I TOLD THEM OLDHAM!

My local club, UniBond Division 1 side, Stocksbridge Park Steels had their moment in the national headlines when they beat Oldham Town 17-1 in an FA Cup Preliminary Round tie in 2002. The Sheffield club's Paul Jackson scored 10 goals and equalled the FA Cup record set by Chris Marron with South Shields in 1947. Not good news for Oldham Town, but any publicity is good publicity!

Ted McDougall's nine goals for AFC Bournemouth against Margate in 1971 remains the record in the FA Cup proper, whereas Jackson's ten is the equal record for the qualifying rounds. The Steels' record defeat was a 7–2 loss to Witton Albion in the 2001–02 season.

Oldham Borough F.C. was an English club based in Oldham, Greater Manchester, England. The club was founded in 1964 as Oldham Dew F.C. by George Dew, a local building contractor, as a work's football team. For the first two seasons, the club played amateur football with their home ground being at a local sports club, after which the club moved to Nordens Road, Chadderton since the mid 1960s.

After two seasons in amateur play, the club moved to Saturday football in the South East Lancashire League. The club gradually expanded and sought a higher level of competition, eventually moving into the Lancashire Combination League in 1981. In 1982 the Lancashire Combination merged with the Cheshire County League to form the North West Counties Football League, of which Dew were founder members in Division Three. In 1985 the club changed its name from Oldham Dew to Oldham Town and again in October 2009 to Oldham Borough.

At the end of that season they gained promotion to Division Two, before the resignation of manager Ken Hughes, as he became chairman of the club.  Following Hughes's resignation, the club failed to win many honours, as they would only win the Petit Cup and the Isle of Man Cup until 1991–92. In 1991, the club started youth squads at Under-14 and Under-15 levels of competition – both of which gained quick success.

They remained in Division One of the North West Counties League, resigning at the end of the 2014–15 season. They played their home games at Seel Park, home of Mossley, (remember my recent Blog on my visit to Mossley?) in the 2014–15 season. 

In 2014, the club, who had spent the previous two seasons playing at the Atherton Collieries AFC ground, 18 miles outside Oldham, after leaving the Whitebank Stadium, applied to Oldham Council to ground share at the Council owned Broadway ground with Chadderton F.C., however the application was rejected after objections from local councillors and the host club.

CHARLES BUCHAN AND THE NORTH LONDON DERBY

29th August 1925 was the Saturday of the first weekend of the new season, with a classy opening fixture between Arsenal at Highbury, hosting Tottenham Hotspur. Arsenal welcomed two new men to their "fold", the revolutionary manager, Herbert Chapman and Sunderland's top goal scorer, Charles Buchan. At 33 years old, Buchan was still hot property and Sunderland manager, Bob Kyle, wanted £4,000 for Buchan's transfer, claiming he was a 20 goals a season player. (note that the number of games per season would have been fewer at that time). The result 0-1 to Spurs. They met later on January 2nd 1926, in a 1-1 draw.

AND how about these Christmas fixtures?

25 Dec 1925	Arsenal v Notts County	W	3-0	League Division One
26 Dec 1925	Notts County v Arsenal	L	4-1	League Division One

Chapman (below) had led Huddersfield Town to two consecutive, First Division Championships (top division!) in the 1920s. Arsenal's chairman, Henry Norris, brokered a deal which involved a payment of £2,000 and promised to pay £100 per goal scored by the new forward during his debut season. Buchan scored 21 goals, Arsenal finished runners-up, 5 points behind Huddersfield!

Chapman had a few tricks up his sleeve, so on signing David Jack in 1928, Chapman made sure that the Bolton "big wigs" were given double measures of alcohol, while he drank his own "whisky and ginger" which would remain free from the hard stuff. Sober, Chapman managed to knock off more than £2,000 of Jack's fee. He was probably football's first "forward looking" commercial manager.

Buchan and Chapman didn't have a very good start to their Arsenal careers, losing to Spurs and then  0-7 away at Newcastle a month later. In the end these results had an influence as Buchan insisted on playing with an extra central defender to counter what was the new "Offside Law". The fowards benefitted too as they worked out the newly applied offside law. The new tactic set by Chapman known as the WM system, led to Arsenal's dominance in the 1930s.

Buchan (left as a player) eventually retired, scoring 56 goals in 112 games-some symmetry! After his last match at Everton in 1928, The Guardian stated that Buchan was presented with "a token of esteem and good wishes. a portfolio and gold mounted fountain pen and pencil" by the club. 

The pen helped  Buchan as he became a journalist for the Daily News and some will remember that he also edited the "Charles Buchan's Football Monthly" and annually, a Christmas album of collected best articles, with photographs and cartoons chosen from his year's editions. I was given several as a child and subscribed to the magazine.

CELTIC'S GOALS

On the 28th August 2022, CELTIC  scored a huge victory over Dundee United 0-9  ij the Scottish Premiership, with goals from Kyogo Furuhashi after 15', 40', and 47 mins: Jota scored after 45 +6 mins: and Abada after 50', 59' and 77. Juranovic 55', Starfelt 81'. Beautiful Scottish surnames.

GOALS SCORED: World record for total number of goals scored in a season (competitive games only): 196 (1966–67 season)

On Sunday 28th August, Celtic managed a "high score" in their League match v Dundee United, a 0-9 win away from home.

• Most goals in all competitions: Jimmy McGrory, 522.
• Most League goals: Jimmy McGrory, 396.
• Most Scottish Cup goals: Jimmy McGrory, 74.
• Most League Cup goals: Bobby Lennox, 63.
• Most European goals: Henrik Larsson, 35.
• Most goals in one season: Jimmy McGrory, 62 (during the 1927–28 season).
• Most League goals in one season: Jimmy McGrory, 50 (during the 1935–36 season).
• Most hat-tricks: Jimmy McGrory, 56 (55 games including one double hat-trick)
• Most penalties scored: Mike Haughney, 23.
• Most goals scored by player in a match:
  • League match: Jimmy McGrory, 8 goals, won 9–0 (against Dunfermline Athletic, 14 January 1928).
  • Scottish Cup match: John Campbell, 7 goals (against 5th KRV, 17 December 1892).

ONCE DITHERING AT TYTHERINGTON: NOT NOW!

 

Tytherington is an area in the north of Macclesfield the place name Tytherington was first found in Cheshire at Titherington, a township in the parish of Prestbury. The name could well be related to "tithes", the early rent needed to live and work on the land. (A tithe is a one-tenth part of something, paid as a contribution to a religious organization or compulsory tax to government. Today, tithes are normally voluntary and paid in cash or cheques or more recently via online giving, whereas historically tithes were required and paid in kind, such as agricultural produce.)

It is generally thought the place name dates back to the Domesday Book for Wiltshire where it was listed as Tidrentune. By the 13th and 14th centyury, the township was also known as Tyderinton and Tyderington. BUT this one I am interested in is this 0.9 hectare geological Site of Special Scientific Interest, near the village of Tytherington in South Gloucestershire, notified in 1989. The quarry is still working, operated by Hanson Aggregates, and is connected by rail on the Thornbury branch line.

Suitably named, Tytherington Rocks F.C., is a football club based in Tytherington, near Thornbury, Gloucestershire, England. The club competes in the Western League Division One and is affiliated to the Gloucestershire County FA. Below: 1901-2 Club photo.

Tytherington Football Club was formed in 1896 by the local Headmaster Mr Manuell and others including the Rev. John Bingley. Rev. Bingley stipulated that, to gain his support, the club should play in Amber & Black - his old college colours - Brasenose in Oxford.

In the early days the club played in the Wotton-Under-Edge League and travelled to away matches by Waggonetts, a four wheeled horse draw cart, with seats along both sides. The club played at many different grounds in the early days, one of which was Mill-Leaze Fields. This is the fields behind the village shop in Tytherington. They eventually found a permanent home at the Hardwicke Playing Fields. 

In the 1920s Tytherington F.C. were suspended by the Gloucestershire Football Association for non payment of a fine. The fine followed a referee being jostled into an adjoining brook after what the home side felt were some dubious decisions! No Pay – no play, so Tytherington disbanded until 1932 when Tytherington Rocks F.C. was formed, joining The Bristol Suburban League.

The club was re-formed in 1932 and with their new pavilion, joined the Bristol and Suburban Association Football League . The club used the Swan Inn as their changing rooms until a new pavilion was erected by the Parish Council, on the Playing Fields in 1938. 

A joint effort between the Club, Cricket Club and the Parish Council saw the facilities upgraded in 1978-80, with new showers and toilet block together with electricity! Candlelight and Rocks famous tin bath were consigned to history.

They continued to fluctuate throughout the leagues until they gained the correct ground grading ( eg floodlights added in 1987) and won the Premier Division One in 1997–98.

They joined the Gloucestershire County League in 1998 and after five seasons won promotion, finishing second in 2003–04.

For the 2004–05 season they became members of the Hellenic Football League Division One West, the highest level the club has achieved. They won the Division One West title in the 2011–12 and 2013–14 seasons.

Hellenic Football League (2004–2021). Having applied for promotion to the Hellenic League and their facilities passing the Ground Grading Criteria the club decided to take the opportunity to play at a higher level of football. Since 1998, there have been 15 managers including Portuguese Tiago Carreiras, briefly in 2021.

 In the 2017–18 season Tytherington finished bottom of the Hellenic League Division One West and failed to gain a single point.

In 2021 a new era was welcomed at the club as they were transferred to Division One of the Western League. The Rocks have also appointed a new management team of Tiago Carreiras and Jake Edwards.

THE FA VASE 2021-2

The Football Association Challenge Vase, commonly known as the FA Vase, is a knockout cup competition in English football, organised by and named after The Football Association (the FA). It was staged for the first time in the 1974-5, effectively replacing the FA Amateur Cup, which was discontinued after the abolition of official amateur status by the FA. 

Today is the First Preliminary Round day.

While the leading teams from the Amateur Cup switched to the existing FA Trophy, the lower-level teams entered the new FA Vase.  As of 2013, the Vase was open to all clubs in levels five to seven of the National League System, equivalent to levels nine to eleven of the overall EFL system, although clubs from other leagues may apply to enter if their stadiums meet certain requirements.

The record for the most wins is held by Whitley Bay, with four victories and the club also won in three consecutive seasons. Billericay Town, Halesowen Town and Tiverton Town have each won the Vase in two consecutive seasons.

The Vase is currently held by Newport Pagnell Town who beat Littlehampton Town in the 2022 final.

The first FA Vase final was won by Hoddesdon Town, now of the Spartan League  who, despite being regarded as underdogs, beat Epsom and Ewell, from the Surrey Senior League. The club was established on 14 April 1879 as Hoddesdon Football Club. In 1885 they were founding members of the Hertfordshire County FA and won the inaugural Herts Senior Cup  in 1886–87.

In three of the four following seasons, Billericay Town won the competition to become the first team to win the Vase on three occasions, a feat matched in 2010 by Whitley Bay. During the 1980s, the tournament was won by teams that represented many different leagues from all parts of the country, from Whickham of the Wearside League in the northeast to Forest Green Rovers, of the Hellenic League, in the south. Halesowen Town became the second team to win the Vase in consecutive seasons, with victories in 1985 and 1986. FGR of clourse not full time in the EFL.

In the 1990s, Guiseley and Tiverton Town both appeared in the final more than once. Tiverton became the third club to win consecutive finals, emerging victorious in 1998 and 1999. Two years later Taunton  Town won the Vase, giving clubs from the Western League three wins in four seasons. From 2009 to 2018, all ten finals involved a team from Northern League Div One, with eight of them taking the trophy. Brigg Town, of the North East CL, became the fourth club to win the Vase more than once in 2003, seven years after the club's first victory, and six years later Whitley Bay became the fifth club to achieve the feat. In 2019 AFC Fylde (formerly known as Kirkham & Wesham) became the first team to have won both the FA Trophy and FA Vase.

Originally, if the final finished with the scores level after extra time, the teams would play again in a replay at a later date; more recently the final has always been decided on the day, with a penalty shootout as required. The winning club receives the FA Vase itself and, as of 2010, prize money of £20,000, in addition to that accumulated for winning earlier rounds The sponsor is IZUSU.

"I'M A SUBSTITUTE FOR ANOTHER GUY"

It's the anniversary "season" of the first use of a substitute in Association Football. The 21st August 1965, was when Keith Peacock of Charlton Athletic, playing in one of his 532 appearances from 1959-62, was used as a sub in the Second Division of the Football League, when he came on to replace his goalkeeper, Mike Rose after 11 minutes at Bolton Wanderers. Another claim to fame for Keith, is in May 1963, when he scored in the 2-1 last day of season victory at Walsall, that kept Charlton in the second tier and relegated Walsall. 

From 1979, Keith played for Columbus Magic of the ASL, before joining his old friend Gordon Jago, as his assistant manager and player, at the Tampa Bay Rowdie in the NASL until 1982. Peacock's last appearance as a player for the Rowdies was during the 1980-1 indoor season. He later went on to manage at Tampa BR, Gillingham, Maidstone and Charlton as a caretaker manager in 2011. 

Of course football has many answers to the pub quiz question; "When were substitutes first used in a football match?"
At Eton College in the 1850s the word "emergencies" was used when a player took the place of another. This would normally be for an injury but.....
In the 1860s a "sub" described the replacement of a player who failed to turn up for a match.
In 1863 the Charterhouse School XI played a match against their Old Boys (the Old Carthusians) and it was reported that "in the consequence of the non-appearance of some of these who were expected, it was necessary to provide three substitutes."On 7 November 1885,

Local firm, Lockwood Brothers from Sheffield, used a substitute in an FA Cup first round replay against Notts Rangers, after F. Brears suffered a broken leg.

The first use of a substitute in international football was on 15 April 1889, in the match between Wales and Scotland at Wrexham Wales's original goalkeeper, Jim Trainer, failed to arrive; local amateur player, Alf Pugh, started the match and played for some 20 minutes until the arrival of Sam Gillam, who took over from him. The first time this happened in international football.

On the 15th April 1889, John Trainer, a Welsh international goalkeeper, failed to turn up for a match against Scotland at Wrexham, so a local amateur Alf Pugh played for the first 20 minutes of the match until Sam Gillam (a proper replacement) arrived. A substitution apparently.

In 1940, in a match between Mandatory Palestine and Lebanon, Mandatory's centre-half Zvi Fuchs was replaced at half-time by Lonia Dvorin following an injury. 

During the World Cup qualifications for the 1954 finals, on the 11th October 1953, Horst Eckel of Germany was used as a substitute in a match against Saarland (a region in central Europe). (Germans quite handy with subs you know).He was the last surviving player of the 1954 World Cup Final. Died 3/12/2021

By 1965-6 one sub was allowed in Association Football, but only for injury and in 1967-8 the law changed to one tactical sub. During the 1970 World Cup tournament subs were allowed in the finals. The FIRST substitute in World Cup finals was Soviet player, Anatoly Puzach, who replaced Serebrannikov in the 1970 opening match against Mexico on 31 May 1970.

1988, saw two subs used out of five on the bench, then in 1994 two subs and a goalie could be used. 

In 1995, three subs were used. Eventually, in 2008-9, 5-7 subs were named and three used, and in 2017 a 4th sub could be used in EFL cup ties in extra time. AND MOST RECENTLY

The English Football League has followed the Premier League's lead in re-introducing the five substitutes rule as of the 2022-23 campaign meaning clubs have more freedom to make changes within games.

https://www.theguardian.com/football/when-saturday-comes-blog/2015/sep/18/fifty-years-substitutions-football-sport

CALDER-A RIVER?

August 25th was the opening day of the1928/9 season, when football took a large step towards numbering players'. At last the Football League Management Committee, decided to put numbers on the backs of shirts.

On that day, Sheffield Wednesday ran out at Hillsborough and beat Arsenal 3-2, on the opening day of the new season. The crowd saw the two teams run out on to the pitch with numbers on their backs. The players were numbered 1-22. (11 aside and no subs)

At Stamford Bridge, Chelsea and Swansea Town (as the club was then called) did the same. Chelsea won 4-0, wearing black numbers on a white patch. 

All clubs were told to stop doing this with immediate effect by the FA, who considered the numbering to "desecrate" the clubs' colours. Herbert Chapman, the great manager of that era, was not happy with this "waste" of kit, so he had his Reserves' team wear the numbered kit.

Chelsea then toured South America introducing the numbered kit to their opponents who nicknamed Chelsea as "Los Numerados".

Numbering gradually crept into the game and in the 1933 FA Cup Final Everton players wore 1-11 and Manchester City 12-22. (note there were no subs), presumably to avoid confusion. 

Everton (see below) were not confused for they won 3-0. 

The players lined up in a 5 forwards-3 halves-2 backs + 1 goalie! formation. Starting from the goalie, the numbers were given out serially: Goalkeeper (number one), Right full back (number two), Left full back (number three) were solid defenders who operated behind the HALVES.... Right HALF or defensive midfielder (number four), Centre Half... defensive central midfielder (number five), Left Half or defensive midfielder (number 6). 

Then forwards included a Right Winger (number seven), Inside Forward on right (number eight), Centre Forward (number nine), Inside forward on left (number ten), Left Winger (number eleven). There were no subs of course in the early days.

A week later (6th May) Everton, the "Toffees" wore the same kit in the league game v Wolves, but it was not until 1939 that the League Management Committee eventually voted in the official wearing of numbers. 

The war then got in the way so by 1946/7 numbers were used for the first time by all clubs (although the "cost" of providing new numbered kits was a problem and spoilt the colours apparently!).

England's first venture into numbered shirts on the 17 April 1937 in a loss to Scotland at Hampden Park Glasgow.

FIFA did not insist on numbers on World Cup shirts until 1954.

Retiring shirt numbers became a bit of a trend but inevitably a club could end up with "no sensible numbers" to use. However Maradona's shirt for Napoli number 10 was hung up for good, as was Baggio's 10 at Brescia, Maldini's 3 at AC Milan and for Chelsea (to complete the circle) Zola's 25. Understandable.

Some shirt numbers given to modern day players have been totally inappropriate especially when legends such as Pele, Stanley Matthews, Bobby Moore and Johnny White (yes the 1960's Spurs player) might have had their numbers welded onto their backs. Can you number them?

Oops, not him. Doh!!!

Of course, now the numbering system for a club's squad system is decided by commerce, clubs, players and various other individuals.

ANSWER? In order: 10. 7. 6. 8.

The famous manager, Herbert Chapman, and his counterpart, David Calderhead, when at Chelsea, David Calderhead, had a link more "confusing" than the numbering of shirts. Chapman as you know managed Huddersfield Town FC during his early career, was quite an innovator and favoured numbers when he went to manage at Arsenal. Calderhead is a name linked to the River Calder (it's head refering the river's source or "spring")  which we all know has it's origins in the Pennines "above" Huddersfield. It was suggested by the Daily Mail that David Calderhead should make his Chelsea side wear white sleeves with their blue shirts! Calderhead declined the idea.

David Calderhead (19 June 1864 – 9 January 1938) was a Scottish footballer and manager. Calderhead played for Queen of the South Wanderers , Notts County and Lincoln City. He won the FA Cup with Notts County in 1894** and was capped once for Scotland,, in 1889. He then became a manager, working for Lincoln City (1900–1907) and Chelsea (1907–1933). He moved into management  at Chelsea, after leading Lincoln to a shock replayed win (2-2 and 0-1), over Chelsea in the first round of 1906-7 FA Cup. He impressed the Chelsea board enough for them to appoint him manager later that year!!! More on this later!!

A BLOG FROM 2014-SENSATIONAL!!

This blog comes from my first "season" of writing in 2014.  

I wasn't quite sure what I should do about this video footage (SEE BELOW), which is of poor quality and therefore we should be grateful how lucky we are this days, to view our great players on film, accurately. This film does not do Alfredo di Stefano much credit, but it will have to do since this year marks the 52nd anniversary of this giant footballer of 1950-60s, being KIDAPPED.

Yes, snatched by the National Liberation Army Front in Caracas during Real Madrid's pre-season tour in South America. They wanted a propaganda operation to bring the World into listening to their demands. Revolutionary, Paul del Rio got his chaps to abduct "the greatest footballer in the world" at that time. August 1963? Pele? Puskas? Many others of course.

Alfredo di Stefano was an Argentinian by birth, who played for his home nation only 6 times. He was a veteran Colombian league player who represented that country 4 times and ended up with citizenship and because he was playing league football in Spain, he managed 31 caps for the Spanish, scoring 23 goals.

After being "held captive" for three days, he was released unharmed and even sent his kidnappers a letter thanking them for their hospitality
www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCAlqBamBjs

As a player he was best known for his time with Real Madrid in the 1950s and '60s, known as Saeta Rubia, the blonde arrow. Real were the strongest side in Europe at that time. I watched him and this team wearing all white, on a small black and white TV, thrash Eintracht Frankfurt of Germany, 7-3 in the European Cup Final at Hampden Park.
di STefano turned out in over 500 club matches and scored over 400 goals.

In management, he worked in all those three countries and made his mark in Spain at Real Madrid, twice, in short spells, when he led his team to 5 runners up medals in various competitions. In 1983 his team was defeated in the European Cup Winners Cup by Aberdeen and manager Alex Ferguson!

Alfredo died on the 7th July 2014 aged 88 following a heart attack and illness.

He is playing against England here in the celebratory match celebrating the 100th year of the FA, in 1963; The Rest of the World v England. at Wembley. The first time a single country played against a "World Team".

Jimmy Greaves assisted Terry Paine to score in the 66th minute. Denis Law (a Scot as you know) equalised for the opposition, 16 minutes later, but Greaves brought England to a last-minute victory. Greaves had the best game of his career and was considered as the player of the match, while the Russian, Yashin's saves greatly contributed to his reputation of world's best goalkeeper and earned him the Ballon d'Or two months later.

As promised by FIFA, all of the World XI substitutes were used in the second half, with Raymond Kopa replaced by Uwe Seeler. BUT Santos FC refused to release Pele and AC Milan also refused to release Cesare Maldini who was replaced by Slovan Bratislava Jan Popluhar.

OWLS v DALE v Fields

Big evening out later, to the magnificent Hillsborough, Leppings Lane end, with my 5 year old grandson to see The Owls take on Rochdale. The Dale, in the English Football League Cup Second Round take on Sheffield Wednesday. Past contests between the two clubs are limited:

11 Sep 2002	Sheffield Wednesday v Rochdale	W	1-0	League Cup
11 Aug 2009	Sheffield Wednesday v Rochdale	W	3-0	League Cup
13 Nov 2010	Sheffield Wednesday v Rochdale	W	2-0	League One
12 Feb 2011	Rochdale v Sheffield Wednesday	L	2-1	League One
06 Aug 2011	Sheffield Wednesday v Rochdale	W	2-0	League One
03 Mar 2012	Rochdale v Sheffield Wednesday	D	0-0	League One
25 Jan 2014	Rochdale v Sheffield Wednesday	W	1-2	FA Cup
15 Sep 2020	Rochdale v Sheffield Wednesday	W	0-2	League Cup

Formed in 1867 as an offshoot of The Wednesday Cricket Club (itself formed in 1820),  a club that played on "half day closing", Wednesday, they were known as The Wednesday Football Club until 1929.

Wednesday is one of the oldest football clubs in the world of any code, and the second-oldest professional association football club in England. In 1868, its team won the Cromwell Cup,a cup played for in the local area and only the second tournament of its kind. The Owls were founding members and inaugural champions of the Football Alliance in 1889, before joining The Football League, three years later. In 1992, they became founder members of the Premier League. The team has spent most of its league history in English football's top flight, but they have not played at that level since being relegated in 2000.

The 2022–23 English Football League Cup is the 63rd season of the EFL Cup (known as the Carabao Cup for sponsorship reasons). The competition is open to all clubs participating in the PL and the EFL.

The winner of the competition qualifies for the play-off round of the 2023-4 UEFA Europa Conference League. 

Liverpool are the defending champions, having beaten Chelsea on penalties to secure a record 9th title in the previous season's Final.

Rochdale's next matches are v Crawley and v Accrington Stanley in the Football League Trophy (note; not the Cup!). Wednesday's next FL Trophy games are v Forest Green and v Bradford City.

The English Football League Trophy, for sponsorship known as the Papa John's Trophy, is an annual EFA knockout competition open to the 48 clubs in EFL League One and Two, the third and fourth tiers of the EFL system and, since the 2016-17, 16 under-21 sides from Premier league and EFL Championship clubs. It is the third most prestigious knockout competition in English football after the FA Cup and EF League Cup.

Leppings Lane, of course, was the scene of the Hillsborough disaster. in 1989, when the Stadium hosted the FA Cup Semi-Final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest. 97 perished. It's a sad story and memorials are abundant.

Rochdale, a mill town from Lancashire, takes it's name from the River Roch and is probably best known for its Co-op, the beginning of the co-operative movement, which today still includes the well known national supermarket chain. Rochdale is also well known for its textile industries including cotton and of course for singer, Gracie Fields! What? You don't know who she is! Shame on you.

GORDON, GUNNERS AND GERMANS

August 22nd 1964: Match of the Day made its debut on the TV screens. Only the highlights of one match was shown in those days and the BBC 2 audience for the first of those – Liverpool 3 v 2 Arsenal – was believed to be little more than the attendance at the match itself.  Managers? Shankly and Billy Wright. 

Hunt and Gordon Wallace (2) scored for Liverpool and Strong and Baker for The Gunners. Wallace scored in the 87 minute to make it 3-2.

Germany were the last side to defeat England at the old Wembley, 0-1, on October 7th 2000, in a World Cup qualifier with over 76,000 watching. The next England World Cup fixture was in Helsinki, Finland, 4 days later and a 0-0 resulted, with Peter Taylor as temporary manager! 

The new Wembley stadium had been christened with a "friendly" against Brazil, on June 1st and John Terry's lone goal, allowed the two nations to achieve a "social" draw 1-1. 

Germany became the first country to defeat England 1-2, at the new Wembley on August 22nd 2007 (seven years later!) in front of over 86,000 in a "friendly". Frank Lampard Jnr scored England's goal. Terry was captain.

 

Name the rest of the starting team! 

James, Barry, Brown, Crouch, Dyer and Wright-Phillips did not start.

AUGUST 21st

 21st August 1965 In the Bolton v Charlton Second Division match Charlton goalkeeper Mike Rose was injured after 11 minutes and left the pitch. Full back John Hewie took his place in goal and Keith Peacock (below) came on as substitute – the first substitute in the Football League. At the time each club was only allowed one sub a match and then only to replace an injured player.

on August 21st  1978 Jock Stein becomes manager of Leeds United, but moved on just six weeks later when he became the Scotland manager.

and on the same day in 1996 Alan Shearer made his home Premier League debut for Newcastle against Wimbledon on this day in 1996 – and of course scored. His late goal sealed a 2-0 Newcastle victory and he took the first step to achieving legend status at St James' Park. Alan Shearer: Born 13th August 1970.

Shearer was educated at Gosforth High School, playing on the streets of his hometown. He captained his school team and helped a Newcastle City Schools' team win a seven-a-side tournament at St James' Park. before joining the amateur and famous Wallsend Boys' Club, as a teenager. It was while playing for the Wallsend club that he was spotted by Saints' scout James Hixon, which resulted in him spending his summers' training with the club's youth team, a time he would later refer to as "the making of me". Shearer had trials for West Bromwich Albion and Manchester City, before being offered a youth contract with Southampton in April 1986.

Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1988–1992	Southampton	118	(23)
1992–1996	Blackburn Rovers	138	(112)
1996–2006	Newcastle United	303	(148)
Total		559	(283)
National team
1990–1992	England U21	11	(13)
1992	England B	1	(0)
1992–2000	England	63	(30)
Teams managed
2009	Newcastle United (interim)

LILYWHITES v THE SILKMEN

The Emirates FA Cup    Season 2022-23    Round Dates

Extra Preliminary Round Saturday 6 August 2022

Preliminary Round Saturday 20 August 2022 TODAY

First Round Qualifying Saturday 3 September 2022

Second Round Qualifying Saturday 17 September 2022

Third Round Qualifying Saturday 1 October 2022

Fourth Round Qualifying Saturday 15 October 2022

First Round Proper Saturday 5 November 2022
Second Round Proper Saturday 26 November 2022
Third Round Proper Saturday 7 January 2023
Fourth Round Proper Saturday 28 January 2023
Fifth Round Proper Wednesday 1 March 2023
Quarter-Final Saturday 18 March 2023
Semi-Final Saturday 22 April 2023
Final Saturday 3 June 2023

A total of 732 clubs will enter the Emirates FA Cup for the 2022-23 season, which will kick-off on Saturday 6 August with the extra preliminary round.
Key dates include The Cup Final at Wembley Stadium connected by EE being held on Saturday 3 June 2023, 

while the third round proper when the big boys join in, will take place across the weekend of Saturday 7 January 2023.

The total prize fund for next season will total over £19m in payments to clubs and made to the winners and losers at all stages of the qualifying rounds, but payments will only be made to the winners from the first round proper through to the quarter-final. The winners and losers will each receive a payment in the semi-final and Final.
Replays will be mandatory in all rounds of the qualifying competition and the competition proper from the first round proper up to and including the fourth round proper.

There were a number of FA Cup Preliminary Round ties that I might have watched today, some local, many, of course, beyond reach; 

in the south-west, Torpoint Athletic v Mousehole; 

the south-east, Cowes Sports v Larkhall Athletic; 

north-west Bury AFC v Widnes and north-east Stockton Town v Pontefract Collieries and 

for me, I crossed the Pennines to Mossley (The Lilywhites-named after their shirt colours! Founded 1903) to see them dismantled  2-4 by Macclesfield Town (The Silkmen Founded 1874-know your North-west Industrial geography) 

The game went 1-0, 1-1, 1-2, 1-3, 2-3, 2-4. Nice occasion, a ground I have been to once before. Attendance 834 inside Seel Park. Well looked after.

I watched a young lad rescue a match ball (worth £30?? or more??) that had been slogged over the fence; he retrieved it, took back to his dad, who shoved the ball into a ruck sack and covered it over with a waterproof jacket. There were club members knocking around but not action from them. I kept my mouth shut-the lad's dad was younger and bigger than me. Shame on him!

Meanwhile, Penistone Church reached the First Qualifying Round for the first time, beating Brighouse at theirs 1-2. Monday's draw will reveal who they (and of course all winners from this round) face next.