myself into town in the afternoon because I had a driving lesson at 4:00 pm. I noted that I thought that I was ready now.
In unrelated news, the Aged Ps had been out for the evening and they brought some chips in with them on their return.
Saturday 23 January 1988
Dad, whose job required him to work some weekends, managed to fall at work this morning and cut his head. He needed 8 stitches in his wound. Ouch!
Moving swiftly on from the mention of blood, I noted that Liverpool won 2-0 away at Charlton. Or at least, Liverpool played Charlton it what was technically an away game for Liverpool but must have felt like one for Charlton too. Played as it was at Selhurst Park, Crystal Palace.
Shrewsbury Town lost narrowly at Reading and there were many games either snowed off or postponed due to waterlogged pitches at such like.
Sunday 24 January 1988
I reported that “Man U [were] bloody lucky to win football v Arsenal” and made another announcement, “The diet starts tomorrow.” Eh?!
Monday 25 January 1988
It was back to it for the second time in three weeks as we returned to college after our two-week mock exam period. I reported that it was OK.
Maths was boring and Physics was a waste of time as our teacher, Mr Wood* was apparently ‘doing his job’ in going through the question on optical instruments from the exam that I just achieved a grand total of 45%.
I then went on to complain that I was quite worried about failing, but that if I were only to revise, I would be OK. Then, there was the killer line, “All I am missing is some vital knowledge.” Yeah, and a fundamental change of attitude.
*I recall Mr Wood telling us a story about his daughter at university. She and her friends apparently had a great trick with a thermos full of cold vegetable soup. With such a prop, they could clear any room in any pub in seconds…
Tuesday 26 January 1988
I noted that, “It was an abnormally boring day today.” I went on to add that it was probably my fault for not doing anything.
Then, exciting news, I was “almost definitely going to Plymouth on Saturday,” pending a meeting this coming Thursday.
Wednesday 27 January 1988
Rugby today may have put paid to Saturday’s trip to Plymouth at risk as I twisted my ankle during today’s game. I feared that, “It is a bad one.”
I had my Industrial Studies mark back – I had managed just 37%, which was, “not bad considering.” Whatever. Idiot.
Thursday 28 January 1988
I had the day off college today due to my twisted ankle which was grotesquely swollen and hard to walk on. I rented Top Gun on video from the village shop, but was not overly impressed saying it was, “nowt special.”
I was hoping to go to college tomorrow if my ankle was better, or else do lots of homework.
Friday 29 January 1988
My ankle wasn’t better enough to allow me to go into college, so I had another day off. It was better enough to allow guarded optimism about the trip to Plymouth tomorrow. That said, I was contemplating having to, “sit in [the] stand!?” I also made reference to the cost to stand on the terrace at £4 – more expensive than at Gay Meadow.
Saturday 30 January 1988
We started at 8:30 am and arrived in Plymouth at 2:15 pm. Bizarrely, with the state of the weather, we planned to travel as far as Exeter* before checking if Home Park was playable.
In the match action, Plymouth won the game 1-0. It wasn’t up to much – and I noted that, “Town were cheated by the way.” After all that, we set off for home at 5:00 pm having been kept back in the ground after the home fans cleared out.
Don’t quote me, but this may have been an unusual move due to a certain amount of nonsense before the game – don’t look at me, I was on the M5 until gone 2:00 pm. Now that I think back, the atmosphere did seem a little fraught as we arrived in the car park and were pretty much frog-marched from our coach into the ground.
Along the way home, we had heard that Spurs had been beaten 2-1 by Port Vale in the shock of the round. We arrived home at 10:45 pm. Just in time to watch Spurs’ humbling in the Potteries.
*Shrewsbury to Plymouth is 247 miles whilst Exeter to Plymouth is about 46 miles. So, we were going to travel 200 miles or four-fifths of the journey before checking that the game was still going to be played.
Sunday 31 January 1988
I was up at 8:30 am to do my newspapers. I made no mention of my ankle, so it must have been OK. By 1:00 pm I had collected my paper bill money, taken it down to the village shop, and it was time to settle down for Aston Villa versus Liverpool in their fourth-round tie. John Barnes and Peter Beardsley scored in a 2-0 win for the visitors.