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Thirty Years Ago

Bob 70-71

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Note : The news from thirty years ago has an archive below

Click to see July 1970-71

July 1977

As appeared in Rothman's Football Yearbook 1978-79 (9th year)

MacDonald and Jane's, London 1978.

July

McCreadie leaves Chelsea... Docherty leaves United... Sexton quits QPR... Revie resigns as England Manager.

1 Eddie McCreadie the Chelsea manager, leaves the club only a few weeks after taking them back into the First Division. He is not satisfied with the terms offered to him by the Board... Leeds sign Arthur Graham from Aberdeen for £100,000.

2 Bob Wilson is back in football. He re-signs for his old club, Arsenal, as an emergency goalkeeper in case first choice Jimmey Rimmer is injured. Wilson is staying with the BBC as linkman and commentator.

3 Tommy Docherty is sacked at Manchester Utd for 'breach of contract'! Docherty says: 'I have been punished for falling in love. What I have done has got nothing at all to do with my track record as a manager.'

7 Ken Shellito, 37, formerly the youth coach, is appointed Chelsea's manager. He has been with the club for 12 years, but his career as a player was cut short by injury. He says: 'I have always been regarded as a bit of a softie. But that will change now that I am in the driving seat. My priority for the new season is to go out and win matches. It is no good setting my sights just on consolidating our position'... Tommy Trinder, who has been at Fulham for 34 years - 22 of them as chairman - walks out on the club after a boardroom row. Four other directors also resign. Ernie Clay and Sir Eric Miller re-shape the board completely... Wembley Stadium has been declared an 'ancient monument.' The Department of Environment has decreed the stadium a listed building of architectural interest.

9 Manager Dave Sexton is released by QPR at his own request... Manchester Utd give a long contract to coach Tommy Cavanagh, which means that his association with Tommy Docherty is at an end... Following the breakdown on freedom of contract proposals at the Football League's AGM, conflict with the PFA seems inevitable. Alan Gowling, a PFA Committee member says: The position has now reached a total impasse, and there is a distinct possibility of industrial action.'

10 Frank Sibley, previously assistant to Sexton, is appointed as manager of QPR. Aged 29, he is the youngest manager in the League. Sibley says: 'It will be difficult to follow someone like Dave, but I hope that we shall have some success in the coming season.'

11 Don Revie resigns as manager of the England team! The announcement of his resignation which is made in an exclusive article in the Daily Mail stuns the football world. 'I sat down with my wife Elsie one night and we agreed the job was no longer worth all the aggravation. It was bringing too much heartache to those nearest to us. Nearly everyone in the country seems to want me out. So I am giving them what they want. I know people will accuse me of running away and it does sicken me that I can't finish the job by taking England to the World Cup Finals in Argentina next year. But the situation has become impossible.' Under Revie England have played 29 games, won 14, drawn 8 and lost 7. It is later revealed that Don Revie asked the FA to be released from his contract - with compensation - on 11 June, but his request was refused.

12 Don Revie reveals to the Daily Mail that he will work in the United Arab Emirates for the next four years for a salary of £60,000 per year plus bonuses - tax free! Revie is criticized in various newspapers for allegedly negotiating his new contract while still manager of England... Frank McLintock signs his old teammate Eddie Kelly from QPR for £50,000 - his first managerial move at Leicester.

13 Alan Hardaker says: 'Don Revie's decision doesn't surprise me the slightest. Now I only hope he can quickly learn to call out bingo numbers in Arabic.'

14 Dave Sexton, all set to join Arsenal as coach, decides to accept Manchester United's offer and take over from Tommy Docherty. Sexton, who followed Docherty at Chelsea in the sixties, says: 'I want to see the team winning and playing attractively. Which comes first? It must be winning. I've got to be honest and say the image of Manchester United overawed me, but this job must be the peak of ambition for any manager."

15 After a four-hour long Council meeting, the FA issues an official statement through secretary, Ted Croker: 'The Committee unanimously deplores the action of Don Revie in relation to his resignation and further is of the opinion that he is in breach of contract. The FA is therefore taking legal advice.' FA officials will not indicate how much compensation they will demand from Revie, who hid two years of his contract still to run, Leeds having been paid £25,000 compensation by the FA for releasing Revie in 1974.

17 Nottingham Forest pay a club record fee of £150,000 for Birmingham's Scottish all-rounder, Ken Burns . . . The Football League put a 'transfer ban' on Fulham. They are reported to have debts of more than £700,000.

19 Rodney Stone, Fulham's secretary, is suspended by the Club after making a 'certain inquiry' concerning the company's affairs ...

20 Johnny Giles buys shares in Shamrock Rovers and becomes their executive director as well as their player/manager . . . McAlpines, the builders, are said to be demanding an immediate settlement of outstanding bills from Fulham. Chairman Ernie Clay, insists that the club will survive. 'Everything is going to be all right,' he says, 'We are not closing down!'

21 Ground capacities of several clubs are reduced drastically by the new licensing authorities. Alan Hardaker attacks the system: 'There are quite a lot of stupid examples of bureaucracy going mad. Unfortunately, this is the. chance for certain types of local government officers to go berserk' . . . Luton sign Phil Boersma from Middlesbrough for £35,000 . . . Gerry Francis refuses a new contract with QPR because of the British tax system. He would like to play abroad to 'secure his future.'

22 The FA decide to advertise the England national team manager's job . . . Nobby Stiles takes over as manager of Preston North End.

25 Mick Channon signs a six-year contract with Manchester City. They pay £300,000 for him to Southampton . . . Ernie Clay says that 'Fulham are in the clear' after talks with McAlpines . . . Malcolm Macdonald and Alan Hudson are sent home from Arsenal's Far Eastern tour for disciplinary reasons . . . Leeds are pressing for inquiry concerning bribery allegations against them. It is suggested that Gary Sprake, their former goalkeeper, will make serious allegations in the Daily Mirror. Keith Archer, Leeds secretary, says: 'I don't want a stigma like this hanging over a great club' . . . Birmingham sign Tony Towers of Sunderland for £140,000.

26 Phil Boyer joins Southampton from Norwich to replace Mike Channon. He will pair-up once again with Ted McDougall - the fee is £125,000 . . . Birmingham buy young Keith Bertschin from Ipswich for £120,000 . . .Kevin Keegan scores in his debut game for Hamburg in their 6-0 friendly win over Barcelona.

27 Ken McNaught signs for Aston Villa in a £200,000 deal . . . 'Newcastle faced by a player revolt held an emergency board meeting last night' writes the Daily Express. Lord Westwood, club chairman, says: 'Further negotiations will be taking place with the players in the next few days, which it is expected will solve the present impasse.' Skipper Geoff Nulty says : 'The blunt fact is that it is possible to negotiate about money, but can there really be negotiations about trust?'

29 Charlie George is put on the transfer list at Derby, as are Malcolm Macdonald and Alan Hudson at Arsenal.

31 The FA deny reports that Don Revie has been banned for four years. An official statement says: 'Although the FA have been discussing the manner of Mr. Revie's resignation, no decision has been reached' . . . Following a meeting between chairman, Dennis Hill- Wood and Terry Neill, it is thought that Malcolm Macdonald may remain at Arsenal.