Wallington Stories

[kushiro]

So much to say about this guy. Let's have a look back at the wonderful career of the keeper who had his own unique chant - 'Who saves penalties? - Wallngton! Wallington!'.

 

This is not a chronological recap but a chance to look in a bit more detail at certain points of his career - and some stories that haven't been told before.

 

1) The Man Merseyside Couldn't Beat

 

1983/84 was a season that started terribly  - worse, in fact, than any other season in our history. After ten games we had just two points and relegation looked inevitable.

 

It was the season that Merseyside won everything - Liverpool took the League, the European Cup, and in the League Cup they beat Everton in the Final. The Toffees soon got over that disappointment - they went back to Wembley six weeks later to win the FA Cup, and they also won the Youth Cup. 

 

There was one team that season, though, that managed to remain undefeated against the Mersey duo - and that was Leicester City. We drew twice against Liverpool, and took four points off Everton. No other team in the top flight could make the same boast. 

 

The home game against Everton was a turning point in our season. That was the 11th game - and finally we registered a victory.

 

The home game against Liverpool came towards the end of the season, and was perhaps the greatest game I ever saw at the old ground - a thrilling 3-3 draw.

 

In the two away games, one man in particular stood in the way of the Merseysiders. 

 

Mark Wallington had started the season in dispute with the club, and new signing Mark Grew was in goal for the first five games. We conceded 14 goals in those matches, and lost the lot. It was time for Mr. Reliable to return.

 

By the time we went to Anfield on December 27th, we had hit a good run of form, and had risen to as high as 17th (out of 22). Liverpool were top, and looking good for their third title in a row. 

 

City shocked the Reds by taking the lead in the first half when Alan Smith turned home a cross from Steve Lynex, who was giving Liverpool left back Alan Kennedy all sorts of trouble. The inevitable onslaught followed after the break, with Liverpool attacking the Kop end.

 

The equaliser wouldn't come, and then with 20 minutes left City went two up when Ian Banks slammed a shot through a wall of Liverpool defenders after an indirect free kick was awarded when Bruce Grobbelaar picked up a back pass.

 

Liverpool quickly fought back, and goals from Sammy Lee and Ian Rush tied things up with five minutes to go. They swarmed forward in search of the winner, and in the 87th minute, Wallington was adjudged to have fouled Rush, and Souness had the chance to win it from the spot.

 

This was the result:

 

 

The hairline might have been receding, but that spot kick stopping talent was undiminished. Leicester held on for a 2-2 draw and a priceless point that took them another step towards safety.

 

In March, City went to Goodison Park to face an Everton team that had lost just one of its last 19 games. City were 16th, six points above the drop zone. Kevin Richardson put Everton ahead in the first half, but after the break Gary Lineker beat the offside trap to race away and equalise in front of the Gwladys Street end. Straight after that Everton went up the other end and were given a penalty and a chance to win it.

 

This is what happened:

 

 

Andy Peake watches as Wallington gets down to save Andy King's penalty.  In the scramble for the rebound, Andy Gray put the ball in the net, but it was disallowed for offside:

 

 

Ian Wilson's the City man in the picture.

 

Leicester held out for the draw, with Wallington completing an Anfield-Goodison double - not just saving a penalty on each ground but helping City to a crucial point on each occasion.

 

Those photos are pretty rare. I don't think any of them have appeared in a Leicester publication before. The Anfield picture is from the Liverpool - Leicester programme from the following season. The Everton pics are from the Liverpool Echo the day after the game and have remained in the collection of yours truly ever since. 

 

I can't claim many brownie points as a regular Leicester watcher (it's a bit tricky when you live 10,000 miles away) but I was at both of those matches on Merseyside in 1983/84, and I must be one of very few who can say that. There was a good away following at the Anfield match, but the Goodison game was on a Tuesday night and there were probably fewer than 100 City fans in the Park End behind the goal in which Wallington made that save.

 

Well, I hope you enjoyed that one. More Wallo stories on the way - and please add some of your own!

 

 

Edited 1 June 2022 by kushiro

[Vacamion]

5 minutes ago, kushiro said:

 

1983/84 was a season that started terribly  - worse, in fact, than any other season in our history. After ten games we had just two points and relegation

 

I remember that awful start and being teased at school by fellow pupils who were Liverpool fans about the difference between Leicester City and a triangle...

 

 

 

 

[He aint bald]

13 minutes ago, kushiro said:

So much to say about this guy. Let's have a look back at the wonderful career of the keeper who had his own unique chant - 'Who saves penalties? - Wallngton! Wallington!'.

 

The hairline might have been receding, but that spot kick stopping talent was undiminished. Leicester held on for a 2-2 draw and a priceless point that took them another step towards safety.

 

Also he aint bald and lots of requests for a wave.

 

Historical revisionism

 

Never met the great man but was accussed of misfiling his car insurance documents once. 

[Webbo]

We need @stez on here to tell us how he saw his willy 

[He aint bald]

33 minutes ago, kushiro said:

 

 

Andy Peake watches as Wallington gets down to save Andy King's penalty.  In the scramble for the rebound, Andy Gray put the ball in the net, but it was disallowed for offside:

 

 

Doesnt look like Peake was very involved in the scramble for the rebound, get rid, lazy

[Foxdiamond]

1 hour ago, kushiro said:

So much to say about this guy. Let's have a look back at the wonderful career of the keeper who had his own unique chant - 'Who saves penalties? - Wallngton! Wallington!'.

 

This is not a chronological recap but a chance to look in a bit more detail at certain points of his career - and some stories that haven't been told before.

 

1) The Man Merseyside Couldn't Beat

 

1983/84 was a season that started terribly  - worse, in fact, than any other season in our history. After ten games we had just two points and relegation looked inevitable.

 

It was the season that Merseyside won everything - Liverpool took the League, the European Cup, and in the League Cup they beat Everton in the Final. The Toffees soon got over that disappointment - they went back to Wembley six weeks later to win the FA Cup, and they also won the Youth Cup. 

 

There was one team that season, though, that managed to remain undefeated against the Mersey duo - and that was Leicester City. We drew twice against Liverpool, and took four points off Everton. No other team in the top flight could make the same boast. 

 

The home game against Everton was a turning point in our season. That was the 11th game - and finally we registered a victory.

 

The home game against Liverpool came towards the end of the season, and was perhaps the greatest game I ever saw at the old ground - a thrilling 3-3 draw.

 

In the two away games, one man in particular who stood in the way of the Merseysiders. 

 

Mark Wallington had started the season in dispute with the club, and new signing Mark Grew was in goal for the first five games. We conceded 14 goals in those matches, and lost the lot. It was time for Mr. Reliable to return.

 

By the time we went to Anfield on December 27th, we had hit a good run of form, and had risen to as high as 17th (out of 22). Liverpool were top, and looking good for their third title in a row. 

 

City shocked the Reds by taking the lead in the first half when Alan Smith turned home a cross from Steve Lynex, who was giving Liverpool left back Alan Kennedy all sorts of trouble. The inevitable onslaught followed after the break, with Liverpool attacking the Kop end.

 

The equaliser wouldn't come, and then with 20 minutes left City went two up when Ian Banks slammed a shot through a wall of Liverpool defenders after an indirect free kick was awarded when Bruce Grobbelaar picked up a back pass.

 

Liverpool quickly fought back, and goals from Sammy Lee and Ian Rush tied things up with five minutes to go. They swarmed forward in search of the winner, and in the 87th minute, Wallington was adjudged to have fouled Rush, and Souness had the chance to win it from the spot.

 

This was the result:

 

 

The hairline might have been receding, but that spot kick stopping talent was undiminished. Leicester held on for a 2-2 draw and a priceless point that took them another step towards safety.

 

In March, City went to Goodison Park to face an Everton team that had lost just one of its last 19 games. City were 16th, six points above the drop zone. Kevin Richardson put Everton ahead in the first half, but after the break Gary Lineker beat the offside trap to race away and equalise in front of the Gwladys Street end. Straight after that Everton went up the other end and were given a penalty and a chance to win it.

 

This is what happened:

 

 

Andy Peake watches as Wallington gets down to save Andy King's penalty.  In the scramble for the rebound, Andy Gray put the ball in the net, but it was disallowed for offside:

 

 

Ian Wilson's the City man in the picture.

 

Leicester held out for the draw, with Wallington completing an Anfield-Goodison double - not just saving a penalty on each ground but helping City to a crucial point on each occasion.

 

Those photos are pretty rare. I don't think any of them have appeared in a Leicester publication before. The Anfield picture is from the Liverpool - Leicester programme from the following season. The Everton pics are from the Liverpool Echo the day after the game and have remained in the collection of yours truly ever since. 

 

I can't claim many brownie points as a regular Leicester watcher (it's a bit tricky when you live 10,000 miles away) but I was at both of those matches on Merseyside in 1983/84, and I must be one of very few who can say that. There was a good away following at the Anfield match, but the Goodison game was on a Tuesday night and there were probably fewer than 100 City fans in the Park End behind the goal in which Wallington made that save.

 

Well, I hope you enjoyed that one. More Wallo stories on the way - and please add some of your own!

 

 

Brilliant post. Never seen these photos. Good old Mark. 

[Foxdiamond]

31 minutes ago, He aint bald said:

Doesnt look like Peake was very involved in the scramble for the rebound, get rid, lazy

He just knew Mark had it covered.

[Stinkenzo]

I thought Wallington Stories was a Brazilian fella we were being linked with

[zorro en españa]

@kushiro I really do enjoy your historical posts.  Thank you.

 

One thing I remember well about Mark was when Shilton was sold to Stoke.  I remember two games we won at The Victoria Ground with Shilton in goal for Stoke.  We won both 2-1 and I think 1-0 in successive seasons.  Mark was superb in both - a point to prove I am sure

[fuchsntf]

5 hours ago, kushiro said:

So much to say about this guy. Let's have a look back at the wonderful career of the keeper who had his own unique chant - 'Who saves penalties? - Wallngton! Wallington!'.

 

This is not a chronological recap but a chance to look in a bit more detail at certain points of his career - and some stories that haven't been told before.

 

1) The Man Merseyside Couldn't Beat

 

1983/84 was a season that started terribly  - worse, in fact, than any other season in our history. After ten games we had just two points and relegation looked inevitable.

 

It was the season that Merseyside won everything - Liverpool took the League, the European Cup, and in the League Cup they beat Everton in the Final. The Toffees soon got over that disappointment - they went back to Wembley six weeks later to win the FA Cup, and they also won the Youth Cup. 

 

There was one team that season, though, that managed to remain undefeated against the Mersey duo - and that was Leicester City. We drew twice against Liverpool, and took four points off Everton. No other team in the top flight could make the same boast. 

 

The home game against Everton was a turning point in our season. That was the 11th game - and finally we registered a victory.

 

The home game against Liverpool came towards the end of the season, and was perhaps the greatest game I ever saw at the old ground - a thrilling 3-3 draw.

 

In the two away games, one man in particular who stood in the way of the Merseysiders. 

 

Mark Wallington had started the season in dispute with the club, and new signing Mark Grew was in goal for the first five games. We conceded 14 goals in those matches, and lost the lot. It was time for Mr. Reliable to return.

 

By the time we went to Anfield on December 27th, we had hit a good run of form, and had risen to as high as 17th (out of 22). Liverpool were top, and looking good for their third title in a row. 

 

City shocked the Reds by taking the lead in the first half when Alan Smith turned home a cross from Steve Lynex, who was giving Liverpool left back Alan Kennedy all sorts of trouble. The inevitable onslaught followed after the break, with Liverpool attacking the Kop end.

 

The equaliser wouldn't come, and then with 20 minutes left City went two up when Ian Banks slammed a shot through a wall of Liverpool defenders after an indirect free kick was awarded when Bruce Grobbelaar picked up a back pass.

 

Liverpool quickly fought back, and goals from Sammy Lee and Ian Rush tied things up with five minutes to go. They swarmed forward in search of the winner, and in the 87th minute, Wallington was adjudged to have fouled Rush, and Souness had the chance to win it from the spot.

 

This was the result:

 

 

The hairline might have been receding, but that spot kick stopping talent was undiminished. Leicester held on for a 2-2 draw and a priceless point that took them another step towards safety.

 

In March, City went to Goodison Park to face an Everton team that had lost just one of its last 19 games. City were 16th, six points above the drop zone. Kevin Richardson put Everton ahead in the first half, but after the break Gary Lineker beat the offside trap to race away and equalise in front of the Gwladys Street end. Straight after that Everton went up the other end and were given a penalty and a chance to win it.

 

This is what happened:

 

 

Andy Peake watches as Wallington gets down to save Andy King's penalty.  In the scramble for the rebound, Andy Gray put the ball in the net, but it was disallowed for offside:

 

 

Ian Wilson's the City man in the picture.

 

Leicester held out for the draw, with Wallington completing an Anfield-Goodison double - not just saving a penalty on each ground but helping City to a crucial point on each occasion.

 

Those photos are pretty rare. I don't think any of them have appeared in a Leicester publication before. The Anfield picture is from the Liverpool - Leicester programme from the following season. The Everton pics are from the Liverpool Echo the day after the game and have remained in the collection of yours truly ever since. 

 

I can't claim many brownie points as a regular Leicester watcher (it's a bit tricky when you live 10,000 miles away) but I was at both of those matches on Merseyside in 1983/84, and I must be one of very few who can say that. There was a good away following at the Anfield match, but the Goodison game was on a Tuesday night and there were probably fewer than 100 City fans in the Park End behind the goal in which Wallington made that save.

 

Well, I hope you enjoyed that one. More Wallo stories on the way - and please add some of your own!

 

 

Brill...

[Guest StevieLynex]

He’s not bald, he’s not bald, he’s not bald

[Micky]

Spent many a time at the bar with Mark. Funny guy.

[Guest StevieLynex]

1 hour ago, Stinky said:

I thought Wallington Stories was a Brazilian fella we were being linked with

No that was Wallington Stories dos santos nascimento 

[Long Eaton Fox]

I remember as a 16 year old catching a connecting train from Nottingham to Leicester, wearing our scarves. He walked into our compartment and gave us two tickets for the game. (Don't know who). We promptly sold them at the ground and went to our usual standing area. 

[Guest StevieLynex]

54 minutes ago, StevieLynex said:

No that was Wallington Stories dos santos nascimento 

Known as the Brazilian Wally

[Supergray22]

7 hours ago, Vacamion said:

 

I remember that awful start and being teased at school by fellow pupils who were Liverpool fans about the difference between Leicester City and a triangle...

 

 

 

 

Yes I remember that one going round school too. Kids are cruel. 

[sacreblueits442]

1 hour ago, StevieLynex said:

No that was Wallington Stories dos santos nascimento 

....otherwise known as Welle...!!!

[kushiro]

2)  Mark's Day Of Destiny

 

On February 5th 1972, a bizarre sequence of events threw two young keepers into the spotlight in the Fourth Round of the FA Cup.

 

An injury to Peter Shilton meant that 17 year old Carl Jayes was thrown in at the deep end for his Leicester debut at home to Orient.  Meanwhile, the suspension of Walsall's Bob Wesson meant that 19 year old Mark Wallington was called up to play for the Third Division side at Everton.

 

The two youngsters didn't know it, but the stakes couldn't have been higher. Not only were they fighting that day to take their clubs into the last 16 of the Cup, they were also auditioning for the role of Shilton's long term successor. 

 

 

A week earlier, there had been a 'horrified silence' at Filbert Street when Shilton collided with his own team mate Malcolm Manley during a 2-0 win against Stoke. He damaged knee ligaments, and was ruled out of the Cup tie the following week, though in the end the injury was not as serious as first feared.

 

 

There was no experienced cover for Shilton, and 17 year old Carl Jayes was the only option open to manager Jimmy Bloomfield. It brought to a head an issue that had been brewing for a long time. Shilton's ambitions were well known, and Leicester needed to line up a replacement should his departure finally become a reality. Could Jayes be a candidate, replacing a legend while still a teenager, just as Shilton had done five years earlier? Here was his big chance to show what he could do.

 

Mark Wallington's ambitions were also clear. He wanted to be a PE teacher. He was finishing his second year at Teacher Training College in Leeds, which meant he could only join Walsall training sessions once a week. He was, though, considering taking a year off from his studies to see what it would be like to try football full time. He'd already played a handful of games for Walsall, but veteran keeper Bob Wesson was the regular choice. 

 

At least he was until he got sent off in bizarre circumstances in the club's FA Cup 2nd Round tie at Brighton. The ref had blown his whistle to end the match as a long ball reached Wesson's penalty area. Brighton forward Alan Duffy chased it and collided with Wesson after the final whistle had blown. Wesson retaliated and both were sent off. After Walsall put out Bournemouth in Round Three they were given a dream tie at Everton in the Fourth Round, but the FA then handed a two-week ban to Wesson for the events at Brighton. He'd miss the Goodison trip, and Wallington had his chance.

 

The young keeper's call-up was the big story in the lead up to the game. This is what he told the press:

 

'I never thought in my wildest dreams I would be facing Joe Royle. He's played for England, hasn't he? But Royle and his colleague don't worry me'.

 

Over at Filbert Street, the Fourth Round tie had extra meaning for Jimmy Bloomfield. He'd walked out on Orient six months earlier to take the Leicester job, and his old players were determined to prove a point to him.

 

The visitors took the lead in the first half with a goal from Ian Bowyer, who Bloomfield had signed for Orient just days before he quit. Then after the break, Orient's Peter Allen launched a high ball from 35 yards out that under normal circumstances, a keeper would have held comfortably. But some combination of a wet ball, a muddy goal area, and the nerves of a 17 year old debutant meant that Carl Jayes let it slip through his hands and into the net. 

 

The second division side held out to win 2-0 - one of the shocks of the day. 

 

Was Wallington suffering from nerves at Goodison Park? Reports of the game tell of how he started confidently, and then just before half time, this happened:

 

 

 

Sounds great, doesn't it?

 

Fortunately, we have the action to back up the pictures. There were three FA Cup ties on Merseyside that day, and Granada TV chose to take their cameras not to the ties that, on paper, seemed like more attractive prospects - Liverpool v Leeds and Tranmere v Stoke - but to what looked like a nailed on home win for Everton against a team struggling near the foot of Division Three. 

 

There are extended highlights of the game here - and though Wallington displays confident handling on several occasions, it's really that save that is the highlight, and if you set it to 14 minutes 20 seconds you'll see it:

 

 

 

Walsall couldn't pull off a miracle, and they lost 2-1. But all the reports after the game raved about the young keeper's performance.

 

That day of FA Cup action, February 5th 1972, had huge long term implications for some of the characters involved - for reasons most will be familiar with. Ronnie Radford scored that famous 30 yarder to set up Hereford's victory over Newcastle - perhaps the most famous giant killing of all time, and one that got his team voted into the Football League at the end of the season. And John Motson's memorable description of Radford's goal led to him sealing his place as the BBC's top commentator for the next three decades. 

 

The contrasting fortunes of Carl Jayes and Mark Wallington also had long lasting consequences. A month later, Jimmy Bloomfield, knowing that Jayes wasn't the man to replace Shilton, brought Wallington to the club. Leicester scouts had seen him in action earlier in the season, and his display at Everton confirmed that he had the character to make it at the top. A week after that, with Shilton injured again, he made his debut in a 2-0 win v West Ham at Filbert Street. 

 

You can see the three of them in this photo from the start of the following season:

 

 

For some reason, Mark doesn't have a fox on his shirt, but there was no doubt about the pecking order. Though Jayes stayed at the club for another five years, his position behind Wallington was always clear. When Shilton moved on to Stoke in 1974, Wallington took over, and he'd soon begin his record breaking run of 331 consecutive appearances.

Edited 2 June 2022 by kushiro

[drofmor55]

Remember that day well..I travelled up to the Orient game on their supporters coach (i had two friends who were Orient Supporters) and then had to endure the journey back home, listening to  their

jubilant supporters. Felt sorry for Carl Jayes though, 17 years old and let a simple lob slip through his hands.

[drofmor55]

If i remember rightly, Leicester asked Peter Shilton to go to a Walsall game and give his opinion on his possible replacement. On his advice they signed Mark Wallington.

[kushiro]

5 hours ago, drofmor55 said:

Remember that day well..I travelled up to the Orient game on their supporters coach (i had two friends who were Orient Supporters) and then had to endure the journey back home, listening to  their

jubilant supporters. Felt sorry for Carl Jayes though, 17 years old and let a simple lob slip through his hands.

 

Ha ha - great story. Here's a report about the Orient players making that journey back to London by train - and Orient boss George Petchey talking about his master plan to keep Weller and Birchenall quiet:

 

[kushiro]

On 02/06/2022 at 02:29, zorro en españa said:

@kushiro I really do enjoy your historical posts.  Thank you.

 

One thing I remember well about Mark was when Shilton was sold to Stoke.  I remember two games we won at The Victoria Ground with Shilton in goal for Stoke.  We won both 2-1 and I think 1-0 in successive seasons.  Mark was superb in both - a point to prove I am sure

 

Here's a report on the first of those wins at Stoke - from February 1976. Wallington saved another penalty! But the reporter gives Man of the Match to Shilton:

 

 

You were right about the second win - 1-0 a year later with Wortho's winner.

[He aint bald]

You are an effing legend Kushiro, really, I mean it

 

I wonder if I knew you back in the day? Best not to know though, all the now famous people I knew, apart from one, were dicks...and even that twart supported  Man U..... 

 

That said, if by a long shot you know NonStampCollecter, I am on the plane with the beers, in one

Edited 3 June 2022 by He aint bald
persistant and unremovable underlining

[kushiro]

Time for a musical interlude - and the story of that chant - 'Who saves penalties? Wallington, Wallington!'

 

If you weren't around back in the 70s and 80s you'll probably still be familiar with the tune:

 

We thought you were s***,

We were right, we were right!

 

It came  from a British Airways TV commercial in the late 70s -  'We'll take more care of you, fly the flag, fly the flag' 

 

 

And that isn't really the start of the story. 

 

The BA ad was put together by an American company who clearly based it on the most successful TV commercial of the 1970s, the Coke ad from 1971/72. The BA version tried to capture that brotherly / sisterly happy love vibe - with added granny thrown in for inter-generational appeal:

 

 

Just as City fans adapted the BA commercial for the Wallington chant, so I imagine the man himself must have had a great time with his teacher training college mates in the bar on a Friday night back in 1971, coming up with their own versions of the 'I'd like to teach....' theme.

 

Those college friends traveled across the Pennines to see him at Goodison Park for his 'big break' in the FA Cup (see post above). And, this really is totally random, but while writing that post I couldn't get that line from Return Of The Mack out of my head (greatest ever Number One single by an artist from Leicester) - you know, the one Suzannah Agrippa mimes to in the video:

 

 

"Mark - stop lying about your big break".

[kushiro]

5 minutes ago, He aint bald said:

You are an effing legend Kushiro, really, I mean it

 

I wonder if I knew you back in the day? Best not to know though, all the now famous people I knew, apart from one, were dicks...and even that twart supported  Man U..... 

 

That said, if by a long shot you know NonStampCollecter, I am on the plane with the beers, in one

 

Ha ha. 

 

I don't know the name.

 

But get on the plane anyway, mate.