Jim Doherty’s goal celebration has Kevin Fallon steaming

AT LONG LAST: Iain Gillies (centre) finally gets his hands on the Chatham Cup. When he was player-coach, he and club founder Ron Johnstone schemed for years about how Eastern Union and then Gisborne City could bring New Zealand’s premier knockout trophy to Gisborne, and in 1983 it arrived . . . but only for a few days. City strikers Colin Walker (left) and Jim Doherty pose with the Cup in the lead-up to the final between City and Mt Wellington at Childers Road Reserve. It was 2-2 after extra time and Mt Wellington won the replay, 2-0, at Bill McKinlay Park in Auckland. Gisborne City were losing finalists again in 1984 and winners in 1987.Gisborne Herald picture

YOU can’t beat going directly to the source, which is what I should have done before I wrote about Jim Doherty’s first goal celebration for Gisborne City.

While my version conveyed the general picture, Jim’s version differs on a few points and expands on others. I defer to him as the primary source.

After Jim’s visit last month — organised by Gisborne Girls’ High School football coach Jason Walters so Jim could give the girls an inspirational talk about the heights the game reached here in Gisborne City’s glory days — I asked Jim for his version of events. At the pub reunion of City players and supporters, Jim had recalled that first goal celebration in such detail that it seemed a good idea to “get the good oil”.

So here is Jim’s version, courtesy of Facebook messaging —

“I decided on the plane coming over to New Zealand that I needed to stand out from the crowd. After watching Tony Currie, who played for Sheffield United and England while I was at United, I thought I’d copy his goal celebration, which was enjoyed by all the supporters.

“He used to blow a kiss or two to the crowd every time he scored. The crowd went crazy and always shouted, ‘Blow us a kiss, Tony’.

“I thought if I could get that happening at Gisborne we would create a bit of atmosphere, as I’d heard crowds in New Zealand were pretty quiet and reserved.

“I couldn’t have planned it any better. I scored a great goal on my debut. I instantly went to the old grandstand and blew several kisses to the crowd. The reaction was mixed. Some were clapping and cheering; others were scratching their heads wondering what had arrived in town.

“The after-game gathering was mixed, too. Some (a few only) thought it was great; others called me a few names and didn’t like it.

“I think it was the Lower Hutt game at home where it all changed. I had scored a goal or two in away games and did the same goal celebration, which really p....d off the home crowds, and I loved it. The Lower Hutt game turned the tide. I scored a couple of goals . . . the crowd went berserk with my first goal celebration and kept shouting for another goal, which I politely provided. After the second goal, I looked around and saw all the crowd joining in the celebration. Job done.

“That goal celebration carried on and the word got around the traps about it. At one game in Wellington they had a row of girls sitting on a long bench, waiting for me to blow them a kiss. Unfortunately I didn’t score that day, so no goal celebration.

“A terrific memory was scoring a great goal against City after I’d moved to Auckland and joined Papatoetoe. Kevin Fallon was giving me a bit of stick, as he used to do with away players before the game.

“Long story short, I scored a goal out of the box. I ran straight up to Kevin and slid to my knees, blowing him a kiss.

“There was steam blowing out of his ears. I then ran up into the grandstand and blew a few more kisses before getting booked by the ref for wasting time, but it was all worth it as the crowd had a great time.

“To catch up with players, supporters and club members from those amazing times was just brilliant . . . some great stories and plenty of laughs . . . the best three days I’ve had in a long time.”