WEST AUCKLAND WALTHAMSTOWE AVENUE, WEMBLEY AND EVEN WATFORD

31st January 1953 saw the League Champions, Manchester United, held at Old Trafford by Isthmian League team Walthamstowe Avenue, an amateur team from East London. This was a 4th Round tie and having held United 2-2 away in front of nearly a 35,000 crowd, the Avenue played their replay at Highbury and attracted nearly 50,000. On May 5th, they lost 2-5 to United.

Prior to that WAvenue (see below) beat Wimbledon (then an amateur club) 3-0 away after a 2-2 draw at home, in Round 1.
In Round 2 WA forced Watford to a 1-1 draw and then beat them 1-2 at Watford.
In Round 3 Avenue at home beat Stockport County 2-1.

Manchester United continued towards the Cup Final but met their match against Everton on February 14th, 2-1 in Round 5.

Everton then beat Aston Villa away 0-1 in Rd 6 (Quarter-finals) and were beaten 4-3 by Bolton Wanderers in the Semi-final, on neutral ground, Maine Road, 3-4 on March 21st.

In the other half of the draw, Blackpool won their way through to Wembley with Stanley Matthews and all, beating the Wanderers 4-3 in what was known as the Matthews Final.

Blackpool had beaten Sheffield Wednesday away 1-2 in Rd 3, Huddersfield at home 1-0 on January 31st, Southampton after a 1-1 draw at Blackpool and then 1-2 away at The Dell, and Arsenal 1-2 at Highbury.

Finchley was the only other non-league club to venture into the 3rd Round.

Clubs reaching the 2nd Rd that season were: Lanelly, Bath City, Bishop Auckland, Great Yarmouth Town, Peterborough Utd, Hereford United, Gainsborough Trinity.

Now what about Walthamstowe Avenue? Founded in 1900 the club was successful but faced closure in the 1980s, merging with Leytonstone and Ilford in 1988. The club then diluted and "became" part of the ever changing Dagenham and Redbridge FC, then basically lost its identity. It has lately revived as a Essex Sunday Corinthian League side. Its history lives on.......
 1960-1 FA Amateur Cup Final, 2-1 win at Wembley, WA v West Auckland Town in front of 45,000.
The Avenue also beat Leyton the FA Amateur Cup Final in 1951-2, 2-1, watched by 100,000 in the Wembley Stadium.

https://baileyfootballblog.blogspot.com/2019/11/dave-thomas-family-and-hannah.html

READ THIS LINK TO WEST AUCKLAND AND DAVE THOMAS....MORE HISTORY.

NO AWAY WINS IN 34

On January 30th 1937, there were 34 Football League matches and FA Cup ties played,
of which 25 were home wins, there were 9 draws and not ONE away win!

In the FA Cup Fourth Round: 4 draws
Wolves drew with Sheffield Utd 2-2,
Luton 2-2 Sunderland,
Bolton 1-1 Norwich,
Swansea 0-0 York.

Later Wolves, Sunderland, Bolton and Swansea won their replays.
Then Sunderland won the Cup beating Preston NE 3-1 at Wembley.

https://uk.video.search.yahoo.com/yhs/search?fr=yhs-itm-001&hsimp=yhs-001&hspart=itm&p=1937+FA+Cup+Final#id=1&vid=1c1cad724ba1ec75286528b4928ff14f&action=click

Bolton lost 5-0 to Man City in the next round.
Wolves lost in Rd 6 to Sunderland 4-0 after a 2-2 draw.
Swansea were beaten by Sunderland in Rd 5 3-0. The Black Cats then went on to beat Millwall 2-1 in the S-F.

The home teams had 13 wins in the Cup:-
Tottenham beat Plymouth 1-0, Preston 5-1 Stoke, Arsenal 5-0 Manchester Utd, Millwall 3-0 Chelsea, Man City 2-0 Accrington Stanley, Coventry 2-0 Chester, Grimsby 5-1 Walsall,  Everton 3-0 Sheffield W, Burnley 4-1 Bury, Exeter City 3-1 Leicester City, Derby 3-0 Brentford, Liverpool 3-0 Leeds, WBA 3-2 Darlington

In Division Two there were 2 home wins: Blackburn R 6-1 Newcastle Utd, Blackpool 6-0 Bradford Park Avenue.
and 2 draws, Aston Villa 1-1 v Doncaster R and Bradford City 1-1 v Fulham.

Div Three North: 6 home wins and 1 draw in total eventually won by Tranmere R
Div Three South: 4 home wins and 2 draw also. Eventually won by Millwall

MONTROSE FC AND HENRY WAUGH RENNY TAILYOUR

FIRST JOBS:
Neville Southall used to be a dustman, Pet Jennings a milkman, Peter Beardsley made ships' valves, Kevin Keegan worked as a storeroom clerk, Vinnie Jones (unsurprisingly) was a hod carrier, Ian Wright worked as a plasterer and Chris Waddle worked in a sausage factory.

Montrose won their first major trophy in their 106 year lone history by winning the Scottish Second Division in 1985 despite having a goalkeeper names Ray Charles! signed from Banks of Dee FC.
Linked to yesterday's mascots blog, here is the Montrose favourite-the one in the middle. You will find Montrose in Angus county, on the eastern coast of Scotland, north of Dundee. It is regarded as the culture and sculpture capital of Angus! It doesn't get much better than that.
The club founded in 1879, plays in the Scottish League Division One (3rd tier).

This is Ian Dickson, who signed for Montrose in the 1960s and appeared in the Guinness Book of Records as the "youngest player to score a hat trick in an away league match in Scotland" and also as "a debutant in British Football".
This was against Third Lanark at Cathkill Park in a 4-7 loss. Ian scored 3 and assisted the 4th as an 18 year and 215 days old.

John McGovern of Nottingham Forest European Cup winning fame hails from Montrose as does Henry Waugh Renny Tailyour an amateur all-rounder who played international rugby and soccer for Scotland (in the same season) as well as being a first class cricketer. He played in the first FA Cup Final for the Royal Engineers in 1872 losing to the Wanderers 0-1. In 1874 he also lost against Oxford University, 0-2. In 1875 he finally won a winners' medal beating the Old Etonians 2-0.
He was asked to captain the Scottish XI.
Below is the RE team in 1872 and RT is seated second from left. He also played county cricket for Kent and various "jazz hat" clubs such as the I. Zingari and played in the Scotland team v England rugby match in 1872.


Tommy Lawton of England fame stands as youngest debut hat trick scorer when he notch 3 at 17 years and 5 days. scoring for Burnley v Spurs in 1936 where he started his career.
Alan Shearer at 17 years and 240 days scored his for Southampton v Arsenal in 1988.

DONNY MASCOT IN THE DOG HOUSE

 Its chilly outside today and I don't think that Tracy Chandler, a hairdresser by day, will be venturing out onto the Doncaster Rovers pitch in just her underwear. As the person usually inside the Donny Dog costume, she "got her Donny Dog kit off" in June 2011, as she appeared alongside the club mascot "Donny Dog" suit, in a saucy photo shoot for charity, which appeared in the "Sunday Sport" newspaper. Tracy is 40 years old and a mother of three who voluntarily raises money for NSPCC through her mascot costume, a voluntary act she had done for four years.

The club sacked her by email for "disgracing the club" and she descended into a flood of tears.
For her defense she said that there was a "naked players' calendar in the club gift shop, raising money for charity, and getting worldwide coverage". Mind you there were strategically placed balls. She was not going to take the Doncaster FC decision "lying down".
Her point was made and the club officials relented, giving her job back!

In the club's defense, a spokesman, Chairman John Ryan, said that "Donny the Dog is very popular with local children and the club didn't like to promote the association between Donny football and the saucy model."

If she chucked away that ridiculous costume and became the official mascot instead,  I bet the crowd numbers would increase.

Other mascots.......
https://baileyfootballblog.blogspot.com/2018/08/boiler-man.html

THE LONGEST FA CUP TIE

Its not quite an anniversary, but FA Cup ties are being played, so on November 22nd 1971, Oxford City (now the National League South)  met Alvechurch (now Southern League Premier Central) in a Qualifying Round Four FA Cup tie and finally managed a result after a record number of FA Cup ties.

Alvechurch from Worcestershire had already played in the First Qualifying Round v More Green 4-0
Then in Qual Rd 2: away at Darlaston 0-4
Qual Rd 3: at home to Atherstone Town 3-0 on a Saturday.
Oxford had no previous ties, being exempt until the Fourth Qualifying Round.

The Qual Rd 4 ties over 17 days, went as follows:
Alv v  Oxf City 2-2, Saturday at Alvechurch
Oxf v Alv 1-1 aet, Tuesday at Oxford City
Alv v Oxf 0-0 aet (neutral) on Monday at St Andrews, Birmingham
Oxf v Alv 0-0 aet (neutral) on Wednesday at the Manor Ground (Oxford Utd)
Oxf v Alv 0-0 aet (neutral The Manor Ground)

Oxf v Alv 0-1 (neutral at a frozen Villa Park).
Manager Rhys Davies had used up all his team talk phrases, by now, so ended up with a curious phrase about using "tonk and bottle".
A refined Villa Chairman, Doug Ellis, presented both teams with champagne in the changing rooms after the game (plastic cups!).
The Manor Ground, Oxford Utd hosted two ties.
Graham Allner played in all six matches for Alvechurch on:
the Saturday, Tuesday, Monday, Wednesday, Saturday, Monday in less than three weeks...oh.... and there was a league game thrown into this period too.

Alvechurch went on to play Aldershot in the Round One proper, two days later, away at the Recreation Ground, losing 4-2. Remember most of these players had jobs to go to also!

The record will stand for ever since the FA Cup committee has changed the rules so that after one replay cup tie go to penalties.

Aldershot lost to Reading in Round 2, Reading beat Blyth Spartans 6-0 at home after a 2-2 away.
Reading lost to Arsenal 1-2 at home in Rd 4.
Arsenal beat Derby after a draw, then Orient away in Rd 6, then beat Stoke after a 1-1 draw in the semi-final 2-1.

Much later in the competition Leeds beat Arsenal 1-0 at Wembley.

BILL NICHOLSON

Many thanks to my brother who alerted me to the video above, a tribute to the great Bill Nicholson OBE. Who? Come on, when I was 10, I noticed some outstanding results coming out of White Hart Lane (and from some away matches as well). Spurs went on to win the first League and Cup double of the 20th Century, as well as a Cup Final or two and some success in Europe.
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=10156180138023505
 He was born in Scarborough on January 26th 1919 and was a player, coach, manager and later a scout for the Spurs. He started his "career" working in a local laundry and was offered a trial having played for local side Northfleet FC at 17 years old. he joined the "groundstaff" (which in those days was how most players started their career) being paid £2 a week. He made a professional debut for Spurs against Blackburn Rovers on October 22nd 1938.

The Second World War got in the way but he developed a sporting knowledge through doing PE and by 1946 returned to Spurs, playing as a centre half back and then a right half for eight seasons.
He was very much part of the "push and run" Spurs team famed in the 1950s under Arthur Rowe, another legendary manager. He helped win the Second Division in 1949-50 and the First Division title in 1950-1.

He made an England debut in 1951 against Portugal and scored in 19 secs of the start of the game, but never played again.
He became first team coach in 1955 and then manager when his first match against Everton ended 10-4 to the Spurs. A memorable FA Cup tie win was against Crewe Alexandra 13-2. In the 1960-1 Double season Spurs scored 115 goals in 42 league games, having won the first 11 games in the division.

In 1962 Spurs won a consecutive FA Cup and got to a European Cup ("Championship") semi-final losing to Portugal's Benfica. There was a European Cup Winners Cup win in 1963 and an FA Cup win over Chelsea in 1967. League Cups in 1971, 1972 were won and a UEFA win in 1972. In 1974-5 Nicholson resigned. He had hoped for a double management appointment of Spurs captain Danny Blanchflower and Johnny Giles to succeed him, but the club committee didn't fancy that pairing. Nicholson left White Hart Lane with a "flea in his ear" and he eventually severed all ties with the club.

He returned under Keith Burkinshaw managership, as an advisor until 1991. In 1999, the approach to the ground was named Bill Nicholson Way.
There was eventually a testimonial match held at WHLane against Fiorentina, in 2001.
In 2003 he was inducted in the English Hall of Fame
Bill died in October 2004.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WpdrFTAxS4E

and finally since it's Sunday....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0d2VT5md6c

FIRST ENGLISH DEFEAT ON ENGLISH SOIL

The 25th November 1953 witnessed the day that England a football force was overtaken by The Mighty Magyars, the Hungarian football team. It was the first time that the English football was beaten by a non-British nation on "English soil".

The links below will tell you more and you should look at the You Tube link that shows the goals that the Hungarians scored at Wembley
http://baileyfootballblog.blogspot.com/2016/11/the-galloping-major.html
http://baileyfootballblog.blogspot.com/2015/11/rulers-of-world-once.html

Hungarians were the 1952 Olympic champions and World Youth Champions and were part coached by ex-England player Jimmy Hogan, who had played for Burnley and Fulham.

England were "outplayed, outpaced and outshot". It was 4-2 to the visitors at half time and 6-3 at the end. Puskas leads his Magyars out alongside England captain Bill Wright.
It was final time Billy got near Puskas for over 90 minutes!

Six months later as England toured Eastern Europe they lost again 1-7!

England's first defeat by a foreign nation on home soil was losing to Eire (ROI) at Goodison Park on September 21st 1949.

I remind you of the woeful effort by the star studded England team at the 1950 World Cup when they lost to the USA in qualifying rounds and failed to go on in the competition! (on 29th June, this was the first defeat to a non-European national team).

Their first defeat to a non-British national team was v Spain in May 15th 1929 3-4 in Madrid. Spain were part coached by Fred Pentland, who had been a bit of a journeyman footballer in England and abroad helping coach Spain under Jose Maria Mateos having served in the First World War. More about him in due course.

England's only defeat by a foreign nation on home soil was losing to Eire (ROI) at Goodison Park on September 21st 1949. I remind you of the woeful effort by the star studded England team at the 1950 World Cup when they lost to the USA! (on 29th June was the first defeat to a non-European national team).

UNDERDOGS ROVERS STING HORNETS

The Fourth Round proper of the FA Cup is taking the stage this weekend.
On January 23rd 2020, Watford fell foul at Tranmere Rovers in a Round 3 replay, losing 1-2 aet.  In their first encounter, Rovers forced a brave 3-3 away draw.

On January 13th 1912, as a Southern League club and underdogs, Watford held the very experienced Wolverhampton Wanderers, 0-0 in a First Round FA Cup tie on their home ground, not Vicarage Road in those days.

The replay on the 24th was not quite so satisfying when Watford, The Hornets, were hammered 10-0 at Molineux.They weren't known as the Hornets then.

Yes, nickname the Hornets! Obvious isn't it? Originally known as "The Benskins" after the local Brewery, (the building is now a museum), the club changed its colours to blue and became known as The Blues. In 1959 they took up the present colours and nickname,  The Hornets, rather than The Harts, a male deer (from the county Hertfordshire).

Wolves went on to beat Lincoln City 2-1 on February 3rd, but met their match against Blackburn Rovers away in the next round 3-2.
Rovers then met Manchester United away, drawing 1-1 and beating United 4-2 in the replay.
Rovers continued on their cup campaign to play West Bromwich Albion drawing 0-0 at neutral Anfield and then losing at Hillsborough 0-1.

IN the FA Cup Final, West Brom met Barnsley at Crystal Palace on April 20th, drawing 0-0 and lost the replay at Bramall Lane 1-0 three days later. Barnsley conceded only 4 goals in 12 Cup ties.

Of the 32 First Round ties that season obviously involving 64 clubs, the following were Non-League clubs:
Brentford, Blackburn Rovers, Crystal Palace, Portsmouth, Millwall, Crewe Alexandra, Croydon Common, Darlington, Brighton HA, Lincoln City, Leyton, Luton, Northampton, Norwich,  Southport Central, Southampton, Reading, Plymouth A, Sutton Junction, Walsall, West Ham and Watford.
AND QPR who drew league club Bradford City, who were the cup holders. 22 in total.

Teams that were regarded as "professional" at the time of playing in this First Round were:
Clapton Orient, Gainsborough Trinity, Glossop, Leicester Fosse, Stockport County and Woolwich Arsenal.

To round this off,  in the 2019-2020 competition, Manchester United played at Wolves and drew 0-0 in Round 3 and won the replay 1-0.

United, of course, play Tranmere Rovers in the Cup this weekend, on Sunday, at Prenton Park.

so there is a sort of link up here!

THE QUEEN IS DEAD, LONG LIVE THE SPURS

Queen Victoria died at Osborne House on the Isle of Wight, on January 22nd 1901, a Tuesday and yes, I do know that today is the 23rd. But you need to know this piece of history NOW in case, I cant tell you tomorrow.

As a consequence, The Football Association  proposed that all FA Cup ties due that day should be postponed. The decision was unpopular with a lot of clubs, who came under the control of the Football League in those days, "because the postponement interfered with "their" arrangements and seemed to point towards financial loss," said the Penny Illustrated. The FA was essentially an amateur association and the Football League clubs, of course by now were pros.

"It could not have come at a more unquestionable shape than the raised to the course (sic.) pursued by the officers of the FA".

"Professional clubs", the paper said, regard the "gate" (turnstile) as the be-all and end-all of football."

 It was their living after all.

The Southern League meanwhile decided not to postpone any matches, except for on the day of the Queen's funeral, stating that such a postponement would infringe on the players' right to earn a living. However this caused more friction and the FA competition was delayed until February.

The FA Cup  that season started with a Preliminary Round where the famous Sheffield FC (the original club ) played Attercliffe in one of the preliminary ties. There was then a Qualifying Round One, then a QR 2, a QR3,  a QR4, and a QR5. By this time the clubs were whittled down to was an "Intermediate Round"  of 12 ties. This lead to a Proper Round One when the more important clubs like Sheffield United joined in and Spurs, the a Southern League team, beat Preston.

Sheffield United met Sunderland away winning 2-1, then at home to Everton 2-0, Wolves away 0-4, and Aston Villa in the semi-finals 2-2, 3-0.

The adjusted round was played in early February and Spurs, then from the Southern League, beat the might of Preston North End, from the Football League, in Round One.
Spurs, having lost to Preston the season before, had admired Preston so much that the club chose to sport the same colours as the "most famous team" in England at the time. Spurs drew at home and won 4-2 away.
Next came in Round Two for Spurs were Bury beaten 2-1, in Rd 3 Reading away 1-1 and 3-0 at home, the Semi-final was against WBA and Spurs won 4-0 and the final was played at the Crystal Palace (below) drawn 2-2 crowd 110,000+ and away in Bolton won 3-1 (20,000+). Both games in April.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A9ZKkY6229U  the sound comes and goes.

Spurs then won the FA Cup next in 1921, then 1961, 1967, 1981, 1982 and 1991.

DEAN, SAMSON, WEAH

In alphabetical surname order!
Dixie Dean born 22nd January 1907: died on March 1st 1980.

https://baileyfootballblog.blogspot.com/2017/05/hair-grooming.html

Kenny Samson was interviewed by Jeremy Kyle on 22nd Jan 2016 about his alcoholism. He fell on hard times once he stopped playing having turned out for Crystal Palace, Arsenal (300+ times), Newcastle United, Coventry City, QPR, Everton and Watford, becoming the second most capped full back for England, winning 86 caps. From humble beginnings in Camberwell, his father left the family home and his mum was a cleaner. Despite various jobs in the media, gambling and alcohol got him in his spare time, so it was on the Jeremy Kyle programme that he told his story. Book him!(http://www.kennysansom.co.uk/)



George Manneh Oppong Weah, President of Liberia assumed office on this day 2018. He took the Oath of Office and may have reflected on his success in the past, including playing in the Premier League with Chelsea and Manchester City including an FA Cup Final win over Arsenal in 2000. He played for Bong Range United in Liberia to start with and moved clubs in his home country until Arsene Wenger snatched him into Monaco in 1988, then it went PSG 1992, AC Milan 1995 and was voted World Player of the Year in 1995, African Player of the Year 1996.
Signed on loan with Chelsea and then Manchester City 2000, Marseille 2001 and Al Jazira 2003. He made 478 appearances for his various clubs and scored 193 goals.

As well as doing good things politically in the country, he had used football as a way of improving many lives in Liberia, especially for children.

ANOTHER PLAYER IN THE WALL

I have a nice little Football Trivia book bought at the Holmfirth Oxfam bookshop recently. A small cost and my money, of course, going to charity. So it's a win, win! On page 52 there is a sub-title "Backs to the Wall".
Football lore has it that the first defensive wall was a free-kick constructed by the Northern Ireland defence during the World Cup Finals in Sweden in 1958. It was presumed to be the brain child of Peter Docherty and Danny Blanchflower (capt below). Danny's biography written by David Bowler describes the event against Italy after just 4 minutes of play in a World Cup qualifier.

Docherty played for Coleraine, Glentoran, Blackpool, Manchester 119 apps with a League medal in 1937, and  "War Time" football. He also won the FA Cup with Derby, scoring a goal in their 1946 win. He was a "genius" who had his players playing volleyball, basketball and "walking football" to develop jumping, movement and the development of calf muscles! He also managed at Donny, N.Ireland (team below) and Bristol City from 1949 until 1960.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPr2izpxb30

Since then the wall has been used to block free-kicks near the goal, with various controversies and law changes. The controversies include attacking players, sometimes in their own wall, backing into the defensive wall or pushing from the sides to cause disruption.

The latest addition is that when there is a wall of 3 or more defenders, no attacking player may join or stand closer than a metre from the wall, in front, behind or at the side, until the ball is in play.
Of course the defenders have to be 10 yards away from the ball and can put as many players as they like into the wall and indeed can do what this one is doing to block low shots!
Is it worth jumping in the wall? Have a look at this lot.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3vF6U_NTig

When was the first defensive wall built....my Wiki tells me 2029-1982 BCE by the Sumerian King Shulgi! It's one of those days!

In 1993 the USA coach, Bora Milutinovic, split the wall leaving a gap for the free-taker to shot through giving the defending goalkeeper an obvious choice. Needless to say, several attacking players blocked the gap and ducked if the shooter aimed through the middle.

Oliver Khan, the brilliant and very big German keeper asked for no wall, just players lurking ten yards from the kick, sort of makes sense given that the goalie would have to make the wall from a short 18 yards or so away, backing his own ability as a shot stopper. Inside the BOX might be a different matter?

THE ROMAN BATH

I was listening to a favourite radio station yesterday when Bath City FC was mentioned as a National League South club https://www.bathcityfc.com/   worth looking at their website.

Playing at Twerton Park in the Bath suburbs since 1932, "The Romans" has recently been backed by film maker Ken Loach of Z-Cars and Kes (he has an Honorary Doctorate at the Uni) since 2015. he hopes to help the club succeed at the  "Big Bath City Bid", a bid to make Bath City FC a Community Owned Club, with a one member one vote scheme to develop the club and clear debits. By 2016, £300,000 was raised and by 2017 the club was in "Community Ownership".
The scheme has also been backed by Eric Cantona (of all people).

Development of the Twerton Park ground is planned to help erase financial losses with a plan to increase the capacity to 5,000. A 3G pitch is planned, with student accommodation housing built on the site to bring in rent. The ground's proximity to a local cemetery and crematorium  suggests catering for Wakes at the ground may serve two purposes.

Bobby Zamora started his career there in 2000 and was later encouraged by Ian Holloway at Bristol Rovers to promote his career.

Bath has a huge reputation for rugby union of course and the city hosts Team Bath, student teams of a variety of sports based at the local successful university

In 2002-3, Team Bath, founded in 1999, became the first University side to reach the First Round Proper of the FA Cup  since 1880 when Oxford University achieved the equivalent success. The Dark Blues actually went to the final, losing to Clapham Rovers 1-0. On their way to the final, Oxford Uni met Wednesbury Strollers in Rd One, then Royal Engineers in Rd 2, Barnes Rd 3, Nottingham Forest in Round 4, losing 2-1. The football club in that form, shared Twerton Park (below) for a while, but disbanded in 2009, failing to maintain its financial backing with only small attendances to bring money into the club. The Plan is below.

BONNIE AND CLYDE, WHITE AND 007

It had to happen eventually, Bonnyrigg Rose FC from South east Edinburgh, Midlothian (know where that is? Think of Hearts?) had to meet Clyde (know where that is? Think of a river) at some stage and it was in the William Hill Scottish FA Cup, a sell out crowd at home for the Second Round tie yesterday at New Dundas Park,

with Ally Love (it all falls into place like the film) scoring the winner for Clyde in the 80th minute.
Bonnie was distraught, Clyde providing the shot.

This video shows a frantic part of the game!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fv3IO6fkmmA

Founded in 1874 as Bonnyrigg Swifts, the club became known as the Bonnyrigg Rose in 1881 and now play in the Lowland League, sort of National League equivalent in the Scottish Football hierarchy, having been promoted from the East of Scotland League last season. The club gained membership of the Scottish FA in June 2019 and have won the Scottish Junior cup in 1966 and 1978.

On their way to this 4th Round tie Rose beat Montrose 2-1 (3rd Rd), Buckie Thistle 2-0 (2nd Rd) and Fraserburgh 0-1 away (1st Rd).

Two great names from the club are, John White, "The Ghost of White Hart Lane, part of the 1960-1 Double Spurs side. Killed by a lightning strike, on a golf course on 21st July 1964.

and Sean Connery, of course........
https://www.scottishjuniorfa.com/scottish-junior-fa/history/sean-connery/  pick him out from the 1952 team photo!

THE HOLY TRINITY MAKE A DIFFERENCE?

On the 18th January 1964 Manchester United beat West Bromich Albion at home 4-1 with the "holy trinity" each scoring: Denis Law 2, George Best 1 and Bobby Charlton 1.

It was the first time that the three had played together. I am not suggesting they played every game after this but it is worth knowing how many games United had to deal with in the season, before and after the Holy Trinity. Charlton played 54 times scoring 17, Best 26/6 and Law 42/46....

Overall United had Gaskell and Gregg as goalkeepers,  Dunne, Brennan, Cantwell, Crerand, Foulkes as defenders, Stiles, Setters, Herd (44/27), G. Moore (not Bobby!), Charlton, Best, Quixall, Sadler, Ian Moir and Law in the regular team. Chisnall, Anderson and Tranter appeared a few times.

Before January 18th Man United had won 17 matches (cup and league) = 53%, drawn 5 with 10 (31%) defeats from 32 games.

In August, the season started badly with a 0-4 defeat to Everton in the FA Charity Shield. They played 3 matches in the month. In September they had 8 games, in October 6, November 5 and in December 7.
Before January 18th they played 2 games in the month.

After the 18th January, the "second half" of the season, they won 13 (56%) drew 5 and lost 5 (21%) from 23 games.

United opened its account on January 4th with a league game beating Southampton away 2-3, then had two league matches on consecutive Saturdays 11th v Birmingham City lost 1-2 and they played  WBA on the 18th, as described above.

The following Saturday (Jan 25th) United met Bristol Rovers home in the FA Cup in Round 4 winning 4-1, making a total of 4 matches in January.

There were two leagues games on February 1st and 8th.
They met Barnsley away in Rd 5 on February 15th winning 4-1,
then Sunderland in the 6th Rd three times, with draws and an eventual win 5-1.
Overall they played 7 games in the month including  the European Cup Winners Cup 1st leg v Sporting Lisbon (see below).

They finally bowed out of the FA Cup to West Ham 1-3 in the semi-final on March 14th and
Four days later (March 18th) lost in European Cup Winners Cup semi-final to Sporting Lisbon 0-5 away having been 4-1 up from the  February 26th 1st leg.

From March 21st to 30th they also had 5 league games making it 10 games in the month.

In April between 4th-25th they played 5 games. Overall they won 23 out of 42 league games and drew 7, scoring 100 goals and conceding 72. Free-style football??

If these numbers don't add up. sorry!

WAGES AND FEES

Blackburn Olympic in 1883 won the FA Cup with players who were regarded as local factory workers, who were being paid to play football. This was the first "professional" team to win the Cup since the competition began in 1872. This upset the amateurs, who were the founders of Association Football in England (and in the World!) but around 30 professional clubs, mainly in Lancashire and later the Midlands, were prepared to form their own "British Football Association" open to professional clubs, openly paying money to play.

In July 1885, the FA relented and allowed a player born within or living for two years within 6 miles of the club, to be paid. Derby paid their players £4 per week in 1893. The Scottish clubs who stood firm with amateurism (Queen's Park is a famous example) at the time lost players over the border.

By 1888-9 clubs like Preston NE were well integrated with Scottish players and they did the "Double".

In 1901-2 some professional footballers left the Football League, joining Southern League clubs that had no restrictions on wages. In 1903 the Scots lifted the ban on amateurism.

In 1919 the maximum wage in England was set at £10 pw. It wasn't until the early 1920s that European clubs (eg Italy in 1923) adopted professionalism.

18 January 1961 saw the "Maximum Wage" for English footballers abolished. It was £20 a week during the season and £17 per week in the summer.
Sounds not much doesn't it? bear in mind that prices were relatively lower in those days.

The Professional Footballers Union (Association) led by the well known, player, coach and pundit, Jimmy Hill, called a players' strike for the 21st January 1961. Three days before the date, the Football League gave in and banished the "Maximum Wage". As a result Johnny Haynes of  Fulham (594 apps) and England (56 caps) (below) suddenly earned £100 a week. Having achieved that pinnacle, Haynes didn't get a rise for 9 years! Haynes died from a brain haemorrhage in 2008 aged 71.

Jimmy Hill earned £18 a week and that didn't change throughout his entire career.
 Jimmy Hill and his chin (OBE), He died in December 2015.
In February 1979, Trevor Francis of Birmingham City and England, made headline news when he was sold for £1 million when he went to Nottingham Forest. The actual fee was £99,999 as set by Brian Clough, Forest manager, who didn't want the "young man" (a 25 year old) to let such fame as being the first ever Million £ footballer, go to his head.When additional fees were added including VAT,  the contribution to the Football League Provident Fund and the player's "cut" the total sum paid to Birmingham was eventually £1,180,000.
Forest failed to register their new man in time when he turned out for a "3rd" team game against Notts County. A crowd of about 40 saw his debut, but the club was fined £250 for having "no papers".
This meant he couldn't play in a European Cup tie at Grasshoppers Zurich, but he was allowed to fly via Concorde to play for his previous club, Detroit Express, in a friendly against New York Cosmos. he scored 6 in an 8-2 win.

In 1887 the disgruntled opponents hired a private detective to investigate Hibernian FC who had just won the Scottish Cup. He discovered that Hibs had been paying one player, a local stone mason, more for missing three days work, that he was usually paid by his employer in a week.
At the time, so called "broken time" payments, that is compensation for the loss of earnings at work, were allowed, but not being paid to play!
In 1887, John Glass, a Scottish financier, backed Celtic, paying players enticed from Hibs, who were "strictly amateur". Losing players meant that Hibs fell apart and had to wait until 1892 before they reformed.

The Bosman Ruling was in placed in 1995 and players could make demands as high as they wished! Average Premier League wages in 2020, amount to £280,000 p.w.

WHEN IRISH EYES.....

15th January 1958, a date that saw Northern Ireland play Italy in Belfast, the final tie in the World Cup Qualifying Group Eight.  The Irish won 2-1. Jimmy McIlroy of Burnley scored one and Wilbur Cush of Leeds Utd (below) scored the other.

A year earlier, on the 16th January 1957, at the start of the World Cup qualifying period, the Irish had played Portugal in Lisbon and managed a draw 1-1. They then lost to Italy in Rome 1-0 in April and beat Portugal 3-0 in May in Belfast. So Northern Ireland topped the group with 5 points and went to Sweden, while Italy, runners up, failed to qualify for the FIFA World Cup for the first time. Portugal also stayed at home. Uruguay, one of the favourites, also failed to qualify in South America, losing out to Paraguay in their group.

However the whole thing could have been very different for the Irish! It was FOG that changed history. The original match against Italy was due to be played on December 4th 1957, but with fog hanging around in Europe the referee assigned to the match by FIFA was Hungarian Istvan Zolt, who was fog bound and couldn't fly to Belfast. The petty Italians objected to a last minute stand in referee. With the crowd queuing to get in the ground and the players ready to get stuck in, FIFA allowed the two teams to play BUT insisted that it was only to be a "friendly". An unhappy crowd of 53,000, expecting a massive World Cup contest, had to be content with watching a lively 2-2 draw, with the Italians taking their wrath out on the Irish with some ferocious tackling, producing "The Battle of Belfast".

Northern Ireland did go to Sweden in the summer for the finals and so did England who beat the Republic of Ireland and Denmark in their qualifying group.

Scotland beat Spain and Switzerland qualified too.

Wales, with the great John Charles in the team, came third in their group behind Czechoslovakia, having drawn three games, played off again against Hungary, winning 2-1.  This entitled them to play another two legged SPECIAL  "qualifier" against Israel, winning 4-0 on aggregate. The tie came about after Sudan withdrew from the qualifying competition, making Israel the Asia-African winners (is Israel in either continent?). One way and another FIFA insisted that Israel play off against Wales.....no wonder they are grumpy.

All four British home nations therefore qualified for the first time.
16 nations qualified to go to Sweden and they were placed in 4 groups of 4.

England failed to move on to the quarter-finals from their group. They drew with the Soviet Union 2-2 (Derek Kevan and Tom Finney pen. scored) in their first game in the Nya Ullevi Stadium in Gothenburg (one I have been to over the years with the Gothia Cup).
England managed a creditable 0-0 draw with Brazil (eventual World Cup winners) in the Ullevi, once again and then drew with Austria 2-2 (Johnny Haynes and Kevan scored) whom they had to beat to ensure direct qualification. England went to a play off but lost 0-1 to the Soviets at the Ullevi again.

Brazil of course, didn't mess around and they took their place in the quarter-finals, after beating the Soviets 2-0, with Pele given his debut at 16 years old . Colleagues Garrincha, Didi, Vava (who scored 2 goals), were the core of the eventual World Cup winning team.
Young Pele is overwhelmed with his success in the Final.

Wales managed three draws with Mexico, Hungary and Sweden and then had to play off with Hungary again, winning 2-1.

Guess what? Scotland came last in their group with one point.

In the quarter-finals, Wales lost to Brazil 0-1 (Pele scored).
Northern Ireland lost 0-4 to France who had Juste Fontaine, one of their great players at centre-forward, scoring twice in the game and gathering 13 goals in total during the finals.

Brazil beat hosts Sweden in the final 5-2, Pele scoring 2, Vava 2 and Zagalo.

CHEUNG CHI DOY

Cheung Chi Doy, a young Chinese footballer, had seen Blackpool FC play during their tour to Hong Kong in 1958. At 14 years old he played youth football for Sin Tao.

He decided he would like to play for the club one day, no doubt liking the prospect of playing alongside stars such as Stanley Matthews (below) and being the first Chinese ethnic player to play in the Football League and indeed in Europe.

Cheung travelled to England in 1960, some how managed to have a trial with the club, then played for the Reserves and was successful. He signed the appropriate club forms, making his debut against Wolves on January 14th 1961, at seaside based Bloomfield Road.
Remarkably, fog enveloped the coastal town and the game was abandoned after 9 minutes. Cheung's historic record in ruined.

However, a week later he did make history, officially, against Bolton Wanderers away and was on the losing side, 1-3. Cheung then had to wait until November 25th 1961, scoring against Sheffield Wednesday, at Hillsborough. He played twice and had a 1 in 2 scoring record!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bia8u5uFuU0

Once he realised that his chances in England were limited, he moved back home. He played for the Chinese Taipei National side, doing the club rounds in Hong Kong (making well over 300 apps overall....102 at Sing Tao 1964-8) and he retired from playing in 1978, having also done the rounds in Canada (Vancouver Royals managed by Bobby Robson) and in the USA, the St Louis Stars.

Cheung then managed in China until 1985.
In 2011 he was arrested and fined for shoplifting in Hong Kong, hence the grumpy face!

Dai Wai-Tsun who played for Wolves U23s in 2017, is the only other Chinese Hing Kong born player to perform in English Football League.

JACK DUNNETT-NOTTS COUNTY

Jack Dunnett was a solicitor, Labour MP, property developer and chairman of Notts County FC. He was also president of the Football League during a challenging time in its history, between 1981-6 and 1988-9 and also vice-President on the FA at that time. He died on October 26th, 97 years old.

The Heysel Disaster in 1985 was on his watch when English clubs were banned from European competitions and on the country's return to Europe he persuaded Margaret Thatcher to abandon an ID scheme for use at matches with computerised turnstiles. He was also on the FA Executive Committee to discuss the Hillsborough Disaster.

His first involvement with football was as chairman at Fourth Division, Brentford FC. At this time the club was struggling and Dunnett moved to merge the club with Jim Gregory's QPR.  Appalled by the prospect of losing their club's independence, local business men stepped up and with supporters bought Dunnett out. Dunnett then moved on to secure the finances of Notts County FC.

As chairman of Notts County he managed the club's finances, organised investors and saw the club rise from the Four Division to the First in barely 10 years. As a local MP in Nottingham, he was a key figure in the city's political fortunes. Meeting people at games and holding clinics in local pubs enabled him to win 6 elections. he had the common touch.

In his two decades at Meadow Lane, he appointed Jimmy Sirrel as manager and the charismatic Scot took County to the Second Division by 1973 and then Sirrel moved on to Sheffield United in 1975, only to return, transforming the County side into a First Division unit by the end of the 1980-1 season.

A Scot, whose family moved south when he was a schoolboy, Dunnett was schooled at Whitgift in Surrey and read Law at Cambridge. War came and he left his studies serving in the Royal Fusiliers and Cheshire Regt. After the war he returned to Cambridge, qualified as a Lawyer and set up his own practice in Mayfair. Success on the property market gave him enough assets to become a name at Lloyds in 1968.
 He joined the Labour Party in 1949 and served on various councils, being elected to the GLC in 1964.

He made time to meet his public and worked hard to ensure that local schoolchildren and factory workers were part of his daily routine of visits, before meeting locals in the football club or in local pubs where he heard their problems. He amused locals by driving daily into the Notts County car park in his Rolls Royce or at the local election time, steering an old Ford Capri, with a megaphone on the bonnet.

He insisted, at election time, that the County players would canvas on behalf of his party, door to door. One player, Les Bradd, Notts County's highest goalscorer (398 apps/ 125 goals) , another Scot, was brought up a "Blue" so he did his own thing supporting the Tories, canvassing on street corners.
 Dunnett with club captain Bobby Ross in 1967 at the "start"in Division 4.
When County player, Alex Gibson retired from the club, it looked as though he would end up working in the city market, but Dunnett rescued him by hiring him as his driver, so Alex sat behind the wheel of the Rolls was many years.

In 1987, Dunnett stood down as director of County, with the club in debt, he left them a Lifeline fundraising scheme where fans pay in £2 a week with the prospect of cash prizes. It still runs today.

Notts County have played more league games than any other club. Remember they were the first professional club founded in England. They are now in the National League (for a while)!

WHO'D HAVE THOUGHT OF IT?

It is going to be a busy day and I fear Storm Brendan is on its way to the west coast; things could be getting choppy. Looks delicious at the moment doesn't it?

My colleagues and I are off to a pub, Who'd Have Thought It? at St Dominic's, Saltash somewhere on the Cornish Peninsular, to meet up with that legendary Hampshire Cricketer, Richard Victor Lewis and his lovely wife Suzanne. Just a pub lunch and a bit of a drive in the countryside.

So here are three blogs from the past years' trips with the Lubiles (don't ask!), set at about this time of the year.
https://baileyfootballblog.blogspot.com/2016/01/fair-dos-for-llanfair-utd.html
https://baileyfootballblog.blogspot.com/2017/01/the-value-of-community.html
https://baileyfootballblog.blogspot.com/2018/01/dartmouthmuch-ado-about-football.html

TORQUAY AGAIN, AND IT'S NOT EVEN CHRISTMAS

The FA spotted an opportunity some years ago when they founded the FA Trophy competition. Previously there was the FA Cup (1872) and the FA Amateur Cup (1893), the Football League Cup  was thrown into the hat and when Amateurism seamlessly merged with Professionalism, the FA scrapped the "Amateur" Cup and reformed the cup competitions for Non-League clubs at different levels into the FA Trophy and the FA Vase.

The FA Challenge Trophy, as it is fully known, was first won by Macclesfield Town. By 2008 it covered Steps 1-4 of the National League or L5-8 of the Football League.
Woking, Scarborough and Telford Utd have won the Trophy three times.

Present holders are AFC Fylde who have a home local derby with Southport this afternoon. Fylde beat Leyton Orient in last year's final at Wembley. Today Orient play Grimsby in the Sky Bet League Two, so they are back in business.

The FA Amateur Cup was scrapped in 1974 to be replaced by the FA Vase. Hoddesdon Town won the first Vase final beating Epsom and Ewell FC.
Whitley Bay have been winners four times and the following have won the Cup twice: Billericay Town (4 out of the first six finals), Tiverton Town (1998-9), Halesowen Town  (1985-6). Forest Green Rovers were the first Vase winners to go to the Football League. One former Football League team has been a Vase winner. Glossop North End; but that delves deeper into "history".  Present holders are Chertsey Town who built Cray Valley Paper Mills in 2019.

Today 11-Jan-2020,  I witnessed Torquay United being squashed by AFC Halifax in a decent FA Trophy 2nd Rd game 2-1. Nice stadium, Plainmoor!