SPOT THE BALL

Football competitions in the press date back as far as the 1890s. The "games" were designed to increase newspaper circulation. A variety of other "games" including one that required the reader to forecast the results of twelve matches, were all designed to attract more readers. Of course, the Pools from 1923, soon had a say in where punters were going to place their "bets". They still exist.

There were competitions for Cup Final tickets and a novel one where readers had to recognise the football ground shown from an aerial photograph. In 1928 the "Athletic News" introduced a new competition that was so popular that it is still going today; Spot the Ball. It was first published on April 30th that year.

All you had to do was to guess where the ball was on a published photograph of a match played at the weekend. The entry fee was sixpence (6d) and the winner won £500, no mean amount in those days. Entrants would carefully join lines from players' eyes on the photo and see where they were all looking but of course this meant for nothing! The ball was always "in an unlikely place", decided by a couple of ex-pros. whose guess was as good as anyones.

Being a football expert didn't help, in fact the game proved very popular with the ladies. The competition was eventually adopted by other newspapers, including the "News of the World", where it continues to be a regular feature.

Local papers arranged their own "games" such as the Nottingham Post's "Find the Ball", first published in 1966. Above a lucky winner in 2007, at a time when 3 million people took a guess and and the jackpot was as high as £250,000. Numbers have fallen recently.

With other competitions abundant, the interest in "Spot the Ball" has dwindled and indeed, apparently not many winners are found! There has been a certain amount of doubt about the competition's validity, with the two "ex-professionals" (once used were Ian Callaghan and David Sadler) brought in to decide where the ball is placed, on their judgement. They could stick the "pin" in anywhere! Unsurprisingly their decision may not always produce a winner!

Once played by over 3 million people, the game is indulged by around 14,000 now. Those missing are probably playing the Lottery....there's more chance of winning something in that apparently.

The courts have to decide whether this well known game is one of chance rather than skill; by law there is a large VAT bill to pay if not! Well your guess is as good as mine! But hey ho, not many win the top prize anyway, so maybe the papers have money in a pot to pay the "fine" if they are deemed breaking the law.

Here's one to be getting on with:
https://www.footballpools.com/games/spot-the-ball. Careful.........
18+    

LAW'S LAST SAD MOVE

https://baileyfootballblog.blogspot.com/2018/04/busy-period.html
The 29th of April gets a mention here amongst a lot of other dates of matches played on that date from 1912. The first reference involves Barnsley FC, so it can't be bad!

In 1974, a year when I was finishing university and getting married soon after, it was Denis Law who was in the dog house after a career pinnacle at Manchester United. One time favourite of the Stretford End, Law produced "the unkindest cut of all" , as he sentenced his former team mates to life in the Second Division at Old Trafford, on Saturday April 27th.

Playing with United's greatest rivals, Manchester City, Law cheekily backheeled a pass from Francis Lee past Alex Stepney, with 8 minutes remaining. City won 1-0 and condemned United to the next division down.
https://uk.video.search.yahoo.com/yhs/search;_ylt=AwrJ3s.TsKle34MAuBGe3olQ?p=Denis+Law+back+heel&hsimp=yhs-001&hspart=itm&type=pds_sjiqmxum1acegikmuebkmoqsuwl96p7j8qmodg_19_42_ssg13&param1=1&param2=f%3D4%26b%3Dchrome%26ip%3D94.192.56.239%26pa%3Dpdfconverterds%26type%3Dpds_sjiqmxum1acegikmuebkmoqsuwl96p7j8qmodg_19_42_ssg13%26cat%3Dweb%26a%3Dpds_sjiqmxum1acegikmuebkmoqsuwl96p7j8qmodg_19_42_ssg13%26xlp_pers_guid%3Dgclid_cj0kcqjwuzdtbrdvarisapxfx3af0kw2x-cqb3krhrprevypch1mt6kyos5w7lhngaphg5pcnzjavl0aap5zealw_wcb%26xlp_sess_guid%3Dgclid_cj0kcqjwuzdtbrdvarisapxfx3af0kw2x-cqb3krhrprevypch1mt6kyos5w7lhngaphg5pcnzjavl0aap5zealw_wcb-ac4c-701db2846e3d%26uref%3D%26abid%3D%26xt_abg%3D%26xt_ver%3D10.1.4.69%26ls_ts%3D1571073304&fr=yhs-itm-001&fr2=p%3As%2Cv%3Ai%2Cm%3Apivot#id=2&vid=6df9f98b54e64ab6da027d0e35c4ea5c&action=view
A pitch invasion was sparked but quickly cleared. Soon, however, David Smith, the referee, had to abandon the game, and with fewer than 8 minutes left, the game was done and dusted. Two hundred fans were ejected from the stadium. 33 were arrested during an afternoon United would want to forget.
City came 14th in Division One (top one then) and Unijted were second from bottom, relegated with Sotuhampton (20/22) and Norwich, bottom.

The Football League were not persuaded to declare the match void and allowed the result to stand. Could United have equalised in those remaining few minutes? Blame the crowd.

Once a young professional with Huddersfield Town, under Bill Shankley, Law was up for sale in March 1960 and City grabbed the opportunity, buying him for a British record of £55,000. 15 months later Torino made an offer that City couldn't refuse, as Law went to Italy for £100,000 worth of Lira! 12 months later Law was back in Manchester, this time at United.

With Bobby Charlton and George Best alongside Law, Matt Busby had a trio of exciting players to call on. Law was, however, ageing and suffering with injuries so although he did his stuff he was not a regular and indeed, he missed United's European Cup Final triumph. He went back to City in 1973. In his final league game it was Law who had decided where United would go in 1974.

Law declared that he never wanted to play in this "last game" and was depressed for a week after the result.

In 1974-5, United won the Second Division by 3 points from Aston Villa and came 3rd in the top division the following season.

THE WHITE/DARK HORSE FINAL

On April 28th 1923, The "Dark Grey Horse" Cup Final was played out at the brand new Wembley Stadium.  The stadium commissioned as part of a complex to house the 1924 British Empire Fair, promoting trade between signed on members. Building began in January 1922, obviously a boost for the nation, post the First World War and it took 300 days to complete. The FA, of course, were looking for a prestigious venue to hold internationals and the FA Cup Final. An agreement between the British Empire  Exhibition Inc. and the FA realised the funds and the 1923 FA Cup was to be the debut game.

Constable George Scorey (a suitable name for a copper on his way to a football match) had been trotting down Oxford Street on the 13 year old police horse "Billy", when he was ordered to head 8 miles up the Edgeware Road to sort out a crowd issue at the major football match of the season.

The FA made the decision not have an "all ticket" game, assuming that the new stadium would hold 127,000. Somewhere between 200,000 to a quarter of a million crowd apparently turned up, challenging the new turnstiles and their operators, who one way and another managed to let everyone in. By 3pm kick off time, the pitch was swarming with spectators and no way could the referee start the game. (the official total was 126,047).

The "Grey Horse Final", (I always thought it was called the "White Horse Final" but in truth Billy was "a grey"), was called to help and he started in the centre-circle and worked his way in ever-increasing circles, moving the crowd gently back behind the touchlines. The horse was actually dark grey, and on an overcast day, officially, the film was over exposed, enabling viewers to pick out Billy in photos. There were other horses on the job too! Kicking off 45 minutes late, the pitch was surrounded by a human wall.

Throw-ins were only given if the ball bounced over the seated fans heads and if it bounced off their bodies, it was "play on"!!

Billy's well shod hooves (and the others) did mess up the pitch a bit and West Ham supporters used this as an excuse for their demise. They lost 2-0 to Bolton Wanderers, whose David Jack and J.R.Smith scored. Jack scored after 3 minutes, clearly the Hammers couldn't adjust to the  early conditions. The players stayed on the pitch at half time and Smith's goal was protested by West Ham, who claimed that a Wanderers' fan had used his "trotter" to pop the ball back into play before Ted Vizard crossed the ball for Smith to score.
West Ham asked for the game to be abandoned but the referee, D.H.Asson, denied their request. Since 1923, all Finals have been all ticket.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4NqYsFTr1Q

RAYMOND GLENDENNING; BURST BALLS

20 years after the first FA Cup Final broadcast in 1927, radio coverage of major events had become a serious challenger to the newspapers. Most fans owned or could get near a "wireless", huddling around a "set" listening to the familiar tones of the inimitable Raymond Glendenning. It was his staccato commentary that crackled over the airwaves, when ever there was a British sportsman or woman taking part in a major event. He covered every Cup Final from 1946 up to 1963.

He was also contracted to the Sunday Graphic and produced a regular weekly round up column, and it was Gledenning who was given the coverage of Charlton Athletic's victory over Burnley in the 66th, 1947 FA Cup Final, a game played at Wembley on April 26th, that was published in the press on April 27th.

Charlton won 1-0, their first cup final success and they became the 10th club to lose one final and then win one the following year. They had lost to Derby 1-4 in 1946, a match in which Turner of Charlton scored an own goal, deflected in 85 minutes and then equalised a minute later from a free kick deflected by Doherty (the goal was given to Turner). How many have scored for both sides in a Cup Final?
It was 1-1 at full time.
Doherty put Derby in the lead after 92 mins.
Jackie Stamp's attempted shot in the closing minutes burst the ball! He later scored twice with the new ball, in 97 mins and 106 mins to secure the game.

When the two teams met in the League a week before, the ball burst also!  The War was blamed with only "poor leather" available.

Ties up to the semi-finals were two legged affairs.

The 1947 Final was a dull and defensive affair, illuminated by Chris Duffy's spectacular winner with only 6 minutes of extra time left.

There had not been a Cup Final replay since 1912 and for the second consecutive year the ball burst during play. 

Watch both these clips. Priceless.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Pv0dYKN2-s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WjteZbGgPqQ

Burnley had won promotion from Division Two, their first final since 1914.
Don Welsh, the Charlton captain, went on to manage Brighton, Liverpool, Bournemouth and Wycombe Wanderers.
Alan Brown, Burnley's captain, was later manager at Burnley, Sunderland and Sheffield Wednesday. He played in the Burnley defence and was known for creating "the iron curtain defence", which helped win promotion from Div 2 conceding only 29 goals in 42 games. He was 32 years old in the 1946-7 season, which guarantees an "old head" that leads the defence.

Note also the mention of  Sam Bartram. the legendry goalkeeper.
The lad in the crowd with the "bow tie".
Duffy's goal.
Between the two clubs there were only two non-English representatives, Chris Duffy of Charlton, a Scot, and Billy Morris of Burnley from Wales.

PSYCHO

This is not date related but since we have just seen "The Damned United" on TV and Stuart Pearce appears regularly on radio/TV commentary (unfortunately using "at this moment in time" too much), I reckon I can make use of the above bit of history.

When Stuart Pearce, of Nottingham Forest, was called up to play for England, his manager,Brian Clough, called Pearce into his office and told him, "Well, you aren't good enough, in my opinion-now get out!"

Stuart joined Forest in 1985-86, and at the time, asked Clough if he could continue working as a part time electrician in the early period of his contract. Clough agreed, as long as Stuart mended his kettle! Pearce, of course, got his name in the team line up because he was good enough and also got his business advert into the match day programme. Give him a ring, get your tap fixed.

Pearce played 78 times for England. despite that cock up against San Marino! (his 55th cap)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKDh04AN-Us

The game against San Marino was a World Cup qualifier played in November 1993, watched by 2,378 people in Bologna. England needed loads of goals and if you watch the highlights, that's what they almost did, despite conceding the first goal. England's goals include a suspicion of offside in two goals, a shockingly bad decision by the ref, not giving a free kick allowing play on, a hapless goalie, Ian Wright's four goals, a cameo by Stuart Ripley (his first of two caps) and one or two decent passes from Stuart Pearce's left foot trying to make amends.
An uneventful night in the home of spaghetti sauce and the second smallest member of UEFA, whose greatest victory has been 1-0! (not often). Smallest member is?

England, under Graham Taylor never qualified for the 1994 USA hosted FIFA World Cup finals, graciously allowing Norway and the Netherlands from their group to cross the pond instead. The Republic of Ireland did travel too. No other home countries made it.

FA CUP FINAL 24th APRIL 1915 and 1920

https://baileyfootballblog.blogspot.com/2019/11/cup-or-war.html
I published this last year and I'm afraid the illustration didn't "come out". So I will try again.

The caption from "Punch" October 21st 1914, says;
Mr Punch says:"No doubt you can make money in this field, my friend, but there's only one field today, where you can get honour."
The FA were criticised for letting the Cup run its course, in the first winter after War was declared. As you will remember the FA took advice from the War Office who told them to continue with the fixtures, to maintain morale in the country.

So on April 24th 1915, Sheffield United took on Chelsea at Old Trafford and won 3-0 with just over 49,500 watching the game. It was known as the Khaki Cup Final, as many of those visiting were dressed in their service uniforms. Progress of the game was wired to ships describing a grey and joyless occasion; not what the nation needed. It was the last "big game" for four years, as war interfered and the next FA Cup Final took place on the same date, April 24th, in 1920 at Stamford Bridge, with Aston Villa winning their sixth cup, beating Huddersfield 1-0 with a goal in the 100th minute (extra time of course).

Huddersfield's season was remarkable as the club started it close to liquidation for financial reasons. The towns folk rallied and there were collections and player sales with the restructured team finishing the season with promotion from the Second Division and reaching the Cup Final.

Villa also beat Chelsea in the semi-final at Bramall Lane, saving some embarrassment for the FA Cup committee, who had already set the final at Stamford Bridge. The Bridge kept the final until 1923, when Wembley was ready to accept Bolton Wanderers and West Ham as the year's finalists. The 24th is one of two dates when 6 FA Cup Finals or replays have taken place. The other one is the 26th April.

The FA Cup final began as an April fixture, it slipped back into March from time to time and occasionally became a May event. From 1971 the Final has been a regular May event. This season?

NO MORE PLAY UNTIL THE WAR ENDS

August 4th 1914 Britain declared war on Germany, but few were concerned. It was expected that those who enlisted and went towards the ports would be back by Christmas. Entertainment continue as normal, cricketers brought their matches to a halt whilst football expected a new season as normal.

No parallels with the present situation then??

As war dragged on, the FA became more concerned, young men were encouraged to enlist for Kitchener's army, as their chums died on battle fields in France. In April 1915, Manchester City goalkeeper, Walter Smith was urging readers of the "Umpire" that football should continue. One FA Councillor, a Mr Tillotson, argued that "there has been a great outcry by silly sentimentalists and people who never took kindly to football." Elsewhere there was considerable support for signing up.

I have written about the "Pals Battalions" before.

In March 1915, The FA did not fix dates for the FA Cup and it was not long that the Football League would follow suit.  The final game of the 1914/15 season took place on April 26th, with a 2-2 draw between Everton and Chelsea, at Goodison, giving The Toffees their second league title.The event was relegated to the inside pages, whilst the main pages were dominated by reports from Ypres.

In early July all four British League representatives  met in the Winter Gardens, Blackpool and with most clubs reporting a decline in revenue, due to falling attendances and players were enlisting,  it was decided to cancel the going season. Instead, Ad Hoc regional competitions were set up, no players would be paid and there would be no medals, no inter-league matches, no internationals and unexpectedly with no fixtures allowed mid-week (when there should have been all shoulders to the wheel) these new "leagues" were of little consequence. Nobody was interested in soccer! There were more important matters to consider.

BTW, Oldham Athletic would have won their First Division League title had they won their last match of the 1914-15 season. They lost to Liverpool (of all people) and Everton became champions by a point. Tottenham came bottom! (but were promoted the next time they played  in 1919-20).

"The Times" wrote that "We view with indignationand alarm that the persistence of the "Association Football Clubs" in doing threir best for the enemy...every club that employs a professional football player is bribing a much needed recruit to refrain from enlistmentand every spectator who pays his gate money is contributing so much towards a German victory".

We know of course that the football stadium was a good place to recruit.