DICK, KERR AND FODEN

 From "early stages" women had to fight for their football "equal rites" and on December 5th 1921, the FA banned women's teams such as the famous Dick, Kerr Ladies (above), who were not allowed to use "men's football pitches". The Manchester Guardian, regarded as free thinking, published in its editorial; "If there is any real desire to have women football teams, the action of the FA can hardly put an end to the forming of them, nor can it prevent the teams from acquiring grounds of their own. But if it does discourage the playing of football matches by women as a public spectacle, there will be no tears shed on that score". 

Women's football did mobilise itself, creating the short-lived English Ladies FA five days after the FA ban. However, the Women's game had been dealt a savage blow from which it took decades to recover.

After the Second World War, women's football gradually became accepted and in 1957, the International Ladies FA organised a European Championship, which was won by the Manchester Corinthians. By 1969, 44 women's clubs formed the WFA and within two years, the FA Council had lifted the ban of forbidding women from playing on FA Affiliated clubs' pitches. 

In May 1971 the first womens' cup final took place at The Crystal Palace Sports' Centre between Southampton and Stewarton Thistle (from Scotland), a 4-1 win for Southampton. Up to 1980-1, Southampton had been in 10 finals, winning 9 of them. Their only defeat was against "Foden", the works team Edwin Foden Sons and Co. based in Sandbach. In its early years, the team played friendly matches, including one in 1963 against Preston Ladies FC, by which time it already included players who did not work at Foden. In 1966, at a match against Cheshire Ladies Jeannie Allott, played her first match for the club, at only ten years old. The same year, the club toured Northern Ireland, playing three charity matches there. The truck and bus company...not the young Man City star!

The team's first regular competition was the Butlin's Cup, which "Foden" won in 1969 and 1970, leading them to be described as the British champions. They also entered the 1969 Deal International Tournament, losing to Manchester Corinthians on the final day. Several of the team members played in the first England women international match.

In 1970, the Foden team was a founding member of the North-West Women's League. The club continued to play throughout the 1970s, including tours of the Netherlands and Belgium, playing until 1989.

On February 28th 1972, the FA Council and the WFA agreed to recognise the "game". In November 1972, 51 years after Dick, Kerr Ladies (the English team) had played an unofficial international match against France, winning 2-0, the first official international was against Scotland, which ended in an England win 3-2.

In 1991, the WFA launched a 24 team national league, the same year that FIFA staged the inaugural Women's World Cup and within two years the sport was under the auspices of the Football Association!!

BY THE WAY Sandbach is perhaps best known as the original home of Foden and ERF lorries, though neither company now exists in the town; twelve-times National Brass Band Championship winners were Foden's. 

The local football club is Sandbach Utd an "FA Charter Standard Community Club" which has over 40 teams and 600 players aged from 5 through to veteran.

SIR ALF AND THE SPARTANS

February 27th 1963: Alf Ramsey took charge of England for the first time, away to France in a European Nations Cup tie. England lost 5-2 with just two of the team that were to win the World Cup in 1966 – Bobby Moore and Bobby Charlton. Alf became Sir Alf later!

and on 27th February 1978:
The top clubs can win the FA Cup by playing just 6 matches over 6 rounds (3rd Rd to Final). That’s not the case for non-league clubs! Back in the 1977/78 season, Northern League Blyth Spartans became only the third non-league club to reach the 5th round (last 16) of the competition since the Second World War with doubtless their dreams not being of Wembley but of playing a top side, away from home. 

They had started their FA Cup campaign that season in the First Qualifying Round played on September 17th v Shildon winning 0-3. Next (QR2) came a 1-1 draw at local club Crook Town, winning the replay 3-0. Then nearby Consett (QR3) were hosts losing 1-4 to the Spartans. A visit to Bishop Auckland came next in QR4 with a 0-1 win. Blyth hosted Burscough (Lancs) in Round One-a 1-0 win. It was a home tie against Chesterfield in Rd 2 a 1-0 win. Rd 3 brought Enfield to Blyth- a1-0 win.

Round Four saw Blyth beat Stoke City away 2-3. Then in Round 5, Blyth was drawn against Wrexham.

This cup tie was their last match after over 5 months, played on 27th February. It was Blyth's 11th fixture in the competition over 9 rounds. Blyth were cruelly robbed of a dream "local derby" tie with the 5th Round draw being Blyth away to the winners of a replay between their near neighbours Newcastle United and Wrexham - BUT the Welshmen won. 

There was some consolation, Blyth continued their success with a draw at Wrexham 1-1 and the home replay was switched to St James’ Park. 

An amazing crowd of 42,167 witnessed the match and despite being beaten 2-1 and missing out on a home 6th Round tie against Arsenal what amazing memories they had. 

Wrexham lost at home to The Gunners 2-3. Arsenal beat Orient in the semi-final 3-0 and lost to Ipswich 1-0 in the Final. That’s what is called the magic of the FA Cup.

Blyth Spartans Association Football Club based in Blyth Northumberland. They are currently members of the National League North, the sixth tier of English football, and play at Croft Park.

The club was founded in September 1899 by Fred Stoker, who was the club's first secretary before forming a practice as a distinguished physician in London's Harley Street. He thought it appropriate to name the team after the Greek Spartan army. in the hope that the players would give their all as they went into 'battle' on the field of play.

Blyth Spartans have reached the first round proper of the FA Cup 31 times; the second round 14 times; the third round 4 times, the fourth and fifth rounds once each.

CARLING, CARABAO, INTER-CITIES FAIRS, EFL CUP. EUROPA LEAGUE, INTERTOTO CUP etc

Football On This Day – 29th February 2004 (yes I know its not the exact date but today is the anniversary of the occasion). Middlesbrough had to wait until "Leap Year Day" in 2004 to win their first EVER major national competition - the Carling Cup (League Cup). 

Against Bolton, in the final at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff,  Middlesbrough took a two goal lead inside the first seven minutes (Joseph-Désiré Job and Boudewijn Zenden the scorers) before Bolton pulled one back through Kevin Davies to leave The Boro 2-1 winners.

Today (26th February) the CARABAO CUP is being played for at Wembley, from 4.30pm by Manchester United and Newcastle United. 

Man Utd have not won a trophy since 2016-17 (EFL Cup and Europa League).

Newcastle United, has not won EFL Final before and last won a major trophy in 1954-5, the FA Cup. They were beaten by Man Utd in the 1999 FA Cup Final and attempt to win their first major trophy since the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup in 1969. They are financed by Saudi Arabian money, quite successfully so far, with MUCH successful recruitment and the bright input of Eddie Howe. There is an upturn in Geordie fortunes, welcomed in the North-east since Bobby Robson's control! The best fans in the "World" apparently. Black and white stripes for the Magpies all down Wembley Way.

Organised by the English Football League (EFL), the competition is open to any club within the top four levels of the EFL system – 92 clubs in total, from the Premier League and the three divisions of the English Football League's own league competition (Championship EL One and EL Two).

First held in 1960-1 as the Football League Cup, it is one of the three top-tier domestic football competitions in England alongside the Premier League and the FA Cup although it is of far lower prestige.

As I type.....Wembley is heaving with Geordies as the game kick off looms.

P.s.  The Magpies did win the UEFA Intertoto Cup in 2006.

GOOLE TOWN FC "oops" GOOLE AFC

Must be a water tower?

Why Goole? Goole A.F.C. played Penistone Church FC this afternoon (in the Northern Counties East League) and lost! A long way (50 MILES) to come for nil points! Goole Football Club was a semi-professional club based in the town of Goole, at Victoria Pleasure Gardens, in East Yorkshire, England. Established in 1912, they folded in 1996. Perhaps Goole's crowning achievement was reaching the FA Cup third round in 1956–57 before going out to Nottingham Forest.

The "old" club was founded in 1912 as Goole Town Football Club when they entered into the Midland Football League. Town played in that league for three seasons, finishing each season respectably and with a highest position of 4th place in 1914–15. That same season, they reached the First Round of the FA Cup, beating Bullcroft Main Colliery away 1-3, Mexborough Town home 1-0, York City 2-0 (after 3 goes), Scunthorpe Utd 1-1 then 5-1, Sutton Town 2-0, Shirebrook  0-2, Chesterfield 2-0 but lost to Middlesbrough 3-9, at Ayresome Park

Play was suspended because of the First World War and Goole did not re-enter the Midland League afterwards. However, just after the war, as Goole Shipyards Football Club, they became founding members of the Yorkshire Football League for the 1920–21 season.

In 1924 the club had reverted to the Goole Town name and were back in the Yorkshire League. By the late 1920s Goole had proved themselves at this level, their pinnacle in this period being their championship-winning season in 1927–28. Goole continued in the Yorkshire League throughout the 1930s and 1940s, picking up the championship during both the 1936–37 and 1947–48 seasons. 

In 1948, Goole Town decided to return to the Midland F.L. which they had not competed in since the start of the First World War. At the end of 1950–51, they finished in 3rd place above the likes of Peterborough Utd and Boston Utd.

For the rest of the 1950s however, Goole lingered in the lower regions of the league, but had one very notable FA Cup run. In the 1956–57 season Goole Town reached the Third Round of the FA Cup, having previously knocked out Wigan Athletic 2–1 away and F.L. 3rd Division North side Workingtion (then a League Club before finally going out to Nottingham Forest.

The 1960s for Goole Town was largely uneventful in the league; the majority of the time they finished around mid-table, with a decent 5th-place finish in 1967–68 being the highlight. That season they had taken Spennymoor Utd to a first round replay in the FA Cup. 

Goole Town became one of the founding members of the Northern Premier League in 1968, where they played against the likes of Macclesfield Town, Scarborough and Stafford Rangers – aa well as Boston Utd and Wigan Athletic. During the first-ever season of the league, they finished in 8th place.

They reached the quarterfinal of the FA Trophy in the 1974–75 season, losing at home to Matlock Town 1–0 before a crowd of 3,500.

The club folded at the end of the 1995–96 season due to financial difficulties. A new club, Goole AFC, was formed in its place in 1997. 

Goole Town's top attendance in any game was against Scunthorpe Utd in the 1949–50 season, when 8,700 packed into the Victoria Pleasure Ground for this important league match.

Tony Galvin was born in Huddersfield and was bought by Spurs in 1978 from the NPL club side Goole Town, he played until 1987 making 201 apps and scoring 20 goals. Tony Currie originated from Goole.

Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1967–1968	Watford	18	(9)
1968–1976	Sheffield United	313	(54)
1976–1979	Leeds United	102	(11)
1979–1982	Queens Park Rangers	81	(5)
1983	Toronto Nationals[1][2]	6	(1)
1983–1984	Southend United	0	(0)
1984	Torquay United	14	(1)
Total		528	(80)
International career
1969–1973	England U23	13	(4)
1972–1979	England	17	(3)

MOTTY

Following on from yesterday's publication about the "loss" of a footballing "hero", today we hear of the death of John Motson, the very well known football commentator, who graced Big Ground at Charterhouse School (Godalming, Surrey) one Sunday afternoon. John Motson played football for the "Commentators Eleven", a team that turned out regularly for Charity and included the well known names such as Martin Tyler, Alan Parry and Jim Rosenthal. His team visited Charterhouse School, one Sunday and Motty played on the right wing, hugging the touchline effectively and not wasting a pass. The potch he played on had been used for "soccer" since 1872 when the school moved out from London to its "Surrey" home. I wrote to the Daily Telegraph Letters about this and managed to get published! (25th Feb).

Motty was a delight during the game, when he "commentated" throughout the match, especially when he had the ball, and he played his part after the game, chatting to the Old Carthusians, his opposition, and a generous crowd.

What a wonderful man and a sad loss to football!

John Walker Motson OBE (10 July 1945 – 23 February 2023) began as a television commentator with the BBC in 1971, he commentated on over 2000 games on television and radio. From the late 1970s to 2008, Motson was the dominant football commentary figure at the BBC, apart from a brief spell in the mid-1990s. In winter months Motson was well-known for wearing a sheepskin coat, something of a trademark that started in December 1990, when he "battled horizontal sleet showers ahead of Wycombe Wanderers and Peterborough United cup tie

In 2008, Motson announced his retirement from live television commentary. He continued to cover games for Match of the Day highlights and appeared on BBC RadionFiove Live as well as commentating on CBeebies' Footy Pups. In September 2017, he announced his full retirement from BBC commentary, having commentated on 10FIFA World Cups, 10 UEFA Championships and 29 FA Cup finals. In July 2018, he announced he was returning from retirement to work for Talksport.

BLACKBURN-THE HEART OF THE GREAT GAME?

I have been (further) North today (23rd February), to Blackburn for a memorial service, for an old friend, teacher, coach, family man, committee member and  a cracking "lad". He enjoyed Rovers, and seeing youngsters make progress in the great game, some of whom turned into professional footballers. 

Bear in mind that professional football had its origins in the "north-west" and Blackburn (with clubs, Olympic and Rovers) was a central part of all that. 

David Hopkinson was a lovely blokewho produced from  his school, Queen Elizabeth's GS, many excellent students and footballers who played the game in the appropriate manor! God bless, Dave!

Meanwhile, football often seems like a TV soap opera but on February 23rd 1983, the two did seem to merge into one. It was a big night at Old Trafford where Manchester United entertained Arsenal in a League Cup semi-final with Wembley just 90 minutes away. It was also a big night for Manchester’s TV soap opera – Coronation Street – which attracted its biggest viewership of the year for an episode which was another north v south encounter. How would Deirdre Barlow (Anne Kirkbride) sort out her tangled love-life? Would she choose the northerner – her husband Ken – or the Cockney boyfriend – Mike Baldwin? 

Mean while, in Lancashire on this day, one of the biggest cheers of the night at Old Trafford came when it was announced that she had chosen Ken. That was 1-0 to the north which became 2-0 when Manchester United won through to the Wembley final. All was well north of the Watford Gap!

ONLY 49 YEARS AGO

On 21 February 1974 (sorry a day late), George Best, recently retired from Manchester United, was arrested on charges of burglary and theft. The superstar winger had last played for United the previous month after a falling out with manager Tommy Docherty and spent the intervening days in a series of flings, including a high-profile outing in London with the newly-crowned Miss World, Marjorie Wallace (below), a few days earlier. But his relationship with Miss Wallace apparently soured quickly.

When a collection of items disappeared from her apartment, including a fur coat, some jewelry, and about £20 worth of alcohol, she called the police, who arrested Best at his Manchester nightclub, Slack Alice, in the early hours of the morning on 21 February. They interviewed him for about five hours, then drove him down to London for formal charges. He denied any wrong doing and the case was dropped in April when Miss Wallace failed to appear for the trial. In dismissing the charges, the judge noted that, under the circumstances, they left no stain on Best's character. 

21 years later Arsenal sacked manager George Graham after a Premier League investigation had found that he had taken a £425,000 ‘bung’ from agent Rune Hauge when arranging the transfer of two players to Arsenal, John Jensen and Pal Lyderson, who were both clients of Hauge. Later that day under caretaker manager Stewart Houston Arsenal beat Nottingham Forest 1-0, their first home League win since October.

IT'S THE ANNUAL SHROVETIDE GAME-ASHBOURNE BOARDED UP/PUBS OPEN!

Pancakes coming into sight and a traditional game of Shrove Tuesday-Ash Wednesday football in action. I have written about this traditional, sporting event before because it is where the dignified game of soccer has its roots. Hard to imagine?? 

The "mob" game, as it was known, still exists in places such as Ashbourne in Derbyshire, Workington in Cumbria and Kirkwall in Orkney, Scotland. They all have slightly different rules but the aim is the same-get a ball shaped thing or a 'ba as the Scots pronounce it, through the opposition goal, which is a milestone at each end of the town. It's tradition and fun, apparently. Here's the Derby version today.....

"Ashbourne Royal Shrovetide" live updates on day one, as ball stuck in car park for first hour...........there are "two days to go!"

https://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/follow-ashbourne-shrovetide-live-blog-8171534 

The game (AND BALL) goes through rivers and villages; houses have to board up their windows to prevent damage. There are casualties! 

The Derby match has been played since 1667 at least, although records were lost in a fire. Famous game openers, that is "turning up the ball", have been Prince Charles, Brian Clough, Sir Stanley Matthews and this local lad (BELOW), who has reached 100 years old. Bill Milward who played in the game when he was a lad, with the 2016 Ball.

The game lasts for two days and starts at 2pm lasting till 10 at night. It is said to be the last bastion of mass football and is one of only a handful of games of its kind to be played annually in the streets of the UK. There are records of mass football being played as early as 1667, but Ashbourne Royal Shrovetide's origins are unknown due to a devastating fire at the Royal Shrovetide Committee office in the 1890s, which destroyed the earliest records. Every Shrove Tuesday and Ash Wednesday the town is divided into two mobs, by the Henmore Brook (the local river). Traditionally, those born north of the river are Up'ards, and those born south of it are Down'ards. There are no holds barred!

These two sides lock horns on both days, with the game starting at 2pm when an invited local man is given the honour of "turning up" the ball from a plinth in Shaw Croft Car Park. Unlike a conventional football match, the game takes place over two eight-hour periods, the goals are nearly three miles apart at former mills and there are few rules. It's better compared to rugby, with a huge, steaming hug at its centre, not unlike a rugby scrum.

There are players who specialise in water play, spending much of their time in the river, and players who are more suited to grappling away in the hug/maul. 

There are the super-fit players who wait on the periphery of the mob all day, ready for a chance to run the ball away from the action, into the darkness and - hopefully - all the way to the goal.

The match continues until 10pm. If the goal is scored (goaled) before 6pm a new ball is released and play restarts. However, play ends for the day if a ball is goaled after 6pm. To goal a ball the players must first reach the sites of the former mills, and then jump into the river and hit the ball against a mill stone, mounted in a plinth, three times. 

It could take hours for the hug to push all the way to the goals. If a ball is goaled, it is handed back to the scorer after the goal is declared good at the Green Man Royal Hotel, and becomes theirs to keep. If a ball is not goaled it is given back to the turner-up. 

Many people wrongly believe Ashbourne Royal Shrovetide has been given its Royal status because two princes have come to turn up the ball - Prince Edward in 1928 and Prince Charles in 2003 - but that's actually not correct. The real reason Shrovetide is "Royal" is because a ball was given to Princess Mary, daughter of King George V, when she was married in 1922 on Shrove Tuesday. The Shrovetide committee sent her a special Shrovetide ball as a wedding gift. As a mark of gratitude, the game was given the right to be called "Royal" Shrovetide Football. 

The market town, set right in the centre of the "pitch", is Ashbourne which effectively shuts down for the two days. Shops are boarded up to protect their windows, car parks are closed off, roads are temporarily blocked off by marshals to keep traffic away from players and the pubs prepare for their busiest days of the year. Many pubs can sell three weeks' worth of beer during the game.

CHUBBY, DODGEY, KEEPERS

Tubby Morton was the long serving goalkeeper of Melchester Rovers when I read about him in the Tiger comic. For all I know he may still be in nets. 

At school, I played with a very able goalkeeper called Doughy Baker and he carried a few more lbs than he should have done, but he was very capable and definitely larger than life.

Goalies should not carry timber but I was made aware of one who did! Yes, it's Wayne Shaw, who at 45 years old, was still plying his trade as the reserve goalie at Sutton United, a club now in the Football League! Wayne was a big boy and had a reputation of responding to anyone stupid enough to sing "Who at all the pies?" to him when he stands between the posts. Historically this chant was first made at Fatty Foulke-see below.

Local rivals to Sutton, Kingstonian FC, had a bunch of silly supporters standing behind Wayne's goal during a warm up for a Surrey Senior Cup tie in 2013. Shaw took so much stick that he evetually leapt the barrier and confronted his tormentors. As a result the Sutton board met and sacked him! He returned in 2015 forgiven.

William Henry Foulke is the legendry "Fatty" who was known as that and who did not get upset because he was so formidable that nobody would dare take him on. Actually an odd one did and the hapless fool would find himself either being held upside down by his feet (a famous occasion in a match with George Allan of Liverpool in 1898) or dragged through the mud. Foulke was 1.93 metres tall, an imposing and strong man.

Originally known as William Foulke (or Foulkes), he was an illegitmate child, born to a poor mother in 1874, in Shropshire. The local mines were likely to be his destiny, despite his height. He started playing for his local colliery side at Blackwell near Ilkestone, ignored an offer from Derby at 19 years old and he took his brother's advice and waited for Sheffield United to sign him at 20, The Blades paid him £5 a week, a good sum at the time.

He also played some matches for Derbyshire CCC.

In 1896 he weighed in at 90kgs and by 1905 he expanded to 160kgs! He "played" on his size and his appetite, but won 2 FA Cups (1899, 1902), also lost one final (v Spurs in 1901), won a league title (1898) and one England cap in 1897. He was good.

After the 1902 Cup Final against Southampton, it was reported that he was so disgusted by a refereeing decision (and possibly inebriated) that he was seen by gentlemen and ladies wandering the corridors at the Crystal Palace after the game naked, chasing the referee! Fouke played in the replay and made many saves to help his team win the cup. He played 299 games for the Blades, then went to Chelsea and Bradford City to finish his career, during which he remained a character and pulled in the crowds to see his eccentric behaviour. He completed 355 club games in total.

He continued to live life to the full and retired in 1907, when he went to Blackpool to save penalties as a side show on the beach (some say that after football he was in poverty and he had to earn money some how). He then took a bar, the Duke Inn, in Sheffield and died at 42 years old from "excess" related illnesses. His tombstone in the local churchyard, Burngreave, confirms this when he died in 1916.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=WrwI1AVrSa4
http://baileyfootballblog.blogspot.co.uk/2016/09/01-and-18st.html

On 20 February 2017, Sutton lost 2–0 to Arsenal in the fifth round of the 2016-17 FA Cup. During the match, Shaw ate a pasty, (actually described as a pie), while sitting on the team bench, even though he knew that a betting company was offering 8–1 odds against him eating a pie on television. The FA investigated a possible breach of their rules relating to betting, and the Gambling Commission investigated whether there were any unusual patterns of betting and whether the company had operated within its licence. 

Shaw resigned from Sutton United after the investigations were announced. Following his resignation, the supermarket chain Morrisons offered Shaw a job as an official "pie-taster". Later, a petition was launched by the blogger, Guido Fawkes, for Shaw to be given his job at the club back. In Sutton United's first game after his departure, they were forced to use an outfield player in goal when their first choice goalkeeper was injured, having had no time to sign a replacement for Shaw.

Shaw was fined £375 and banned for two months by the FA for breaching their betting rules.

THE DUGOUT

The touchline of big clubs in European football are adorned with incredibly comfortable seats for players, coaches, and staff to sit in and watch the games unfold. There was a time when the sidelines looked far less cosy and modern. Look at pictures of football stadiums from just 30 years ago, and you will see old-fashioned football dugouts.The place where managers sit is called 'the dugout', and for many years it was literally dug out, being a bit below ground level. This idea was thought up in the 1930s by a mad Scotsman called Donald Colman, a coach at Aberdeen.

These small, dank, dirty, and damp smelling football dugouts housed players, coaches, and trainers during games. Many times, dugouts were cramped and it was difficult to get all of the players into the bench area.

THE FOOTBALL DUGOUT?

It would make sense that English football took the idea from an American sport it has a lot in common with and that sport is baseball. Dugouts have been a part of baseball for a long time, but it seems the English football bench areas were not influenced by America.

The man that introduced the dugout to football was Donald Coleman, a former Aberdeen player that managed Norway’s Bergen. While in Norway, Coleman learned a variety of training methods and brought them back to Scotland in the 1930s.

It wasn’t long after returning that Coleman introduced the football dugout at Aberdeen’s Pittodrie Stadium. So, why did Coleman invent the dugout? Well, that question has a very interesting answer. It wasn’t just to give players and coaches a place to sit and watch the match. Coleman had another motivation when he created the dugout.

Coleman wanted to see the footwork of his players and to analyse their play with the ball. Sitting below ground level in the dugout allowed him to do just that and to learn about his players. It was an interesting concept and one that few (if any) coaches today would realise that was the reason for the creation of football dugouts.

The defined space of the technical area was established in the notes section of the Laws of the Game in 1993.

THE MIDLANDS, A PARTING OF THE WAYS

February 18th seems to have been a favourite day for this BLOG, so the link may take you to several different reports. Do have a look! You never know what you might learn to boost your next pub chat/quiz...... 

https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/3994718670252035536/8586086002554337599

As I write, Aston Villa host Arsenal in a PL match, the ko 7 minutes away.

A relatively new piece of history, on this date, in 1982 was Ron Saunders' migration from Midlanders, Aston Villa, to nearish neighbours, Birmingham City. Having been Villa's most successful manager for a 70 years, Ron asked major share holder, Ron Bendall, for a more secure rolling contract and a guaranteed pay off, should he ever be sacked. Bendall said "no" and Ron resigned! 8 days later Ron joined Brum and his first match was a defeat against.......Villa. (I'm listening to the commentary at Villa Park, this morning as I type!). City subsequently battled relegation (successfully) whilst Villa beat Bayern Munich in the European Cup Final, 1-0. It was the Villa team that Ron buults and Tony Barton, his successor, enjoyed the glory. The Villa programme editor, clearly confused, named the Villa manager as kit man, Roy McLaren!

Saunders failed at City but the club survived relegation again, the following season, winning their last 5 out of 6 matches; they did go down the following season. Saunders won promotion the next season but quit in 1986 having been beaten in the FA Cup by "non-league" Altrincham. 

Villa were relegated in 1987, 5 years after being European champions!Their post- Saunders adventures were equally hapless as those in Saunder's post-Villa period. The fans sang, "We won the league, we won the cup but Ronnie Bendall f***** it up". Villa ONE UP at the moment.https://twitter.com/DEANFOOTBALL1/status/1626924656866230272?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet 14 seconds, ignore commentary!

THE SCORE IS CHANGING!!

FEBRUARY 17th, SOUTH WALES and A QUAKE 2018

On February 17th 2018 there was an earthquake in South Wales, the region's worst tectonic event for 10 years, at a 4.4 magnitude. The epicentre was in Ystradgynlais and Ystalafera (ever heard of those?) and was felt in Liverpool and Devon . The ref, in a Welsh League match between PortTalbot and Taff's Well, stopped play in the first half for a spell, a decision that maybe not included in the FA Laws??!! but was quite sensible. Local residents describe the event as "it felt like a large lorry was passing the building" and "the whole house seemed to wobble back and forth a few times".

The earth moved at @PortTalbotTown this afternoon with a 2-1 win over @Taffswellfc

in the Welsh League. A late red card for player-manager Cortez Belle: FEB 18th 2018

According to the Richter Scale, which measures the power of earthquakes globally, a measurement of 3.0 magnitude is considered a minor tremor which can normally be felt if you are sitting down. Many 2.0 magnitudes pass unnoticed but of the 200-300 earthquakes in the UK every year, between 20-30 are over 2.0 magnitude which can be felt over a wider area.

ASHINGTON: GOALS GALORE

16th February 1929

The Northumberland based club, Ashington FC, spent 8 seasons in the Football League in the 1920s, their last season being 1928/29. They finished bottom of the Third Division (North) that season conceding 115 goals with their worst defeat being 8-2 at home to eventual champions Bradford City. The club failed to get re-elected at the end of the season and their place was taken by York City, playing in the Midland League. 

Ashington suffered another major defeat at their Portland Park ground that season, 4-7 against Doncaster Rovers with Tom Keetley scoring 6 of the Doncaster goals. That was – and still is – the record goals scored by a Doncaster player in a League match, while the 186 League goals he scored in his Doncaster career (241 apps).

ONLY 729 witnessed this piece of history.

Tom (SEATED FOURTH FROM RIGHT) was one of six Keetley brothers who played in the Football League including four –himself,  Harry, Joe and Frank, who turned out for Doncaster Rovers. 

Tom was born on November 16, 1898. His family lived at 62 Graham Street, Litchurch. He had 11 siblings; ten brothers and a sister. “Tom worked at and played for Victoria Ironworks in Derby and was on Derby County’s books as an amateur in 1919, although he didn’t play for the first team. “He went on to enjoy a long professional career between 1919 and 1934 with Bradford Park Avenue, Doncaster Rovers, Notts County and Lincoln City. “Subsequently, he played for Gresley Rovers and Heanor Town in Derbyshire. He scored 284 Football League goals in 365 appearances, and remains one of the leading scorers in English football. “After his football career, Tom inevitably, became a publican. In 1939, he was licensee of the Red Lion, Derby Road, Shardlow.

 Ashington is also the home of the Charlton family! You know....what's in the water?

PORTERFIELD and an orange ball

Ian Porterfield was probably best remembered as the scorer of the only goal in the 1973 FA Cup Final, when Sunderland beat Leeds United. The 1973 showpiece is also known historically as the last FA Cup final to be played with an orange ball. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ruHAe0rT5Ig

Ian is less well known as the record he set as a club manager. 

He was the first Premier League manager to be sacked! 

Porterfield managed Chelsea in 1992/93, the first season of the Premier League, and on December 5th 1992 Chelsea beat Spurs 2-1 at White Hart Lane to occupy fourth place in the table. They were looking like surprise title contenders – but then things changed! They didn’t manage a win in their next 11 League outings, dropped to mid-table and on Monday 15th February – two days after Aston Villa had beaten Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in their 29th League outing of the season – Ian Porterfield received his marching orders and was replaced by a former Stamford Bridge favourite, David Webb. But he had set that record that will be his for ever – the first Premier League manager to be sacked!

Arsene Wegner holds the record for most games managed in the Premier League with 828, all with Arsenal, which he managed between 1996-2918. The most successful manager in the Premier League is Alex Ferguson who won 13 titles – more than three times as many as any other manager – with Man U between 1993-2013. Sam Allerdyce has managed the most teams in the Premier League, having taken charge of eight different clubs: Bolton W, Newcastle U, Blackburn R, West Ham U, Sunderland, Crystal Palace, Everton, West Brom A.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Premier_League_managers

YOU MUST LOOK AT THIS LIST

Ian Porterfield, Bob Stokoe and Jim Montgomery BME of course, are legends of the Sunderland FA Cup Final win in 1973. Many will know the prowess of their opponents at the time, Leeds United, whose reputation in 1973 was phenomenal and hence this Cup Final win was very special and unexpected. Below is goalkeeper Montgomery's miraculous save in the final.

The save was compared to Gordon Banks' save against Brazil in the 1970 World Cup. Here are more of Montgomery's saves:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6bYIy4deD0

Jim Montgomery BEM, was awarded the British Empire Medal in June 2015. He was born on October the 9th, 1943 and made a record 627 appearances for his home town club, Sunderland, with 537 of these appearances being in the Football League, after joining the club as a youngster in 1960. 

In June 2015, Montgomery was awarded the British Empire Medal for his services to football. 

In October 2020, a mural of Montgomery celebrating the 1973 Sunderland FA Cup win was unveiled on The Times Inn, public house, overlooking the River Wear at Wear Street, Sunderland. 

Montgomery later played for Vancouver Royals, briefly, Southampton, Birmingham City and Nottingham Forest, notching up 614 apps. 

After he retired as a player, Montgomery returned to Birmingham City and Sunderland as a goalkeeping coach.

James Hayden Montgomery (born 20 April 1994) who plays as a goalie for |National League club Gateshead. His grandfather was a cousin of Jimmy.

CLIFF JONES, THE WELSH WINGER

Clifford William Jones (born 7 February 1935) now 88, is a Welsh former footballer, who during his career, played as a winger and was capped 59 times for Wales. Jones was only 5'7" tall. He was a crucial member of Tottenham Hotspur Double winning side in 1960-1. Born on 7 February 1935 in Swansea, to a footballing family. His father Ivor, uncles Shoni, Emlyn, Bert and Bryn. brother Bryn and cousin Ken were also all decent players. He was also a schoolboy friend of Terry Medwin, who would later become his teammate at Tottenham Hotspur. He was brought up in the Sandfields area of Swansea, and attended St. Helens Mixed Junior School. When he was eleven, he attended Oxford Street Secondary Modern, where he joined the school's football team. When he was twelve, he was selected for the Swansea Schoolboys' team, which he captained in 1950 and won the Welsh Shield and English Schools' Trophy. 

Jones was signed to Billy MaCandalls Swansea Town, in 1952 when he was 17, joining his brother Bryn, who also played for the club. For a time at Swansea he also worked as an apprentice sheet metal worker in The Prince of Wales Dry Dock. He made his debut in the League match against Bury in October 1952. He scored his first goal in the match against Leeds United, two games later. He started off as an inside forward, but moved to the left wing in the 1953–54 season. He scored 47 goals in 168 league appearances for the club. and 54 goals in 193 appearances in all competitions. 

Jones joined Tottenham Hotspur in February 1958 for a record £35,000 (equivalent to £869,923 in 2021). He made his debut for the club on 22 February 1958 in the away match against ARSENAL!! at Highbury. For a while Jones didn't play at his best at Spurs, and he then broke a leg in a tackle with full back, Peter Baker, during pre-season training in the summer of 1958. He returned to the team after his recovery in December 1958. He became a prolific goalscorer for the club, scoring 25 goals in all appearances in the 1959–60 season. He scored 19 goals in the next season; the Double Season.

That season, I saw Spurs play at White Hart Lane several times, taken there by my London based, Uncle Stan. (I was 7 years old).Jones was also part of the successful Spurs sides in the 1962 FA Cup Final and 1963 European Cup Winners Cup Final and he also won a further medal as a non-playing substitute in the 1967 FA Cup Final at Wembley. I have programmes! 

In 1962, Juventus offered a world-record fee of £125,000 (equivalent to £2,837,022 in 2021) to sign him but the offer was turned down. Jones played on both wings at Tottenham; he played on the right wing in the Double-winning season, and on the left in the subsequent seasons. He made his final appearance and scored his last goal for Tottenham in the match against Manchester United on 9 October 1968. He remains one of the top scorers in the club's history, scoring 159 goals in 378 games (135 in 318 league games).

Jones finally moved on from White Hart Lane in 1968 in order to take up a position with Fulham for two seasons. He scored twice in 25 league appearances for Fulham. Afterwards, he played for King's Lynn from 15 August 1970, debuting against Romford, with his final game for the club against Dover Athletic, making a total of 27 appearances and scoring 13 goals. Jones then moved on and played for Bedford Town, Wealdstone, Cambridge City and Wingate. 

International career Jones was called into the Welsh national side after playing only 25 times as a winger for Swansea. He made his senior debut playing against Austria in May 1954. In his second appearance for the national side, he helped Wales beat England 2–1 at Ninian Park, on 22 October 1955, scoring the winning goal. Jones scored three goals in the 1958 World Cup play-off in February 1958 against Israel to win 4–0 on aggregate, allowing Wales to qualify for the World Cup for the first time. He played in all five of Wales' games at the 1958 World Cup, and helped Wales reach the quarter-final where they lost to Brazil, beaten by a goal from Pele. He made a total of 11 appearances for them in World Cup qualifiers between 1957 and 1968. He played his final game for Wales in October 1968 in the World Cup qualifier against Italy. In total he played 59 times for Wales in 15 years, scoring 16 goals. 

Personal life Jones married his wife Joan in 1955 and they have four children, nine grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. Prolific! Among Jones' grandsons are footballers, Scott Neillson and Matt Wells, who is part of the Fulham coaching team. After retiring from football he went on to teach PE and "managed" the school football team at Highbury Grove School in North London. (bit close to The Gunners?)

Jones has been inducted into the Tottenham Hotspur Hall of Fame as well as the National Football Museum's Hall of Fame. He was also inducted onto the Supporters' Trust Wall of Fame outside the Liberty Stadium. He received an Honorary Fellowship from the University of Wales.