On 14th Day of February, Liverpool fans were mourning the passing of "Football's most successful manager" Bob Paisley, who passed away aged 77. Born: 23 Jan 1919. He was very much "from the Boot Room", having joined Liverpool in 1939 and worked at the club until 1983, filling every job from centre back to Physio and then following on from Bill Shankley and manager. He led the Reds to 19 major honours, including the club's first three European Cups.
Robert Paisley (23 January 1919 – 14 February 1996) was an English professional football manager and player who played as a wing-half. He spent almost 50 years with Liverpool and is regarded as one of the greatest managers of all time. Reluctantly taking the job in 1974, he built on the foundations laid by his predecessor Bill Shankley. Paisley is the first of four managers to have won the European Cup three times. He is also one of five managers to have won the English top-flight championship as both a player and manager at the same club.
Paisley came from a small County Durham Miners' community and, in his youth, played for Bishop Auckland, before he signed for Liverpool in 1939. During the Second World War he served in the British Army, and could not make his Liverpool debut until 1946. In the 1946–47 season, he was a member of the Liverpool team that won the First Division title for the first time in 24 years. He was made club captain in 1951, and remained with Liverpool until he retired from playing in 1954.
He stayed with the club, and took on the two roles of reserve team coach and club physiotherapist. By this time, Liverpool had been relegated to the Second Division and its facilities were in decline. Shankly was appointed Liverpool manager in December 1959, and he promoted Paisley to work alongside him as his assistant in a management/coaching team that included Joe Fagan and Reuben Bennett. Under their leadership, the fortunes of Liverpool turned around dramatically and, in the 1961–62 season, the team gained promotion back to the First Division. Paisley filled an important role as tactician under Shankly's leadership, and the team won numerous honours during the next twelve seasons.
In 1974, Shankly retired as manager and, despite Paisley's own initial reluctance, he was appointed as Shankly's successor. He went on to lead Liverpool through a period of dometic and Europeandominance, winning twenty honours in nine seasons: six League Championships, three League Cups, six Charity Shields, three European Cups, one UEFA Cup and one UEFA Super Cup. He won honours at a rate of 2.2 per season, a rate surpassed only by Pep Guardiola. At the time of his retirement he had won the Manager of the Year Award a record six times. He retired from management in 1983 and was succeeded by Joe Fagan. He died in 1996, aged 77, after having Alzheimer's disease for several years.
Gordon Banks OBE was born on December 30th 1937 and died on, February 12th in 2019. His play period was from April 6th 1963 through to 1972, winning 73 England international caps. Gordon scored no goals! Widely regarded as one of the greatest goalkeepers of all time,he made 679 appearances during a 20-year professional career, and won 73 English caps, highlighted by starting every game of the nation's 1966 World Cupvictory Below, that save from Pele!
He joined Chesterfield in March 1953 and played in the 1956 FA Youth Club Cup final. He made his first-team debut in November 1958 and joined Leicester City for £7,000 in July 1959. He played in four cup finals for the club, as they were beaten in the 1961 by Spurs and 1963 Final finals before winning the League Cup and finishing as finalists in 1965. Despite this success and his World Cup win in 1966, Banks was dropped by Leicester and sold on to Stoke City for £50,000 in April 1967. In the 1970, he made one of the game's greatest saves to prevent a goal by the Brazilian Pele. He was absent due to illness as England were beaten by West Germany in the quarter-finals.
Banks was Stoke City's goalkeeper in the 1972 League Cup win, the club's only major honour. He was still Stoke's and England's number one when a car crash in October 1972 cost him both the sight in his right eye and, eventually, his professional career. He played two last seasons in the United States for the Fort Lauderdale Strikers in 1977 and 1978, and despite only having the vision in one eye, was NASL Goalkeeper of the Year in 1977 after posting the best defensive record in the league. He briefly entered management with Telford United but left the game in December 1980.
Banks was named FWA Footballer of the Yearin 1972 and was named FIFA Goalkeeper of the Year on six occasions. The IFFHS named Banks the second-best goalkeeper of the 20th century, after Lev Yashin.
Banks was born in Abbeydale, Sheffield, on 30 December 1937, and brought up in the working-class area of Tinsley. The family later moved to the rural village of nearby Catcliffe after his father set up a (then-illegal) betting shop.This brought greater prosperity but also misery; one day, Banks's disabled brother was mugged for the shop's daily takings and died of his injuries some weeks later. Banks left school in December 1952, aged 15, and took up employment as a bagger with a local coal merchant, which helped to build up his upper body strength. He spent a season playing for amateur side Millspaugh after their regular goalkeeper failed to turn up for a match; the club's trainer spotted Banks amongst the spectators and invited him to play in goal as he was aware that Banks had previously played for Sheffield Schoolboys. His performances there earned him a game in the Yorkshire League for Rawmarsh Welfare. However, a 12–2 defeat to Stocksbridge Works on his debut was followed by a 3–1 home defeat, and he was dropped by Rawmarsh and returned to Millspaugh. Still aged 15, he then switched jobs to become a hod carrier....that is carrying bricks over the shoulder, usually up to where the "brick layer" was needing a supply!
Banks was scouted by Chesterfieldwhilst playing for Millspaugh and offered a six-game trial in the youth team in March 1953. He was offered a part-time £3-a-week contact in July 1953.Banks conceded 122 goals in the 1954–55 season as the "Spireites" finished in last place with only three victories. Banks was posted to Germany with the Royal Signals on compulsory National Service, and won the Inter Regimental Rhine Cup with his regimental team. He played in the Chesterfield youth team that reached the 1956 final of the FA Youth Cup There they were beaten 4–3 on aggregate by Manchester United's famous "Busby Babes"—a team that included both Wilf McGuiness and Bobby Charlton.
Banks was given his first-team debut in a Third Division game against Colchester United at Saltergate in November 1958. The game ended 2–2, and Banks kept his place against Norwich City in the following match. With no goalkeeping coach to guide him, Banks had to learn from his mistakes on the pitch and practice, and he soon developed into a modern vocal goalkeeper who ordered the players in front of him into a more effective defence. Having just 23 league and three cup appearances to his name, Leicester City, bought Banks from Chesterfield for £7,000 in July 1959; this also meant a wage increase to £15 a week.
At Leicester City Banks faced competition from five other goalkeepers, but played the 1959-60 season as the reserve team's goalkeeper. This, in effect, made him the club's second-choice, ahead of four of his rivals but behind first-team choice MacLaren. He had played four reserve team games when MacLaren picked up an injury, and manager Matt Gillies selected Banks for his Leicester debut against Blackpool at Filbedrt Street on 9 September. The match finished 1–1. Banks retained his place for a 2–0 loss to Newcastle Utd at St James' Park, three days later.
With McLaren fit again, Banks was sent back to the reserves, but after the first team conceded 14 goals in the next five games, he was recalled and became the first-choice goalkeeper for the remainder of the season. The defensive record did not improve at first, with Banks conceding six in a heavy defeat by Everton at Goodison Park. He improved in each match, and the Foxes settled for a comfortable 12th-place League finish. Banks' commitment to training was largely unique in an era where there were no specialized goalkeeping coaches. In the summer, Anderson and MacLaren departed, leaving Banks as the club's undisputed number one ahead of a group of understudies.
Leicester finished sixth in 1960-1, and managed to beat champions and Double Winners Tottenham Hotspur away at White Hart Lane. Yet their greatest accomplishment was in reaching the final of the FA Cup, with Banks conceding only five goals in their nine games en route to the final, and keeping three clean sheets in the semi-final and two replays against Sheffield United. At Wembley the other finalists was Tottenham, who had already won the First Division title by an eight-point margin. Leicester's Right-back Len Chalmers picked up a severe injury early in the matchand with Ken Leek dropped for disciplinary reasons in favour of rookie Hughie McIlmoyle, City were effectively playing with ten men and offered little threat going forward.Bobby Smith and Terry Dyson gave Spurs a 2–0 win and the first "double" of the 20th century, with Banks unable to prevent either goal.
The 1961-2 season proved to be highly disappointing, as Leicester finished 14th in the league and exited the FA Cup at the hands of Stoke City. The only highlight was the club's participation in the European Cup Winners' Cup, which put Banks in the difficult position of choosing to play for his club against Spanish club Atletico Madrid or choosing to attend the England versus Portugal match as a non-playing squad member. He elected to attend both games, leaving London at full-time to reach Leicester 30 minutes before the kick off against Madrid. A last minute goal earned the Spaniards a 1–1 draw at Filbert Street. In the return leg, Banks saved a penalty, but Atlético were awarded a second penalty which Collar converted, and Leicester lost the game 2–0 (losing the tie 3–1 on aggregate).
Banks broke his nose at Craven Cottage on the opening day of the 1962–63 season, in a 2–1 defeat by Fulham. Leicester went to chase a possible double, reaching the FA Cup semi-finals whilst sitting on top of the table in April. City beat Liverpool 1–0 at Hillsborough to reach the final, with Banks keeping a clean sheet despite his goal being under a near-constant siege from the Merseyside club. The News of the World reported that Liverpool had had 34 attempts on goal to Leicester's one, and Banks later stated that it was his finest performance at club level. Unluckily, Banks then broke a finger in a 2–1 defeat by West Bromwich Albion at The Hawthorns, and was out injured as Leicester lost their final three league games, ending the season in a disappointing fourth place. In the 1963 FA Cup final Banks and the rest of the team underperformed, and lost the game 3–1 to Manchester United.
City ended the 1963–64 season in 11th place, having been inconsistent all season. Success instead came through the League Cup, as they beat West Ham United 6–3 over two legs in the semi-finals to reach the final against Stoke City.The opening tie at the Victoria Ground finished 1–1 in extremely muddy conditions as Banks spilled a shot from Bill Asprey, with Keith Bebbington pouncing on the rebound. Back at Filbert Street, goals from Mike Stringfellow, Dave Gibson and Howard Riley won the game for Leicester 3–2 and settled the tie at 4–3.
Banks started the 1964–65 season on wages of £40 a week, and the club only agreed to pay £60 a week in December. These miserly wages made it difficult for the club to spend the £80,000 it received from the sale of Frank McLintock – he had put in a transfer request over dissatisfaction with his pay and quality replacements were reluctant to join a club that paid full internationals like Banks and McLintock no more than the base rate that rival clubs paid to average players. Leicester finished 18th in the league and were knocked out of the FA Cup by Liverpool at Anfield in the sixth round. In the League Cup, City struggled to get past Peterborough United (in a replay), Grimsby Town and Crystal Palace (in a replay), before they recorded an 8–1 victory over Coventry City at Highfield Road. After easing past Plymouth Argyle in the semi-finals, Banks found himself playing in another League Cup final. However, Chelsea won the final after successfully defending their 3–2 win at Stamford Bridge with a goalless draw at Filbert Street.
Despite being a World Cup winner in the summer of 1966, Banks was dropped towards the end of the 1966–67 season in favour of highly promising teenage reserve Peter Shilton. Manager Matt Gillies was blunt, telling Banks "we [Gillies and the club's directors] think your best days are behind you, and you should move on". Teammate Richie Norman told Banks that Gillies was pressured into the decision, Shilton having told the board he would leave the club unless he was given first-team football. Banks was transfer listed at £50,000, the same price the club received for Derek Dougan in March 1967. However, many of the big clubs were unwilling to spend such a sum on a goalkeeper. Liverpool manager Bill Shankly showed strong interest, but could not convince the club's board of directors to agree to such a large fee for a goalkeeper. West Ham United manager Ron Greenwood was prepared to match the fee, but instead signed Kilmarnock's Bobby Ferguson for £65,000 because he had already agreed terms with Kilmarnock and did not want to go back on his word. Terms were instead agreed with Stoke City, a mid-table First Division side.
Stoke City
"I've not come here to retire you know. I've come to here to win something."
— Banks speaking upon signing with the club after critics questioned Waddington's policy of signing veteran players.
On leaving Filbert Street, Banks requested a loyalty bonus from Leicester and was told by Matt Gillies, "We've decided not to pay you a penny. There's to be no compensation payment and that's final."Banks then refused the move until Stoke boss Tony Waddington seemingly negotiated a £2,000 payment out of Leicester.It was only some years later that Banks was informed that Stoke had made the payment, not Leicester.Waddington valued good goalkeepers highly, and the two built up a close relationship. During this time, Banks moved to Madeley, Staffordshire. He replaced John Farmer as the club's number one, and kept goal in the last four games of the 1966–67 season, making his home debut at the Victoria Ground in a 3–1 win over his former club Leicester.
Banks fitted in well at Stoke, as Waddington built a team of veteran players who were judged by some to be past their best. The Potters struggled near the foot of the First Division table in the 1967–68 and 1968–69 campaigns, before rising to ninth place in the 1969–70 season. Banks remained a reliable stopper for the club. However, on 1 March 1969, he was knocked unconscious at Roker Park by Sunderland's Malcolm Moore, and his replacement David Herd conceded four goals in a 4–1 defeat. Banks also played a season for the Cleveland Stokers of the American United Soccer Association in the summer of 1968: he played seven of the short-lived club's 12 games in Cleveland, Ohio.
Banks made what he believed to be three of the best saves of his career in a Stoke shirt. In the first instance, he saved and caught a powerful and well-placed header from Manchester City's Wyn Davies from 8 yards (7.3 m) out; in the second case he saved a Francis Lee header at Maine Road; and he made his third great save for the club by catching a volley from Tottenham Hotspur's Alan Gilzean that had been hit from 6 yards (5.5 m) out at White Hart Lane.
Stoke began to compete for honours in the 1970–71 season, though despite impressive victories against the top two clubs—Arsenal and Leeds United—City ended the season in mid-table obscurity. The club's great achievement was in reaching the semi-finals of the FA Cup, beating Millwall, Huddersfield Town, Ipswich Town and Hull Cityen route. Facing Arsenal at Hillsborough in the semi-finals, they lost a two-goal lead to draw 2–2, and were then beaten 2–0 in the replay at Villa Park.
Despite another mid-table finish in 1971–72, Stoke beat Chesterfield, Tranmere Rovers, Hull City and Manchester United to reach another FA Cup semi-final.They again faced Arsenal, and once more, a draw at Villa Park meant a replay at Goodison Park. The Gunners' goals in a 2–1 victory came from a disputed Frank McLintock penalty and a John Radford goal that television replays showed was clearly offside. In a May 2011 interview, Banks said that he still felt "cheated" out of a chance to play for the club in an FA Cup final. Stoke and Banks found solace in the League Cup, though it took them 11 matches to reach the final after overcoming Southport, then Oxford United in a replay, Manchester United in a second replay, Bristol Rovers, and then West Ham United in a second replay following an aggregate draw after two legs. In extra time of the second leg with West Ham, Banks fouledHarry Redknapp, conceding a penalty, and then saved Geoff Hurst's powerful spot-kick to keep City in the competition. They then faced Chelsea in the final at Wembley. Peter Osgood beat Banks with a hooked shot just before half-time, but goals from Terry Conroy and George Eastham won Stoke the game 2–1. At the end of the season, Banks was named the FWA Footballer of the Year, becoming the firsst goalkeeper to receive the honour since Bert Trautmann in 1956.
On 22 October 1972, while driving home from a session of work on his injured shoulder with the Stoke physiotherapist, Banks lost control of his new Ford Consul (a re-badged Ford Granada Mk I) car, which ended up in a ditch. He had attempted to overtake a car on a sharp bend and collided with an oncoming Austin A60 van. He was taken to the North Staffordshire Hospital and, during an operation, received 200 stitches in his face and over 100 micro-stitches inside the socket of his right eye, and was told the chances of saving the sight in his eye were 50–50.His sight never returned, he retired from professional football the following summer.
Fort Lauderdale Strikers
In April 1977, he went on to play as a named superstar in the North American Soccer League (NASL) for Fort Lauderdale Strikers. The Strikers won their division in 1977, and Banks was named NASL Goalkeeper of the Year after he conceded only 29 goals in 26 games—the best defensive record in the NASL. He also played one League of Ireland game for St Patricks, keeping a clean sheet in a 1–0 win over Shamrock Rovers on 2 October 1977. He returned to Fort Lauderdale and played 11 games in 1978.
Banks first met his wife, Ursula, during his national service in Germany in 1955. They married in 1957 and had three children. He separated from Ursula during his time in America. Still, the couple reunited when Banks returned to England. In October 1972, Banks was involved in a car crash while driving on the wrong side of the road, close to his home. Fragments of glass had perforated his right eye and damaged the retina, requiring 100 micro stitches to the eye and a further 200 to his face.
Shortly after his retirement, Banks was surprised by Eamonn Andrews for an episode of This is your Life. He later fronted a Leicester-based hospitality company. He lost a significant sum of money when the business failed but was helped out by Leicester City, who offered him a belated testimonial match. He was appointed as Stoke City's president following the death of Stanley Matthews. From the 1980s he was a member of the three-man pools panel.
In 2001, he sold his World Cup winners medal at Christie's for £124,750, and his international cap from the final was also sold for £27,025.
Sheffield Walk of Fame
Banks was an Inaugural Inductee to the English Football Hall of Fame in 2002. In March 2004, he was named by Pelé as one of the world's 125 greatest footballers.He was awarded an honorary doctorate from Keele University in February 2006. In May 2006, Banks was the first 'legend' to be inducted into a new Walk of Fame, by having a plaque installed in the pavement in front of Sheffield Town Hall. In July 2008, Pelé unveiled a statue of Banks making his famous 1970 World Cup save outside the Britannia Stadium. In March 2011, he was also inducted into the City of Stoke Hall of Fame. Pelé became a good friend of Banks and following his death the Brazilian described Banks as a "goalkeeper with magic".
In December 2015, it was announced Banks was receiving treatment for Kidney Cancer. He died from cancer in his sleep on12 February 2019 at the age of 81. Banks's funeral took place on 4 March 2019.
Conmebol's "Blue Ribbon" club competition, The Copa Libertadores, was launched in 1960 as a response to the success of the European Cup, which had been in existence since 1955. South America, however, can claim the first Continental club competition which took place in 1948, organised by Chile's Colo Colo. Libertadores refers to Liberators, remembering the Spanish and Portuguese leaders of the Latin American War of Independence.
Colo Colo won the Chilean Championship in 1947 and so invited six other clubs to compete for the Copa de Campeones in order to find the best club in South America. They were joined by Nacional of Uruguay and River Plate from Argentina, the Peruvian runners-up Municipal and clubs from countries that didn't hold a national competition; Litoral of Bolivia, Emelec of Ecuador and Vasco da Gama from Brazil. They played in a "round robin" league which began with a 2-2 draw between Colo Colo and Emelec and was decided when Vasco da Gama held River Plate in the last round of matches to secure the title from the Argentinians by one point.
Vasco's Albino Friaca, scored a goal in Brazil's defeat to Uruguay in the final match of the 1950 World Cup, along with Barbosa, Brazil's goalkeeper scapegoat for that "infamous" game. While the competition was a success on the pitch, the Copa de Campeones was a financial disaster and the idea was "canned" until UEFA by adding numbers to the competition, showed that it could be workable. In 1960 Conmebol tried again, when Penarol of Uruguay won the first title with a team built around Alberto Spencer, who scored 54 goals, still a tournament record, unsurprisingly! HERE HE IS....
in 2024, 47 clubs from 10 Associations, qualified through South American national competitions, with Botafogo from Brazil present champions, their first title. Independiente of Argentina are most successful with 7 titles.
The 2024 Copa CONMEBOL Libertadores was the 65th edition of the CONMEBOL Libertadores (also referred to as the Copa Libertadores). The competition began on 6 February and ended on 30 November 2024, with the Final played at EstadioMonumental in Buenos Aries Argentina.
Brazilian club Botafogo won their first Copa Libertadores title, defeating fellow Brazilian side Atletico Mineiro 3–1 in the Final. They also automatically qualified for the 2024 FIFA Intercontinental Cup, the 2025 World Club Cup and the 2025 Copa Libertadoresgroup stage. Fluminese were the defending champions, but were eliminated by Atlético Mineiro in the quarter-finals.
This tournament was marred by the death of Juan Izquierdo, the Uruguayan footballer who was playing for Nacional, during a round of 16 match against Sao Paulo. Izquierdo collapsed on the pitch due to cardio arrhythmiaand passed away at the hospital five days after the incident.
Reginald James Hayter(4 December 1913 – 13 March 1994)was an English cricketjournalist who founded his own sports' reporting agency. He was also editor ofThe Cricketerfrom 1978 to 1981.
Early life and career.
Reginald Hayter became the PA's chief cricket reporter, as well as covering Marylebone Cricket Club(MCC) overseas' tours for Reuters. On these tours, he formed close friendships with several of the England players, including Denis Compton,whom he referred to an agent after uncovering hundreds of Compton's unopened correspondence.
In February 1955, Hayter formed his own agency named Hayters. He bought out the run-down agency business of retiring Bert Long and set-up in a single room located high above The Strand. The agency provided national and regional newspapers with coverage of sporting matches and events. It grew to became a renowned name in quality sports journalism as well as providing an excellent training ground for many young sports journalists and reporters to learn their trade. It was the starting place for the likes of Albert Sewell (the agency's first employee), Richard Keys, Gary Newbon, Steve Ryder, Martin Sewell and Henry Winter.
At the time of Hayter's death, four of the national newspaper cricket correspondents had started their career's at Hayters (see above).
Other roles: Hayter acted as an agent and advisor to many sportsmen including Basil D'Olivera, Ian Botham, Tony Greig, Henry Cooperand Bob Wilson.
He ghostwrote and set up book deals for Keith Miller and Ray Lindwall, acted on behalf of Compton's great friends Bill Edrich and Godfrey Evans - whom he would also make a Brylcreem Boy. The boxer Henry Cooper and footballers such as Bob Wilson, Johnny Haynes and Malcolm MacDonald - with whom Hayter used to visit Luton Town Football Club to drink with club president and famous comedian Eric Morecambe - were clients, and many others bent his ear for advice.
D'Oliveira was particularly grateful for Hayter's assistance, as he was guided through the crisis following his selection to tour apartheid South Africa.However Hayter's relationship with Botham and Greig ended sourly, the former switched to Lord Tim Hudsonin pursuit of more lucrative opportunities while Hayter was unhappy that Greig had failed to inform him of an approach for World Series Cricket which apparently offended Hayter’s traditionalist sensibilities.
Hayter wrote for the Wisden Cricketers' Almanackover many years and also ghost-wrote books for Keith Miller and Ray Lindwall.He was editor of The Cricketer from August 1978 to April 1981, a period in which the magazine reached record circulation numbers. Hayter played cricket for the British Empire XI during the War and appeared for Stanmore C.C. into his sixties and was a President of the club.He was a member of the MCC and been made a life member by Surrey CCC in 1988.
Reg Hayter spoke at Stanmore CC's annual dinner just two days before his death from cancer.
He was married to Lucy Gray in 1932 and she helped with the accounts in the formative years of the agency, as well as raising their five children.One of his sons, Peter, would follow in his father's footsteps, completing an apprenticeship at Hayters, then going on to be cricket correspondent of the 'Mail on Sunday'.
He partied hard and never retired, and his life's work - and play - is commemorated with the Reg Hayter Cup, awarded to the Professional Cricket Association's Player of the Year and with a plaque on the wall of the Lord's Media Centre.
Trevor Francis became the first £1 million pound football transfer player on February 9th 1979. His move from Birmingham City to Brian Clough's Nottingham Forest was actually publicised at £999,999, so that "the lad wouldn't get too big headed"!... Old "Big Head" explained to the press.
With add ons the total fee was £1.15m beating the previous most expensive transfer in British football.
Trevor Francis, born in Plymouth, he spent time at Birmingham City (280 apps with 119 goals), so no wonder Brian wanted him! Francis had a spell at Detroit Express, Nottingham Forest (70 apps with 28 goals), Manchester City, Sampdoria, Atalanta (USA), Rangers, Wollongong City in Australia, QPR and Sheffield Wednesday, two clubs he also managed, along with Birmingham City and Crystal Palace.
On 13 April 2012, Francis was reported to be recovering in hospital from a suspected heart attack but sadly died of another heart attack at his home near Marbella, Spain, on 24 July 2023. He was 69.
It's a long time since Alf Common cost £1,000, involving Middlesbrough back in the day. See below......
http://www.myfootballfacts.com/BritishFootballPlayerTransferRecords1904-2009.html Alf was born in Sunderland, played for them, then went to Sheffield United for £325 (yes £325) and won an FA Cup medal with the Blades in 1902, after helping Sunderland AFC to a runners-up place in the First Division. After that he scored 58 goals in 168 apps for Middlesbrough, had a spell at Woolwich Arsenal and helped Preston to a Second Division promotion in 1913. With all his clubs he averaged 1 goal in 3 games. With 3 England caps and two goals, his career came to halt with the Great War but he lived on until 1946, running pubs in the north-east and that sort of thing!
David Mills, who cost £516,000, the first English £500,000 player. He came from Whitby Town and had played for England Schoolboys as a forward. He joined Middlesbrough in 1968 and stayed there for 11 years, making nearly 300 appearances. He scored 76 goals before moving on to the Baggies under Ron Atkinson.
From there he moved to Sheffield Wednesday, Newcastle United, back to Middlesbrough in 1985 and finished off at Darlington and then home to Whitby Town. He then worked as a freelance journalist for local press, T.V. and radio, and was a print consultant. He went back into football as assistant chief scout at Newcastle and now works on Middlesbrough's scouting team.
Leyton Orient Football Club is based in Leyton, Waltham Forest, London. The team competes in the EFL League One.
Founded in 1881 as the Glyn Cricket Club, they began playing football as Orient in 1888 and joined the London League in 1896 after success in the Clapton & District League. The club adopted the name Clapton Orient two years later and were elected into the Football League in 1905. Relegated out of the Second Division in 1929, the club adopted the name Leyton Orient after World Wat II. They won the Third Division South title in 1955–56 and secured promotion out of the Second Division in 1961–62, though were relegated out of the First Division after just one season, and suffered a further relegation in 1966. That summer the club's name reverted to Orient F.C. and they went on to win the Third Division in 1969–70. Orient spent the 1970s playing in the second tier, winning two London Challenge Cup and reaching the 1977 Anglo-Scottish Cup final and 1977-8 semi-finals, before being relegated in 1982 and again in 1985.
In 1987 the club reverted to being Leyton Orient again. They won promotion out of the Fourth Division via the play-offs in 1988-9, though were relegated again in 1995. Orient gained promotion out of League Two with in 2005–06, before Hearn sold the club to Italian businessman FrancescoBecchetti, who presided over two relegations in three years under 11 managers, taking the club out of the Football League for the first time in 112 years. Niger Travis took over running the club in 2017 and appointed Justice Edinburgh as manager, and under this stable leadership the club went on to reach the FA Trophy Final and win promotion back into the Football League as champions of the Natioanl League in 2018–19 and the club was crowned champions of League Two in the 2022-3 campaign.
They are the second oldest football club in London to play at a professional level, and are known to their fans by their nickname "the O's". The club's home colours are all red. They have played home matches at Brisbane since 1937, having previously played at Millfields and Lea Bridge Road.
Leyton Orient were originally formed by members of the Glyn Cricket Club in 1881, many of whom were former students of the Independent College in nearby Hackney (now Homerton College); an annual club fixture is still held with the Teachers' Training College, in Cambridge. The team has had several name changes since, first as Eagle Cricket Club in 1886, then as Orient Football Club in 1888.
The 12 history books written on the club by its historian Neilson N. Kaufman between 1974 and 2015 suggest that the choice of the name Orient came about at the behest of a player, Jack R Dearing, who was an employee of the Orient Steam Navigation College, later part of P&O – Peninsular & Oriental. The club's name was changed again to Clapton Orient in 1898 to represent the area of London in which they played, though there was another team called Clapton FC.
Before their relegation in 2017, the O's were the second-oldest league club in London behind Fulham and were the 24th oldest club currently playing in the Football League. Following Fulham's promotion to the Premier League they became the oldest London club playing in the Football League. They played in the Second Division of the Southern Federation's League in 1904, joined the Football League in 1905. By this time players such as part-time outside right Herbery Kingaby could earn £2 4s (2012: £200) per week – payment being somewhat sporadic.
The name Leyton Orient was adopted following the conclusion of the Second World War. The club had moved to Leyton in 1937, though again there was another team called Leyton FC A further rename back to Orient took place in 1966 after the Municiple Borough of Leytonwas absorbed into the London Borough of Waltham Forest.
That renaming followed a financial crisis – one of several to hit the club and by no means the first or last – and restructuring of the company behind the club; this is remembered for a "pass the bucket" collection that took place at a special meeting of supporters in the East Stand, when complete closure was claimed to be a definite possibility.
The club reverted to Leyton Orient in 1987, shortly after Tony Wood took over as chairman and at a time when a supporters' campaign was taking place in the Leyton Orientear fanzine to reinstate the Leyton part of the club's name.
Today, the Orient, a League One club, gave a good account of the in the FA Cup 4th Round, at home, against the high and mighty Manchester City, losing 1-2. The League One side took the lead against the Premier Leaguechampions in the 16th minute when Jamie Donley (below) latched onto a loose pass and looped a strike from distance over the head of Stefan Ortega.
The shot hit the bar before ricocheting into the back of Ortega and into the back of the net.
City then equalised after half-time when Rico Lewis’ strike deflected off of Abdukodir Khusanov to wrongfoot Josh Keeley. Kevin de Bruyne then came off of the bench to turn the tie on its head, poking a cool finish beyond the on rushing goalkeeper after being picked out by Jack Grealish.
