BACK in March 1978, Castle Tavern emerged shock winners of the Newsletter darts knockout when they beat Geoff Four in the final over two legs.
TESTIMONIAL POT . . Rangers star Stuart Chapman hosted an indoor sports evening in during his special year (1978), at Evode, Stafford.Looking on are team-mates who included Barry Lowe, Archie Richards, Colin Chadwick, Jim Arnold, Roger Jones and Jim Sargeant.
The winning team of Michael Aiton, Tom Wardrop, Les Whieldon, Dennis Steventon, Philip Marshall and Andrew Macdonald upset the odds by knocking out favourites Princess Royal in the quarter finals.
There was controversy in athletics when Stafford AC accused Cannock AC of poaching some of their talented youngsters.
Janet Evans, Fiona Looker and Karen Towers were at the centre of the controversy after they were allegedly approached by a member of Cannock AC at a race meeting.
There were goals galore in the Stafford and District Sunday League Vase first round ties with 98 goals scored in 13 ties.
Top scorers were first division front runners the Horse and Jockey who crushed third division Woodseaves 14-0, Bill Fowler grabbed five goals in the mauling.
Stafford’s Trades and Labour Angling Club had their annual winter contest in Nottingham ruined for the second year running.
Members turned up at the popular venue on the River Trent to find other anglers in their place due to a double- booking error.
More than 30 members made the trip and were given compensation by the angling society in Nottingham.
Stone cyclist Mike Morrison clinched his first win of the season in a 19-mile time trail at Congleton. The talented road racer surprised himself with the victory in this different discipline.
A 2-1 win against Leek earned Stafford Rangers a place in the Staffordshire Senior Cup final after two goals from Roger Jones.
Boro were not so fortunate in their league encounter at Bangor when a late Tony Broadhead dented Rangers.
Hockey and rugby teams were back in action after three weeks of bad weather and Stafford 1st XV saw their 15 match unbeaten run broken at Sheffield.
They were beaten narrowly 16-13 in a closely fought encounter mainly due to the kicking efforts of Sheffield’s England international Alan Old.
Youngsters from Stafford AC took on the country’s best at the Women’s National Cross Country Championships in High Wycombe. Best placed was Lynn Cochrane who finished 50th in the under-15s race over 3,480 metres.
Heidi Barr finished with blood pouring down her face after featuring in the top half of the field in the under-13 race and being pushed into a gate-post as runners jostled for position.
