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March 2000

29th March, 2000

A while ago I revealed Part One of the Blackpool, Everton and England goalkeeper, Gordon West's 1970 account of his favourite team. Now (at last !) you can read Part Two. It makes interesting reading and shows how contemporaries viewed the top players of the 1970-71 Season. West apparently believed George Best could have been worth as much as a quarter of a million pounds !!! Would Nobby Stiles (Manchester United) make a 1970s team picked in the year 2000 ???

28th March, 2000

News : Next Generation Update : Sons and Daughters : Lawson Latest

Yes these pages maintain their reputation for being the latest with the news. Jimmy Lawson's son (Huddersfield Town) Ian scored for Stockport County this Saturday. His opener gave his club a chance of winning their away tie to Wolves, but they ended up with a 2-2 draw having conceded a goal in the dying minutes. Stockport County remain clear of relegation, but too far from a play-off place to consider it worth going for.Stockport County FC

Ian moved down the road but up the Leagues from Bury on 18th February, 2000 for 150,000 pounds and 25 per cent of any future deal. This was not Ian's first goal for County, that was a a 1-1 equaliser at home against Barnsley on 3rd March, though the team went on to lose 3-1. Stockport County FC

27th March, 2000

Lots of e-mails to cover, they are listed in the order I received them ...

E-Mail (1) Pete G ...

Thanks to Pete Gable who writes :

Check out www.bobdunning.net it's one cool site!!!

This address will begin to appear on the table at the bottom of each page, and is the address of the webmaster's actual homepage, as opposed to the football pages index. Thanks Pete for setting it up.

E-mail (2) Pete G ...

Peter Gillatt the webmaster of the EXCELLENT Seasiders site wrote the following ...

Hi Bob,

I'm the webmaster of Seasiders.net you have already been kind enough to giveus a link on your site. I'm also fascinated with the year 1970-71 forobvious reasons it was our last year in the top flight.

I'm not sure if you have visited our site recently but we have a superb archive section which includes and I'm sure you be delighted to learn this actual TV coverage of matches from the 1970-71 season which includes Leeds United. A visit to our results/stats/media page will provide you access to our classic clips page where you can download in mpeg format  Blackpool games against from 03 January 1971 the FA Cup 3rd Round West Ham Utd (H) score 4-0, and 4 TV Clips (colour-audio), 13 March 1971 Division 1 (old) Leeds United (H) score 1-1 and 2 TV Clips (colour-audio), 10 April 1971 Division 1 (old) Burnley (A) score 0-1 and 1 TV Clip (colour-audio) and final item 12 June 1971 Anglo-Italian Cup Final Bologna  (A) 2-1, 3 TV Clips (colour-audio). (WOW !!! - Bob)

We also have extensive information on all Pool players from that year.

Tony Green still lives on the Fylde Coast and is a school teacher at Hodgson School in Poulton.

Alan Suddick still lives near the Bloomfield Road ground and is understood to be involved in a painting and decorating business.

Glyn James runs a flourishing launderette in Blackpool and is still in volved with the club in that his firm washes the kit!

Billy Bentley is understood to be back in the Stoke area but this is not certain.

Tommy Hutchison lives in Wales and is involved in some way with the Welsh FA.

Fred Pickering is back in the Blackburn area and is believed to be dealing in car sales. 

Micky Burns works for the Professional Footballers' Association and is involved in vocational training for footballers.

Manager Bob Stokoe (Carlisle United manager) who took over mid-season from Les Shannon has returned to the north east and lives in Hexham where he looks after his wife who hasbeen unwell.

John Craven sadly passed away in America a few years ago following a heart attack.

The two pictures attached are of Jimmy Armfield's farewell appearance for the Seasiders when Man Utd were the visitors at Bloomfield Road on the last game of the season on the 1st May 1971 the score that day was 1-1 and Bobby Charlton is seen shaking hands with Armfield. See pictures.

I'm sure I have more information if you require it

Regards Peter

... I'm gobsmacked Peter, thanks for all that. Be sure to go to The Seasiders's Site at seasiders.net - the biggest Blackpool FC website on the planet!

E-mail (3) Big John A

Rod Nicholls mailed this enquiry :

Bob - wasn't Big John somewhere here not very long ago ? You got any pitchers ov'im, moy dear ?     Ta.  Rod.

If anyone has a way of fitting John onto these pages then, let me know. Rod got to John's page from the link on the Club Records page, as Bristol City's most played player.

E-mail (4) F.K.S. 4 U

Generally, I keep commercial matters away from the site, but here's one I couldn't resist. A chance to own your own World of Soccer Stars Album. I wrote asking for a link and got a great reply ...

Bob,

A great site! (Thanks !- Bob) Well, for me and you and any one else who was into F.K.S (and glad to see you are LUFC - I supported them as a child, a brave thing to do in the West Midlands, when all friends supported either Manchester United (even then people did it!), or the local teams, Villa or Wolves, etc.

I follow my local teams today, but I have fond memories of seeing Leeds in the last great era (until now - looks very promising indeed), my first match being one between LUFC and Wolves, in Wolverhampton. I remember feeling scared as a Wolves fan tried to steal my w/b/yellow scarf. Well, it was a bit daft, a 6 year old, sitting in amongst 1000's of old gold supporters waving a LU scarf around. I keep my eye on them today, and wish them all the best!

Carl (at FCCM)

Carl's site is at www.footballcards.co.uk and I've added this to the Links page.

E-mail (5) Bremner B&Ws

True to his word, Ian Corry, who is the webmaster of the fabulous Best Page at http://www.compusmart.ab.ca/icorry/ has sent me these great pictures of Billy (Click to see)

(More e-mails to follow soon)

26th March, 2000

News (1) : Next Generation Update : Sons and Daughters : Many Happy Returns

a) Jamie Reknapp

Jamie's return from injury continues with a winning goal fpr Liverpool in the 88th minute at home to Newcastle United. Jamie only came on in the 78th minute. Liverpool won 2-1 and are now making a strong finish to the season which may give them a Champions League place .See Official Liverpool FC Website - Match Summary 1999-2000 - Newcastle Utd (Premier League - H) - 25.03.00

b) Nicky Summerbee

Nicky returned to the Sunderland first team with his first start in five games, and marked it with the opening goal after 7 minutes. They went on to win the home tie against Everton, 2-1, which arrested their slow slide down the Premiership.See The Official Web Site of Sunderland Association Football Club

News (2) Breakfast with Kev

Don't miss Kevin Keegan in the TalkSport Breakfast radio show tomorrow at 8 a.m (British Summer Time). He'll be joining regular talk host Alan Brazil the former Ipswich Town and Spurs player.You can even ask Kevin a question and listen to the show by going to www.talksport.net

Realisation

I watched Leeds United's disappointing 2-1 defeat on the night against Slavia Prague in the UEFA Cup Quarter-Final, shown nationally by Channel Five. Leeds did win on aggregate, however, and there was further consolation that the expert summariser was ex-Leeds United and Manchester United player, Joe Jordan. In 1970-71 Joe was a young lad at Morton, which then had past Leeds United hero Bobby Collins as it's player-manager. So presumably that's how he came to play for Leeds. See Where are they now ? : Commentators, and Morton.

23rd March, 2000

First off, I've added three new pictures to the site. Once again ther's no particular rhyme or reason for the choice, but they are Norman Hunter (See the Quizlet on the index page), Colin Waldron (who is brother to Malcolm, which has now been added to the Sons and Daughters : Brothers page), and David Sadler.

E-mail : Best Link

Special thanks Ian Corry who maintains one of the VERY Best sites on the web ...

Hello Bob

I enjoyed your page and have the George Best segment linked to my BEST Page

http://www.compusmart.ab.ca/icorry/

The link to this site is found under FaBest

News (1) Doing the Nicholson Walk

Recent surfing round the official Spurs site revealled that Bill Nicholson (Tottenham Hotspur manager) has been given the freedom of the Borough of Haringey, and actually had a road named after him. Bill Nicholson Way leads up to the main gates of White Hart Lane. The picture is coming from Welcome to Tottenham Hotspur . A nifty biography of Bill can be found at Bill Nicholson. Bill was only the second manager ever to win the Championship as a player and a manager, both at Spurs in 1951 and 1961, the latter being Spurs' Double year. Spurs have only ever won Championships in these years.

News (2) Shreeve/s Returns.

And talking of ex-Spurs managers. Peter Shreeves is presently in the news for having temporarily taken over as manager of Sheffield Wednesday following the sacking of Danny Wilson. Now I feel sure Peter belongs to these pages, but I can't yet trace his whereabouts in the 1970-71 season. Can anyone help out ? See SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY.

News (3) Stimulating Simulating

It's not often I stray out of the results section of the young persons football weekly,'Match' comic, but this week's edition, March 25, 2000, has a fabulous article called 'Can You Manage ?'. In it, they get eight Premiership managers to test the PC and Playstation game,'Player Manager 2000'.

Bob's 70-71 page players included were Harry Redknapp (West Ham United), who gets a full page picture playing the game on a Playstation, Bobby Robson (Ipswich Town manager), who really did look like a bemused granddad, Jim Smith (Boston United) who admitted it was his grand children who gave him enough savvy to not look bemused, and Graham Taylor (Lincoln City).

The winner was actually Coventry City manager, Gordon Strachen. Gordon said, 'Can I get Frank Lampard for a million ? Are you sure it's not his Dad though ? For that price I think it's his Dad (see West Ham United).' And of Sir Alex (Falkirk), Gordon said, 'Manchester United's problem is they're petulant. I know the guy who's been the manager for eleven years and he's the most petulant person in the world.'

Harry was second, Bobby third, Jim fifth, and mimicking life itself, Graham - whose team Watford sit on the bottom of the Premiership at present - was, er, eighth ...

News (4) Battle of Britain

ITN's coverage of the England v Scotland play-offs earlier this year, is well worth a visit. See The Battle Of Britain.

20th March, 2000

News : League Cup Belongs to Glasgow Celtic

Kenny Dalglish (Celtic squad) the Celtic caretaker manager has helped John Barnes's team lift the Scottish League Cup following a 2-0 victory over 2-0. So what was all the doom and gloom fuss about ? See Dalglish guides Celtic to Scottish League Cup triumph and BBC Online - Football - News

19th March, 2000

News (1) : Next Generation Update : Sons and Daughters : Double Darrens

(a) Darren Ferguson

Another goal for Alex's son (Falkirk) this Saturday in Wrexham's 4-3 away victory at Cambridge United. His goal gave the team a 3-2 lead which they maintained to the end of the game. Wrexham's hopes of Division Two survival look much better thanks to this win against fellow strugglers.

(b) Darren Currie

Tony's nephew (Sheffield United) got the consolation goal in Barnet's 3-1 away defeat to Carlisle United. This was a setback for the team which is pushing for a play-off place in the Third Division, and helped lift the winners off the bottom of the League.

News (2) Double Euro-winners ?

With no less than four surviving English teams all well placed to progress in the two European Competitions (Arsenal, Chelsea, Leeds United, and Manchester United), 'The Sunday Times' today speculates on the possibility of two of English teams scooping both cups. Two English winners in the European competitions has only happened five times before ... and yes, 1970-71 was one of those seasons. How Bob's 70-71 pages would love a repeat of that feat when the two winners were Leeds United and Chelsea !! It could happen !

On every previous occasion players from Bob's 70-71 pages have been involved as players in the teams ... that'll all change, er ... , but Sir Alex Ferguson (Falkirk) manages Man Utd, Eddie Gray is the Leeds United coach, Bob Wilson (Arsenal) is Arsenal's goalie coach, Peter Osgood is the match day host at Chelsea matches ( ...and other sad links ... ). Anyway the full list of previous occasions goes :

News (3) England Shorts

With barely time to pull on England shirts, the following list of the shortest ever England careers can be found in April 2000's 'FourFourTwo' (no.68). It includes four players from Bob's 70-71 pages ...

* Very impressively Kevin Hector's career was in two games !

17th March, 2000

News : Clever Trevor

Well done to Trevor Francis (Birmingham City squad) was the First Division's manager of the month for February.

16th March, 2000

Tottenham Hotspur's page has been revamped to include career figures. If you want to choose which team I do next then e-mail me, likewise if there's a player you want me to do next then be sure to let me know - I've never yet said no to this type of request.

News : Turquoise's Turkeys

I do a retrospective site, sure, but even I dislike the cry that fings just ain't what they used to be. The turquiose-clad David Icke (Coventry City squad) believes modern goalies arn't up to much. Click to see the article which appeared on Football 365.

14th March, 2000

News (1) Souness Returns

The latest in the long line of players from the 1970-71 season returning to action as manager is Graeme Souness (Spurs squad) who has today been announced as the new Blackburn Rovers manager. Tony Parkes, who made his debut as a Blackburn Rovers player in the 1970-71 season, reverts back to assistant manager.

Blackburn Rovers Official Website report it like this ...

BLACKBURN Rovers have today confirmed the appointment of Graeme Souness as their new manager.

Mr Souness, 46, who has considerable management experience both at home and abroad, has agreed a contract through until the summer of 2003.He will take up his new appointment with immediate effect. Tony Parkes has agreed to take up a position as assistant manager. Mr Souness said: "This is a wonderful opportunity and just the sort of challenge I relish. I am delighted to be back in day-to-day management, particularly as the chance has come at a club as ambitious as Blackburn Rovers. "This club is geared for top level football and has a proven record. My job is to help bring back the good times to Ewood Park and I cannot wait to get started."

Confirming the appointment, Rovers owner Jack Walker said: "Graeme Souness is precisely the man we need and he can count on our full and unswerving support. There is a big job to be done here and I believe we have found the right man to do it." Mr Walker also praised the sterling efforts of Tony Parkes, adding: "I am absolutely delighted that Tony is to stay on with us. Twice in recent seasons he has helped to guide us away from the possible threat of relegation and done really well. We owe him a debt of gratitude."

Ewood chief executive John Williams said: "The Board met last week and, in parallel discussions with Mr Walker, it was decided to appoint a new manager as soon as possible rather than wait until the end of the season."The compelling logic is not just to give a boost for our remaining games but, more importantly, to provide time for a thorough assessment of the football situation at the club. This will help to ensure that we hit the ground running next season whichever league we find ourselves playing in."

See Souness given Blackburn job

News (2) Hamilton Returns

Well I thought I'd give the story of Bruce Rioch's departure as manager of Norwich City yesterday, a more upbeat angle. Bryan Hamilton, in Kenny Dalglish (Celtic squad) style moves across from his role as Director of football to become the temporary manager. For Bryan Hamilton's previous role at the club see Norwich City Football Club NCFC - Canaries' Official web site. (Realisation) This also represents Bryan's arrival to these pages. Although Bryan did not sign to English football till August 1971, he had been capped by Northern Ireland six times by then playing for Linfield. See Rothmans and Linfield.

Norwich City Football Club NCFC - Canaries' Official web site report ...

Bruce Rioch Leaves Norwich City. The following statement was read to the staff at both Colney and Carrow Road, simultaneously at 1.30 pm today. Following an approach from their First Team Manager, Bruce Rioch, and subsequent discussion, the Board and the First Team Manager have agreed to end his contract with the Club with immediate effect. Whilst the Board was surprised and disappointed at this development, which was not expected, the Board and Bruce agree that it is now in the best interests of the Club and Bruce to part company. The Board wish to thank Bruce for his contribution to the Club, and wish him well in his future career. With immediate effect, Bryan Hamilton, Director of Football, will manage the 1st team until the end of the season.

Bruce Rioch confrimed at Colney that he first approached the Board last Wednesday with a view to his leaving the Club. He said "The timing is right for me, as well as the Club, and it gives me the opportunity to pursue other avenues in my career. I am ambitious as a manager, but right now City don't have the resources to match those ambitions. There were a number of factors which led me to take the decision."

12th March, 2000

ITN Online

There's a great new link for Bob's 70-71 pages at the links section on ITN's Online Sport

Do check it out

News (1) Manager of the Month

Great to see Bobby Robson was February's Manager of the Month. Bobby, who was Ipswich Town's manager way back in 1970-71 is still at the top with Newcastle United. See http--www.nufc.co.uk-99_00-news-000310d.htm.

News (2) : Next Generation Update : Sons and Daughters

Frank Lampard

Another goal for Frank junior at West Ham United. His opener after 10 minutes did little to help the side as they went down 3-1 away to Sheffield Wenesday. See West Ham United FC -org The Official Web Site

News (3) Icke Resurrects

Yes, David Icke (Coventry City squad) who was a reserve goalie yet to make his League debut back in 1970-71 season, now has his own column in cyberspace at Football365.

Realisation (1) John Gorman

In the Chris Balderstone obituary below John Gorman's (Carlisle United) name cropped up as one of Chris's Carlisle team mates. For a up to date news on John why not look at Christian Kelly's On the Cross site at John Gorman.

Realisation (2) Jim Smith

A while back I asked if anyone can confirm that Jim Smith, the Derby manager was at Boston player in the 1970-71 season. Overwhelmingly the response ... well ok nobody has written to tell me, but I have now found out for myself thanks to Ken Fox's wonderful site, Boston United Football Club Home Page. Ken promises to keep in touch with more Boston 70-71 news at a later date. Hence Jim is now added to the site. See Boston United.

Realisation (3) Walter Smith

Well sorting out Jim Smith made me wonder about Walter Smith, the Everton manager, and sure enough he qualifies, too as a player at Dundee United. Walter has been added to the Rothman's page and can be found at Dundee United.

Realisation (4) Ray Harford

Going through news stories generally I happened upon the news that the former Blackburn Rovers, West Bromwich Albion and Q.P.R. manager has been brought in to coach Millwall. As I usually say at this point, in 1970-71 ... well, in 1970-71 Ray was a player in his last of four seasons at Lincoln City for whom he played 161 League games. Ray can be found at Lincoln City along with Watford and former England manager, Graham Taylor. See Ray Harford Joins Millwall

Realisation (5) Frank Burrows.

By now I was on a roll, and came across Frank as manager of Cardiff City in an old news story. I stress old because I'm afraid, as all Cardiff fans will already know, he was sacked at the end of January. Frank was a Swindon Town player back in 1970-71, so he can now be found there. He's also on the Rothmans page - the first time I've added a player who's no longer in the job I've marked him down for !! See Cardiff City  news 01-02-00

Realisation (6) Arsne Wenger

Hey, there's no stopping me now ... Now that the Jim Smith mystery is solved perhaps someone can confirm whether or not the Arsenal manager, Arsne Wenger, was at Mutzig in 1970-71, and who the hell they are if he was. Like Jim I know for a fact he should be included on the pages but I need confirmation of his team in that season ... don't all rush to tell me !

Where are they now ?

Whist doing the above researches I found that Kenny Hibbett (Wolves squad) is Director of Football Development at Cardiff City and Colin Harvey (Everton) is Assistant Academy Director : 17-21 year olds at Everton.

N.B.

(As a reminder - the realisations section is my way of adding new players to the site, which I hadn't realised should have been on it before - hence there may be no news stories from before this point about this player. If you want to add someone you believe should be added then please do e-mail me - see below.)

10th March, 2000

News (1) Four Best

i) George Best is presently in Cromwell Hospital having been admitted with stomach pains. George's agent, Philip Hughes insists he's not suffering a life threatening illness. Get well soon George - and lay off the chlordiazepoxide!! See Best agent denies star is critically ill and Confusion over Best's health from ITN Onlione.

ii) George was spotted by a friend on the telly a few nights ago in a Government advert for recycling . Whilst being ask to bring bottles to the bottle bank, George can be seen in the background putting in a never ending supply.

iii) April 2000's 'Total Sport' has a picture of George accepting his entry into the International Football Hall of Champions see www.hallofchampions.com for more details. It seems London has beaten Paris as the location for FIFA's museum. "I don't actually care where it is located, the significant thing for me is to be honoured", opined George.

iv) Check out http://soccer.at/georgebest for an interesting site related to our George.

News (2) It's not big and it's not clever ...

Terry Venables (Q.P.R.) passes on the message that schoolboys do not have to emulate their footballing heroes by being thugs on the pitch. He is helping the English Schools FA to launch a Fair Play Award. Hear Is the scheme competitive from ITN Online.

News (3) Latest News (... no honestly)

a) Total Sport April 2000 (no.59)

All right I was a bit late the reporting last month's magazine for Bob 70-71 page stories, but I'm right back on the on the ball this month.

• Peter Osgood and Mike Channon both have pictures from their playing days to support the story that multiple cortisone injections given during playing careers are causing difficulties in later life. Osgood and Channon, along with Mike England (Spurs) have formed the Arthritis XI which campaigns against the painkiller, which they believe it has left them with chronic joint problems. Channon said, " I had a lot of injections. I wanted to play and cortisone was a good pain killer, but I am paying for it now. One Saturday I had a toe nail taken off in the morning and played in the afternoon. The real pain came afterwards, for the next six days I was in agony, it was unbelievable, the worst pain of my career. The following Saturday I had another injection and played". - Hmm, it was inevitable that a webpage covering old football stars would eventually have to listen to them moaning about their aches and pains, I suppose.

• "Peter Lorimer lets fly in spectacular fashion during the 2-1 defeat at Old Trafford". The Great Games feature leads with Chelsea versus Leeds United on 29 April, 1970. (What a great season !) Lorimer's picture blasts on to the page to lead the story. Lorimer remembered, "I've had my share of disappointments as well as joy, and that Chelsea defeat was annoying. We'd absolutely played them of the park at Wembly in the first game but we just couldn't put the ball in the back of the net. It didn't help that the pitch was atrocious. They'd held 'The Horse of the Year Show' there and it was like a ploughfield." Because of this the replay was held at Old Trafford. "It just wasn't the same. It was like going to play in any other game, even though it was the F.A.Cup Final. Wembly is special, and it just didn't seem right playing the Final in Manchester. The atmosphere was flat." Mick Jones had put Leeds ahead. "We were cruising, but then Jack Charlton let in Peter Osgood for them to score and that fired them up. They came out for the second half and kicked everything above grass level." As reported below, Ian Hutchinson's long range throw in lead to Chelsea's winner by David Webb ... now do we have to be going on about this on a Leeds fan's website ???

• The subject of this months's '11 greatest ... ever' is pundits. Bob's 70-71 interest is found at : no.8 Trevor Brooking (West Ham United squad); no.5 Brian Clough (Derby County manager); no.4 Jimmy Armfield (Blackpool); and at no.1 our very own, Ron Atkinson.

• The article on 'Grown Men Crying' includes Emlyn Hughes (Liverpool) in 1974, when England didn't qualify for the World Cup, at a guess. Eusebio is there because of Portugal's 1966 World Cup Final's defeat, but I haven't confirmed him on my pages yet ...

• 'The Day We Beat Man United' includes Southampton's 1976 Cup Final win - for which the best coverage is at Christian Kelly's Season Focus 1975-76 and Where Are They Now. But, the closest of relevance for Bob's 70-71 pages is: - a 5-1 defeat to Blackpool in 1966; a 2-1 defeat to Halifax in the 1971 Watney Cup; West Ham's 3-0 victory on New Year's Day 1972; Leeds United's 5-1 victory later in 1972 - when Mick Jones (Leeds United) got a hatrick ; and the 1974 game when Denis Law (Manchester United squad) sent them down. Great article.

• Planet Football is introduced with a picture of a balding and sideburned Nobby Stiles (Manchester United) in his Boro days

• The Quiz has a great picture of a young Bobby Robson (Ipswich Town manager) with loads of Ipswich pictures he's pinning on the wall which MUST be from the 70-71 season ... and further pictures of Peter Shilton from a similar time, and Trevor Cherry in late-Seventies Leeds kit.... not that I'm getting obsessed with this picture spotting thing.

• And of course there's the regular Gabby Yorath 'On the Ball' column (Sons and Daughters :Daughters), Billy 'Billy Boots' Dane (Bingley Road Junior School) story, and 'Kevin Keegan Column'.

b) 'FourFourTwo' April 2000 no.68

Well, this has less of interest for the Bob 70-71 pages - which let's face it, could be a selling point for most people.

• First off the magazine is giving away 5 copies of the new Playstation Premier Manager 2000. Ironically it is not being sponsored by a Premier manager this year, though I guess former Scunthorpe United man, Kevin Keegan, does have the credentials to front the game now. Other 70-71 players to have sponsored the Playstation manager games are Ron Atkinson and George Graham.

• 'Out and About' has current pictures of Sir Bobby Charlton (Manchester United) coaching kids in Paraguay (isn't he great ?), George Best getting his FIFA award as reported above, and Sir Alex Ferguson (Falkirk) promoting Manchester United's 30 million quid Vodaphone sponsorship deal. - Incidentally, this section of the magazine is worth browsing for the most pathetic photos of an ex-star you're ever likely to see. Poor Maradona, where did it all go wrong ?

• (Realisation 1) A new addition to Bob's 70-71 pages is Howard Wilkinson. The ex-Leeds United manager and current F.A.Technical Director was a Brighton and Hove Albion player back in 70-71. He tells his tale of how he promoted Leeds United back into the big time to win the club's most recent Championship in 1992 in an amazing 8 page story on the re-emergence of Leeds United.

• (Realisation 2) One thing FourFourTwo consistantly does well is a football history article. This month they have written about two Arthurs. Arthur Friedenreich was a Brazilian who scored 1,329 - more than Pele - though the records of this were destroyed before FIFA could officialise the total. The other was Arthur Rowley scorer of a record 434 League goals which is 24 more than his nearest rival, Jimmy McGory. Well, in 1970-71, the goalscoring legend was manager at Southend United. Arthur scored 152 of his League goals playing for Shrewsbury Town and also managed the club between 1958-68. Hence, he won their 'Player of the Millennium' award and recently was given a third testimonial there to fund a knee operation. Arthur can now be found at Southend.

• Gerry Francis (Q.P.R.) the Q.P.R. manager is given five pages to explain himself ... er, I haven't got round to reading it yet. There's several Seventies pictures to be seen, though.

• Graham Taylor (Lincoln City) the ex-England and present Watford manager, or more accurately his raspberry blowing tongue, is the subject of the advert for FourFourTwo website at http://www.virgin.net/442 .

• The review of the re-printing of 'The Glory Game' by Hunter Davies is a good excuse for pictures of an Alan Gilzean shot at goal and Martin Chivers, Mike England, Alan Gilzean, Cyril Knowles(?) (all Spurs) and Ralph Coates (Burnley) with the UEFA Cup in 1972.

8th March, 2000

E-mail (1)

Special thanks to Michael Robertson who was at a party for our American Correspondent, Jim Ross, and writes :-

They had a video made up of highlights of his soccer days, he was a VERY good player! They showed him playing against the NY Cosmos and really giving Beckenbauer a run for his money. Jim took a shot from 35 yards from goal and scored! I also found out that Jim has two US National Cup (I was told this is like the FA Cup) winners medals. I was really impressed with his playing skills.

Excellent ! Jim might not be too pleased about me including that info. but I think everyone will agree - we would love to see the goal !

E-mail (2)

Thanks once again to my mate Noel who sent me this lookalike from Football 365

Funny thing was I thought it was David Harvey (Leeds United squad) and David O'Leary !

News (1) Little Baggied

Brian Little (Aston Villa) has been sacked as West Bromwich Albion manager after just 216 days in charge. He managed just 8 wins for the side from 39 attempts !!

Ron Atkinson, twice the previous manager, has already ruled himself out of the running as the replacement. Colin Todd (Sunderland) and John Gorman (Carlisle United) are amongst those involved in speculation for the post.

News (2) That's Grrrrrrrrreat Tony !

Rochdale fans sing ' He's big , he's bad, he's older than my dad ", and he remains Grimsby Town's youngest ever debutant, nevertheless, Tony Ford (700+ Club) is NOT old enough to have been a player in the 1970-71 season (he's 40). But nevertheless, I felt I had to give a little space to congratulate Tony on being the first outfield player to reach 1,000 games by beating Hull City 1-0 in the Auto Windscreens Shield. Hence Rochdale reach the two-legged Northern Final against Stoke City. If they win this, Ford will reach Wembly for the first time in his career! See Carlisle 0 Dale 1

The other players to reach the magic 1,000 in U.K. football do belong to Bob's 70-71 pages. They are Peter Shilton 1387, Ray Clemence (Liverpool) 1119, and Pat Jennings (Tottenham Hotspur)1098.

News (3) The Famous Five

The five players not previously awarded any honours for winning the World Cup with England in 1966, picked up their MBE's yesterday. Football365 reports ...

THE "forgotten five" of England's 1966 World Cup-winning have received MBEs at Buckingham Palace. Alan Ball, Nobby Stiles (Manchester United), George Cohen, Ray Wilson (Bradford City) and Roger Hunt (Bolton Wanderers) were being honoured for their part in England's 4-2 win over West Germany at Wembley on July 30, 1966.

Until the New Year's Honours List they were the only players yet to receive recognition for English football's finest hour, with hat-trick star Geoff Hurst and Bobby Charlton both knighted and Bobby Moore, Martin Peters, Jack Charlton and Gordon Banks also honoured earlier. Manager Alf Ramsey, knighted in 1967, died last year. Sir Bobby Charlton was knighted in 1995 having already received an OBE and a CBE.

Sir Geoff, made an MBE in 1977, was knighted, goalkeeper Gordon Banks was given on OBE in 1970 and Jack Charlton received his OBE in 1974. Forward Martin Peters, who also scored in the final, was made an MBE in 1978, while captain Bobby Moore, who died in 1993, received an OBE a year after the World Cup triumph. Cohen, who is now a property developer in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, said was a very special day for all five of them.

"It has been a long time coming but it is here now and we are all very happy," he said before walking to the Palace for the ceremony."It is nice to see each other - we haven't seen each other for a while. Our families are very excited. It means that we are the most honoured squad in British sporting history." Ball added: "It is a very proud day for us all. The day has finally arrived, which is nice, but this is something which is most important for our families."

Be sure to check out ITN Online Video Special and Sport

See World Cup 1966 Winners

Chris Balderstone Obituary

It is very sad to be writing another obituary so soon after Sir Stan's, but on 6th March, Chris Balderstone (Carlisle United) died from cancer. For me Chris will be best remembered as one of the heroes of the Carlisle United team which after three games and against all the odds headed the old First Division in 1974. By Christmas they were in the bottom three and ultimately they were relegated ! Other team members included Ray Train (Walsall ), John Gorman (Carlisle United) , and Alan Ross (Carlisle United). See CUFC Archive.

He was also the player who, in September 1975, famously played a football match for Doncaster Rovers in the evening having played a Championship cricket match for Leicestershire earlier in the same day. I have often heard it said that Chris would have been an England test regular had it not been for his football career.

Indeed Chris was 35 before he made his England debut, and he only went on to play one more test after that. Nowadays, of course, the doubling up of careers is next to impossible with the cricket and football seasons overlapping and having a nasty habit of spilling out into the off-seasons, so we may never see the likes of Chris again. (Gary Neville of Manchester United would probably have been one such player twenty years ago).

Chris played 532 League games and scored 93 League goals for Huddersfield Town, Carlisle United and Doncaster Rovers, and in cricket he scored 19,034 runs (avg. 34.11) and took 310 wickets(avg. 26.32) !! What an unbelievable career !! Later Chris became a cricket umpire - his last game being at Canterbury just September of last year. See BBC News CRICKET Tribute to sport's double hero

Click to see the Obituaries Index

Funeral

Sir Stanley Matthews funeral made the national news stories in a very moving way. Thousands of fans paid tribute as the procession passed through Victoria Ground - the home of Stoke City - causing spontaneous applause.

6th March, 2000

News : Late news

a) Total Football - March 2000, no.58

Yes this site gives new meaning to the term 'the latest news' because you'll probably only just about find the last copies of the March edition of Total Sport, which is a shame because it was a humdinger of an edition.

• I was first drawn in by the picture of Mick Coop (Coventry City) in the feature 'Favourite shirts'.

• There followed 'The Great Games' feature with pictures of John Ritchie (Stoke City), Ray Kennedy (Arsenal), Rodney Marsh, Billy Bremner, Colin Bell (Manchester City) and Jimmy Greaves (West Ham United), and match reports on the 1972 matches - Leeds 7 Southampton 0, and Arsenal 2 Stoke City 0.

• Football Folk Us : Goalkeeping Coaches, which puts Arsenal coach, Bob Wilson (Arsenal) head to head with Darlington coach Jim Montgomery (Sunderland).

• Three pictures of Pelé (Star players of Mexico 1970). With one he describes his favourite goal, which apparently was scored in the game Fluminese 1 Santos 3 on March 5, 1961, Maracana."I took the ball in our own penalty area, dribbled it past their entire team and scored the goal" Pelé reported in The Black Pearl fanzine. No footage of the goal survives, it seems.

• Billy 'Billy Boots' Dane (Bingley Road Junior School).

• 'The case for the defence', which highlights the top 11 best ever defences. Of interest to Bob's 70-71 pages there is: a) No. 10 Nottingham Forest 1977-79 Anderson, Lloyd (Liverpool), Burns, Clark (Newcastle United)/ Needham (Notts County); b) No. 9 Celtic 1967 Gemmell, Clark, McNeill, Craig (all Celtic); and c) No.5 Leeds United 1968-69 Charlton , Cooper, Hunter, Reaney (all Leeds United). The winners if you want to know was the 1988-1996 A.C. Milan defence of Tassotti / Panucci, Baresi, Costacurta, Maldini.

• And 'the final word' with Leighton James (Burnley squad), which includes the information that Leighton is presently the manager of Llanelli in the League of Wales. I've included further information on the Where are they now ? page

• ... oops I forgot the regular 'Kevin Keegan Column' and Gabby Yorath 'On the Ball' column (Sons and Daughters :Daughters).

b) Ian Hutchinson

In the build up to the League Cup Final won by Leicester City this season, the beaten Finalists, Tranmere, were heralded as having a secret weapon in the guise of David Challinor. David's ability is to launch massive throw-ins which cause havoc in the opposition's defence. This prompted 'The Times' (26 February, 2000) newspaper to speak to the first famous exponent of this skill, Ian Hutchinson (Chelsea).

Report by David McVay and Craig Lord.(Front page Saturday Times Sport)

" The long throw as a tactical weapon is not new to football but it does propel exponents like David Challenor to instant celebrity. It was captured for the first time on 'Match of the Day' in October, 1968, when Ian Hutchinson, of Chelsea, forced Billy Baxter, the Ipswich Town centre half, to head one of his long throws into his own goal for Chelsea's 3-1 victory; two years later it brought F.A.Cup glory when David Webb bundled in the winning goal in the final replay as Leeds United failed to clear another Hutchinson special.

"After that first throw in on television, everyone went potty about it," Hutchinson, now 51, said. "They asked me to go to Watford and take part in some competition, but I didn't fancy that, Then a professor came to the ground and asked if he could borrow me for the day.

"He wanted to take X-Rays of me completely naked, while I threw the ball, in pitch blackness, in a hangar. When I arrived, there were six women assistants. 'Hold up,' I told him. I was just 21 and a bit shy. He eventually got rid of them and at the end of the day I was paid £500 and they discovered that I had an extension of the spine and that I was double -jointed in both shoulders. That's why they used to call it the 'Windmill Action', because my arms kept revolving around instead of going out."

5th March, 2000

The table at the bottom of each page has had a slight revamp to sort out some stray HTML code - but that's just for my diary! Did LOADS of surfing the results of which have been incorporated in the various pages and ultimately has shown the need for a Links page - not that the site lacks links ...

4th March, 2000

It's unusual to see the news page this empty ! That's because the February news has already been archived.

News : Banks is Best - It's official !!

Gordon Banks won Bob's 70-71 Pages race to be considered England's greatest goalkeeper. Gordon was the clear winner with 39% of the 140 votes cast. No surprise to these pages, but a shock to some, would be Peter Bonetti's second placing with 29%, which shows history has forgiven the World Cup 1970 Quarter final blip !

Ray Clemence was a worthy third with 23%, but poor old Shilts got just 5%. Current England goalkeeper David Seaman got a feeble 1% only half of his Leeds United rival with a grand 2% !!! See Quizlet Results.

3rd March, 2000

I've added the article, Johan Cruyff 'The George Best of Holland' from Charles Buchan's Football Monthly, August, 1969.

2nd March, 2000

News : Next Generation Update : Sons and Daughters

Darren Ferguson

Sir Alex's son got the final goal in an excellent 4-1 away victory for Wrexham against Oxford United last Saturday. See Latest News

Sam Shilton

Peter's son, who is still on loan at Hartlepool, got the equaliser in a 1-1 draw away to Plymouth See The Official Hartlepool United Football Club

Jordi Cruyff ( incorporating Realisation)(Does anyone else remember 'Shoot ! incorporating Goal' ??)

I've been wondering for a while whether or not Johan Cruyff qualified for Bob's 70-71 pages, and finally found the proof at The Alternative Johan Cruijff Site There is an official one, too, but naturally that is in Dutch, which may be helpful to Han, but not me regretfully. Johan was just emerging as a top Ajax star at this time and had even received a European Cup Final runners-up medal in 1968-9 the year Ajax lost to A.C.Milan 4-1. Indeed, Johan was present in the three consecutive European Cup Final victories for Ajax in 1970-71, 71-72, and 72-73.

Anyway - no sooner did this happen when his son, Jordi, equalised for Manchester United to give them an away 2-2 draw at Wimbledon in the Premier League last Saturday. This was Jordi's second goal of the season, and they've both been against Wimbledon. For a match report see Manchester United Official Web site - Matches - Full-Time Report

For more on Jordi, see Manchester United Official Web site - News - Latest Feature

News Archive

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