By popular demand, on this area of the website we will be running the stories from the 1974/ 1975 season. During this run of stories we will also be featuring the reprinted stories which appeared for a short time in the Players Inc fanzine in the North East. We start in August 1974 with a short story featuring Charlie 'The Cat' Carter. Hope you enjoy the stories and please let us have your comments either via the feedback area or on the 'Talk In' pages.

instalment added Wednesday 3rd June 2009

3rd August 1974 - It's the curtain raiser to the season with Melchester Rovers (FA Cup winners) versus Burndean (League Champions). 10th August 1974 - The Melchester Rovers goalkeeper can sing and is thinking of giving up football to pursue a pop career! 17th August 1974 - The Melchester Rovers players meet Charlie Carter's pop agent the dubious Larry Sharp! 24th August 1974 - Charlie goes to pieces in goal and lets in a sitter. Roy consequently loses his temper resulting in Charlie bucking his ideas up! 31st August 1974 - Charlie Carter can't make up his mind whether to pursue a pop career with possible �50,000 earnings or stay with the Rovers! 7th September 1974 - Tubby Morton is full of confidence and is in excellent form in training - however Roy is still doubtful as to how well Tubby has recovered from his broken leg. 14th September 1974 - Roy enlists his friend entertainer Marty Miller to look into the dealings of Charlie Carter's new variety agent, Larry Sharp. 21st September 1974 - Roy becomes Melchester Rovers goalkeeper as Tubby Morton suffers a lack of confidence!. 28th September 1974  Roy Race saves Tubby's blushes on 2 occasions, as he becomes frightened of getting injured again. Finally Roy clatters into Tubby! 5th October 1974  Roy's body check works and Tubby regains his old confidence. Marty Miller, Roy's friend from the entertainment world, tells Charlie that his proposed pop contract, isn't all it was cracked up to be! 12th October 1974  Melchester Rovers play the second leg of their European Cup Winners Cup tie against Dutch Champions Zeeden. Tubby pulls off some great saves early on, but lets an easy one in and in the process gets injured! 19th October 1974  The Rovers overcome Zeeden to progress to the First Round, Charlie Carter regains his place in goal for the Rovers and Tubby gets a new job! 26th October 1974  Quick thinking by Roy saves the Rovers from being mown down by a runaway bus, driven by the Carford City manager. 2nd November 1974  A 4-0 win for the Rovers, but their manager is far from happy! 9th November 1974  Tony Storme and Carford City manager Archie Miller continue to clash and Carford bring on Cruncher Coggin to keep Roy quiet! 16th November 1974  Some quick thinking by Roy stops a fight between Rovers manager Tony Storme and Carford City manager Archie Miller and does Penny have the answer to their feud? 23rd November 1974  Penny finds the truth in an old book about the feud between Tony Storme and Carford City manager Archie Miller. However, it is the return leg between Carford City and the Rovers in the Cup Winners Cup and the feud rumbles on...... 30th November 1974 More Melchester Rovers stories from the 1974/ 1975 season with the second leg of the European Cup Winners Cup between Melchester Rovers and Carford City. The game gets physical and Melchester Rovers give away a goal and a penalty! 07th December 1974 With Roy's advice, Charlie Carter saves a penalty and Rovers beat Carford City 3-1, Archie Miller looses his job, but soon gets another one...... 14th December 1974 Rovers millionaire forward scores a brave goal and gets injured in the process. Rovers new scout Archie Miller takes Roy to the circus to look for a replacement. 21st December 1974 Roy and Rovers manager Tony Storme visit the circus and come across a footballing juggler. Tony gives him a trial, but what will his final decision be.... 28th December 1974 Tony Storme agrees to sign on Sammy Spangler for the Rovers and to celebrate, Sammy brings along some friends to Jumbo's Christmas party! 4th January 1975 Sammy disappears after a riotous Christmas party at Jumbo's Stately home. Will he arrive at the game to save Melchester Rovers blushes?! 11th January 1975 Despite getting injured, Roy Race goes out to score as many goals as possible, due to his team mates fatigue and the no show of Sammy Spangler! 18th January 1975 Roy recovers from his injury in time to play a 3rd round FA Cup tie against non league Sleeford. The match is away from home and the whole town of Sleeford is at the match! 25th January 1975 A barrier collapses and fans are spilling on to the side of the pitch. Sammy Spangler panics and passes the ball to a Sleeford player. Sammy also struggles to perform his tricks under pressure, putting the game at risk....... 1st February 1975 See Sleeford pull off the shock of the century in this FA Cup match, as Sammy and his tricks have no effect! 8th February 1975 With the final whistle gone and Rovers knocked out of the Cup by non-league opposition, the manager Tony Storme also quits...... 15th February 1975 After the Sleeford result, Roy is asked to become player manager of the Rovers. However, he is more concerned with trying to track down former manager Tony Storme. 22nd February 1975 Roy starts his first game as player manager with disastrous consequences, resulting in Roy getting a stone thrown at him, in the half time break! 1st March 1975 Roy gets told to stop fussing like a mother hen and to play his own game..... which he does and some!  8th March 1975 Roy undergoes a transformation regarding his looks and comes in for some ribbing from his team mates! They are due to play Dynamo Zarnov who have the reputation as the dirtiest team in football!  15th March 1975 As Rovers play Dynamo Zarnov, Roy gets some advice from a mystery man in the crowd to keep the ball low and it pays off as he scores the winner, to the displeasure of the crowd!  22nd March 1975 The Melchester Rovers treatment field is like a battlefield and following his first press conference, Roy gets misquoted in the Zarnov newspapers.  29th March 1975 Rovers arrive at the Zarnov airport and are attacked by Zarnov fans, upset by the newspaper article. They make their getaway in a minibus and plan to spend the evening at the Zarnov stadium. 5th April 1975 Rovers miss the hostile Zarnov fans by spending the night at the stadium. However, when the match starts the hostility increases and Rovers go 1-0 down following a dubious penalty decision. 12th April 1975 Rovers are on the end of some dirty tactics from the Dynamo Zarnov players and then Roy receives a message from his mystery helper. As a consequence his then knocks the Ref out with one of his Racey's Rockets! 19th April 1975 Rovers have the support of the replacement 'Iron Ref' and in a bruising game win 3-2 against Dynamo Zarnov. Roy then decides it's time to stand on his own 2 feet as a manager! 26th April 1975 Melchester Rovers play their last league match of the season against Barnford who play with 8 players behind the ball! Roy getting fed up with taking advice from others, orders his team to attack, eventually scoring the winner with minutes to spare. After the game Roy realises that the mystery man giving him advice is not Tony Storme, but who is it? 3rd May 1975 Roy leads the Rovers out in the semi finals of the European Cup Winners Cup against Durmstadt, helped by some last minute advice from Mr 'X'. Rovers go two up, but Roy thinks he sees a man in the crowd who could be Mr 'X' and sets off towards the crowd to confront him! 10th May 1975 Roy nearly finds himself sent off for bringing the game into disrepute, but Blackie saves the day. Melchester Rovers go on to a runaway victory and then Roy does a disappearing act. 17th May 1975 Rovers play in the semi finals of the European Cup against Durmstadt, but as Rovers board the plane for the second leg, Roy is not with his team mates, but he is hot on the trail of the mystery man! 24th May 1975 With the Rovers trailing 3-0, Roy gives himself the task of man marking Franz Heller the Durmstadt danger man and then reveals the identity of the mystery man to his Rovers team mates - and its not who they were expecting! 31st May 1975 Rovers are in the European Cup Final, but who will their opponents be? Roy concentrates all his research and tactics on Atletico Tandora favourites in the other semi final, but the Greek underdogs Niarkos take a surprise lead, as the game nears the end! 7th June 1975 Roy panics as he finds out that Rovers opponents are little known Greek team Niarkos and he cannot find any information on them. The final is to be at Hampden Park and time is running out - will Roy be able to prepare his team in time? 14th June 1975 Melchester Rovers are in the final of the European Cup Winners Cup and Roy puts into action the information he has got from the Niarkos fans. However, the speed of the Niarkos players keeps the Rovers on their toes and under pressure. 21st June 1975 Melchester Rovers are being held by Niarkos in the final of the European Cup Winners Cup and Roy makes a surprise substitution, taking Lofty Peak off and this changes the course of the game! 28th June 1975 It's all smiles for the 'Mighty Melchester Rovers' in a souvenir team photograph! Roy is also delighted when he is selected to play for England against France in the European Nations Cup. 5th July 1975 Before England play France in the Nations Cup, Melchester Rovers play in a London indoor 5-a-side competition, but Roy has his mind on other things than the football! 12th July 1975 At last Roy discovers the secret surrounding his friend Jules Bernard, the wealthy star of the French squad and sets out to help him. However, this then starts to interfere with his England call up. 19th July 1975 Roy ducks out of his England duties to help his friend Jules Bernard who happens to be the star of the French team, find his kidnapped nephew. 26th July 1975 Roy plays in a European Nations match against France, but is preoccupied with the whereabouts of his French opponent Jules Bernard, who was not in the starting team for France. Roy's poor performance get him in trouble with the England manager! 2nd August 1975 Playing for England, Roy is in danger of being substituted, but a message from his opponent Jules Bernard, inspires him!