Ye Olde Christmas Tale - Boxing Day 1995
Posted: 24 Dec 2017, 13:29
Seasons Greetings to all and remember it’s always worth taking your new Christmas boots to a Boxing Day game just in case - although having made over 600 appearances and scoring over 350 goals does help. Here’s a Christmas tale from Boxing Day, 1995:
Paul Joinson arrived at Halesowen Town as a Boxing Day spectator – and answered an SOS as a player. The Legend, as he is known at The Grove, had gone to watch the top of the table Beazer Premier match with Worcester City. But, after being accosted as he walked across the car park, he ended up as a substitute for the depleted Yeltz and played a part in the equaliser in a 3-3 draw in front of 1,200 fans. Now, despite seemingly ending his Yeltz career after 320 goals in nearly 12 years in October when he was released, he is set to remain on emergency stand-by.
Halesowen general manager Colin Brookes said: “It was a quarter to two and we were just weighing up the line-up when I saw him walking to the directors box. He had come down to ask about training with us after leaving Blakenall and I said ‘You could do better than that – do you fancy playing?’ ’Give me half an hour’ he said ‘and I’ll go and get my kit.’ You should have heard the reception from the fans when he came on. Halesowen Town is still Paul Joinson’s home, and everybody loves him.” (ref. Sports Argus, 30th Dec 1995)
Paul was also named as substitute in the home game against Salisbury City on Jan. 6th 1996 but I believe these were the last times The Legend appeared on a Yeltz teamsheet. Some of the stats in the article seem to underplay his achievements - more like 15 years and over 360 goals would be more accurate.
Team: Derek Dudley (see other sad forum thread); Nick Colley, Jason Owen, Phil Wood, John Snape, Jim Rodwell, Kevin Harrison, Mark Williams, Richard Crisp, Mick Shearer, Danny Coates. Subs: Ian Bettles, Paul Joinson, Mark Hart (gk)
Goalscorers: Harrison, Williams (2)
Attendance: 1,119
Paul Joinson arrived at Halesowen Town as a Boxing Day spectator – and answered an SOS as a player. The Legend, as he is known at The Grove, had gone to watch the top of the table Beazer Premier match with Worcester City. But, after being accosted as he walked across the car park, he ended up as a substitute for the depleted Yeltz and played a part in the equaliser in a 3-3 draw in front of 1,200 fans. Now, despite seemingly ending his Yeltz career after 320 goals in nearly 12 years in October when he was released, he is set to remain on emergency stand-by.
Halesowen general manager Colin Brookes said: “It was a quarter to two and we were just weighing up the line-up when I saw him walking to the directors box. He had come down to ask about training with us after leaving Blakenall and I said ‘You could do better than that – do you fancy playing?’ ’Give me half an hour’ he said ‘and I’ll go and get my kit.’ You should have heard the reception from the fans when he came on. Halesowen Town is still Paul Joinson’s home, and everybody loves him.” (ref. Sports Argus, 30th Dec 1995)
Paul was also named as substitute in the home game against Salisbury City on Jan. 6th 1996 but I believe these were the last times The Legend appeared on a Yeltz teamsheet. Some of the stats in the article seem to underplay his achievements - more like 15 years and over 360 goals would be more accurate.
Team: Derek Dudley (see other sad forum thread); Nick Colley, Jason Owen, Phil Wood, John Snape, Jim Rodwell, Kevin Harrison, Mark Williams, Richard Crisp, Mick Shearer, Danny Coates. Subs: Ian Bettles, Paul Joinson, Mark Hart (gk)
Goalscorers: Harrison, Williams (2)
Attendance: 1,119
