1974/75: Diary of a Season – Part 2
Burnley v Manchester City
‘Far, Far Away’
12th October 1974
Despite the unpopularity of the Heath
Government, Labour only win the General Election by a hair’s breadth. The papers are
getting very jumpy about union agitators, restrictive practices and excessive wage claims.
The redistribution of wealth is no longer a runner. Higher taxes are no more popular among
the working classes than with the stockbrokers. So what does Labour stand for then?
As for Burnley, they’re moving up. Paul
Fletcher gives them an early lead today but City aren’t in third place by fluke.
Before half time Tueart ties it up from the spot. City press hard for a win in the warm
autumnal sun. They reckon without Jeff Clarke. His sliced own goal gives Burnley the
points. While we’re doling out disingenuous sympathy, spare a thought for poor Spurs.
After losing at Chelsea today, they’re bottom. Arrr.
Burnley v Ipswich Town
‘Everything I Own’
15th October 1974
A Court Order imposes racial integration
within Boston schools. Legislation alone can’t nail discrimination. It’s just a
start. Several students are injured in the ensuing fights. Burnley have a fight on their
hands tonight, too. After Fletcher puts them ahead with a powerful drive, they have to
scrap to hold on. Clive Woods is simply outstanding for the visitors. Burnley win, lifting
them into sixth place, but it’s floodlight robbery.
Stoke City v Burnley
‘I Get A Kick Out Of You’
19th October 1974
Keith Joseph calls for better birth control.
He wants to stop breeding among the poor. Grandstand don’t help him much. Their
cameras try to avoid the Durex sponsored sports car. Their task is a difficult one,
though. The Durex car wins by a mile. Burnley don’t though. Alan Hudson is
inspirational, Salmons is powerful and Mahoney grafts. Stoke score two early goals and up
until the interval Burnley hardly figure. Full back Marsh scores the first, smacking in a
low left foot drive after a nine pass move. Geoff Hurst nets the second with a header. But
after the break, Burnley compete. Newton makes a series of dangerous overlapping runs and
Fletcher scrapes the bar with a powerful header. James and Noble are also denied by John
Farmer’s brilliant keeping. I take heart from the Sunday Express. Their
correspondent concludes, "Burnley may still win the championship. Their football is
good enough." I wonder about the squad’s depth of quality, though. Mick Docherty
is on the come-back trail but Casper has broken down in his rehab match.
Burnley v Everton
‘Rock Me Gently’
26th October 1974
It’s a grey miserable day. I lay in bed
late reading the paper. Some of Wilson’s secret documents are stolen. Incredibly MI5
are suspected. I find conspiracy theories so difficult to swallow. I cannot envisage
anything or anybody being that well organised. Dobbo is though. He’s at his masterly
best today. So unhurried. So elegant. He purrs in Everton’s midfield and sets up the
first goal, too. Having created space for a right wing cross, Mick Lyons heads back across
goal and Gary Jones nods in. But Everton’s lead is short-lived. Keith Newton gets his
own back for his miserable time at Goodison. The Everton defenders obviously don’t
rate him for they ignore his long oblique centre. Hankin doesn’t. Young Ray’s
header flashes past Dai Davies (1-1) and that’s the way it stays.
Leicester City v Burnley
‘Killer Queen’
2nd November 1974
Mohammed Ali is heavyweight champion again.
Amazingly, he’s won his ‘rumble in the jungle’ with fearsome George
Foreman. No longer the ‘floating butterfly’, Ali did it by sheer force of will.
It seemed suicidal but he just let big George punch himself out. After Leicester’s
win today, I feel like George. Burnley are on top of their game. They play gloriously
fluent football. They hammer the Foxes’ goal continuously in the second half. A
Leighton James’ scorcher almost holes keeper Wallington. Waldron hits the post. Flynn
is magic. Brennan’s overlapping causes great panic in the home defence, particularly
with Hankin putting himself about. But thanks to Wallington, Leicester hang on. Then Jon
Sammels delivers a vicious late KO. Leicester boss Jimmy Bloomfield describes it as,
"the best struck shot I’ve ever seen." It’s a wonderful goal.
It’s a fabulous sunset, but I’m in no mood to be gracious. Sod it.
Burnley v Birmingham City
‘Gonna Make You A Star’
9th November 1974
A pub in Woolwich is bombed. There is one
fatality and twenty-eight are injured. It would soon get worse. Burnley’s assistant
secretary John Timson also dies this week. Everyone at the club is terribly upset. Burnley
are definitely below par today. Maybe that’s the reason. Trevor Francis is not
playing. He’s got a leg injury, which will sideline him for three months. Bob Hatton
is out, too. With both top goalscorers unavailable, Birmingham should struggle. They
don’t. Kendall is in terrific form and Kenny Burns battles well up front. Billy
Rodaway gifts them the opener, though, and despite Hankin’s equaliser before half
time, Gordon Taylor restores Birmingham’s lead in the second period. Taylor goes
bonkers after his headed goal. I can see why. It’s a splendid finish but there’s
more to it than that. Keith Newton has been taking the piss out of him all afternoon,
dispossessing him at will, waltzing around him, generally showboating at his expense. As
Taylor becomes riled and ruddy, Keith starts winking at him. We love it, egging Keith on.
However, after Taylor scores it becomes very serious. It looks like Birmingham will take
both points. They reckon without our Ray whose late effort gets us out of jail. It’s
a relief but Burnley have now slumped to thirteenth position. "May still win the
Championship?" Ha!
Manchester United v Burnley
‘Juke Box Jive’
13th November 1974
We’re on the look out for Lord Lucan.
Yesterday, the family’s nanny was murdered. ‘Lucky’ is nowhere to be found.
His neighbour is inconsolable. She blubs, "Oh dear, what a pity. Nannies are so hard
to come by these days." My feelings exactly Actually, after tonight, I’m more
choked than bereft. I don’t care a great deal for Cup competitions, but losing to Man
U, well, that’s different. It seems that the relegation jollification is now over.
Despite United’s weekend loss at Ashton Gate, they’re in storming form. The
Second Division Championship is already a formality. Stuart Pearson has been an
outstanding purchase. He recently put three past Oxford. Tonight, United are formidable.
With around 45,000 screaming for our blood, they damn well should be. To be fair, they
toss us two goals and yet still beat us. Morgan’s chip is sublime and Macari’s
two drives are venomous. In retrospect, I’ll probably rate this game as one of the
very best I’ve seen. But not tonight I won’t.
Sheffield United v Burnley
‘Magic’
16th November 1974
What a brilliant day! It’s one of sharp
focus and long views. The moors appear alluring in the crisp sunlight. Just the occasional
cloud’s shadow dapples their russet slopes, serenely slipping across the tousled
tussocks in the gentle breeze. We stop at Woodhead en route. Better still, we discover
some real ale. It’s now as rare as the red squirrel thanks to bloody keg. Keg is like
Wonderloaf on tap but that doesn’t stop the big brewers from pumping it our way. This
rare find puts me in excellent spirits. Even the Bramall Lane pub doesn’t dampen
them. For this pub is more a rectum than a watering hole. It boasts a beer garden. But for
beer garden read a square foot of cracked concrete, one groundsel, a museum of dog’s
mess and one very sheepish Alsatian. Never mind, this hole sells real Wards. And I need a
top up. So I enter the ground fit to burst. This is the way to watch football. Pissed
enough to numb the pain. Pissed enough to stoke up the euphoria. It’s the only way to
watch Burnley, at least. Chemically enhanced or not, the game is a true belter. Billy
Rodaway pokes in the first but Tony Field equalises with a blistering strike. Tony Currie
is playing out of his skin in the Blades’ midfield, prompting attack after attack.
Fortunately, Stevenson turns in one of his very best displays. Waldron recovers his top
form and Docherty makes a hugely impressive return at right back. Much to our
disappointment, Billy Dearden puts the Blades ahead in the second half after a
misunderstanding between Stevenson and his defence. But Burnley refuse to be cowed. Late
in the game, Fletcher blasts the ball into the roof of Jim Brown’s net and we all go
home happy. In fact, it’s a pretty good day for First Division football. 44 goals are
scored. The best for four years.
Burnley v Newcastle United
‘All I Want Is You’
23rd November 1974
The IRA has perpetrated its worst mainland
atrocity. Two days ago, seventeen are killed at two pubs, the Mulberry Bush and the Tavern
in the Town in Birmingham’s city centre. Within 24 hours five suspects are arrested.
Someone asks my opinion of the Renault 5. Without thinking I reply, "Guilty."
Burnley have another bereavement to announce. This time it’s former director Frank
Hartley who has died. It’s a grey wet day but there’s no sign that Burnley are
under the weather. They simply tear Newcastle apart in the second half. I’ve never
seen such a ruthless Burnley performance. Pay back time for Hillsborough and how! It is
pay back time for Peter Noble, too. Having been released by his home club, he has a score
to settle. Well, three actually. His second half hat trick (all headers) finishes off
woeful Newcastle. Barrowclough confers a smidgen of respectability. But they are lucky to
get away with 4-1. They even substitute Malcolm Macdonald. That’s a first for
‘Supermac’, at least while playing in a Newcastle shirt. It’s hard to
believe they mauled Chelsea 5-0 last Saturday. Just to rub it in, a collection of idiots
decide to stone the Newcastle coach. John Tudor sustains a nasty cut, which requires
twelve stitches. Isn’t a four-goal thrashing enough?
Luton Town v Burnley
‘You’re The First, The Last, My Everything’
30th November 1974
The Prevention of Terrorism Act becomes law.
It allows for suspects to be detained for up to seven days without charge. It’s a
civil rights disaster. But whose civil rights are most at jeopardy in this war? The
innocent suspects or the terrorists’ victims? And what about those witnesses who are
silenced before they reach court? Over the next ten years, only 6% of the 5,800 people
detained under this Act are found guilty of any offence. It seems far too much of a
scatter gun approach and yet is this a price that has to be paid?
It’s a bright, mild, invigorating
winter’s afternoon. And this is one hell of a game. Luton are rock bottom with only
nine points, four adrift of Carlisle, who are in free fall after topping the table in late
August. Luton have only won once, against Carlisle at home in September. This should be
straightforward. It isn’t. Had Stevenson not made a series of outstanding saves from
Clarets’ ‘old boy’ Alan West, Hatters’ ‘new boy’ Peter
Spiring, John Ryan and Peter Anderson, Burnley might have been buried. It’s no seige,
though. Burnley press forward at every opportunity. Ian Brennan is first to really hurt
Luton around the half-hour mark. Picking up the ball in his own half, he surges down the
left wing. Pausing briefly to steady himself, he curls over a high, pacey cross. Hankin
powers in at the far post to meet it. His thumping header utterly defeats Keith Barber.
Stung by this set back, Luton attack vigorously. Just before half time, they win a corner
on the right. John Aston takes it. Keith Newton heads away at the near post but the header
lacks power and distance, and central defender John Faulkner returns Newton’s header
with interest. With his right hand post unguarded, Stevenson has no chance. Faulkner
conceded an own goal when playing for Leeds against Burnley in 1970. His header evens the
score in more ways than one. It is still all square at the interval.
Burnley have no intention of sacrificing their
attacking policy. So after the break, they again trade punches with gallant Luton. They
are again first to make a mark, too. James and Ingham combine beautifully on the edge of
the Luton box before James’ low shot evades Barber’s grasp. Luton’s heads
do not sink, though. Socceroo’ Adrian Alston makes a real nuisance of himself up
front as a substitute for Jimmy Husband. But it’s the new £70,000 signing from
Liverpool who puts Luton back on terms once more. Overlapping full back John Ryan smacks
in a hard high centre from the right. Spiring sprints in at the far post and his header
flashes past Stevenson unseen. Burnley could have settled for the point. To their credit,
they don’t and it pays off. Collins picks up a loose ball in midfield and swings it
across to James on the right wing. His low cross is dummied by Ingham, allowing Hankin
space and time to shoot a bobbling winner.
This calls for a celebration. I look up some old
friends in London and get monumentally drunk. My drunkeness leads me into an unsteady
toilet conversation with a West Ham supporter. He’s equally chuffed with his
team’s 2-0 win at QPR. Suddenly he comes over sombre. He confides that time
isn’t on our side. He tells me something like, "The days are almost over when
the small clubs can call the shots. It’s all down to cash." I’m too pumped
up to believe him. Not yet anyway. Frustrated by my scepticism he tries another tack. He
insists that any woman can be bought if enough money is offered. It’s an obscure
point but it tells me that he lives alone. Lurching out of the toilet door I leave him to
his solitude.
Burnley v QPR
‘You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet’
7th December 1974
Jimmy’s still at it. For the fourth
time this season, Jimmy Adamson has devoted programme space to his beef with Don Revie. I
agree that only qualified coaches should coach, but this is getting a little boring. His
side are steadily climbing the league once more, playing some of the most attractive
football around and yet Jimmy ties himself up in this war of words. At least, that’s
how I read Jimmy’s programme notes.
Anyway, I’m getting too carried away with
the same nonsense. So let me tell you, this is a fabulous show, lighting up a grey, dismal
afternoon. Newcastle were battered by a mallet. Today, QPR are taken apart with a scalpel.
QPR’s stars, Gerry Francis, Stan Bowles and ex-Burnley favourite Dave Thomas,
don’t feature. Thomas had helped turn the European Championship qualifier against
Czechoslovakia (3-0). But he’s well shackled by Newton and Brennan. Collins is out of
this world, though, chipping an exquisite goal for good measure. Colin Waldron gets a
beauty as well. The first is a gift, though. Thank you David Clements but really we
don’t need your charity. Burnley are now up to 7th. Ron Kennedy of the Sunday
Express interviews Adamson after the game. You’d think he’d be purring about
his team. Instead, he waxes on about how marvellous the re-laid pitch is and what good
value it’s been at £60,000. Jimmy, I’m beginning to worry about you.
Tim
Quelch
November-January 1999-2000
