Was flicking through it for ten minutes in Tesco today.
Was claiming his goals in 96/97 kept the team up. He mentioned one of the goals v Man. United but that was right at the start of the season in August ffs....It was a poor run either side of Joe leaving but I feel it was a bit like Spurs/Man. United this season. Team were already safe around April so just gave up which meant they were closer to bottom three by final day than at any point before. Can remember a desperate 3-0 loss at Sunderland a game or two before the final day which hinted at the struggles to come.
97/98 he has more of a point. With the Bolton hat trick in late December 1997 (which was a critical game to win really) he scored 9 goals in the 14 games he played in that run in. Was a bit of bitterness in that he mentions no one really talks about that compared to Super Kev the next year but then he scored at that rate from March-May so that is why people remember more with the goals being condensed. Also said he would've scored more but he didn't stat pad with penalties. Who was actually on penalties in 97/98? All I can remember is Barmby having his saved on the final day so I presume Speed was on them before he left mid season.
Anyway says he and Howard went for a few glasses to "celebrate" staying up a week after the Coventry game and they'd already forgotten who even half of the players were playing that season in the various positions!
Also says he came back for a massive paycut of 21k a week in August 2000. At the time Roy Keane was highest paid player in U.K on 52k/p/w so Big Dunc was still doing o.k.
Will read more this time next week when I'm trusted with the food shop again....
