CHAPTER 5
ARSENAL V RANGERS 1967
ALEX FERGUSON GUNNED DOWN
● Pre Season
Friendly
● Saturday
5th August 1967 ● Kick-Off 3pm
B A
C K G
R O U
N D
█ FINDING
TIME FOR FRIENDS █
• EXCERPT FROM THE CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE (DENIS HILL-WOOD)
“It is particularly gratifying that we should open the new term with a game
against our old friends from
However we have now hit upon the idea of playing a regular annual game
on the first Saturday in August each year, alternately at Highbury and Ibrox.
The match always has a great public attraction and we think the supporters of
both clubs will approve the arrangement.”
█ THINGS WENT
WRONG FOR WRIGHT █
• SLUMP
1963-64 8th Division 1.
1964-65 13th Division 1.
Shock FA Cup Fourth Round defeat away to
Peterborough.
1965-66 14th Division
1.
In fairness to the Arsenal board it was time to act. Attendances had
plummeted at Highbury during the 1965-66 season. Back to back home matches at
the end of March and beginning of April against
• THAT’S SHOWBUSINESS
Billy Wright’s showbiz connections did not go down well with the crowd.
His wife and her two Beverley Sisters watched the games and were dressed
somewhat over the top and attracted a lot of publicity. The press might have
enjoyed their glamorous presence at matches but the fans were distinctly unimpressed.
Given the poor performances on the pitch, it gave the subconscious impression
of a club not properly focussed. The manager too was suffering and the stress
was visibly getting to him. Perhaps it was in everyone’s best interest to make
a change.
• THIS IS NO TIME FOR PUNDITRY
When the World Cup came around, Arsenal made no contribution to
After the World Cup, Billy Wright was sacked. Though Wright characteristically took the decision like a gentleman, it certainly hurt him. In fairness, he was bringing through a talented crop of youngsters, Arsenal won the FA Youth Cup in 1965-66 but a board can only be so patient for so long. Certainly Wright’s iconic status as a player would have been a significant factor for the youngsters decision to join the club. There was a feeling that some of the older players lacked commitment but Wright would not confront them as he would the younger players and this caused a split dressing room. The dramatic slump in attendances required immediate action.
• THE WRONG KIND
OF SHIRTS?
A certain ex Ranger who played in this game once used that as an excuse
and he wasn’t the first. Arsenal briefly reverted to their original ‘
█ RANGERS
SINCE 1965 █
• 1965-66
In the early 1960’s Bill Nicholson was the best manager in Britain alongside
Alf Ramsey. However after the middle of the decade the mantle had quite
possibly passed to Jock Stein. A tough former Celtic defender built more for
• 1966-67 AND JOCK THE GIANT KILLER
Many remember this season for one of the most famous shocks in Cup
football. Rangers unbelievably lost to their tiny namesakes Berwick on 28th
January 1967. Of course it was embarrassing, but in every League in
• THE REAL NEMESIS
The reverse to Berwick actually galvanised the team as Rangers went on
to win their next straight nine matches. Unfortunately Rangers real nemesis
that year was Celtic who narrowly took the title by three points. The rest came
nowhere with Davie White’s Clyde some nine points behind in third spot. More
impressive was Rangers European Cup Winners’ Cup run. They reached the final (see
Talking Points) only to be edged out in extra time in Nuremberg by Bayern
Munich. Many have queried Symon’s team selection that night, in particular the
choice of Roger Hynd but
Real Madrid had become
synonymous with playing thrilling, scintillating entertaining football and the
neutral was delighted when they won their eighth European Cup with victory over
Partizan Belgrade in 1966. Rangers problem in 1967 was that Jock Stein had just
won the European Cup over that epitome of negative football Inter
When Rangers are doing badly,
the only solace for fans is seeing Celtic fare worse and by the same token when
Celtic do well, Rangers however well they are playing must do better.
Retrospectively Rangers ridiculously overreacted to the Berwick defeat by never
fielding Jim Forrest again and selling him to
█ NEW
DIRECTION. CHANGE IN THE IBROX BOARDROOM █
• YOUTH AND BUSINESS ACUMEN
Change was afoot in the boardroom, the board was increased to six men
and the two new additions were appointed for their business acumen and perhaps
given their age as custodians for the next generation. John
~A Lotta Lotto Players
Hope a useful goalkeeper in his youth had transformed the Rangers
Lottery, some even referred to it as a miracle. At the end of the 1966-7 Season
the Official Rangers Pool had a staggering 180,000 players each paying a
shilling weekly. When he took it over two and a half years earlier there were
19,000 participants. The massive number of players illustrating the wider
support for Rangers in the community and that those lotteries which had the
biggest jackpots gained the most players. A key factor behind the success had
been the creation of an army of enthusiastic agents who had been incentivised
with generous commissions especially for selling winning tickets.
█ THE RANGERS
SUMMER OF LOVE 1967 █
• NEW IDEAS NEW THINKING
Mirroring the introduction of a new generation in the boardroom, there
was significant change afoot in Scot Symon’s backroom staff.
~Two Bob Change!
Just as Arsenal had found in becoming too insular in their recruitment
of backroom staff exclusively from former players, so Rangers too looked to get
new ideas and expertise. Bobby Seith had the rare distinction of being part of
two different Championship winning teams in both England and Scotland with
Burnley in 1960 and Dundee in 1962. Upon his playing retirement in 1964 he
quickly gained an excellent reputation in Dundee’s coaching set up and was
handpicked to work at Ibrox. Indeed the idea was seemingly that not only would
he immediately enhance the preparation of the team but would despite not having
any previous Ibrox credentials be someone who could take over the reins in the
future. To accommodate Seith, Davie Kinnear had been moved sideways to the
position of physio.
~THE PRIDE OF CLYDE
Clyde’s player manager Davie White worked wonders on a shoestring budget
with their third place finish in 1967 but it was even better than that. He had
led a team that included a number of part time players into a Scottish Cup semi
final against a team that would go on to lift the European Cup that season. He
held Celtic 0-0 in the first meeting before Clyde went down 2-0 in the replay.
Clearly a man of considerable potential and of whom we will hear much more.
• SPEND SPEND SPEND
Come the original Summer of Love, the reinvigorated Rangers board released
the purse strings. Player wages were dramatically increased and Scott Symon was
allowed to go on a summer spending spree. Presumably they had every confidence
in their manager.
~Scandinavian Style
There was a strong Danish feel in defence. Goalkeeper Erik Sorensen
signed for £25,000 from ‘
Yet this was not Rangers first liaison with Scandinavian talent in the
1960’s. Therolf Beck of
The Scandinavian link actually goes back to 1921 when Dane, Carl Hansen
joined Mr Struth’s all-conquering Rangers. In his three years at the club he
was unable to become a regular, nevertheless in his 23 League appearances he
netted 14 goals. He was fondly remembered for his baffling body swerve, ball
mastery and deadly shot. When Rangers embarked on their Danish tour in 1959 he
was there to meet them at the Airport. Of course if you read Chapter 3 you will
also recall one Albert Gundmundsson of Rangers, Arsenal and AC Milan.
~Home Based Talent
In addition to the Scandinavian contingent, Rangers opted for some home
based talent in Andy Penman and Alex Ferguson. Despite being only twenty four,
Penman had already crammed a lot into his career since he made his debut as a
sixteen year old with Dundee. An attacking midfielder he created a lot of
opportunities and scored regularly himself. He was particularly adept at
striking either a running or dead ball. Rangers secured his services with yet
another player and cash swap, George McLean (The other scapegoat for the
Berwick defeat) and £30,000.
The final and costliest signing was Alex Ferguson at £65,000. The fact
that he was a local from Govan and a Rangers fan impressed Rangers but even
more so, was his scoring rate of 66 goals in 88 games for Dunfermline. His
style was characterised by hard work, a physical approach and an eye for goal.
Completing the new look Rangers were Dave Smith at left half who had
been signed from
The Substitute was Roger Hynd, a whole hearted, passionate, big and
strong competitor. He usually covered for any defensive position, famously he
was a surprise choice to play upfront for Rangers in the 1967 Cup Winners Cup
Final.
█ BERTIE MEE █
• YOU DON’T NEED 100
There is an unfortunate attitude in the game amongst many professionals,
if you haven’t been a pro you just don’t really know about football. Fans and
journalists are simply ‘punters’. It is incredibly offensive, given that if it
wasn’t for the fans, Football would be still be an amateur sport played out in
public parks. It is also wrong, Mr Struth is ample evidence enough and there
was more than a hint of Mr Struth in Arsenal’s new boss.
~The Physio
Bertie Mee had not played any form of professional football following a
serious injury when he was a winger with
~Diagnosis
His diagnosis of Arsenal when he took over was that, “There was nothing
immediately wrong but the club had to be more professional from all angles. The
danger was that mediocrity was being perpetuated.” As physio his military
background for organisation and discipline were the cornerstone for his
excellent reputation, qualities otherwise largely absent from the Billy Wright
era.
~Treatment
He hadn’t gone back to his magic sponge, Arsenal finished seventh in the
League. Most tellingly goals conceded in the league were almost halved from 75
in each of Wright’s last two seasons down to 47. His first acquisition of the
excellent Dave Sexton as coach was particularly shrewd. Mee brought in younger
players and introduced a purpose into Arsenal’s play and discarded some of the
cynical older professionals whom he felt were not prepared to work hard.
Fitness levels were much improved and under Sexton’s tutelage they became
well drilled as a unit. Sexton enhanced the technique of the players but a
strong team ethic overrode any individuality. It was about defending and
attacking together as a unit. There was an uncanny resemblance to a military
formation as they moved up the field together so as not to isolate the lines of
defence, midfield and attack.
~Recovery
They weren’t always the prettiest to watch, but were certainly becoming
much more difficult to beat.
• END PRODUCT AND CONSISTENCY
Mee later told Gerhard Vinnai author of Football Mania. “Some players
may be exciting to watch, but the end product is what matters. I want a high
level of consistency – a man who can produce it in 35 games out of 42. You can
tolerate 7 indifferent performances in a season, but you cannot win
championships with 22 out of 42.”
█ ARSENAL
1967 █
• THE
NEXT PHASE
At this stage Mee had signed just two players, the rest of the squad had
either been signed by Billy Wright or risen through the ranks. There were
already a number of good professionals on Arsenal’s rosta of players and the
one legacy from the Wright era was the crop of very promising youngsters. Having
cut out the dead wood and inconsistent performers from the club the key for Mee
was to blend the youngsters breaking through into his unit.
• SCOTSMEN AND ULSTERMEN
Looking at the pen pics, the one thing Arsenal seemed to lack was height
in midfield and attack which perhaps underlines the decision to play a counter
attacking game. In Arsenal’s starting XI, there were 4 Scotsmen, including 2
Glaswegians. In Arsenal’s overall squad of 33 players, there were 6 Glaswegians
and 4 Ulstermen, clearly a rich seam for Arsenal’s scouting network.
• DEFENCE
Goalkeeper Jim Furnell joined
Arsenal in November 1963. Powerfully built and brave, his forte was for shot
stopping and making improvised saves with his legs. However despite being
capable of brilliance on some afternoons he had lacked consistency at times.
His deputy Bob Wilson filled in when Furnell’s form dipped but at this stage
Peter Storey filled in at right back but his best position was in
midfield. Arsenal fans refer to him as honest and hard but to opposing fans he
was something else. In the late 1960’s most teams had a ‘hatchet’ man for when
the going got tough in the middle of the pitch, Peter Storey dished it out for
Arsenal. He had more to his game and was adept at finding teammates with short passes
combined with an unflappable temperament.
Arsenal’s usual left back was Bob McNab formerly of
Commanding centre half Ian Ure was a
• MIDFIELD AND ATTACK
George ‘Geordie’ Armstrong was a particular favourite with his manager
and the Highbury crowd. He had excellent technical ability, amazing stamina and
equally good with both feet could play on either flank. Usually on the left
hand side, he frequently used his energy to take up advance positions and was a
constant pain for opposing left backs, left halves and left wingers.
Peter Simpson, a much underrated player provided class and composure
with accurate tackles and equally accurate passes. Northern Ireland captain,
Terry Neil was made Arsenal Skipper aged just twenty. Not the fastest, he
nevertheless complimented Ian Ure. An eloquent, mature leader whose career had
at times been hampered by illness and injury.
At this stage Frank McLintock played on the right hand side of midfield
before Mee later converted him to a centre half. His tough, resolute defending
combined with clever passing convinced Arsenal to fork out a record fee for his
services. A complete midfielder and passionate, dedicated professional made him
ideal leadership material.
On the left side was
John Sammels, a scheming forward with great talent and a fierce shot had
been on the verge of full
George Graham (George from Bargeddie, 1960) joined from Chelsea in a
cash and player swap for Tommy Baldwin. Another of Mee’s brainwaves was to later
convert forward him into a left sided midfielder. Not only could he still
‘weigh in’ in with goals, but he was a superb passer of the ball. Even at this
stage he was more of a target man than an out and out goalscorer. Arsenal used
his passing, high leap and heading to bring other players into attacks. Unlike
the traditional goal poacher most of his goals came from more than six yards
out and his distance shooting was excellent but his lack of pace earnt him the
nickname of Stroller.
P R E – M A T C H B U I L D
U P
█ A FRIDAY
NIGHT GATHERING █
• SIGNED UP
On Friday evenings,
Rangers new signings captured the imagination of their supporters. Fans
started to appear en masse in London on Friday night, the advanced party of a
10,000 plus travelling support (I’ve heard quite a few estimate a figure nearer
15,000) in the middle of the holiday season. The Evening Times spoke to sixteen
year old Eddie Brown who summed it up for many when he explained his journey
south. “Rangers have shown the fans they mean business. We’re expecting great
things.” Save for the Jack Kelsey Testimonial, the previous visits to
The Rangers team enjoyed a bit more luxury than most of their travelling
supporters, staying in a five star hotel on the Friday night. Scot Symon told
the inquisitive media that he would select his side just before kick off on
Saturday.
█ WORRY OF
THE DAY █
• WALKING STICKS
Arsenal were worried at the increasing episodes of football hooliganism
at Highbury towards the end of the previous Season. Denis Hill-Wood went on to
write about it in his ‘Message’ and secretary Bob Wall went on to write another
full page. Wall attributed the problem to, “A group of ill disciplined
teenagers who frequent the North Terrace,” who were not responding to appeals for
better behaviour.
One response was the banning of walking sticks. Some fans had a penchant
for carrying walking sticks, painted with the club’s colours and used them to
strike rival fans.
• BEAR BAITING AT HIGHBURY?
“We are determined that Arsenal Stadium shall not become a bear-garden
where irresponsible youngsters can indulge in free fights.” (Slightly amusing
given the ‘bears’ nickname of Rangers fans)
M A
T C H
D A Y
█ VALUE FOR
MONEY █
• WELCOME TO THE CHEAP SEATS!
If you would rather steer clear of walking sticks in the North Bank,
seats in either the East and West Stands were priced at 12/5p for the upper
tier and 10/- for the lower East. Again Arsenal’s ticketing arrangements need
to be commended, seat prices actually cheaper (upstairs) and the same
(downstairs) than for Rangers 1964 visit. Admittedly there’s a difference between
the European Cup and a pre-season friendly but even so when did you last return
to a ground after three years to find yourself paying less?
█ BEARS AND
BEERS █
Given that kick-off was in the afternoon the bulk of the travelling
support generally headed straight towards North London. Some enjoyed a café
breakfast or a nap after an overnight journey before waiting for opening time
at
█ TEAM
CHANGES █
• SKIPPER
Arsenal announced that Scotsman Frank McLintock would captain Arsenal
for the first time.
• SUB
The match would also see each team permitted one substitute. Season
1965-66 was the first season that teams were allowed to replace an injured
player. However it quickly became a tactical measure after certain managers
instructed players to feign injury to enable their replacement.
• SIDELINED
Rangers recent signing, Orjan Persson was not yet eligible to play for
Rangers.
M A T C H R E P O R T
ARSENAL
: 1 Jim Furnell 2 Peter Storey 3 Peter Simpson 4 Frank McLintock (C) 5 Terry Neill
6 Ian Ure 7 George Johntone 8 David Court
9 George Graham 10 Jon
Sammels 11 George Armstrong 12 Sub David Jenkins.
Red shirt with white sleeves and collar with a cannon motif on the left
breast. White shorts. White socks with 2 blue hoops.
RANGERS
: 1 Erik Sorensen 2 Kai Johansen 3 David Provan 4 Alex Smith
5 Ronnie McKinnon 6 John Greig
(C) 7 Willie Henderson 8 Andy Penman 9 Alex Ferguson 10 David Smith 11 Willie Johnston 12 Sub Roger Hynd.
Blue shirts with a deep white V. Plain white shorts. Black socks with a
red top.
Referee : Mr V James (
Linesmen : Mr K Gale (
1 Substitution per team allowed
Dry and sunny, pitch in excellent condition.
Just before kick off, four Rangers fans are arrested and It takes four
policemen to remove one of the fans, with each policeman grabbing an arm or a
leg. A massive Rangers following is in residence at Highbury, confidence
abounds and the song of the day is ‘We Are The People’.
In the stands at Highbury a buzzer rang five minutes before kick off. If
you didn’t hear the buzzer you certainly would have heard the tumultuous
reception from the Rangers support to greet their new team. Unless for a
Testimonial, the visitors always took to the Highbury pitch first.
The entire fifteen man Rangers party limber up on the pitch. The three
standby players are goalkeeper Billy Ritchie plus wing halves Bobby Watson and
Sandy Jardine. The two keepers warm up in the centre circle, throwing the ball
at each other. A new pre match routine but would it mark the start of a new
era?
FIRST HALF
Arsenal kick towards the Clock End. Rangers attack the North Bank
4 mins : New signing Alex Ferguson fails to convert an early chance. The
‘Govan man’ bursts through, but is foiled by Arsenal keeper Furnell who sprints
out and kicks the ball away from his feet.
5 mins : GOAL 1-0 ARSENAL
Jon Sammels dummies and then opens the scoring with a powerful effort
from thirty yards out. Sorensen dived too late and the Rangers defenders look
accusingly at their goalkeeper. Sorensen waves them away, tapping his chest in
an admission of guilt.
Rangers are slightly perplexed by Arsenal’s tactics. Arsenal cede two
thirds of the pitch to Rangers but then hit them with swift counter attacks
prompted by George Graham and John Sammels. Whenever Rangers get the ball into
Arsenal’s third of the pitch they meet an effective and no nonsense wall of defence.
Despite enjoying most of the possession, Rangers are unable to create
clear cut opportunities. When in possession, Arsenal play simple but neat and
tidy football.
Rangers carve out an opportunity when Johansen evades three tackles and
attempts to lob Furnell who gathers cleanly despite the attentions of Ferguson.
Following his early chances, Alex Ferguson is now superbly marshalled by
Terry Neill and struggling to make any meaningful impact. His teammate, Willie
Henderson is tightly marked by Peter Simpson.
The Henderson/Simpson duel is particularly interesting and a high
quality affair. Henderson is lively and looking for the ball, yet every time he
receives it, Simpson works tirelessly to close him down.
Another duel is not so even. Andy Penman does not seem to be relishing
his contest against former Dundee and Scotland teammate, Ian Ure. They played together
in the
John Greig plays Dave Smith through on goal. Once again the alert Jim
Furnell dashes from his line to clear with his boot.
Having eventually shaken off Ure, Andy Penman has a good opportunity
just a few yards from goal. The assured and alert Furnell plucks the ball from
his feet.
Seconds later, Alex Ferguson is pulled down by Jon Sammels just outside
the penalty area.
The free kick is played to Dave Smith who shoots through a ruck of
players and Furnell does particularly well to make a clean save.
Rangers almost give away another goal. Greig plays the ball back to
Willie Johnston who in turn plays the ball back to Sorensen. There is a lack of
communication as Sorensen advances from his line. Fortunately for Rangers, the
ball strikes the advancing Sorensen on his shoulder on the edge of the box.
The final chance of the half falls to Andy Penman. Dave Smith picks him
out with a good pass and from twenty five yards out he blazes his shot just
inches wide of the post.
HALF
TIME SCORE : ARSENAL 1 RANGERS 0
THE SPYING SCOTSMAN
With so many Scotsmen on display, it is not surprising that Rangers
former goalkeeper and
AND THE BAND PLAYED ON
Hopefully he can hear the strains of The Metropolitan Police Band. Their
playlist includes A Salute To Rangers with The Swing o’ the Kilt by Ewing and The
Arsenal Song to the tune of the Beer Barrel Polka.
Question? Why did the police band at Arsenal never get involved in
sorting out crowd trouble? OK they had no truncheons but a clout over the head
with a trumpet could have brought reason to a situation.
SECOND HALF
Straight from the break, Arsenal swing into attack. A top drawer save by Sorensen prevents Sammels from scoring.
Rangers immediately reply with an Alex Ferguson header. On target but again denied by Furnell.
Sorensen looking far more composed this half, makes a finger tip save from an Armstrong shot destined for the far corner.
The afternoon is not getting any better for Rangers. Their best attacker is Willie Henderson working doggedly to shake off Peter Simpson’s close marking.
News filters through on transistor radios that Spurs have levelled
against Celtic in the Queen’s Park Centenary game at
Alex Ferguson who cannot be faulted for effort again misses a good opportunity. Willie Henderson plays him in on goal but instead of instinctively striking the ball, he dwells on it and tries to scoop it over the advancing Furnell, giving the ‘keeper enough time to make the save.
THE
‘BOTTLE BANK’ HIGHBURY
As Armstrong breaks away. “A sway starts behind the Rangers goal. (the
North Bank) and dozens of youngsters are carried on to the track as ambulance
and policemen dash to the scene. One fan is led around the track with blood
streaming from his face by two policemen. three youngsters are led away by
first aid men.” (Peter Hendry in the Evening Times)
Fans had been throwing bottles at each other whilst others had been
throwing them against the North Bank roof with shattered glass falling on those
below. The fans on the track had been escaping the trouble and broken glass.
SECOND
HALF RE-STARTED
Following the restart Rangers almost score with a superb
Penman tries his luck with a powerful shot but it is blocked and
ricochets off one of the forest of defending red shirts.
RANGERS GOAL DISALLOWED
The ball is crossed into the penalty box, Furnell and Ferguson crash
into each other and the ball falls to Willie Johnston who slots home. However
the referee disallows the goal for
73 mins : GOAL 2-0
Ian Ure forges down the right and fires in a low inch perfect cross to
George Johnston. Sorensen hesitates and Arsenal’s twenty year old forward and
£20,000 signing sidefoots home.
Arsenal now in control of the game push more men forward and Sorensen
(who the Daily Record placed at fault for the first two goals) makes some
excellent saves to keep the score down. Including an effort from Armstrong
which he somehow finger tips as it flies like a guided missile towards the far
upright.
Arsenal continue to press. Jon Sammels accurately volleys and Ronnie
McKinnon rescues Rangers with a goal line clearance.
84 mins : GOAL 3-0
Sammels nets his second with another blockbusting effort from thirty
yards out. This was an even better effort than his earlier goal. The ball
swerves and smashes an upright on its way into the net.
FINAL
SCORE : ARSENAL 3 (Sammels 2, Johnston) RANGERS 0
Attendance
: 34,586
Post Match : John Greig receives treatment for a knock to the leg.
P O S T M A T C H
R E A C T I O N
█ ANALYSIS █
• MAN OF THE MATCH
For most writers, Sammels was the man of the match. The Islington
Gazette was impressed by Arsenal’s defensive display and gave credit to
transfer listed Ian Ure and
• LESSONS TO BE LEARNT
Writing under the headline, “Ibrox Men Must Learn This Lesson”, Alister
Nichol of the Daily Record felt that Rangers had to get to grips with this new
form of tactical soccer and would need to learn new methods for breaking down
organised defences such as Arsenal’s. He felt that more variety was required.
He was not particularly impressed with the new signings but felt that
Peter Hendry of the Evening Times was disappointed at the indecision in Rangers defence and the goalkeeping display from Sorensen. He felt that the forwards had not yet blended but was pleased by the work rate, if not the finishing of Alex Ferguson. Saying, “Alex Ferguson put in no end of effort into his work but his anxiety to do well was almost certainly his undoing when he missed two possible scoring chances by trying to be too precise with his finishing.” For Rangers he was impressed with the tireless effort of Henderson, and took solace in that two of the best displays from Arsenal came from Scotsmen, McLintock and Ure.
T A L K I N G P O I N T S
█ THE BLAME
GAME █
• LOST
YOUR BOTTLE
Following the game, Arsenal banned the sale of all bottled and canned
beer and beverages in the ground. Rangers were blamed for this in the following
Arsenal programme a fortnight later.
“Incidents such as the one which occurred on the North Terrace when we
played Rangers cannot be tolerated and unless strong action is taken the
terraces of football grounds will be occupied only by thugs; decent people will
stay away. Although on this occasion the trouble was caused by a group of
Rangers’ supporters there was enough evidence from last season for us to know
that it could happen again.”
• SINISTER ELEMENTS
I have heard it from a few sources that there was more to the violence
than met the eye. Islington, Highbury and Holloway had a particularly large
first and second generation Irish population and that some of these local
residents spent the day
• THE END
Matt Busby said to Bill Shankly
Have your heard of the North Bank, Highbury?
Shanks said no
I don’t think so
But I’ve heard of the Rangers aggro.
Football broadcaster, author and Arsenal fan Tom Watt in his book
entitled, The End (80 Years of Life on the Terraces) recalls this fixture as a
seminal moment for Arsenal fans. He suggests that the ‘taking’ of the home end
by
He also quotes several eye witness accounts from Arsenal fans. Including
boxing promoter Frank Warren, then a teenager. “The first fight I ever saw at
Arsenal was at a friendly match against Glasgow Rangers which was diabolical,
they were slinging bottles, really bad news, and that all happened in the North
Bank.
• DID YOU GO WEST YOUNG MEN?
Perhaps the then young Frank and Tom had not gone west with Arsenal to
Bristol Rovers earlier in the year,
Without dwelling on the subject,
the various programme notes for this game clearly indicate that Arsenal had
more than their own fair share of hooligans. There was neither any segregation
nor were the Rangers fans directed to any part of the ground. When Rangers fans
had visited in the past many had stood on the North Bank and enjoyed each
other’s company. Unfortunately 1967 was the year of Skinheadism and when modern
English football hooliganism really kicked-off in earnest. (A subject looked at
in the next Chapter.) Yes, it seems that a minority of supporters of both clubs
participated in the disorder and I’m sure it wasn’t the first time in history
that a cocktail of too many males drinking too much alcohol in the hot sun was
a major contributory factor.
~The Islington Gazette
Shortly after the Rangers match, The Islington Gazette reported that
with no segregation, a small section of the crowd threw bottles at each other
and a few fans had to make a trip to ‘A&E.’ According to the Islington
Gazette, those arrested mainly received £2 fines which in their opinion was far
too lenient. They described the protagonists behaviour as, “Nothing short of
shocking and tantamount to a national disgrace.”
To give the Gazette credit they did try to think of solutions for
dealing with the problems. They felt a ban on all bottles was necessary and
that all beverages should be served in cardboard containers.
• TAKING A FENCE
However their comment that, “It seems only a matter of time before
spectators have to be fenced in like cattle with high strong wire barriers.”
was stupid in the light of events.
At least genuine fans were able to escape the bottles. Had there been
fences it would have been impossible to evacuate on to the pitch and getting
treatment to the injured would have been more difficult. There was also the
potential of fans rushing away from missiles only to be caught in a crush if
there were fences and it was also easier for police to get into a terrace
without fences at the front. Arsenal deserve enormous credit for having never erected
any fences around the Highbury perimeter.
█ THE 1967
EUROPEAN CUP WINNERS’ CUP FINAL █
• ONE GAMBLE, JUST ONE MISTAKE
Playing a team as good as Bayern Munich in practically their own
backyard, was always going to be a very difficult task. Famously Scot Symon
raised eyebrows with his selection of Roger Hynd as a forward. Yet it so nearly
paid off as Rangers had the better of the first half and the second was pretty
much even. Hynd put in a fine performance in the Nuremburg rain, ruffling the
cultured defence with his physical and aerial presence. He created a number of
chances and brought teammates into the game with his heading. More to the point
he had a goal disallowed, another attempt cleared off the line and was also
denied by a fingertip save from Maier. Bayern netted their winner in extra time
from Rangers one defensive lapse and the general consensus was that it had been
a very close game. Ken Gallagher writing for the Daily Record described Rangers
performance as, “World Class.” Perhaps had Jim Forrest been playing alongside
him, Rangers may well have had the craft to go with Hynd’s graft.
• INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION
Continental scribes were every bit as impressed Ken Gallagher.
~ Gazza
La Gazzetta Delio Sport of
~The German Press
German newspapers felt that Bayern were lucky.
Die Welt also agreed that it was Bayern’s fighting spirit that saved
them from defeat.
Fellow German publication Koelnische Rundschau paid this wholesome
tribute, “Twenty two perfect artists of football fought fairly for the precious
trophy, each a member of a top flight team. What was expressed in the 120
minutes of Nurenburg was the best international artistry.”
█ TELEVISION
AND ATTENDANCES █
• SET QUESTION
Boardrooms up and down the country wrestled with the question as to
whether it was worth their while allowing television cameras into their
grounds.
Controversial Burnley chairman and meat pie maker, Bob Lord was at the
vanguard of protecting football from television and never one to mince (sorry!)
his words. He was fearful that if TV cameras were allowed into Turf Moor even to
show match highlights, less fans would attend and no doubt that less of his
meat pies would be sold and that football was being sold on the cheap. Burnley
home fixtures were strictly off limits to Match of the Day cameras at this time
as they had been since the very first broadcast.
• LOWLIGHTS
Arsenal though were featured in the first edition of Match of the Day in
August 1964, losing 3-2 at Liverpool. A rescheduled fixture against Leeds
United on
█ WHERE DO
ARSENAL FANS COME FROM 1967 █
• OLD ETONIANS MEET THE HOI PALLO!
Highbury was once memorably described as where, “Old etonians meet the
hoi palloi.” It is certainly true that Arsenal was the most popular club among
the traditional upper classes, probably because they could identify with Arsenal’s
reputation and their directors and it is something that has been passed down.
Arsenal directors in turn have enjoyed ‘Royal’ connections and have even been
able to persuade Royals to visit Highbury.
As for the ‘hoi palloi’, Arsenal’s support even at this stage was
cosmopolitan. In addition to the mainstay of traditional white working class
fans from central North London, such as Islington, Holloway and Camden recent
immigration had created many new ones. These parts of north
Arsenal tended to become the team of any continental working in
█ THE
HIGHBURY BOARDROOM █
• DON’T GIVE UP THE DAY JOB!
Though the redoubtable Lord Lonsdale had long since departed, the
Arsenal board could still probably have given any other boardroom something of
an inferiority complex on matchday. Just have a look at what they got up to
during the week and they had enough letters after their names for a game of
scrabble.
• CHAIRMAN
Denis Hill-Wood’s family were
• DIRECTORS
• Sir Guy Bracewell-Smith Bt (A Baronet no less), MBE, MA: Director of the Park Lane Hotel, the Ritz Hotel, Eagle Star Assurance and Wembley Stadium.
• Sir Robert Bellinger GBE: Chairman of Kinlock Provision and Lord Mayor
of London in 1966.
• S C McIntyre Esq MBE, FCIS: Deputy Chairman of Pearl Assurance and a director of the Charter Trust and the Property and Investment Trust.
• The remainder of the board comprised of Denis’ son Peter and Reverend
N F Bone.
• FOOTBALL MANIA
Football Mania by German, social psychologist Gerhard Vinnai was
published in 1973 and the author tracked down Guy and put this ‘poser’ to him.
That a sport largely paid for by working class men at the gates and played by
working class men on the pitch should be owned by so exclusive a group of
capitalists. Guy replied that it was, “No bed of roses to help govern a club
like Arsenal.” Further adding that, “All I’m concerned with is that we should
win.” He was not forthcoming with any more information, cryptically stating, “One
club, one chairman, one voice.”
• FOOTBALL MAN
Another author to study the Arsenal board was Arthur Hopcroft in
‘Football Man’ and he spoke to Denis Hill-Wood. “The chairman of Arsenal
represents the public school in the football boardroom.” When Hopcroft asked
when Hill-Wood was elected chairman of Arsenal he received a response with the gentlest
of raps on the knuckle. “You are not elected at Arsenal, you are just asked.”
The Hill-Wood’s certainly had
some football pedigree. His father had introduced a League team to Glossop. (The
club faded out of the League after World War 1.) Hill-Wood Senior moved south
as the cotton industry collapsed and was invited on to the board by one of
Arsenal’s knights at the time.
~Eton Rifle
Denis had organised an Eton football team who would take on ‘all comers.’
He fondly recalled the annual ‘needle’ match and derby against Slough Secondary
Modern. Denis went on to win a blue for football at
~That's Entertainment
Hill-Wood likened the chairman’s role to being Head of Entertainment.
Saying, “The chairman’s got to see that the manager produces an entertaining
side.” Given Arsenal’s style of play, Hopcroft was sure he’d caught him out.
However Hill-Wood replied, “Every fan you ask will say he wants to see lively,
open football. But what the fan really wants is to see his team win.” (He certainly
knew his Arsenal fans.) In another interview he commented, “If you are going to
run a biggish business like Arsenal, the more businessmen the better.”
In terms of transfers, the board expected to be consulted and persuaded
by the manager about the buying and selling of players.
█ RANGERS V
ARSENAL 1966 █
• NO HALF MEASURES
A few months after
“Many of the Arsenal players
regarded the games as merely friendlies. But that wasn’t the case for the Scots
in the Highbury team. We really looked forward to it, and we knew it was no
friendly for the Rangers players. Prestige was at stake and it meant a lot to
them. Arsenal made the mistake of fielding an under strength side, blooding a
few youngsters. Frank McLintock and I knew that we were in for a hiding in that
case and we were happy to get away with a 2-0 defeat at Ibrox – We thought we had
done well.”
(Arsenal
v Rangers 1973, Centenary Celebration Match, Matchday Programme, August 1973)
█ FERGIE’S TIME. ALEX FERGUSON’S TIME WITH RANGERS █
• LOOK AWAY NOW
Because of some of the allegations made by Alex Ferguson in his
autobiography against persons associated with Rangers, we have to project
forward in time to examine their validity. So if you’re reading from the start
as opposed to dipping into the matches and sections that interest you, if you
come back to this section at the end it won’t spoil the next couple of
chapters.
• DISAPPOINTMENT
Alex Ferguson’s spell at Rangers was alas to conclude as something of a
disappointment for both club and player alike. Rangers paid out £65,000 to
Dunfermline, a record fee between Scottish clubs to secure his services in July
1967 before eventually offloading him to Falkirk for £20,000 in October 1969.
Thirty years later, Ferguson with Hugh McIlvanney published his autobiography
‘Managing My Life’ and of course he revisited his time at Ibrox and some of it
was deeply unpleasant. The version quoted from is the 2000 paperback. Sadly in
further republications, the content alas remains unrevised.
Whilst one can empathise with his disappointment, his comments about
John Lawrence and Davie White need to be fully examined. Moreover when a man
who died from cancer over forty years ago, Willie Allison is labelled as among
other things, as a ‘diseased zealot’, these comments have to be scrutinised and
challenged.
• FACT OF THE MATTER?
The fact of the matter, I’d suggest was that during his time at Ibrox
Alex Ferguson fell somewhere between a good to very good player and was most
impressive against the lesser teams. (I’ve heard some old timers be less
charitable and to be fair to them he was playing in a team with some terrific
players of genuine Rangers Class.) Unfortunately he was at the club at a time
and place when Rangers required not just very good but great players in all
positions.
• A FERGIE FACT
In Managing My Life with Hugh McIlvanney, Alex Ferguson claims to be the first player to score a hat trick against Rangers at Ibrox when he struck three goals for St Johnstone on 21st December 1963. Actually five players had achieved this feat before. Including Alan Gilzean for Dundee on 11th November 1961. A further three men have gone on to do this since. (And we hope this feat will always remain a rare and impressive one…)
Yet the distinguished manager and journalist combination miss this
glaringly obvious and splendid Rangers distinction that he does uniquely hold.
When he netted a hat trick on the 16th December, 1967 in the 10-2 rout of Raith
Rovers he became the only man to score hat tricks both for and against Rangers
at Ibrox. So why they chose to omit this is curious. Though when ‘Fergie’s’
time with Rangers is the subject in this publication that isn’t the first time.
• TOUGH CHALLENGES AND GOALS
When Alex Ferguson joined Rangers a very personal challenge would be
winning his first international cap. Unfortunately for him he was playing at a
time when Scotland could draw upon such phenomenal talents as Dennis Law, Alan
Gilzean and Colin Stein in his position. To put this further into context, it’s
worth looking at a trio of prolific strikers plying their trade in the Scottish
league at this time. Stevie Chalmers won just five Scottish caps, Joe McBride,
also of Celtic just two and Gordon Wallace, a record breaking goalscorer and
the Scottish Football Writers 1968 player of the year was never capped at all.
The team Ferguson was joining were charged with the most difficult task in
European football. Jock Stein and a crop of outstanding players had just transformed
Celtic into European Cup Winners. For Rangers to win domestic silverware, they
had to beat Celtic and obviously to do so, score goals when the Old Firm came
together. In Ferguson’s time at the club he managed a grand total of 1 goal against
them in the least relevant of tournaments, the Glasgow Cup. In these crucial Old
Firm games he would square off against Celtic’s legendary captain Billy McNeill.
Ferguson’s determined, hustling, physical approach was all very good but McNeil
was a formidable unit, operator and every bit as determined. For my money, Rangers
or rather the Board should never have sold Jim Forrest as his pace, movement
and skill might have been one way of drawing on the relatively weaker parts of
McNeill’s game.
• PROVING GROUNDS
Ferguson’s strike rate was impressive, but a closer examination of the
statistics at home and in Europe show that he was at his most prolific against
the lesser teams. Furthermore, when Rangers were on the verge of success, it
might have helped had he not given away a penalty at Leeds in the 1968 Fairs
Cup nor failed to carry out his manager’s orders to cover Billy McNeill at
corners in the 1969 Scottish Cup Final (Colin Stein was suspended see Chapter
6) and guess what happened when Celtic got an early corner. And guess who
claimed that Ronnie McKinnon was equally culpable too.
• THE BETTER MAN
Rangers had a responsibility to their fans to buy Colin Stein when the
better player was available. Perhaps had Alex Ferguson taken the opportunity he
had to join Hibernian in part exchange he could have taken the opportunity to
show to Rangers and the Scotland Manager (the selection panel had thankfully
been abolished) what they were missing and how good he was. Instead the saga
concluded when he opted to drop down a division and join Falkirk.
• WHITEWASH
Ferguson didn’t rate Davie White and he claims vice versa from the
outset but what better motivation, than proving him wrong, make him eat his
words. One can sympathise to a degree with Ferguson in that he was signed by
Scot Symon a man he clearly admired and looked forward to playing for but found
a new man with different ideas at the helm soon after. However Davie White was
keen that players should talk to him especially if anything was troubling them.
By most accounts, players felt comfortable in his company, so why did Ferguson
not simply ask for a meeting with his manager and thrash it out? I’m
disappointed that in his autobiography, Alex Ferguson didn’t look back at the
circumstances in which Davie White came to be Rangers manager nor the context
of the situation the young manager was thrust into. I wonder how Alex Ferguson
would have coped at managing Rangers against Jock Stein after spending his
first year in management? Ferguson of course was not only a huge admirer of
Stein, he worked alongside him as Scotland’s Manager two decades later, and
describes the experience as ‘Learning From A Master’ despite his own wealth of
experience. Was Ferguson’s first year record in management any better than
White’s astonishing debut season at Clyde? Of course not. Why doesn’t Alex
Ferguson tell us how he would have managed if he had to conquer Jock Stein and
the European Champions after one year in management. Infact had it not been for
the despicable, disgraceful shenanigans of Bob Kelly and the Scottish
Disciplinary Committee at the end of the 1969 season White would have carried
out something quite staggering given his age and experience, or rather lack of
it. That he was so close was almost entirely down to his signing of the
exceptional Colin Stein who not only scored but led the line so magnificently
and in the way Rangers no doubt hoped Ferguson would.
• FROZEN
It was hardly surprising that even as relaxed a Manager as Davie White
froze him out in the end. Why would he want a player that seemingly didn’t want
to play for him, didn’t follow instructions given to him and was a potentially
disruptive influence, surplus to requirements but didn’t want to leave the
club? Ferguson claims to have been unhappy about having to train with the
‘thirds’. After Colin Stein joined, Ferguson had by his own admission
criticised his manager in the press. So what on earth was White meant to do,
answers on a postcard please? By encouraging Ferguson to work with the
youngsters, he was at least doing something positive for both parties. Ferguson
proudly shows a large picture of him in a suit on the Ibrox turf in what I can
only say is looking contemptuously, angrily and seemingly walking away from a
tracksuited Davie White. Shouldn’t it be the other way round? Imagine a player
doing that to Alex Ferguson the manager, and that perhaps is the nub of it.
• SHOCKING
Ferguson’s most shocking comments are directed towards the late Willie
Allison, Rangers Public Relations Officer at that time and who died not long
after. Rather than giving a reflective, measured and sensitive account of his
version of events and letting the readers judge, Ferguson talks among others
things, of a man who died of cancer as a “diseased zealot.”
Alex Ferguson claims that Allison was spreading malicious gossip about
his wife’s religion. He also claims that Allison briefed newspapers that his
Ibrox career was over at the end of the 1968 season. This led to a situation in
which he drunkenly confronted Allison in Denmark in a hotel dining room which
most definitely happened and was most definitely witnessed. (Imagine if a
player abused a senior official so publicly in Mr Struth’s time!) On that basis
I accept Ferguson had a serious perceived grievance with the gentleman at that
time. That’s clear enough but for my money, such serious comments and
allegations need more precise and detailed information. Corroborated evidence
of exactly what was said, exactly when it was said and to precisely whom. It’s
also interesting that Ferguson states that Allison’s gossip came at a moment of
frustration when he and the team were receiving criticism from the fans and
press too. I actually don’t doubt that in such a climate things might have been
said, misinterpreted, misrepresented or misunderstood too. I would just like to
know precisely what. Indeed it is telling that shortly after Ferguson’s first
tirade, Allison did what would outwardly appear to be the gentlemanly thing and
tried to talk things through only to receive the ‘hairdryer’ treatment from the
young man again. An unbelievable occurrence at Rangers, and from an uncapped
player too.
• “FOOTBALL BLOODY HELL”
My suspicion is that Willie Allison had been charged with the
unfortunate task of making Ferguson’s availability known in the media, not a
pleasant thing to do but it was club business based on a footballing decision,
and a lot of money which ultimately came from the pockets of the fans was
involved. Football is at times and I guess by its very competitive nature an
unforgiving and ruthless business, young dreams are broken, someone has to
break those dreams, it isn’t nice. Yet we are hardly talking about Mary Poppins
where Alex Ferguson’s own brand of management and leadership is concerned. Have
a read of Michael Crick’s biography The Boss and compare for yourself.
Trying to find out anything about Willie Allison is difficult enough and
that save for his own writing there is hardly anything about him in print
except for his own work. Nor online including fan boards. Let alone this
subject which I thought would have generated considerable comment. It is as if
for every other player of that time, Allison wasn’t there, none of the players
in their memoirs mention him or for that matter even seemed to have even
noticed he existed, which is peculiar for a man who we are led to believe,
wielded such considerable and dangerous influence.
When Alex Ferguson’s time at Rangers is discussed online it is his
merits as a player that are vigorously debated. Sometimes there is a
misrepresentation of his views on Rangers when he has in fact had some very
kind things about to say about the club, the fans and some of his teammates and
some of the club staff.
What fans are also prone to commenting on is how the roots of the
unpleasant and toxic rivalry with Aberdeen coincided with Alex Ferguson’s
management of that club. There is also comment and discussion regarding
Ferguson rejecting the opportunity to become manager of Rangers in summer 1983
and a time when the club was still paying off debt from the stadium
redevelopment.
With regards to his wife’s religion the club would have known that when
they signed him. How could they not? Given that Ferguson was so well known
locally and the amount of money involved substantial. If it was an issue, he
wouldn’t have been signed in the first place. Actually if any religious factor
was to have been a factor it would have been his mother’s religion. It wasn’t of
course because he was signed for a record breaking transfer fee. Interestingly
he reveals that one thing that could have broken the deal was if Dunfermline
didn’t give him a percentage of the transfer fee even though he received a very
generous £4000 signing on fee from Rangers.
The third allegation was that Allison could and did influence Chairman,
John Lawrence to get to White to get to Ferguson. Please, John Lawrence was a
self-made businessman who in the mid to late 1960s had 2000 people on his payroll
and the company he founded, John Lawrence (Glasgow) Ltd built more private and
council houses in Scotland than any other contractor. Doesn’t come across as a
mug punter to me either. I would also suggest that with Alan Morton and George
Brown on his board, he would go to them for a football opinion rather than the
public relations officer. Incidentally Lawrence was making some very good moves
at this in terms of investing in new players, drastically improving salaries
and introducing younger men to direct the club in to a new era.
Let’s look at this strictly as a piece of business. A top class
international centre forward in 1967 was worth £100,000 plus salary, bonuses
and signing on fee, how much was a PR officer worth to a club? Who’s the one,
we can do without? And that I’d suggest is the heart of the matter. Had Alex
Ferguson produced the goods in the crunch games, the manager wouldn’t have
needed to acquire someone he thought who could. To purchase the one who could
and recoup the money it had spent on the one that couldn’t but didn’t want to
walk. Though eventually he did, so long as he got a £2000 slice of that
transfer fee too.
“I did not have a crumb of pity for him.” Was how Alex Ferguson with
Hugh McIlvanney documents reacting to Willie Allison telling him about his life
ending cancer diagnosis. A poisonous sounding comment but it does seem odd to
me that Ferguson’s arch enemy would share or confide his tragic news with him.
The only logical explanation would be that like his reaction to the drunken
verbal assault he was trying to reach out. Was it to refute Ferguson’s
allegations, was it to point that he had been misquoted, was it to apologise,
was it to clear the air, we don’t know. We just have Alex Ferguson’s comments
and thoroughly abusive language.
• CRUEL DEFLECTION
However what the shocking comments and focus upon Allison serve to do,
by either design or coincidence is to deflect attention away from scrutinising
the Govan man’s time in the blue jersey, compared and contrasted to previous incumbents
and his immediate successor, the exceptional Colin Stein.
• WILLIE ALLISON
What little we do know about him prior to joining Rangers is he had
spent a remarkable length of time, some forty years in journalism, most of them
as a sports editor and as a football and golf writer. Furthermore, having the
distinction of being appointed an Honorary President of the Scottish
Professional Golf Association.
In 1965 Allison accepted another accolade in the form of an invitation
to become Rangers first public relations officer and as a passionate and
lifelong supporter he clearly felt honoured. His uncle and close friend John
Allan had been Rangers official historian until he died in 1953. Allan wrote
three immaculately detailed books chronicling Rangers from their inception up
to 1951 and Allison at Allan’s request, later updated these works with
‘Rangers, The New Era’ published in 1966. A book that demonstrates a rare
excellence with words, strong sense of sportsmanship, objectivity and of course
a deep love of Rangers.
It would be warming to think, that future generations of his family have
shared the passion he and his uncle shared for Rangers.
• THE ANNUAL EXCUSE
Strangely enough in Rangers Supporters’ Association Annual 1968-69,
there was another excuse for Ferguson’s decline at Rangers and this time it
wasn’t Willie Allison. In an article entitled, “Success Can’t Be Bought,” Alex
Young of the Scottish Daily Mail wrote:
“Has the £60,000 buy from
Fergie himself is convinced of this: he has never been a successful
centre forward. Nor does he enjoy the position. He (
Fergie is still adamant. In
I have never deceived myself into thinking I’m a clever forward. All I
lay claim to is that with all my clubs I’ve given 100 per cent effort and
scored a mountain of goals.
I can do the same again if I get my chance – at inside-left.”
• FERGIE TIME JANUARY 2018…
The Rangers official club website at the turn of this year caught up
with Alex Ferguson now retired from football management and he gives an account
of his time at Rangers that was as enjoyable to read as his autobiography was
unpleasant. Ferguson is of course a very shrewd media operator, and of course
he more than knew who he was talking to, but for me I’d like to think that the
change of opinion and tone is sincere. After all, he didn’t have to do it and
though it was answers to a series of questions, (and of course some might
suggest that it’s not unknown for savvy media operators to choose what
questions they will be asked) unlike his collaboration with Hugh McIlvanney it
conveys an infinitely more balanced, sympathetic, happier and sensible critique
of events all round. No toxic insults or language about dead men, but just
talking football, something that he can do as well and as engagingly as anyone
else in the game when he wants. Davie White was treated sympathetically, with
respect and the context of his “mammouth task” at Rangers acknowledged.
“Unfortunately, I couldn’t have gone to
Rangers at a worse time. Celtic were the dominant team back then – and they
were a fantastic team with a fantastic manager.
I think he was the deciding factor between
the two teams. Ability wise, I don’t think there was much between us, but Jock
Stein had something about him.
It’s not a criticism of Davie White – he was
a decent man – but he was just too young to take on the job then. Rangers were
arguably the biggest club in Britain then and it was a mammoth job to take on
without great experience.”
The excellence of Colin Stein is acknowledged too and he’s applauded in
the best way from a fellow pro. Ferguson talks about how a pairing of himself
with Colin Stein might have worked, had he remained at the club and it is
intriguing and it certainly chimes in more with what he suggested himself in
1968-69 rather than the horrible autobiographical stuff published some thirty
years later.
Make of it all, what you will…
https://rangers.co.uk/news/features/big-interview-alex-ferguson/
(And
Yes, the graphics are from Arsenal v Rangers 1967 too!)
█ THE VOICE OF ARSENAL. BOB WALL █
• CHAPMAN’S FINAL LEGACY
Despite an assortment of England’s elite on Arsenal’s board, the real
power at the club actually rested with club secretary Bob Wall. Then in his mid
sixties and always wearing a bow tie he gave the initial impression of being
someone from another time and place, which to an extent he was. He had
originally joined the club in 1928 aged sixteen as personal assistant to Mr
Chapman. His influence did not come from any shareholding but through his
ability and knowledge of Arsenal and football. One may have expected a figure
who railed against modernity but like his mentor Chapman he did not want
Arsenal just to be up with the times he wanted them right at the cutting edge.
I’m convinced that his mentor would have been most impressed when Arsenal became
the first club to install under soil heating in 1964 and it proved a worthwhile
investment as Highbury had an excellent record of staging matches when other
London clubs postponed.
He wrote a book entitled, ‘Arsenal From the Heart’ in the late 1960’s
and although much of the book is understandably reminiscing he also gave
careful consideration to the future of the game and made some rather
interesting and far reaching predictions and observations.
• PREDICTIONS
• “As in big business the future shape of football will involve a top
elite of companies.”
• “The Arsenal teams of the year 2000 may not even play at Highbury.”
• “I am certain that, within the next quarter of a century, the vast
majority of grounds will become all seating stadia.”
• Clubs building additional facilities in stadiums so that they can be
used every day of the week.
• “Personally I do not think it will be long before we see the formation
of a Continental League.”
• Synthetic football pitches to be introduced.
• An influx of foreign players when UK enters the common market but with
a limit of one or two foreign players at a time.
• Building flat or retractable roofs over stadiums. Arsenal commissioned
Anthony Odone a
• Football Hooliganism will move away from grounds to railway stations
or around grounds.
“I believe the incidence of hooliganism will be halted when more seats
are installed in football grounds.”
• He also made reference to Lea Valley being an ideal location for a new
stadium. (Olympic, athletics and West Ham anyone?!)
• Infra-red heating in stands.
• OBSERVATIONS
• Executive facilities for the more affluent supporter.
• Clubs altering prices according to the opposition.
• Football clubs attracting investment once the Law is changed to allow
them to pay dividends over 5%.
• Groundsharing.
• “I am sure transfer prices for the really top-class player will
continue to rise.”
• English clubs taking over continental clubs when Britain enters the
Common Market.
• Football is cheap to watch compared to the price in the stalls at
west-end theatres.
• “The structure of football finance in England since the war has become
suicidal.”
• “We treat our players as responsible citizens. We don’t expect them to
be tin gods. If they want a flutter on the horses, an occasional drink or a
smoke, that is their affair.”
• “You are bound to come across players, with a lot of money, who go off
the rails.”
█ WHO TOOK
THE THE FROM THE RANGERS █
• WAS IT SOFIA?
In 1967 sometime between
March and April the ‘The’ was dropped from Rangers. When Rangers hosted Real
P O
S T S
C R I
P T
█ ARSENAL
1967-8 █
• WEMBLEY
Arsenal’s following season concluded with a ninth place finish but their
new found competitiveness was a hint of better things ahead. They made an
overdue return to Wembley in the League Cup Final where they narrowly lost 1-0 to
█ RANGERS
1967-8 █
• A BIGGER SHOCK THAN DEFEAT TO BERWICK
Rangers made a flying start to the League. At the end of October, Rangers
were unbeaten and top of the League with a record of eight matches played and
six wins, including a 1-0 triumph over Celtic. On 1st November 1967, Scot Symon
was dismissed.
A shock decision all the more peculiar given the money that the board had
made available to him in the summer. Yes his last game in charge was a 0-0 draw
with Dumbarton at Ibrox and there was booing from some sections of the
frustrated crowd but it didn’t make any sense.
What was particularly nasty was the manner of Symon’s notification of dismissal
through a third party. Utterly disrespectful to a man who had given and done so
much for Rangers and having been given the needed investment, was doing exactly
what was asked of him.
Bobby Seith resigned in disgust at what happened. Davie White aged just
thirty four and who had spent under six months at the club found himself
propelled into the Ibrox hotseat. In the next Chapter we will try
unsuccessfully for the most part to piece together what really happened.
• GREAT SCOT
After taking time out, Scot Symon went on to briefly figure as a
director at Dumbarton and manager of Partick Thistle where he was always
pleased to see his old players many of course now managers themselves.
Despite how his Ibrox career ended, Scot Symon’s passion for the club
was such that he never publically criticised those who dismissed him so
harshly. Taking over the baton from Mr Struth made was almost an impossible
mission but Symon emerged from his shadow to become one of the greatest Rangers
of the Twentieth Century.
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