CHAPTER 7
QPR V RANGERS 1969
MARSH GOES
MAD IN THE BUSH
● Pre Season
Friendly
● Saturday
2nd August 1969 ● Kick-Off 3pm
B A
C K G
R O U
N D
█ GO WEST █
• RANGERS HOST THE RANGERS
Rangers would normally have visited Highbury in 1969. Arsenal had
visited Ibrox in 1968, however fear of crowd trouble saw Arsenal cancel.
Chelsea were then asked if they would like to host Rangers annual jaunt to
London, they declined. Their ‘friendly’ west London rivals Queens Park Rangers
(QPR), kindly offered to step in and host.
█ NAME YOUR
ODDS █
• A TRIP TO THE BANKS
In 1968, you could have named your odds on the following accumulator.
Might have been worth a trip to one of John Banks betting shops!
• Putting a man on the moon in 1969.
• Jim Baxter returning to Ibrox.
• Terry Venables turning up at Shepherd’s Bush.
• Rodney Marsh going berserk on the pitch, assaulting two players.
█ RANGERS
1969 █
• FIGHTING STEIN WITH STEIN
Davie White addressed the weaknesses from the 1967-68 season. Bobby
Watson who had joined the club as a youngster brought tackling and strong
heading into midfield. And as has been noted elsewhere, White’s key signing and
a Scottish record (between Scottish clubs) for £100,000 was of course Colin
Stein from Hibs. A superb proven goalscorer and Scotland international. A
strong, brave tireless worker, able to carve out his own opportunities and very
direct in the process causing confusion in opposing defences. His only weakness
was a tendency to allow his fiery temper to spill over. Rangers were still
unsure about the goalkeeping position. In spring 1968 Rangers signed former
German policeman, Gerhardt (Gerry) Neef. Slightly on the short side for a goalkeeper,
he was brave and agile.
█ THE STORY
OF QPR █
• ON THE MOVE
1885 Christchurch Rangers and St Judes amalgamate to become Queen’s Park
Rangers. Most of the players resided in the Queen’s Park district of West London.
Played
behind the ‘The Case is Altered’ Pub and Lord Randolph Churchill was their
patron.
1889 Moved to ‘groundshare’ at the
London Scottish ground in Brondesbury.
1890-1893 Moved to the Home Farm Ground
in Kensal Rise Green as the rent at Scottish was too expensive.
Then Moved to the Gun Club at Wormwood
Scrubs. (A great place to fire a manager.)
Moved
to the Kilburn Cricket Ground in West Kilburn.
December 1898: Turned Professional and become a Limited Company.
1899 Moved to the Kensal Rise athletic
ground.
1899-1900 Joined the Southern League.
1901 Moved to St Quentin’s Avenue,
Latimer Road. Residents at Kensal Rise objected to having the tone of their
district lowered by professional footballers.
1904 Moved to the Agricultural Society’s
grounds.
1907 Moved to the Great Western
Railway’s ground near Park Royal Station.
1908 Won the Southern League Championship.
1912 Won the Southern League Championship. Moved
to White City Stadium – the 60,000 capacity home of greyhound racing.
1914-1918
1919 QPR moved to Loftus Road following
the demise of resident’s, Shepherd’s Bush FC.
1920 Join Division 3 (South) of the Football League.
1926-27 Adopted the current blue and white hooped strip. Did not
participate in the FA Cup as they forgot to send in their entry for the
competition. (Doh!)
1931 Moved back to White City. Poor
results attributed to the lack of atmosphere in the large greyhound stadium.
(It will be the wrong shirts next.)
1933-4 Moved back to Loftus Road.
1939-1945 :
1947 Division 3 (South) Runners up.
1948 Promoted to Division 2 as Division 3 (South) Champions.
1952 Relegated to Division 3 South.
1958-9 Football League is reorganised. QPR are placed in Division 3.
1959 Alec Stock appointed manager.
1962 Moved to White City one last time.
(Stock got fed up with chants of ‘Sign The Dog’.)
1963 Moved back to Loftus Road.
1966 Chairman Jim Gregory tries to acquire rivals Brentford. Buying
Griffin Park for £220,000, moving in and
selling Loftus Road for £310,000. Falls through due to a welter of negative
publicity. The Brentford chairman, Jack Dunnett had initially been keen to
sell. (Former Labour MP Dunnett, went on to become President of the Football
League and later a bankrupt.) Gregory’s motive was, “Economically it was a good
proposition for Rangers.” (Evening Standard 3rd October 1970)
1967 LEAGUE CUP WINNERS. Promoted to Division 2 as Division 3 Champions.
1968 Promoted to Division 1.
1969 Relegated back to Division 2.
█ TWO STEPS
FORWARDS, ONE STEP BACK. QPR 1969-70 █
• TAKING STOCK
Having won consecutive promotions under the management of Alec Stock,
the top flight was too much for them. Finishing rooted to the bottom, twelve
points adrift of the next team (Two points/win), they recorded just four wins
all season, and they were all at Loftus Road. Their final League record of 39
goals for and 95 against pretty much reflected their season. Their campaign had
been seriously hindered by long term injuries sustained to their strikeforce of
Barry Bridges and Rodney Marsh. QPR’s only success in the top flight was their
prize for ‘Best Programme In The League.’
Alec Stock lost his job in November and two days later Tommy Docherty
was made the new manager. A month later, Docherty resigned after falling out
with chairman Jim Gregory who refused money for a new player. Former Spurs hero
and now QPR player, Les Allen was appointed caretaker manager. It was felt that
as the senior professional and having already obtained coaching badges at
Lilleshall he would be the best person to steady the ship in the short term and
the move was now made permanent. QPR had already prepared for life in Division
2, selling winger Roger Morgan to Spurs in February 1969 for £100,000.
• THE
Sounding more like a grandmaster chess strategy, it was on the face of
it one employed by QPR and could as well be applied to their midfield and subs
bench. In addition to a number of gifted youngsters having made their way through
the ranks note how they bought Londoners primarily from other
Goalkeeper Mike Kelly joined from amateurs Wimbledon for a fee of £3000,
making his debut midway through the 1967-68 season and despite the problems in
front of him put in some excellent displays the previous season.
• OH BROTHER
He had kept the veteran, former
Right back Ian Watson joined from
• OH BROTHER 2
Left back Allan Harris had joined more recently from
Solid and reliable centre half Ron Hunt began his career with QPR in the
Youth team becoming a great servant to QPR and was joined at the heart of the
defence by Tony Hazell from
• MIDFIELD
Central midfielder and new captain, Terry Venables had the distinction
of representing England at all levels including two full caps. Yet here was not
a veteran winding down his career, he was still only twenty six years old! A
native Londoner and former Chelsea and Spurs player, signed from the latter for
£60,000.
~OH TWIN BROTHER!
Inside right Ian Morgan joined QPR as a junior, a versatile performer,
capable of playing on either wing or as an inside forward and twin brother of
Roger Morgan of Spurs. Left sided wide man Clive Clark was in his second spell
at the club and at twenty nine, the oldest of the starting XI. The Yorkshireman
rejoining from West Bromwich Albion as part of a player and cash deal for Alan
Glover that saw QPR receive £35,000.
• ATTACK
Barry Bridges who made his name in the
Centre forward Frank Clarke was the eldest of a trio of Wolverhampton brothers
playing professional football. Signed from
Rodney Marsh was signed from Fulham for a bargain £15,000 in 1966 and
the twenty five year old was now valued by pundits at £100,000. This tall,
strong and exceptionally skilful forward, was tipped as a future England
international although style wise, there was more than a hint of the Brazilian
about him. He liked nothing better than to bend the ball especially from free
kicks, nut meg defenders and try extravagant tricks. Aside from pace the only other
criticism of him was that his play could be too individualistic and though a
great entertainer could sometimes lack end product for the team. However he was
the fans favourite and his long blond hair made him something of a pin up star.
I suspect that given Roger Morgan had been allowed to leave for £100,000, the
chairman with a shrewd sense of an asset’s worth valued Marsh much higher than
the pundits.
• SUB CLUB
The pair of substitutes had four things in common. They were former
England Youth players, aged twenty two, inside forwards and as you can probably
guess both were Londoners. On the left Frank Sibley was a former half back now turned
forward with over a hundred QPR appearances to his name. On the other side Mick
Leach contributed effectiveness in the air and non-stop running and was QPR’s
other joint highest scorer, the previous season.
• AND THE BOSS CAN STILL PLAY A BIT
The Boss, Les Allen was still registered as a player. When he joined QPR
in 1965 for a fee of £21,000, he topped the goalscoring charts that season with
thirty goals. Later when he played for QPR against none other than Spurs on 15th
February 1969, he became the first player-manager to have played in
England’s top division for eighty years.
~JOBS 2 MAN 1
So why had there not been a player-manager in England’s top flight since
1889?
Being a player and a manager are two very different jobs which also have
the potential of a conflict of interests. As most managers will concur
management alone is a 24/7 occupation which is why within eighteen months most
player managers (and yes of course it is most likely that they will be near the
end of their playing days) will retire and stick to management. It can be
harder and more lonely if like Les you have been appointed through the ranks,
suddenly you’re not part of the team and you have to make decisions which at
some stage are going to upset friends in the team. It has to be done but it
makes the job that much more emotionally draining. Of course when you’re
playing, you’re expected to lead by example again increasing the emotional load
on top of two very difficult jobs. On top of that the Allen still lived on the
other side of
~THAT’S
ENTERTAINMENT..
Les Allen of course had been a student of the great Bill Nicholson and a
member of that fantastic Spurs team of the early 1960’s. He took on board a lot
of Nicholson’s ideas at the training ground and of course it was set in stone
that his team would try to play good entertaining football.
• AND THE LAST AMATEUR
In season 1968-9 QPR had Keith Sanderson on their books, a midfielder
and former Cambridge University Blue, he played three League games for QPR as a
part timer. Given their performances last time out, I suspect some QPR fans
thought, “He’s not the only one.” I’m certainly not aware of any amateur
playing in England’s top flight since.
Young full back and Londoner Dave Clements did not feature in this game
although he had already broken through into the first team, Another former
England Youth player, Dave went on to win full England honours.
• IT’S A
Of the thirteen players, nine lads heralded from London, with only one
‘northerner’ (north of Birmingham) and no players from outside England. The manager
too was a Londoner. Fans and managers often yearn for a team of players born
locally. At
• THE YOUTH
~London Youth
In 1964 and 1966 QPR reached the semi finals of the FA Youth Cup and a
significant quota had gone on to make the first team. Former QPR and Spurs
player, Roger Morgan said of the 1967 League Cup Triumph. “The young players
would inspire each other. There were about five or six of us who had grown up
together, and there was tremendous team spirit.” (Sunday Times, 6th April, 2003)
The youngsters in turn were supplemented by older and more experienced
Londoners transferred into the club.
~
Another interesting feature was how they had seemingly gone out of their
way to sign
• TOP HEAVY
On paper the only criticism of this team is that it seemed top heavy on
forwards, and it perhaps needed more height in the centre of defence. Anyway
better to watch a team that concentrates on attack rather than defence.
█ FRIENDS
REUNITED █
• BLUE AND WHITE SWAPSHOP
In the 1960’s, a favourite summertime pastime of Spurs and QPR seemed to
be trading players and the most recent to go west was Terry Venables who
arrived summer 1969.
• WHY DID TERRY VENABLES JOIN QPR?
The Spurs fans spoilt with Dave Mackay and Danny Blanchflower felt that
their replacements, Alan Mullery for Mackay and Venables for Blanchflower never
quite measured up to their heroes. A bit harsh as Mackay and Blanchflower at
their peak were good enough to play for practically any club team in the world.
Although the fans eventually grew to appreciate Mullery, they frequently
‘scapegoated’ Venables when the team struggled. He was a player for whom
confidence was important and having the freedom to try something different
without expecting a chorus of abuse if it did not come off was important to
him. The technical explanation as to why he did not fit into Spurs was that his
style was to take too much time on the ball before passing, whilst Spurs played
a faster, one touch game with the emphasis on movement. There was also the
small matter that his relationship with Bill Nicholson had deteriorated so
perhaps a change was best for all concerned.
Manager Les Allen had been a neighbour of Venables when Terry was a
youngster, they became good friends and of course the manager given his Spurs
connections was fully aware of Venables’ situation at
Fed up with the abuse at Spurs, he was pleased to join QPR. Seemingly a
good move, QPR fans were and are more relaxed and less demanding than those he
had left behind. And as no doubt Les Allen pointed out at this stage were much
more positive and supportive than the Spurs crowd and manager who when things
were not going well would turn on their own players.
My own experience of QPR fans is that traditionally they’ve never been
too intense and boast an admirably higher ratio of comedians and humourists in
their ranks than most. If Terry’s on the field cheek came off,
brilliant if it didn’t well they still liked the idea. For sure, he would
certainly enjoy the sharp cockney dressing room banter.
• DOUBLE TROUBLE, THE MORGAN TWINS
Identical twins are probably a scout’s worst nightmare, so perhaps it’s
best to invite them both for a trial.
Strangely Spurs had invited a then young Ian Morgan for a trial but not
his twin Roger for whom they had recently paid £100,000. Not that Ian ever
attended his trial, the pair had already decided to join QPR as they had been
persuaded they were more likely to break into first team football even though
they both supported Spurs from the terraces as youngsters. Bill Nicholson had
actually tried to acquire Ian when he bought Roger but QPR rejected his offer
of a player swap.
For both twins, the new situation would take getting used to. They had
always been inseparable and always on the same side in both football and
cricket where they had both been offered the chance to play professionally.
They had both married within six months of each other and both to hairdressers.
They even left their parting of the ways to the last moment, Ian accompanied
his brother to his unveiling at White Hart Lane in February of 1969. Still it wasn’t
long until they were re-united, guess who were the opposition and who was
playing for them when Roger made his Spurs debut!
• IMPORTANT SUMMER AFTERNOON
This afternoon would important
for new QPR skipper Terry Venables and important for two other men. Firstly,
for Clive Clark who had re-joined QPR in the summer. No doubt the bravery and
eye for goal would still be there, but would the pace that had been a hallmark
of his game before leaving the club? And despite dropping down a division,
Rodney Marsh would be keen to press his England credentials after returning
from injury. If he won a full England Cap he would become only the second
player in the club’s history to do so. The man who did so, was an exceptional
gentleman, Evelyn Lintott won his three England caps with QPR back in the
1907-1908 season. At the end of the chapter is some further background to an
extraordinary life.
P R E – M A T C H B U I L D
U P
█ QPR’S
SUMMER OF SPORT █
• STRENGTH
The boys from
• SPEED
There was also speed training from athlete Ron Jones with a lot of
emphasis on short bursts of speed especially in the form of ‘shuttles’.
• COORDINATION
They also played a lot of squash to further improve speed over short
distances and enhance eye to ball coordination.
• AND FOOTBALL
Football also figured prominently. According to the ‘Michael Wale report’
in the programme, the players trained morning and afternoon. Essentially based
around five-a-side games, match drills and skills sessions. Very much like
Spurs, but with a bit more praise and encouragement from the manager. Perhaps
the similarities with Spurs preparation were done to help the constant stream
of players moving from west to north and vice versa!
█ ONE SMALL
STEP █
• FOR MAN
On
• ONE BIG STEP FOR RANGERS
Back on Planet Football, Ken Gallagher in the Daily Record was far more
concerned with star gazing. Jim Baxter had re-joined Rangers. Ken was delighted
that he would bring his unique talent back to Scottish football and generally
bemoaned the lack of flair in the football, especially in England. Gallagher
named and shamed, “The dull robotic styles of Arsenal, Newcastle and Stoke.”
Would Baxter Make His Debut at QPR? Unfortunately not, he injured a
thigh muscle on Monday. Initially he had kept it quiet from boss
█ FRIDAY
AFTERNOON █
• THE PLAYERS ITINERARY
The players were allowed a lie in as their day’s training had been arranged for 13.30. Afterwards the Rangers party caught the plane to London. They just had to be singing ‘Fly me to the Moon’…
• THE KEN BUCHANAN FAN CLUB CONVENES EMERGENCY MEETING
John Greig and Willie Henderson required an urgent meeting. Their mutual
friend and favourite boxer, Ken Buchanan announced his retirement from boxing
earlier in the day.
• PARTY
Rangers fourteen man party comprised: Neef, Martin, Johansen,
Matthieson, Greig, McKinnon, Smith, Watson, Henderson, Penman, Stein, Johnston,
Persson and McDonald.
• HAPPY CAMPERS
Rangers fans
began to arrive in London on Friday evening too. This was 1969, another Summer
of Love, outdoor festivals and getting down with nature. So it wasn’t all that
surprising that a small contingent of Rangers supporters spent the night under
the stars and camped on the lawn in the Batman Estate adjacent to Loftus Road.
I don’t doubt that a few jokers sung, “Aldrin, Aldrin give us a wave” under the
moonlight and that whilst this corner of West London had Rodney Marsh and the
Caped Crusader, Rangers fans preferred to sing about Superman and Supermen John
Greig and Colin Stein… Perhaps it’s best we now move swiftly on to matchday!
M A
T C H
D A Y
█ LIFTUS ROAD
█
• A FREUDIAN SLIP
Alex Cameron of the Daily Record reported that 250 police officers would
be on duty in and around Loftus Road, 100 of them on duty in the ground. This
was more than double what QPR would normally have for a fixture. Clement Freud
who attended the game in a journalistic capacity quipped, “The game was delayed
in order to squeeze all the police officers into the ground.”
█ THE WHITE
FRAME OF MIND █
• WARM UP IN AUGUST
Davie White revealed his thinking surrounding this game to the Daily
Record.
“This game is being used as a warm up for the more important matches to
come in the League Cup and in the League.”
“Naturally I would like to win it. I want to win all our games. But if
we win, I won’t get carried away just as I won’t get too depressed if we lose.”
█ AND THE
VOICE OF REASON █
• IT’S NOT CROQUET
Extract from Bush Telegraph, Page One of the Matchday Programme.
“As proof of our intention to provide nothing but the best for our
supporters, we stage today a fixture against one of
█ FOLLOWERS
OF FASHION █
• GETTING HOT UNDER
THE COLLAR
QPR decided to take the opportunity to show off their new away kit. A
good idea in theory but not in practice when the players are running around on
a steaming hot August afternoon and the shirts are long sleeved and made of heavyweight
cotton. In colour the shirts were red and black stripes, set off against black
nylon shorts and black socks with a red top.
• LOOKING GOOD WITHOUT A COLLAR
Rangers
shirts had hitherto remained unchanged since 1959, I’m a great traditionalist
but certainly no luddite. If something better comes along and you can integrate
a traditional element into it, then so much the better. For Summer 1969,
Rangers replaced their classic top with a simple but groovy jersey which I don’t
think has been bettered since. Peter Hendry revealed to his Evening Times
readers that these were no ordinary shirts but were made of a special
lightweight ‘airtex’ fabric and had very high sleeves to combat the heat.
Stylishly they had a very high neck detail and came in a clingy skinny fit. On
the left
I don’t know
if these really did combat the heat but the simple colour scheme and stylish
cut made it look the business. (And infinitely better without a sponsorship
logo!) The remainder of the kit comprised of white nylon shorts and blue socks
with a white top. Was
there a sock swap pre match?
M A T C H R E P O R T
QPR
: 1 Mike Kelly 2 Ian Watson 3 Allan Harris 4 Terry Venables (C) 5 Ron Hunt 6 Tony Hazell 7 Barry Bridges 8 Ian Morgan 9 Frank Clarke 10 Rodney Marsh 11 Clive Clark Subs : Frank Sibley and Mick
Leach
RANGERS (Davie White announced his Rangers team just prior to kick off.)1 Gerhardt Neef 2 Kai Johansen 3 Billie Mathieson 4 John Greig (C) 5 Ronnie MacKinnon 6 David Smith 7 Willie Henderson 8 Bobby Watson 9 Colin Stein 10 Willie Johnston 11 Orjan Persson Subs : Andy Penman and Alex McDonald.
Referee : Mr E Jennings (Worcestershire).
Linesmen : Mr A Hart and D Burlingham.
Match played
under European rules with two substitutions allowed.
Very warm and dry.
FIRST HALF
Terry Venables gets off to a good start in his ‘captain’s role’, winning
the toss. Ever the thinker, he lets Rangers kick off and selects ends. Rangers
kick towards the ‘Loft’ with the thought of the bright sun shining directly
into the eyes of the Rangers defence.
Colin Stein kicks off for Rangers.
23 seconds : Rangers force their first corner but then quickly cede
possession
1 Minute : Terry wins over his new home fans. Pouncing on a ball on the
half way line, evading a lunging tackle and playing a delightful first time
ball to Ian Watson.
In the following passage of play Neef saves excellently from a Bridges
header.
2 mins 32 secs : The ‘Golden Corner’ QPR win their first corner of the
match. Venables takes it, Bridges glances a header and Neef saves just under
the bar.
Rangers then sweep into attack. Willie Henderson makes a dynamic run but
is upended on the edge of the QPR penalty box. Dave Smith’s subsequent free
kick hits the assembled wall.
An attacking game of end to end football ensues :
• Kelly saves splendidly from Watson
• Willie Henderson beats four players before narrowly shooting wide.
• Rodney Marsh looks potent upfront for the Londoners.
• The fans enjoy the top quality clash for midfield superiority between
the No. 4’s. Venables and Greig. With Greig just shading it.
Despite the stifling heat, the match continues to be played at a high
tempo.
• Mathieson foils Bridges as he breaks into the Rangers box.
• Kelly does very well to hold on to a stinging Dave Smith volley from
twenty yards out.
• Willie Henderson is a constant threat to QPR’s defenders.
QPR GOAL DISALLOWED :
Bridges scores with a lob for QPR but his effort is ruled offside.
• A five man passing move supplies Willie Johnston will a golden point blank opportunity that he spurns.
• Bobby Watson slices his shot with the goal beckoning.
• Colin Stein makes a sixty yard run beating four men, before eventually
being dispossessed as QPR concede the corner.
31 mins .04 secs : GOAL 1-0 RANGERS
Johansen makes a rare foray upfield, tackles left back Allan Harris and passes on to Willie Henderson who beats a challenge from the despairing Allan Harris and shoots left footed and low into the goal.
34 mins 06 secs : GOAL 2-0
Following a Willie Henderson corner on the right, the cleared ball falls
to Smith. He traps it and then unleashes an unstoppable twenty yard shot past
Kelly in the QPR goal.
35 mins 24 secs : GOAL 2-1
McKinnon handles in his own penalty area. Terry Venables steps up for
the kick and despatches the ball high, wide and to the left of Neef. A classy
penalty.
The match hots up.
A poor challenge by Frank Clarke leaves Johansen ‘out like a light’, the
referee’s reaction is to just have a quiet word with him
40 mins : Despite QPR pressure, Rangers nearly add to their
lead. Colin Stein pounces on a lazy back pass and the alert Kelly, narrows down
the angle and saves.
41 mins 49 secs : GOAL 2-2
Neef misses the ball from an Ian Morgan corner. The bobbling, loose ball
reaches Marsh just wide of the left hand post. He heads it across the face of
the goal, Frank Clarke leaps high to head home and level the scores.
HALF
TIME SCORE : QPR 2 RANGERS 2
THE
FASTEST MAN IN THE GROUND
Willie Henderson was exceptionally quick but the fastest man in the
ground was Ron Jones, Olympic Sprinter and QPR’s fitness coach. Earlier in the
afternoon, the thirty four year old won the 3 A’s Amateur Athletic Title at
nearby White City Stadium, QPR’s former home and sprinted from the medal
presentation to the game.
SECOND HALF
QPR Substitution : Mick Leach replaces an injured Clive Clark.
47 mins : Leach is quickly involved in things. Powerfully heading from
the edge of the penalty box, his effort goes narrowly over the bar.
• Willie Johnston rifles a low drive, well collected by Kelly.
53 mins 47 Secs : GOAL 3-2 RANGERS
From deep in his own half, John Greig starts an eight pass Rangers attack.
Persson crosses/shoots and the ball seems destined to run wide but Ron Hunt
sprinting back to defend, turns the ball in, past his own ‘keeper. Willie
Johnston deserves credit for pressing Ron Hunt into making the error.
56 mins : Andy Penman replaces Orjan Persson.
57 mins 40 Secs: GOAL 3-3
Leach delivers a high centre from the left. Bridges, too far from goal
to score heads the ball into the path of Ian Morgan who blasts the ball from a
good twenty five yards out. His effort deflects off Smith and flies into the
top right hand corner of the net past Neef.
Henderson mazily dribbles through a crowd of players and shoots low, Kelly again
does well to get to the shot.
Venables
centres to Leach in the penalty area. His glancing header effort flashes wide.
Marsh glances a header, well saved by Neef.
Bridges
is deprived of a certain scoring chance by some last gasp defending.
75 mins : Rodney Marsh Goes Berserk.
So far a really entertaining game, played in a good spirit despite the
fact that both teams are working hard and playing competitively. A thrilling
finale is set. Then… Kai Johansen attempts to slide tackle Marsh on the ‘
Other players rush to the incident and Bobby Watson of Rangers is quickest
to reach the scene. Marsh turns his attentions away from the now prostrate
Johansen and headbutts Bobby Watson in the face.
Eventually a fan, a photographer, two QPR officials plus a nervous
looking linesman restrain the hysterical Marsh. The fan and the photographer
deserve huge credit for intervening in a situation which was not theirs to deal
with as the police and referee were perfectly happy to sit this one out.
Does the referee send him off? No. He merely wags his fingers and delivers
a lecture to Marsh.
You would think that with hundreds of good Metropolitan Constables
specially drafted in for fear of violence, one of them may have just witnessed
an assault, not one does but they seem rather more interested in the Rangers
fans voicing their fury at the appalling double assault and form a line of
defence in front of the School End of the ground.
For the moment I’ll leave you with the thought that John Greig and
Willie Henderson might with hindsight have signed their newly ‘unemployed’ chum
Ken Buchanan for the day – Mind you thank goodness, Marsh did not attack Willie
Johnston. They could have sold out Wembley if he had.
Meanwhile the hapless Rangers physio has his work out as he
simultaneously tries to treat both players.
Amazingly, once play restarts, Marsh bursts through powerfully and Gerhardt
Neef dives bravely at his feet to save a certain goal.
To his credit, Les Allen then removes Marsh from the field replacing him
with Frank Sibley. Whether his motive was to punish Marsh or it was under the
referee’s advice or to protect him from any retribution it was a very good
decision. It goes some way to assuaging the anger of the Rangers fans who raise
a large cheer at his departure.
FINAL
TEN MINUTES
The remainder of the game is played with a bitter taste in the mouth.
QPR do not seem to want to cause further upset to their guests, and Rangers for
their part do not seem to be interested in making an exciting game of it
anymore. Perhaps both sides under instructions to simply play out time.
FINAL SCORE : QPR 3 (Venables [pen], F Clarke, Morgan) RANGERS 3 (Henderson, Smith, Watson/Hunt)
Attendance
: 16,752 well behaved supporters.
But
there’s always that idiot who spoils it for everyone. This one was playing.
P O S T M A T C H
R E A C T I O N
█ READ ALL
ABOUT IT █
• CALL THIS A FRIENDLY
The Sunday Mail put this shocking incident on their front page the next
day, under the headline, ‘Call This A Friendly’ and unable to recall such
behaviour on the field of play. The general consensus by the media on both
sides of the Border was that Marsh’s behaviour was a disgrace and could very
easily have sparked off a riot. Scottish scribes wondered what else would he
needed to have done to be sent off. The mind certainly boggles…
• DAVIE WHITE
Davie White told the Daily Record, “I was happy enough with the
performance but not so happy with the way we twice lost the lead. We should
have won.”
• THE SCOTTISH MEDIA
Journalist, Ken Gallacher stated, “The match was entertaining but
revealed nothing new from Rangers.” He was however impressed with the way
Rangers neatly passed the ball about. His pick of the Rangers team was Willie
Henderson.
Allan Herron of the Sunday Mail, felt a draw was a fair result. He was
impressed with the defensive work of Neef in goal and Johansen, and with
Henderson and Johnston who were his pick of the forwards. The Ranger who most
impressed him was Dave Smith with his accurate use of the ball.
• PUNISHMENT
Les Allen made no excuses for Marsh’s behaviour and fined him £50.
The QPR secretary, Ron Phillips told the
In 1964 we heard about Red Star’s genius ‘Sekki’ Sekularac who served
two suspensions of eighteen months apiece. All I can surmise is that either
they had to summons a division of the Yugoslav army or English football took a
very liberal view of thuggery on the pitch. In another time and place, Marsh’s
disgraceful antics could easily have sparked off a riot.
• CLARE BLUE THINKING
Dave Clare of the West London Gazette and Post passed this judgement on
the game:
• “What a sensational start to the season. A six goal spectacular and a
lamentable display of fisticuffs which
amazingly did not bring him marching orders and came within an ace of starting
a riot on the terraces.”
• “Although there was a large
Scots contingent at the match there had been none of the feared trouble.”
• “Crammed full of thrills and
fine football from both sides.”
• “A draw was a fair result.”
• His man of the match for QPR
was Terry Venables, “The most pleasing feature of the game was
Venable’s performance. He grew from strength to strength as the game
progressed and his midfield domination is going to be the ace in Rangers pack
this season.”
• He also felt that Mick Leach’s second half performance did enough to
merit first team selection at the expense of Clive Clark.
The following Rangers programme euphemistically referred to the game as,
“An active colourful preface to the season.”
~TEL A GOOD STORY!
Terry Venables shared with Dave Clare and readers of the West London
Gazette the secret of his penalty kick technique. “I suppose I volunteered
largely because I’m captain. I practised taking them and I’ve got my own method
to get the goalkeeper off balance.”
But not on this occasion! If you look at a photo of the penalty, Neef is
still upright and stationary just after the kick is taken.
The future Barcelona, Spurs and England manager was for a short time in
the mid 1970’s a very fine writer of fiction. His work included, ‘They Used To
Play On Grass’ (QPR later under his management would play on an artificial
pitch) and Hazell, the same name as QPR’s number 6! which was later broadcast
as a series on ITV. Though had he penned a story based on his future career it
would have been rejected as too farfetched. Perhaps, had he passed the Batman
Estate on Friday night, he could have followed his first novel with the sequel,
‘They Used To Sleep On Grass.’
• THE BUSH TELEGRAPH (From The following Saturday’s Programme. QPR
v Hull City)
“There is no more unpopular type than the one who goes round saying “I
told you so” but, after last Saturday’s match we can’t resist. Although
assailed from all sides by warnings and grim forebodings of crowd trouble from
~School Day
Bush Telegraph was certainly vindicated. Despite the heavy police
presence the Rangers fans behaved magnificently all afternoon. There was
estimated to be 4000 fans in the School End, and a few thousand more around
other parts of the ground. Many more may have travelled had Jim Baxter been
fit. They showed admirable restraint not ‘to get involved’ when Marsh
self-detonated. Against another team, what could have followed may have been
very nasty. The fan (I don’t know which team he supported) who helped to
restrain Marsh deserved considerable praise.
• EVENING TIMES
Rangers now looked forward to entertaining Spurs at Ibrox on Monday
night. A curious spectator would be Evening Times journalist Bill Brown now
based in London. He predicted a Spurs win and rated Rangers good enough to be a
mid-table team in England’s top League, but predicted that Tottenham would have
too much creativity and firepower upfront for them. Had he got back to
T A L K I N G P O I N T S
█ FOOTBALL’S
OTHER FIGHT CLUB █
• HAND IN BOXING GLOVE
The Ken Buchanan link was not exclusive to Rangers. Traditionally many
boxers used football clubs for their training. Steep terracing was better than
running ‘Rocky’ style on pavements. (No traffic, petrol fumes or pedestrians in
the way.) Plus there was a physio and trainer usually on hand, happy to offer
advice. Also much of the equipment required by a boxer in the 1960’s could be
found amongst the club’s apparatus. It made a pleasant break from the monotony
of the boxing gym and players and boxers got on well. They came from similar
backgrounds and were usually fans of each other’s sport. It could also be a
mutual learning experience. Boxing is a lonely sport so it’s enjoyable to feel
part of a team, being with fellow sportsmen and enjoying the dressing room
banter. Footballers also see how dedication and discipline mould a successful
sportsman in one of the toughest sports of them all. Footballers of course want
to show that no boxer is fitter than them and will work harder if a boxer
trains alongside them. Boxing can also be a convenient metaphor for a club to
show how they will try to look after and help one of their own fans and of course
there is also a money angle. Football clubs can earn substantial sums hosting a
world title fight and supporters are a ready made fanbase to provide
atmosphere, encouragement and cash at the turnstile. Most football fans enjoy
boxing and to have a fellow supporter who they can relate to and represent them
is very exciting.
• IBC (IBROX BOXING CLUB)
In the 1940’s, Jackie Paterson used Ibrox as a base for his world title
fights and Rangers were always delighted to welcome boxers and sportsmen to use
their facilities. Mr Struth had a passion and fascination for all sports and
used to host an annual Ibrox Sports day on which a number of Scottish national
and all comer athletic records were broken. In addition to Ken Buchanan,
another favourite with the Rangers players was Walter McGowan who would drop
into Ibrox for a loosening up session. When he won the World flyweight title at
Wembley, Willie Henderson was part of a ring invasion by his fans!
█ WRONG KIND
OF SHIRTS (AGAIN!) █
• HOOPLA
Rangers had for a time donned QPR’s home style blue and white hoops on
their shirt. In 1879, following a poor run of form, secretary Angus Campbell
thought a change of shirt might improve things, four years later the blue
jersey was brought back.
█ THE QPR
FANBASE 1969 █
• IN THE NEIGHBOURHOOD
QPR’s support was almost exclusively based around West London. Given
their history of moving, they collected fans in the various neighbourhoods that
they played in. The children of these fans and their children kept up the
tradition. West London was one the most densely populated areas of London at
this time, so although the geographical spread of support was limited, they
could usually rely on a hardcore of 15,000 fans with another 6-7,000 turning up
for big games or when the club was doing well. With 4,000 or so less when
things were not so rosy. Hotbeds of support included Shepherd’s Bush, Notting
Hill, Ladbroke Grove,
█ THE
BRENTFORD MERGER █
• SHARES
Given the close proximity of Brentford it would have maybe made sense
for both clubs to pool their assets and build one really good ground. Jim
Gregory’s plan to simply swallow up Brentford was rightly castigated by fans of
both clubs and the wider football community. In business it is often logical
and rational for two businesses to merge. However football and its customers
are not objective, they are sentimental and passionate. The day they cease to
be is when the game is in serious trouble and which is why mergers seldom work
or are workable. When was the last time you saw
█ QPR
CHAIRMAN JIM GREGORY █
• THE FRONT COVER AND THE BOOK
On face value many would suspect that here was a cynical businessman out to asset strip. Perhaps looking at the recent managerial casualties something of an egomaniac and a difficult character. Certainly Jim Gregory was a very clever and shrewd entrepreneur, a millionaire in 1969 and you rarely made that sort of fortune back then by messing around. Much of his fortune had been made as a garage proprietor.
Surprisingly he was in fact a passionate fan and had been since a boy,
in 1964 Fulham then in Division 1 invited him to join their board but in
November he chose a far less glamorous option. QPR were in the third tier of
League Football, had never won a meaningful trophy, with gates of just over 5,500
and financially in a mess.
Yes they had just been relegated but what an exciting journey they had
on the way up. The first thing Gregory did was to give Alec Stock additional
coaching staff with Bill Dodgin and Jimmy Andrews. A good example of the dividends
reaped by investing in coaching was Rodney Marsh. They weren’t the first to
note his ability but were the first to identify how to exploit the most from
it. (By not expecting him to run up and down the pitch and keeping him in an
advanced position.) Most importantly Gregory handpicked Derek Healy to oversee
the club’s youth policy and he backed his manager in the transfer market, not
least when looking for more experienced players.
Les Allen recalls him being an incredibly supportive and helpful chairman.
His predecessor Alec Stock recalled Gregory as being, “Generous, dedicated,
honest and utterly professional in his attitude to the game.” (The History of
QPR by Mark Shaoul)
When Gregory took over he was in his late thirties and brought with him extraordinary
drive. He would visit the club almost every day and never missed a match home
or away and was so involved that fans frequently saw him through plumes of
smoke, chain smoking.
Unlike other businessmen turned football chairmen he kept his wits about
him in boardroom negotiations. Before his manager made an offer to buy a player
he would always suss out the financial state of the selling club and advise him
to make an offer accordingly. Some might call this interfering, however more
often than not he was investing his own personal fortune not the club’s.
Certainly he wouldn’t shell out a
P O
S T S
C R I
P T
█ QPR 1969-70
█
• STABILITY IN 1970
QPR neither made an immediate return to the 1st Division nor did they
return back to Division 3 from whence they came. They finished ninth in
Division 2. Strikers Barry Bridges and Rodney Marsh played and scored
regularly. As a bonus, they matched their best ever performance in the FA Cup,
reaching the sixth round before going out 4-2 to West London rivals and
eventual winners, Chelsea.
█ RANGERS
1969-70 █
• POLE AXED
Having eliminated Steau Bucharest, Rangers were awarded a tricky but
unglamorous European Cup Winners’ Cup tie with the underrated Gornik Zabrze of
█ THE WHITE
STUFF? █
• IF
Davie White has been harshly judged as a football manager. The records
show that he never won a trophy for Rangers and that is true. Statistics don’t
reveal the underlying story. The most important factor in this story was the
quality of adversary he was up against, he faced Jock Stein and a Jock Stein at
the very top of his game. Yet taking over in mid-season in 1967-68 he ran
Celtic close. The following season with the master stroke signing and
deployment of Colin Stein, the young manager looked set to end Jock Stein and
Celtic’s period of invincibility. Only for it all to be wickedly taken away
from him, by one of the most appalling sporting scandals. If it had been a fair
playing field and the title won, it might have been a very, very different
story and era for Davie White and Rangers.
Given the circumstances, I’m not sure how any manager could have lifted
so many understandably demoralised players the following season. It was in
effect ’69 or bust, he had one proper shot at the title, went very close and
with a bit of more luck and on a level playing field…
He worked wonders with Clyde before joining Rangers and delivered a
League Cup Trophy afterwards to Dundee, these triumphs combined could not have
been achieved by fluke alone. I’d suggest that this was a man of real ability.
A certain journalist called Willie Waddell once referred to him as, “The
Boy David”. Essentially using the somewhat harsh headline to make the point
that White lacked the experience for the job. I’m convinced White more than
anyone knew he needed to a work longer alongside Symon before being thrust into
the manager’s post, but he had no choice. Yet it was only that, that was beyond
his control which thwarted him.
Rangers have won championships with far inferior teams to those Davie
White fielded but he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Trumping Jock
Stein was something that would tax the very best brains in world football, no
little luck and an unbiased disciplinary panel.
█ BOBBY SEITH
█
• PROUDLY FOLLOWING IN SYMON’S FOOTSTEPS
It’s very easy in life to talk an honourable game. If this or that
happened in my workplace I wouldn’t stand for it. It’s another matter
altogether when you’re trying to build a career, pay off a mortgage and have a
young family to feed and confronted with a stark choice. Yet in his resignation
Bobby Seith showed a rare dignity, honesty and solidarity with a gentleman who
had been more than hard done by. Karma doesn’t always come back, but I’d like to
think that a combination of good energy and perhaps a good word from Scot Symon
earned Bobby Seith the opportunity to manage his old club Preston North End in
1968. The club known as ‘Proud’ Preston had recruited a fine man of pride and
football.
█ CALLING OUT
FOR A HERO OR TWO █
• THORNTON AND WADDELL
Former legend Willie Thornton re-joined Rangers as White’s assistant in
September 1968.
█ STEIN
CONQUERED BY THE BEAUTIFUL ORANGE █
• FEELING LIKE WHITE OR SYMON
Benfica still fielding and led by the great Eusebio came back from a 3-0
deficit to beat Celtic 3-0 in Lisbon but still lost this European Cup tie. Season
1970-71 was the final season before the introduction of the Penalty Shoot Out
and the toss of a coin determined the outcome of the drawn tie.
Stein’s Celtic then showed their mettle in the next two rounds defeating
the Italian Champions, Fiorentina and Don Revie’s brilliant Leeds United in the
semis.
• A NEW STANDARD
The Final against Dutch team Feyenoord was widely predicted to be a
walkover, not least because the Dutch had enjoyed a comparatively easy route to
the final. However the shrewder pundits would have noted that it was no
coincidence that this would be the second consecutive season that a Dutch team
would contest the European Cup Final. (Ajax of Amsterdam beaten by AC Milan in
the 1969 European Cup Final.)
Feyenoord shocked
Cheered on by a fanatical support, a new force had emerged in European
football, for Dutch football the future looked bright.
█ THE ALLEN
FAMILY █
• GOALDEN INHERITANCE
Les Allen’s prodigious goalscoring talent was passed on to his son Clive
who went on to become a prolific goalscorer for a host of clubs including in
his father’s footsteps both QPR and Spurs (for whom he netted a staggering 49
goals in 54 appearances in the 1987 season) and of course in 1980 was the first
£1 million pound teenage transfer. Clive’s brother Bradley played for QPR and
their cousins Martin and Paul also had long and distinguished football careers.
█ THANK YOU
LES █
• A DOUBLE PRIVILEGE
Through a friend of my Dad’s I was lucky enough to interview the now
retired Les Allen on a gloriously sunny late summer evening in 2008 in the
picturesque Essex village where he lives. What a special evening it was to
spend a few hours with such a wonderful gentleman who had such a marvellous
career in football. From hearing about how Spurs went about winning that
historic double to how he then applied those lessons to his own managerial
career was not only helpful in the writing of this book, it was more to the
point a privilege for this football fan to listen to.
Evelyn
Lintott
2nd November 1883
– 1st July 1916.
The first and only England international in QPR’s then 84 year history. A tall, powerful man, he played at left half and juggled football with his other vocation, a career as a teacher. He later joined Bradford City and Leeds continuing in both professions and won a further five England caps. He was evidently popular with his fellow professionals and found a third job when he was elected and given the honour of representing them as chairman of the Professional Footballers’ Association.
On the outbreak of World War 1, Evelyn Lintott was one of the very first
footballers to enlist and became the first professional footballer to hold a
commission. This extraordinary man died with 19,000 others including 5,000
Ulstermen from the 36th Division on 1st July 1916. In the hell of the first day
of the bloody slaughter of what was later to become known as the Battle of the
Somme.
He led his platoon, the 15th West Yorkshire Regiment, The Leeds Pals,
over the top. When hit by machine gun fire, his reaction was to draw his revolver
and urge his men forward. He was struck by second bullet but valiantly
struggled on before being struck by a fatal, third bullet.
“Bravely
they fell like leaves in the autumn,
Death
reaped the bitter harvest of their lives.”
Extract
from the Ulster folk song, ‘Bloody Road To The Somme.’
No comments:
Post a Comment