THE FATHER OF FOOTBALL IN BRAZIL.

https://baileyfootballblog.blogspot.com/2019/07/charles-miller.html

Charles Miller at the St Mary's Club, Southampton 1893-4.
If you read the past blog, above, then you will soon find that Charles Miller was the most important person in the development of Brazilian football.  You will notice that I posted the blog on July 19th 2019 and might have chosen June 30th, which was the date of Miller's death in 1953, aged 78. (Born on November 24th 1874) he was a civil servant. His history is detailed in the above link.

On June 30th 1958, the Daily Herald reported on the great World Cup victory by the "new" Brazilian side, led by a sixteen year old, Pele. There were a few other famous names too...
The game was played on June 29th and hown live on TV for the first time. Pele and his team mates mesmerised the footballing fraternity.
Brazil were 3rd in the 1938 World Cup, then came the war. In 1950 Brazil were runners-up, quarter-finalists in 1954. Itj was onwards and upwards.

Four of OUR Home international sides qualified for the finals too, so we had something to shout about. By chance the Brazilians met hosts, Sweden, in the final and won 5-2. It was the first time a country from "another" continent would win the trophy. Captain, Didi, was presented with the trophy by the King of Sweden and Didi was man of the match, despite Pele's emotions.

In the qualifying league, England drew with Brazil, so we couldn't be that bad, could we? here is the final.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Syncd5yq8o4

PAUL GASCOIGNE et al.

OK granted this actually took place on June 28th 1991, but since I can't find a really good item for the 29th, I'm going for Gazza.

Terry Venables was the newly appointed chief executive of Tottenham Hotspur and he negoatiated the sale of Paul Gascoigne to Lazio Roma at the plush Hyde Park Hotel, Bayswater Road, west of Petersburg Place. Along with the various officials of Spurs and Lazio, there was Gino Santin, a London restaurant owner, who could speak Italian and who assumed the duties of Gazza's agent.

When the two parties couldn't agree the fee to pay Tottenham, the argument continued out in the street and Tottenham were lucky to be offered anything at all.
Gascoigne has badly injured a knee during the 1991 Cup Final on May 20th; I was there and saw it.

At Wembley, Gazza was pumped up, over excited and had already one footed Forest's Garry Parker in the chest with no response from Roger Milford, the Ref.
Gascoigne then went into his second horrible tackle of the game, an horrendous swipe on Gary Charles of Nottingham Forest. Gazza did a cruciate knee legiment  and was unlikely to play much in the foreseeable future. As Spurs owner, Alan Sugar explained; "We are talking about a fuckin' geezer with one leg". Lazio paid £5.5 million for a footballer who missed the entire following season.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BAfWKU-W7Gk

The FA Cup Final was eventually won by The Spurs, who then had won it most-8 times in the 110th final 1991. They also won it in 1901, 1921, 1961 and 1981. Sequence.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWPZMor1b-U
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPzjvSyOMQY
The final had the lot!

Gascoigne's two shocking tackles; he should have been sent off for the first one.
Pearce's free kick following Gascoigne's second indiscretion, to score after 16 mins.

Regarding the Forest free kick, did the ref notice the wrestling match on the right end of the wall with 10 and 6?
Then Thorstvedt's save.
Lineker was brought down and missed his pen. Forest keeper, Crossley, who saved the pen, became only the second goalkeeper to save a penalty in the Cup Final, (who else?) should have been sent off? A deliberate foul??
After 90 minutes 1-1.
In extra time.......
Paul Walsh's header hits bar.
Paul Stewart scores with a driven shot after 55'.
David Howell's header. (Did you know his partner's family lived in Totties.) below as a young one with mullett.

Des Walker's headed OG after 94'. 2-1 SPURS.

Justin Edinburgh, now deceased, was the last player from that squad to leave Spurs in 2000 and Ian Woan was the last player to leave Forest at the same time.

FA CUP 1919-20

Never short of a topic, I decided this time to go back to 1920 (note it's an anniversary) and the FA Cup. I watched last night's tie and hope to watch a game or two today.
The FA Cup and other football, of course, had been cancelled since the start of the First World War. The last Cup Final was held in 1915 and you will remember, it was known as "The Khaki Cup Final" since so many of the crowd attending were dressed in military kit. The teams were not.

All cup ties, in the revived tournament, had to be played on a Saturday and were 90 minutes long. If drawn the replay had to be played in the same week, with 30 minutes extra time if needed.

The attraction of the Cup, after the devastating War, meant the FA had to arrange an Extra Preliminary Round with 25 ties. There was then a Preliminary Rd, Six Qualifying Rounds, Four Proper Rounds to the Semi-finals and then of course the Final.

Noting that the Football League ran only two divisions before the War,  the following Non-League clubs had byes to Round One:
Southampton, Millwall, QPR, Crystal Palace, Swindon Town, Plymouth Argyle, Reading, Portsmouth, Brentford and Cardiff.

The last standing "unusual" clubs to go furthest in the Cup were:
Castleford Town v Hednesford Town (Castleford won), who then lost to Bradford PA 3-2
Clapton Orient (lost to Man City 1-4),
South Shields (lost to Liverpool after a home draw),
Thorneycrofts Woolston (who held Burnley to a 0-0 at home),
West Stanley (beat Gillingham 3-1 and then lost 4-0 to Spurs away).

Aston Villa made their way to the Final via QPR in Rd 1; 2-1, then Man Utd away 1-2, Sunderland 1-0 at home, Spurs away in the last 8; 0-1 and then Chelsea in the semi-final 3-1.

Town got there via Brentford 5-1 in Rd 1, Newcastle away 0-1, Plymouth at home 3-1, Liverpool 2-1 and Bristol City in the semi-final 2-1.

The Final was held on April 24th 1920 at Stamford Bridge, with just over 50,000 in the crowd. Villa saved the faces of the FA when they beat Chelsea in the semi and made sure that the Pensioners didn't play the final on their own pitch!

The steep terraces of the ground allowed a great view for all in the stadium and for a minimum charge of 3 shillings (15p in new money) they had a bargain.

In extra time, the 100th minute, Billy Kirton scored with a header. 61 years later at the celebration for the 100th Cup Final, Jack Swann of Town swore that it was an own goal by his team mate Tom Wilson.
Referee Jack "Jimmy" Howcroft (above), a well respected arbiter, was rarely wrong and he confirmed it was Kirton's!!

I have written this before but at the start of the season Town were on the edge of liquidation for financial reasons, but the locals rallied, players were sold and they finish the season with promotion from thre Second Division and a Cup Final place.

The League winners in 1919-20 were 1st Div: West Bromwich Albion and Tottenham in Div 2.

WHAT'S THE ORIGIN OF THE MAST?

All this began during a conversation with a Liverpool supporter at Hepworth Utd football this morning.
You will recognised the SS Great Eastern, the first great iron ship, built at the Millwall Iron Works on the Thames, designed by the great Isambard Kingdom Brunel in 1858. This great ship was 692 feet long and had space for 4,000 passengers. It sailed from Britain to Australia without refuelling. It originally had 5 funnels and paddle wheels. Before being beached and scrapped at Rock Ferry and New Ferry, on the Mersey, the ship was a cable layer and floating amusement park! It was eventually sold at auction in 1888 for £16,000 and scrapped in 1888-9.

If you know Anfield and look really carefully you will notice the "top section" of the mast either the 2nd or 3rd flag pole (sorry research so far unsure) from the right (bow).

The pole sports the flag of the famous Liver Bird, LFC's emblem and it is sited at a well known supporters' meeting place, on the corner of Walton Breck Road and Kemlyn Rd. This is where the Spion Kop (I hope you know the origins of this stand's history??) and Kenny Dalglish Stand meet.




I have read there is a claim that this flag pole has different origins, from the Royal Yacht Alexandra, so I shall leave that to you to sort out.

The residents of Anfield, where the Liverpool FC ground is sited and which was originally shared with Everton FC, paid for and erected the flag pole before they left Anfield for Goodison.

They purchased the mast when the great boat was being broken up and the mast was floated up the Everton Valley in 1892 and transported to Anfield by a variety of complicated roads and vehicles.

TOP FLIGHT WINS

So Liverpool won the Premier League but Manchester United have most top flight titles with 20 (13 for Sir Alex).
The most consecutive league titles from time beginning:
First up-Huddersfield Town 1923-4 to 1925-6.
The last season was managed by a gentleman from West Hoathly, Sussex, manager Cecil Potter (below). He went on to managed at Derby County, Hartlepool.

Town won the 1923-4 season over Cardiff City on goal average (as it was in those days-goals for /goals against). Both teams had 57 points:
HUDDERSFIELD T: W23 D11 L8 F60 A33  and CARDIFF C: W22 D13 Ll7 F61 A34 both 57 pts.
and in the last match HT beat Nottingham Forest 3-0 and Cardiff only drew 0-0 with Birmingham City who missed a penalty. With Goal Average 1.818 to 1.794! 60,000 were at Leeds Road.



Read about Herbert Chapman who managed Town and then went to The Arsenal 1925-34.

Arsenal 1933-4 when Chapman died from pneumonia in January, Joe Shaw took over for the season.
Liverpool 1982-4.
Manchester United 1999-2001 and 2007-9.
Everton have spent the most seasons in the top flight: 116.
Arsenal have spent the most consecutive seasons in the top flight: 94 (remember the Wars).

Clubs that have spent the fewest seasons in the top league: Glossop NE,
Northampton Town (who won promotion from 1960-65 with three promotions from Div 4 to the 1st Division and then slumped back to the Fourth Division by 1969-70.)

AND Leyton Orient, Carlisle United (I saw them play West Ham Utd in an early game that season), Swindon Town and Barnsley (I saw a few of those).

THREE BIRTHDAYS; MANY APPS; FEW GOALS

Just in case you missed the Saudi team photo from yesterday's blog, I have inserted it in yesterday's record! Another blip in the editing I'm afraid; the elderly gentlemen of Saudi Arabia's U16 (1989) squad are now in place.

It's Jamie Redknapp's birthday today; he is 46! Liverpool and Tottenham were his clubs, spanning 16 years and of course he is now fully committed to the media. Jamie was transferred at 17 years old for £350,000, one of the highest prices in footballing history for somebody of his age.
Jamie married Louise Nurding in 2017 they have  two children Charlie and BEAU! Louise sang with "Eternal"an R&B group. He played in 314 senior club matches scoring 34 goals and won 17 caps with 1 goal.

Neil Lennon, below. is even older at 48. He played at Glenavon in 1986 (2 apps; 1 goal), Man City for ONE game from 1987-1990, Crewe 1990-6 (147 apps; 15 goals), Leicester City 1996-2000 (170 apps; 6 goals), Celtic 2000-7 (214 apps; 3 goals), managing Celtic from 2010-14.
He has also been at Nottingham Forest 2007-08 (18 apps;0 goals), Wycombe W (9 apps;0 goals), Boston Wanderers and Hibernian. In total 560 apps with 25 goals (from midfield). Prolific!

Remember Scott Brown...below? He's a youngster at 34, though he looks the oldest. He played with Hibs from 2002 (110 apps 13 goals), Scotland in 2005 (55 caps; 4 goals), Celtic 2007 (over 370 apps; 28 goals) and married Lisa Taylor in 2009. They have a son, Shay and sadly lost a daughter, Fiona, from Cancer in 2008.

MEN AND BOYS

FIRSTLY APOLOGIES FOR THE DOG'S BREAKFAST OF A BLOG YESTERDAY (blame Covid?)-it has been edited but will probably still be rubbish. Apologies to Brian Hall (deceased) and thanks to my editor.



These fresh faced lads from 1989, will be getting on a bit by 2020. They are the Scottish FA U16 Squad that ALMOST won the FIFA U16 World Cup Final on June 24th 1989 at Hampden Park. Below them are the bearded and mature looking Saudi Arabian side that the Scots took to penalties but lost 4-5. The claims were that one of the Saudis was in the Royal Guard back in SA, another married with three kids and the keeper looked like Peter Shilton in every dimension. WE are NOT bitter.

The Scottish nippers were brought to Largs, the Scotland FA HQ on the Clyde, where they were exposed to the senior side training camp and national coaches including Ferguson, McLaren and Smith, who were assisting with a national coaching course. They were included in the coaching and obviously learned a lot.

The reward for the Saudi lads, for bringing glory to their country was $35,000 a "man", the Scots just had the glory, probably a wee dram and a new kilt and a few decent contracts in British football.
Neil Murray went to Rangers, Bollan to Dundee Utd, Hagen to Livingston and Marshall played 27 times for the Gunners.

From that squad, Brian O'Neill of Celtic, Paul Dickov, who was at Arsenal and James McLaren won full international caps eventually.
Others got bad knees, fell out of love with the game, one ended up as a car salesman and Man of the Tournament keeper, James Will, became a policeman.
Beattie went on to be a taxi driver, Downie a postman and McGoldrick worked in a tannery; just a few amongst the lads who lived the dream in '89.

During the tournament, held at Scotland's most prestigious stadia, qualifying began on June 10th, when the Scots drew with Ghana 0-0 at Hampden (6,000) and missed a penalty!
Shaking hands with Tournament guest, PELE, before the game must have unsettled the chaps.
12th June: beat Cuba 3-0 at Fir Park (3,000)
14th June: drew Bahrain 1-1 at Fir Park 13,500
17th June: beat German Dem Rep 1-0 at Pittodrie 10,300
24th June: 2-0 UP v SA aet 2-2, Pens 4-5 ...DOH! 58,000 saw this.

There are other great Scottish successes and failures.....dare I?