THE STANDING KOP (s)

 Football On This Day – 30th April 1994

This was the last match to be played in front of Anfield's world famous Kop stand. Built in 1905-06, it was named in memory of the many Scousers from the Liverpool Battalion, who lost their lives during the Battle of Spioenkop (a steep-sided hill, on which in Afrikaans, "spioen" means "look out" and "kop", "hill") during the Second Boer War at Ladysmith, South Africa in January 1900. Over 300 British soldiers were killed. Many of the Lancashire Fusiliers who died in the battle, were from Liverpool, prompting the Liverpool Echo sports editor Ernest Edwards to dub Anfield’s new open-air embankment ‘The Kop’ in 1906.

The first recorded reference to a sports' terrace, as "Kop", related to Woolwich Arsenal's, at the Manor Ground in 1904.

A local newsman likened the silhouette of fans standing on a newly raised bank of earth to soldiers standing atop the hill at the Battle of Spion Kop. Two years later in 1906, the Liverpool Echo, sports editor Ernest Edward noted of a new open-air embankment at Anfield: "This huge wall of earth has been termed 'Spion Kop', and no doubt this apt name will always be used in future in referring to this spot."

The vast terrace was duly replaced by an all-seater Kop in line with the Taylor Report, which followed the tragic events at Liverpool's FA Cup semi-final against Nottingham Forest at Hillsborough, Sheffield in 1989.

At this final home match of the season, Roy Evans' Liverpool, welcomed back onto the Anfield pitch former players including Billy Liddell, Kenny Dalglish, Tommy Smith, Ian Callaghan and Steve Heighway to mark a sad occasion….the last match in front of a standing Kop, 44,349 strong. First used in 1906 in its heyday, the Kop accommodated around 30,000 standing supporters but capacity had been reduced to around half that for the final match against Norwich City. This was an end to standing terraces in the top divisions with all-seater stadiums being the future. Norwich, managed by John Deehan, won 1-0 from a Jeremy Goss goal after 35 minutes.

The new Kop still stands and currently houses the club's museum, the Reducate centre and the official club shop.

Following the opening of the Tottenham Stadium, Anfield's Kop ceased to be the largest single-tier stand in the country. The South Stand of the new stadium has 17,500 seats and has an incline of 34 degrees, making it one of the steepest stands in the country.

Aston Villa's old Holte End, was historically the largest of all Kop ends, closely followed by the old South Bank at Molineux, both once regularly holding crowds in excess of 30,000. p.s. there are many Kops in British and some European football stadia, e.g.PSG.

THE POSH, BLY AND PAYNE

 Football On This Day – 29th April 1961

One this day, a 15,318 London Road crowd saw home team, Peterborough United beat Barrow 6-2 in their final Division Four match of the season. Not only did Posh top the division in their first Football League season, but those six goals saw the club complete the season with a record 134 League goals. Terry Bly (below) scored a hat-trick against Barrow to finish the season with 52 League goals, a post-war League best.

Peterborough United Football Club officially came into being on 17th May 1934 when a meeting at the city's now long demolished Angel Hotel decided to form a professional club to fill a void left by the collapse of Peterborough and Fletton United two years earlier. 

Peterborough's application to join the MIdland League was welcomed by the league, however, the representatives from the club did not have the money to pay for the security deposit, entry fee and subscription. Grantham Town FC loaned the money to The Posh who began selling shares to raise funds.

4,033 fans attended The Posh's first league match which ended in a 4–0 victory over Gainsborough Trinity. William Rigby scored the team's first goal. Local councillor Jack Swain, appointed acting chairman, told the gathering: 'I think that with the revival of old enthusiasm in the city, Peterborough will ultimately find a place in the Football League.' 

They won the Midland League on six occasions, including five seasons in a row from 1956 to 1960. 

The Posh were elected to The Football League for the beginning of the 1960-1 season, soon winning Division Four.

It took almost 40 years for that dream to come to fruition, with the Posh replacing "relegated" Gateshead.

The club's 'Posh' nickname has obscure origins but it is believed to have stemmed from player manager Pat Tirrel who in the close season, 1921 said he was looking for 'Posh players for a Posh team.' Peterborough and Fletton FC, also known as the 'Brickies’ (the local employer), folded in 1932 with considerable debts and the new club had to obtain confirmation from the Football Association and Northamptonshire Football Association that there were no liabilities. 

The delight of representatives at the annual meeting of the Midland League, where a membership application was welcomed with open arms, turned to sheer panic when it was realised they didn't have the cash between them to pay a £20 security deposit, a 10 guinea entry fee and 5 guinea subscription. Grantham Town loaned the cash and back home the Posh officials set about raising funds through the sale of five shilling shares, around 150 turning up for a first shareholders' meeting on 31st July 1934 when a ten strong board of directors were elected. When Posh resigned from the Midland League in 1960 after their election to the Football League, the original £20 deposit was refunded!

The London Road ground was hired from Peterborough City Council. The weekly Posh wage bill was £38 and admission charges were set at one shilling for men (5p), six pence (2.5p) for women and the unemployed and, one shilling for transfer to the stand. City Council workmen built new dressing rooms and local businesses helped; Midgate outfitters E.B.Jackson donated shirts, Hoyles of Westgate gave towels and George Stokes of Church Street presented a new football. 

A crowd of 4,033 turned out on 1st September 1934 to see the Midland League campaign begin in some style with a 4-0 beating of  Gainsborough Trinity, the distinction of scoring the first Posh goal going to Len Hargreaves who had been signed from Luton Town. 

Posh began in green shirts with a while 'V' on the front, white shorts and black socks with a green top carrying two white hoops and as early as November 1934, when a statutory meeting took place, it was suggested the club should think seriously of seeking a league place. Which eventually they did!!!

You might enjoy this "top goal scorers"  website

https://www.statista.com/statistics/1079050/top-scorers-english-league-since-1888/

Player Total Club(s) with Season

William 'Dixie' Dean		60	Everton				1927-28
George Camsell			59	Middlesbrough			1926-27
Ted Harston			55	Mansfield Town			1936-37
Joe Payne			55	Luton Town			1936-37
Terry Bly			52      Peterborough United		1960-61
Clarrie Bourton			49	Coventry City			1931-32
Tom 'Pongo' Waring		49	Aston Villa			1930-31
David 'Harry Abe' Morris	47	Swindon Town			1926-27
Alf Lythgoe			46	Stockport County		1933-34
Derek Dooley			46	Sheffield Wednesday		1951-52
Peter Simpson			46	Crystal Palace			1930-31
Jimmy Hampson    		45	Blackpool			1929-30
Kevin Hector			44	Bradford Park Avenue		1965-66
Arthur Rowley			44	Leicester City			1956-57
Tom Bamford			44	Wrexham	        		1933-34
William 'Dixie' Dean		44	Everton				1931-32
Albert Whitehurst		44	Rochdale			1926-27
Jimmy Cookson			44	Chesterfield			1925-26
Brian Clough 			43 	Middlesbrough			1958-59
Tommy Johnston     		43	Leyton Orient/Blackburn Rovers	1957-58
Frank Newton			43	Fulham				1931-32
David Halliday			43	Sunderland			1928-29
Andrew Rennie			43	Luton Town			1928-29
Ted Harper			43	Blackburn Rovers		1925-26

Payne scored 10 goals for Luton Town in one game on 13/4/1936 v Bristol Rovers

1934-8 he scored 83 goals in 72 games for Luton+from 1938-45 21/36 for Chelsea

THE WHITE HORSE FINAL and CHARLTON'S LAST GAME

Football On This Day – 28th April 1973

Bobby Charlton played in his 606th and last League match for Manchester United, unfittingly, a 1-0 defeat against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. His six League goals that season was enough to see him finish as the top scorer for United in 1972/73, when the club finished just above a relegation spot. On the same day his older brother Jackie played his last League game for Leeds against Southampton at the Dell. Jackie's whole League career was at Elland Road although Bobby went on to play for Preston after leaving Old Trafford.

He debuted at United on October 6th1956 at Old Trafford v Charlton in a First Division game.

Also on this day in 1923, Bolton beat West Ham United 2-0 in the FA Cup Final. It was the first match to be played at Wembley and the last FA Cup Final not to be all-ticket.

The official attendance was 126,047 but perhaps over 200,000 gained access to the ground. The match, which kicked off 45 minutes late, became known as the 'White Horse Final' in honour of the policeman, Constable George Scorey who rode Billy the white horse, who helped keep the crowds back behind the touchlines to allow the match to be played. Below are the scenes prior to the match and the way to the final (not for the horse...he went by road). The second goal by John Smith apparently was kicked back onto the pitch to Ted Vizard, by a member of the crowd, standing by the touchline. Vizard centred and Smith converted! West Ham complained but it was too late for that!

F.A. Cup
1922/23  Results
* denotes non-league club
First Round
Sat	Jan	13		Aberdare Athletic		1	-	3		Preston North End
Sat	Jan	13		Aston Villa		0	-	1		Blackburn Rovers
Sat	Jan	13		Blyth Spartans*		0	-	3		Stoke
Sat	Jan	13		Bradford City		1	-	1		Manchester United
Wed	Jan	17			Manchester United	2	-	0			Bradford City
Sat	Jan	13		Brighton & Hove Albion		1	-	1		Corinthians*
Wed	Jan	17			Corinthians*	1	-	1			Brighton & Hove Albion
					(the match was played at the Crystal Palace)
Mon	Jan	22			Brighton & Hove Albion	1	-	0			Corinthians*
					(the match was played at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea FC)
Sat	Jan	13		Bristol City		5	-	1		Wrexham
Sat	Jan	13		Bury		2	-	1		Luton Town
Sat	Jan	13		Cardiff City		1	-	1		Watford
Wed	Jan	17			Watford	2	-	2			Cardiff City
Mon	Jan	22			Cardiff City	2	-	1			Watford
					(the match was played at Villa Park, Aston Villa FC)
Sat	Jan	13		Chelsea		1	-	0		Rotherham County
Sat	Jan	13		Clapton Orient		0	-	2		Millwall
Sat	Jan	13		Derby County		2	-	0		Blackpool
Sat	Jan	13		Everton		1	-	1		Bradford Park Avenue
Wed	Jan	17			Bradford Park Avenue	1	-	0			Everton
Sat	Jan	13		Huddersfield Town (holders)		2	-	1		Birmingham
Sat	Jan	13		Hull City		2	-	3		West Ham United
Sat	Jan	13		Leicester City		4	-	0		Fulham
Sat	Jan	13		Liverpool		0	-	0		Arsenal
Wed	Jan	17			Arsenal	1	-	4			Liverpool
Sat	Jan	13		Manchester City		1	-	2		Charlton Athletic
Sat	Jan	13		Merthyr Town		0	-	1		Wolverhampton Wanderers
Sat	Jan	13		Newcastle United		0	-	0		Southampton
Wed	Jan	17			Southampton	3	-	1			Newcastle United
Sat	Jan	13		Norwich City		0	-	2		Bolton Wanderers
Sat	Jan	13		Nottingham Forest		0	-	0		Sheffield United
Thu	Jan	18			Sheffield United	0	-	0			Nottingham Forest
Mon	Jan	22			Sheffield United	1	-	1			Nottingham Forest
					(the match was played at Meadow Lane, Notts County FC)
Thu	Jan	25			Sheffield United	1	-	0			Nottingham Forest
					(the match was played at Hillsborough, Sheffield Wednesday FC)
Sat	Jan	13		Oldham Athletic		0	-	1		Middlesbrough
Sat	Jan	13		Plymouth Argyle		0	-	0		Notts County
Wed	Jan	17			Notts County	0	-	1			Plymouth Argyle
Sat	Jan	13		Portsmouth		0	-	0		Leeds United
Wed	Jan	17			Leeds United	3	-	1			Portsmouth
Sat	Jan	13		Queens Park Rangers		1	-	0		Crystal Palace
Sat	Jan	13		Sheffield Wednesday		3	-	0		New Brighton*
Sat	Jan	13		South Shields		3	-	1		Halifax Town
Sat	Jan	13		Sunderland		3	-	1		Burnley
Sat	Jan	13		Swindon Town		0	-	0		Barnsley
Thu	Jan	18			Barnsley	2	-	0			Swindon Town
Sat	Jan	13		Tottenham Hotspur		0	-	0		Worksop Town*
Mon	Jan	15			Worksop Town*	0	-	9			Tottenham Hotspur
					(the venue was switched to White Hart Lane, Tottenham Hotspur FC)
Sat	Jan	13		West Bromwich Albion		0	-	0		Stalybridge Celtic
Wed	Jan	17			Stalybridge Celtic	0	-	2			West Bromwich Albion
Sat	Jan	13		Wigan Borough		4	-	1		Bath City*

Second Round
Sat	Feb	3		Bolton Wanderers		3	-	1		Leeds United
Sat	Feb	3		Brighton & Hove Albion		1	-	1		West Ham United
Wed	Feb	7			West Ham United	1	-	0			Brighton & Hove Albion
Sat	Feb	3		Bristol City		0	-	3		Derby County
Sat	Feb	3		Bury		3	-	1		Stoke
Sat	Feb	3		Charlton Athletic		2	-	0		Preston North End
Sat	Feb	3		Chelsea		0	-	0		Southampton
Wed	Feb	7			Southampton	1	-	0			Chelsea
Sat	Feb	3		Leicester City		0	-	1		Cardiff City
Sat	Feb	3		Middlesbrough		1	-	1		Sheffield United
Thu	Feb	8			Sheffield United	3	-	0			Middlesbrough
Sat	Feb	3		Millwall		0	-	0		Huddersfield Town (holders)
Wed	Feb	7			Huddersfield Town (holders)	3	-	0			Millwall
Sat	Feb	3		Plymouth Argyle		4	-	1		Bradford Park Avenue
Sat	Feb	3		Sheffield Wednesday		2	-	1		Barnsley
Sat	Feb	3		South Shields		0	-	0		Blackburn Rovers
Thu	Feb	8			Blackburn Rovers	0	-	1			South Shields
Sat	Feb	3		Tottenham Hotspur		4	-	0		Manchester United
Sat	Feb	3		West Bromwich Albion		2	-	1		Sunderland
Sat	Feb	3		Wigan Borough		2	-	4		Queens Park Rangers
Sat	Feb	3		Wolverhampton Wanderers		0	-	2		Liverpool

Third Round
Sat	Feb	24		Bury		0	-	0		Southampton
Wed	Feb	28			Southampton	1	-	0			Bury
Sat	Feb	24		Cardiff City		2	-	3		Tottenham Hotspur
Sat	Feb	24		Charlton Athletic		1	-	0		West Bromwich Albion
Sat	Feb	24		Derby County		1	-	0		Sheffield Wednesday
Sat	Feb	24		Huddersfield Town (holders)		1	-	1		Bolton Wanderers
Wed	Feb	28			Bolton Wanderers	1	-	0			Huddersfield Town (holders)
Sat	Feb	24		Liverpool		1	-	2		Sheffield United
Sat	Feb	24		Queens Park Rangers		3	-	0		South Shields
Sat	Feb	24		West Ham United		2	-	0		Plymouth Argyle
Fourth Round
Sat	Mar	10		Charlton Athletic		0	-	1		Bolton Wanderers
Sat	Mar	10		Queens Park Rangers		0	-	1		Sheffield United
Sat	Mar	10		Southampton		1	-	1		West Ham United
Wed	Mar	14			West Ham United	1	-	1			Southampton
Mon	Mar	19			West Ham United	1	-	0			Southampton
					(the match was played at Villa Park, Aston Villa FC)
Sat	Mar	10		Tottenham Hotspur		0	-	1		Derby County
Semi-Finals
Sat	Mar	24		Bolton Wanderers		1	-	0		Sheffield United
					Played at Old Trafford, Manchester United FC
Sat	Mar	24		West Ham United		5	-	2		Derby County
					Played at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea FC
Final   Played at Wembley Stadium, London
Sat	Apr	28		Bolton Wanderers		2	-	0		West Ham United

Goals by Jack and Smith

If you are still with me, use this link to view the Preliminary Roounds, made up mainly from northern colliery villages!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1922%E2%80%9323_FA_Cup_qualifying_rounds