Friday 9 September 2022

ELIZABETH-A PIECE OF HISTORY

 Queen’s Birthday: 21st April 1926: Arthur Rowley, the England centre forward, nicknamed The Gunner was born in Wolverhampton and score most goals in English League football, 434 goals in 619 games for Leicester City and Shrewsbury Town. He died in 2002. He was also a cricketer of some note.


"After the death of George VI in 1952, rugby and hockey fixtures were called off, while football matches went ahead. Fans sang “Abide With Me” and the National Anthem before kick-off. The National Theatre will close if the news breaks before 4pm, and stay open if not. All games, including golf, will be banned in the Royal Parks."Elizabeth took the Throne. Coronation: 6th February 1952 She took the Throne on February 6th 1952 and these matches took place: Sheff Utd 4 – 2 West Ham/ Brentford 0 – 0 Luton/ Gateshead 0 – 2 West Brom/ Middlesbrough 1 – 4 Doncaster.

English FA Cup: Sheff Utd 4 – 2 West Ham/  Brentford 0 – 0 Luton/ Gateshead 0 – 2                        West Brom/ Middlesbrough 1 – 4 Doncaster : English Div 3 (north) Tranmere 3 – 1 Bradford:      English Div 3 (south) Bristol C 6 – 0 Southend.

Coronation: 2nd June 1953 : Arsenal won the 1952/53 Football League Division 1 season however it was the closest finish in English football League history, with Preston North End finishing the season with an almost identical record, Division One being decided on Goal average.

Champions JUST

Arsenal P 42 W21 D15 L9 F64 97 A Pts 54  R-U     Preston P42 W21 D12 L9 F85 A60 Pts54

It would take a brave gambling man to place a football bet on this ever being repeated. Arsenal would not win the League again until the 1970-71 English Football League Division 1 season (view Arsenal league stats). This was the closest Preston North End had come to winning one of the major competitions in England after being crowned the 1938 English Football Association Cup winners.

One club man for Bolton Wanderers, the all time great Nat Lofthouse, was awarded 1952-1953 Football Writers Association Player of the Year. Lofthouse had an extraordinary goal scoring record for both Bolton Wanders and the England National team, for whom he scored 30 goals, despite only winning 33 caps. The leading goal scorer in the English League 1952-53 division 1 was Charlie Wayman of Preston North End. A cruel twist of fate meant that Wayman also missed out on the 1949/50 English League Division Two title with Southampton. His forward partnership for Preston North End with the great Tom Finney, is still considered to be one of the most feared forward lines in English League history. Charlie Wayward was also part of the team that holds England's Football League highest score record when Newcastle United beat Newport 13-0 with Wayward contributing 4 goals to this record statistic despite missing an early penalty.

One of the enduring images of Queen Elizabeth II for any sports fan is that of her in mustard coat and hat, with pristine long white gloves. Her right hand is shaking that of Sir Bobby Moore, the England captain who had just led the country to its only football World Cup to date.


Remember, Bobby Moore, England captain, when he stepped up at Wembley to the Royal Box, to receive the Jule Rimet: FIFA World Cup in 1966 from the Queen? He took the trouble to wipe his hands on the red velvet "parapet cover" as he walked towards her majesty, to receive the trophy! Sir Stanley Rous FA Chairman and the DoE look on.

As hat-trick hero Sir Geoff Hurst commented years later: “Bobby noticed the Queen was wearing white gloves. He had the foresight not to dirty the Queen’s gloves, so he wiped his hands on the parapet cover just before he collected the trophy.

Death: 9th September 2022: All matches postponed in respect. Some suggest (Piers Morgan) that keeping all fixtures alive would meant a mass celebration of the Queen’s involvement in the game.

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