60 years ago this month...

[United Aren't Back.]

He looked like Albert Steptoe but I have read that he was a key player in Ipswich League champions season in 1961-62

View attachment 95111

Norman Giller article in Backpass, read yesterday, compares him to Stan Laurel in looks.

 

[HodgysBrokenThumb]

A few more bits and pieces to conclude 1961-62, for those interested in detailed records.
1. The end-of-season tour, as detailed in the Clareborough 100 Years book:


2. From the second programme of the 62-63 season, the complete record of appearances/goals for the first team and the reserves:

Bear in mind that these appearances for whole matches, as no substitutes were allowed. So Coldwell, Pace and Richardson all achieved what John Egan achieved in 2021-22; perhaps the most remarkable of the earlier generation was Pace, given that centre-forwards were fair game for rough treatment in that era. The back 6 was very consistent, with only Summers missing quite a few matches, with injuries.
It is also notable that senior professionals played reserve team football with little hope of making the first team. And at the other end of the age-scale, the name Badger has enormous significance. As the notes on the end of season tour above say, he made his debut on tour, and the rest, as they say, is history.

 

[Silent Blade]

 

[Silent Blade]

Anyone got this booklet?

 

[HodgysBrokenThumb]

Anyone got this booklet?

View attachment 136282

I am ashamed to say that as soon as I saw that photo, I realised that it looked familiar, and that a couple of minutes rummaging through my chaotic collection has found it! I had completely forgotten it existed. Let me know if you are wanting information from it.

 

[Silent Blade]

I am ashamed to say that as soon as I saw that photo, I realised that it looked familiar, and that a couple of minutes rummaging through my chaotic collection has found it! I had completely forgotten it existed. Let me know if you are wanting information from it.

Be nice if you could post the pages in here please?

 

[HodgysBrokenThumb]

Be nice if you could post the pages in here please?

Least I can do as without your post I had forgotten it. I will get round to reading it soon. Let me know if any is not legible.
Edit: p. 7 seems to be there twice!

 

[Silent Blade]

HodgysBrokenThumb , many thanks

 

[reedy63]

great stuff thank you for posting.

 

[HodgysBrokenThumb]

great stuff thank you for posting.

I had forgotten what an interesting read it is. It says a lot about the way the world was changing (air travel, etc), but in most ways it feels very old-fashioned. I was particularly pleased to read the glowing reports of the players’ attitude and behaviour - that group were heroes to me as a kid, and it makes a strong case for thinking that they deserved our respect.

 

[Bert]

I had forgotten what an interesting read it is. It says a lot about the way the world was changing (air travel, etc), but in most ways it feels very old-fashioned. I was particularly pleased to read the glowing reports of the players’ attitude and behaviour - that group were heroes to me as a kid, and it makes a strong case for thinking that they deserved our respect.

Where was Hodgy?

 

[Silent Blade]

Where was Hodgy?

With the England World Cup squad

 

[HodgysBrokenThumb]

Where was Hodgy?

I’m glad Silent Blade answered the question. Relaxing with my second glass of whiskey of the evening I had misunderstood your question and was about to answer ‘I was playing cricket for King Ted’s under-15s’…

 

[Blade1959]

What wouldn’t happen nowadays is just the Manager & two coaches travelling with four Directors.
Different times.

 

[Summers & Pace]

A few more bits and pieces to conclude 1961-62, for those interested in detailed
records.
1. The end-of-season tour, as detailed in the Clareborough 100 Years book:
View attachment 135830View attachment 135831

2. From the second programme of the 62-63 season, the complete record of appearances/goals for the first team and the reserves:
View attachment 135833
Bear in mind that these appearances for whole matches, as no substitutes were allowed. So Coldwell, Pace and Richardson all achieved what John Egan achieved in 2021-22; perhaps the most remarkable of the earlier generation was Pace, given that centre-forwards were fair game for rough treatment in that era. The back 6 was very consistent, with only Summers missing quite a few matches, with injuries.
It is also notable that senior professionals played reserve team football with little hope of making the first team. And at the other end of the age-scale, the name Badger has enormous significance. As the notes on the end of season tour above say, he made his debut on tour, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Dennis Finnigan and John Docherty, stalwarts from the Central League. I worked with Dennis’s brother Phil.
I think Dennis was classed as Part Time, his main job being a Porter at The Royal Hospital. Never seemed to let us down when rarely called upon.
My main memory of John Docherty, was scoring at the Kop end from a narrow angle, against Spurs. We were 2 nil down and John put us a head in a 3-3 draw. This was the first time I saw the scaffolding on the cricket pitch to accommodate the TV cameras. Perhaps 1964. not sure.

 

[HodgysBrokenThumb]

Dennis Finnigan and John Docherty, stalwarts from the Central League. I worked with Dennis’s brother Phil.
I think Dennis was classed as Part Time, his main job being a Porter at The Royal Hospital. Never seemed to let us down when rarely called upon.
My main memory of John Docherty, was scoring at the Kop end from a narrow angle, against Spurs. We were 2 nil down and John put us a head in a 3-3 draw. This was the first time I saw the scaffolding on the cricket pitch to accommodate the TV cameras. Perhaps 1964. not sure.

You are pretty accurate with your recollection. I couldn’t find film, but below are extracts from the programme, a report on the match from a subsequent match programme (which also confirms that Docherty scored 2 goals v Ipswich 3 days after the Spurs match), and a photo. One reason I have always liked Spurs is that we have had lots of good games against them.

 

[Silent Blade]

Summers & Pace , to my knowledge, none of our games during the 1963-64 season were televised. BBC TV had stopped showing league football. Only Anglia and Tyne Tees had regular weekly shows

itv football 1968-1983 - League results by club

 

[Silent Blade]

View attachment 49799 View attachment 49800 View attachment 49801 View attachment 49802

A West Ham mate posted the below to me. They were from Harry Redknapp's autobiography

 

[finlaytheblade]

Dennis Finnigan and John Docherty, stalwarts from the Central League. I worked with Dennis’s brother Phil.
I think Dennis was classed as Part Time, his main job being a Porter at The Royal Hospital. Never seemed to let us down when rarely called upon.
My main memory of John Docherty, was scoring at the Kop end from a narrow angle, against Spurs. We were 2 nil down and John put us a head in a 3-3 draw. This was the first time I saw the scaffolding on the cricket pitch to accommodate the TV cameras. Perhaps 1964. not sure.

Dennis wore the real old fashioned boots ( rough leather and boots laced up to the ankle) we lived in the same rd as him ,Bates Street s10.
He died relatively young.
John Doherty was a penalty specialist ,just rolled the ball inside the post beyond reach of keepers very cool.

 

[Isaw Joeshaw]

As I think I’ve mentioned before on here , I had an old mate who was at De la Salle with Dennis and he always maintained that he was badly misused by the Blades .

He told me that was a prolific striker who at the age of just fifteen had the physique of a young adult and played for the first XI , scoring over 50 goals against some very good opposing sides made up mainly by lads 2-3 years older than him .

He said he had a kick like a mule and once saw him hit one from around 25 yards that was still rising when it hit the back of the net ( leather casey ) !

With this in mind , I’ve often wondered why on earth we decided that his best position was centre half without, apparently , even trying to develop him in the role in which he had been so devastatingly effective .

 

[Aston max]

You are pretty accurate with your recollection. I couldn’t find film, but below are extracts from the programme, a report on the match from a subsequent match programme (which also confirms that Docherty scored 2 goals v Ipswich 3 days after the Spurs match), and a photo. One reason I have always liked Spurs is that we have had lots of good games against them.
View attachment 136423View attachment 136424View attachment 136425View attachment 136426View attachment 136427

I hope someone shows hecky that formation

 

[HodgysBrokenThumb]

A West Ham mate posted the below to me. They were from Harry Redknapp's autobiography View attachment 138121View attachment 138122

Funny, I look back at that match with great fondness. I don’t know what he’s moaning about Thanks for posting it - I don’t think I’ve ever had an away-day as bad as that. Nearest I can think of is getting locked out at Old Trafford and getting in just in time to see Best score THAT goal. ‘Worst away-day ever’ might make a good close season thread?

 

[HodgysBrokenThumb]

As I think I’ve mentioned before on here , I had an old mate who was at De la Salle with Dennis and he always maintained that he was badly misused by the Blades .

He told me that was a prolific striker who at the age of just fifteen had the physique of a young adult and played for the first XI , scoring over 50 goals against some very good opposing sides made up mainly by lads 2-3 years older than him .

He said he had a kick like a mule and once saw him hit one from around 25 yards that was still rising when it hit the back of the net ( leather casey ) !

With this in mind , I’ve often wondered why on earth we decided that his best position was centre half without, apparently , even trying to develop him in the role in which he had been so devastatingly effective .

Didn’t he play centre-forward for the Reserves, and once scored a hat-trick?

 

[finlaytheblade]

Didn’t he play centre-forward for the Reserves, and once scored a hat-trick?

Yep he had a purple patch playing for the reserves.
I think he scored about 10 goals at more than a goal a game.

 

[HodgysBrokenThumb]

Yep he had a purple patch playing for the reserves.
I think he scored about 10 goals at more than a goal a game.

I have now had a chance to consult the oracle (Clarebrough and Kirkham’s Who’s Who),and it confirms that in 1964 he scored 15 goals for the reserves, including a hat-trick of headers v Aston Villa. Did we miss a trick there?

 

[Isaw Joeshaw]

I have now had a chance to consult the oracle (Clarebrough and Kirkham’s Who’s Who),and it confirms that in 1964 he scored 15 goals for the reserves, including a hat-trick of headers v Aston Villa. Did we miss a trick there?

I never knew that and it only seems to add weight to my old mate’s opinion that , indeed , we did miss a trick.

 

[HodgysBrokenThumb]

I never knew that and it only seems to add weight to my old mate’s opinion that , indeed , we did miss a trick.

Your reply made my day. If only I could find a piece of information about Utd that was new to Silent Blade , I would feel that my life had been worthwhile

 

[Isaw Joeshaw]

Your reply made my day. If only I could find a piece of information about Utd that was new to Silent Blade , I would feel that my life had been worthwhile

Good luck with that one .

I’ve recently come to the realisation that one of Silent’s greatest attributes must be that of being able to provide this forum with a wealth of detailed and often fascinating information in respect of all things SUFC , whilst at the same time not coming across as a smart arse - a very fine line to tread .

In this respect , I can only assume that he is conscious of one of Shakespeare’s lesser known soliloquies which opens with the lines ...

“ No man liketh a smart arse , except it be on a fair maiden with the big titties “.


( Or have I just made that up ?)

 

[HodgysBrokenThumb]

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT FOR READERS OF THIS THREAD (both of you!)
1962-63 Season

Thanks to the unfailing generosity of Silent Blade , who has already started sending me copies of newspaper reports from the 62-63 season, I am pleased to confirm that the match-by-match analysis of the season will begin in early August. It was an unusual season in that it finished later than any other season I can remember until recent Covid disruptions. More of that later.
As my scrapbooks ended last season, I have less information/pictures than previous years, so if anyone can help out by posting material, that would be very welcome. I didn’t get to many away matches that season, as I was reaching the dizzy heights of 1st XI school football, so any personal reminiscences of Utd games would be specially welcome. I do have nearly all the programmes for that season, and I end this post with an offer of free gifts: I have spare copies of many of the programmes, home and away, in reasonable condition, and if anyone is interested, send me a message and I’ll let you know which ones they are. For anyone who attends home matches regularly, we could meet up before or after the game for me to pass them on. And you would be doing me a favour: it would demonstrate to Mrs HBT that I am not just hoarding rubbish

 

[Therealfurphy]

Excellent news - keep up the good work - especially this one my first season