SMITH v POINTER

On the 20th August 1960, Tottenham Hotspur had begun a new season having come third in the First Division (in those days the top division) in the previous campaign. Burnley had won the title that year. Playing Everton at White Hart Lane, in front of over 53,000 fans, the two teams were heading for a draw when the England centre forward, Bobby Smith, who was more bull than gazelle, was brought down in the box for a penalty, but the referee played advantage and Les Allen, a silky number 10, took advantage and slotted the first goal. Two minutes later Smith scored the second to send the Spurs to the top of the League.

Smith was from North Yorkshire and he scored 176 goals for Spurs in 271 games. He started at Chelsea, went to Brighton briefly and I saw him play for Hastings United in an FA Cup qualifier at Horsham Town. Smith, of course, was on his way down by then and actually quite old! His career with England was fairly successful with 15 goals in 13 games. By the end of the season Tottenham had won the league and the FA Cup, beating Leicester City in the 1961 final.

I saw Spurs draw 4-4 with Burnley at White Hart Lane in front of a crowd of over 58,000, a game Spurs were well in charge at half time, 4-0, until John Connelly, an England winger, and Ray Pointer, also an England centre forward made their mark. Pointer was a proven goal scorer but he only played three times for England scoring twice. Spurs scored 115 goals that season and conceded 55, the second lowest in the division. 

Former Burnley and England striker Ray Pointer died at the age of 79, on January 26th 2016. Born in Northumberland in 1936, Pointer joined Burnley in 1955 and went on to become the club’s second-highest scorer of all time. Pointer, an integral part of Burnley’s First Division title-winning side of 1959-1960, made a total of 270 appearances and scored 132 goals, which was only bettered by George Beel’s 178. Spells at Bury, Coventry and Portsmouth followed before he finished his playing career at Waterlooville. Pointer, who died peacefully at Blackpool Victoria Hospital, . 

Pointer was only capped three times by England, scoring twice. 

A statement on Burnley’s official club website read: “All of us at Burnley Football Club extend our sympathies to Ray’s family and friends at this very sad time.” 

The next season, Leicester represented England in the European Cup Winners Cup because Tottenham were playing in the European Cup, as it was known then. Aston Villa won the Football League Cup, Birmingham City played in the third Inter Cities Fairs Cup (open only to one city from each European Country-16 countries participated) and lost in the final to Roma over two legs. Sheffield Wednesday were first Division runners up and Newcastle and Preston were relegated.