Football On This Day – 25th October 1961, ok a day late, but worth waiting for.
How many can you name?Goalkeeper Ron Springett from Sheffield Wednesday, at 5' 10", might be one of the smallest in the team. Manager Walter Winterbottom, was the first full time manager, a PE graduate, appointed by the FA, 8th July 1946. A player, briefly at Manchester United in 1936, he suffered a spinal injury and became head of physical training for the Air Ministry. (Here's two!! Connelly is front row on left and Pointer central sitting)
In the centre, sitting was Ray Pointer who at only 5'9", was a popular centre-forward. He played over 400 times, famously at Burnley*, Bury, Coventry City, Portsmouth and Waterlooville. I saw him play. along with over 59,000, in 1960 at White Hart Lane, "The First Division champions v The next champions!!" Pointer scored! Note the results during that season. Bobby Smith, a rob ust centre-forward, who also played for England, scored 28. I saw Smith play, in 1966-7 season, in an early FA Cup round at Horsham FC playing for Hastings United. He was not in good shape.
* John Kettley the Weatherman is on Talksport as I type...a Burnley supporter/ who played cricket for local town, Burnley and Todmorden. An "A Level" Geographer, he was fascinated by the subject, especially Meteorology! He helps sporting venues get accurate forecasts for events. (topical, with the recent England cricket being affected by the weather today)
He turned professional when he was seventeen in May 1950. He was transferred from Chelsea to Tottenham Hotspur FC on 21 December 1955 for £17,000. He was transferred to Brighton & Hove Albion FC for £5,000 in May 1964 following a series of articles published by Smith regarding his club. He was suspended by Brighton in 1965 for being 15st., declaring him unfit. He found himself playing with non-league side Hastings United FC in October 1965 before being suspended in March 1967. 15 England caps.
England beat Portugal 2-0 at Wembley, on the 25th day of October, in 1961, to qualify for the 1962 World Cup Finals, held in Chile. Burnley players John Connelly and Ray Pointer were the scorers. There were only three nations in the group, including Portugal and Luxembourg. England won 3 and drew once away in Lisbon, Portugal.
100,000 saw this at Wembley. Burnley, at the time were in their "pomp", having won the First Division title in 1960 and runners up and third in 1961-2 and 1962-3. This was a bit of a surprise to "Double winners", Tottenham, who you will see on the list, below, present during these four years.
England didn’t play another World Cup qualifier for 11 years – they were hosts in 1966 and as holders in 1970 (wouldn’t it be great if either of those were true again!), so not needed.
Meanwhile, Burnley, hardly a big hitting club, took the First Division title, although Tottenham were very much in charge of English football over those seasons.
In 1961, Johnny Haynes the England captain, became the first footballer to earn £100 a week playing at Fulham. Team colleague, Jimmy Hill was also a Fulham player and Chairman of the Professional Football Association, representing all professional players. The first time this was provided.
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