DIAGONALLY OPPOSITE-340 miles apart!

Since it's January 29th, this is not entirely an original blog (part previously published a while back) but the programme cover should be interesting enough  to get your juices flowing. Try to find a date, fixture, reference to the FA Cup.......on it! Can't?? It's Jan 29th 1949-worth 2d (two pence) every penny!

73 years ago, on January 29th 1949, lounging mid-table in the Southern League, Somerset based, Yeovil Town, beat the "mighty" Sunderland AFC, 2-1, on the Town's famously sloping, Huish Athletic Ground pitch.  It was an FA Cup Round 4 tie. 

Sunderland with many fine players were known at the time, as the "Bank of England club " due to their spending and wages. Len Shackleton bought for £20,500 (a lot in those days), was their gold star player, whereas,Yeovil's goalkeeper was making his first appearance. Yeovil playing "mind games" would not allow their famous visitors to train on the sloping pitch before the game.

Yeovil, known as The Glovers, completed this giant killing with 10 fit players, when winger, Jack Hargreaves, was injured after only 10 minutes from the start of the game. There were no subs in those days, so the crowd of 17,123 saw Yeovil score through player-manager Alec Stock-see below, (after 28 mins) and then Eric Bryant in "extra-time", (105 minutes), while Sunderland could only manage a goal from Jackie Robinson (62 mins). Video below!

The game had to be finished on the day due to fuel shortages, following the War, so there was only extra time offered by the FA on the day.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQjSOW8V330

On the anniversary day of this cup feat in 2009, an attempt to celebrate the Sunderland cup victory was postponed by the Huish waterlogged pitch, despite past and present players making themsleves available.  Some more words about Yeovil.

https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/3994718670252035536/3007359597786321804

Yeovil Town FC, previously as a "non-league" club, has beaten 20 Football League clubs in the FA Cup-a record. The club joined the Football League in 2003. 

On their way to the Sunderland fixture, Yeovil had beaten Lovell's Athletic away 2-3 (FA Cup Qual Rd 4) having been 2-0 down at half time. Then Romford 4-0 at home (R1 Proper), then Weymouth away 0-4 (R2), followed by Bury FC, a club near the top of the Second Division at the time, 3-1 at home, in Rd3. Then came Rd4.

In the 5th Round Yeovil drew Manchester United at Maine Road (played there due to war damage at Old Trafford) and lost 0-8. 80,000 turned up to see this. United lost in the semi-final to Wolves after a replay. The Wolves beat Leicester in the Final 3-1.

(In 2017-18 in the FA Cup Rd 4 Yeovil Town met Man Utd again at home losing 0-4)

Alec Stock played 30 times for QPR before the war and then managed clubs in over 1600 games, from 1946 to 1980. He was born in Peasdown St John, in Somerset. No wonder then, he spent his first 3 years playing and managing at Yeovil. Stock later looked after Leyton Orient (10 yrs), AS Roma (briefly), QPR (9yrs), Luton, Fulham, QPR again and Bournemouth. Alec is shown below.....

Ron Manager, on the Fast Show and acted by Paul Whitehouse is based on Stock. (a remarkable likeness) See this.......

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3NeRoSFZWbs

and as bonus during "lockin", "lockup", "lockdown" have a laugh!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6PigM5UmqmY

Len Shackleton, international, celebrity, showman, rebel, eccentric, brilliant! ...but was robbed in possession by Stock, who made the incisive pass to colleague Bryant who put the Glovers into the next round.

Today, Yeovil visit Woking in the Vanarama National League and Sunderland (presently second in Football League Division One) are losing at Bolton.