[FT] Motherwell 0 - 2 Rangers (Miller 72; Hyndman 87)

[26th of foot 5,916]

A Tale of Two Pie Stalls.

 

The advent of the Scottish Premier Division in 1975 saw Scottish football fans being fed a steady diet of repeat courses. Playing the other nine opponents four times a season, plus Scottish and League Cup games presented a table groaning with both familiarity and contempt. Last season was book ended with games versus Hibs, another four servings in between. Several helpings of the same dish can be difficult to stomach, particularly if the experience does not culminate in the sweet taste of success.

 

Prior to '75, repetitive matches were almost certainly the result of cup replays. No penalty shoot-outs either, one replay followed another, until a result had been achieved. A sequence of three matches against the same opponents was rare, a league fixture in and around a cup draw leading to a replay; were much anticipated, and closely studied. Rangers supporters were presented with a mouth watering menu for mid-late season '71/'72. Specifically, late February to late March found us chewing on a ECWC quarter-final against Torino, the palate cleanser separating both bites at the Italian cup winners, was three games against Motherwell. The league game at Fir Park was served as the primo, the antipasto in Turin, and both secondos at Ibrox.

 

The 'Well were the model of consistency in those days, under the long term tutelage of manager, Bobby Howitt. In the eighteen team league, the claret and amber were seventh or eighth, missing out on Europe, but competing, and performing well in the Texaco Cup(a cross border competition for clubs just below Euro qualification). Motherwell knocked out Spurs, Coventry, Stoke City, Norwich City, .... etc in two legged ties during this period. The team was populated with good players; Joe Wark, Sammy Campbell, Kirky Lawson, John Goldthorpe, and Jim McCabe. Characters too, in Jumbo Muir and Jackie McInally(father of Alan). The difference in quality and the gap between clubs either side of Hadrian's wall was not apparent; the yawning chasm was in depth of player squads, and to a lesser extent, wages.

 

Thus, a league fixture at Fir Park in the third week of February, should have held some trepidation? Not really, we had played ten games since the turn of the year, winning six and drawing three. Further, we had skelped 'Well 4-zip at Ibrox back in October. It was a cold, dank day, and the mercury crashed below zero as darkness fell. Former Ranger, Brian Heron opened the scoring and Kirky Lawson completed it, in a much deserved 2-0 victory for the home team in front of 16,000. Both Bobby Watson and Heron had gone to Fir Park, in return for keeper, Peter McCloy. It looked like Motherwell had the better of the deal, those two playing well, whilst the Girvan Lighthouse was faulted in part for both goals.

 

Ten days later in the Communale Stadium, almost the same Rangers side(two changes) frustrated Torino in front of 40,000 screaming Italians. A 1-1 draw set us up well for the return, Bud Johnston notching our goal. Concurrently, the Scottish Cup quarter-final draw had sent us back to Fir Park, the Saturday before Torino's midweek visit to Ibrox. The perceived wisdom among Bears spanned the entire spectrum; the last draw we needed before our ECWC quarter-final, to just the hard test needed in preparation. Motherwell were confident, I know, I had inside information. I was in the middle of three years playing for Fir Park Boys' Club, our coach was the aforementioned multiple Northern Ireland capped, Sammy Campbell. We were all given Boys' gate tickets for the Enclosure, just as well; the attendance that day was officially 28,000, it was easily in excess of thirty thousand.

 

Rangers started brightly, dominated the first half, but only scored once through Doddy MacDonald. The home side recovered in the second half, equalising from another Brian Heron strike. The pendulum swung, and Sammy Campbell struck to put 'Well in front. The huge visiting support was hanging(litteraly) from the rafters of both the main stand and the covered terracing running the length of the ground. The floodlight pylons had dozens hanging from each and everyone of the four, and the pie stall at the back of the terracing behind the goal(now the Davie Cooper stand) saw dozens atop it's roof. Nervous energy linked every Bear and when Colin Stein headed an extremely late equaliser, mayhem ensued. The pie stall collapsed, flattened under celebrating weight. Fortunately, the staff had left, but several Bears were injured, including broken limbs.

 

The talk of Turin toon exited the Ibrox tunnel on the Wednesday evening, in front of 65,000 screaming Bears. We did not know what colour Euro teams sported in those days until they entered the pitch. Newspaper photos of the first leg were all in black in white. The Italian boys in maroon had a mate in the Enclosure scream, ' we're playing Hearts, we battered them six nil last month, easy". The game was a tactical game, much described the next day in the papers, 'as a game of chess'. Our Knight was wee Doddy, skipping into the box to meet a Tommy McLean cross just after half time. Our semi-final against Bayern secured, the third 'Well game, the cup replay was scheduled for the next Monday night.

 

Again, teams were very much along usual lines, one or two changes as both sides stepped on to the pitch in front of a 50,000 attendance. We stood in ra Sellik end, along side several thousand travelling claret and amber devotees. We inhaled collectively as Motherwell began in a flurry, Jim McCabe slipped a ball through to Kirky Lawson and it was 0-1 in the first minute. As the 'Well fans sang, 'E for B and Jim McCabe'(he was essential as eggs for breakfast), an unlikely Rangers hero, John Fallon palmed the ball into his own net. As McCloy had arrived at Ibrox and the two players moved in the opposite direction; the cash balance was utilised by Motherwell in buying John Fallon from ra Sellik. He had been Ronnie Simpson's understudy for several years and a happy knack of deputising between the posts in old firm games and performing calamitously. Colin Stein nudged us ahead, before Kirky Lawson has us all square again.

 

Then, there was an explosion. A big bang, lots of smoke emanated from the back of the Enclosure. By the time information reached us in ra Sellik end, it was a bona fide IRA attack. Again, there were injuries in the pie stall, fortunately minor ones caused by a gas bottle exploding. The shock waves provided the necessary energy, Tommy McLean scored and another Colin Stein strike followed for a 4-2 victory. Five games in a month and all's well that ends well.

 

I know this Saturday's match sees the reverse, the cup being first and it's been won. However, it's another game against Motherwell, our fourth this season and we have won the first three. Anybody for the law of averages? We don't have the calibre of player we had in '72, thankfully Motherwell don't have either. They don't have Bobby Howitt, they have Mark McGhee, and we should be thankful. The pressure will be on McGhee to take something from the tribute act. His after match interview with BBC Scotland is dependent upon it. I suspect he will yield to throwing a player or two further forward, thus allowing more space for exploitation in behind. I hope for a Rangers team along the following lines : Foderingham, Hodson, Kiernan, Hill, Wallace, Tavenier, Halliday, Toral, McKay, Miller, O'Halloran. I predict a rerun of the League Cup game, 0-2 Rangers.

[jhunter 0]

fantastic preview, love hearing the details of games before i started attending

[pete 2,499]

Thanks for the fantastic preview mate. It surprises me how much you can remember about games back then. I can hardly remember last weeks game. I do remember Graham and Pettigrew being a scoring dream team. One of my memories of big Peter was hanging from the crossbar as the ball dropped into the net. Motherwell were indeed a very difficult team to beat around that time.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRWatccd670

[JFK-1 1,690]

If Motherwell actually try to play this time instead of just putting 10 men at the back we may score more. Wont be holding my breath waiting for that to happen though. It always amuses me that their fans and those of other teams are forever babbling about how 'shite' Rangers are while they lie far below us in the league and their managers don't seem to have got the message as they park the bus against this 'shite' team.

[cooponthewing 1,139]

Great recall of history 26th and a good read! Nice to know that when we im feeling old there are those who have "matured" more than I.....

I agreed with JFK that greetin face McGhee will have them penned in and looking to catch us on the counter. He almost burst into tears on the radio last week when they lost, wonder if it will be the full scale meltdown this week?

[SteveC 150]

I remember those days and that explosion so clearly. I was at all the Scottish games with my dad. As you write, everyone immediately assumed the IRA were responsible. McLean and McDonald were just excellent v Torino

 

I'm nervous about today. I'm always nervous so that's nothing new. The reasons for the nerves are the law of "averages" that you mention. We'll face Motherwell a minimum of six times this season. It's far too many. As Advocaat noted it is one of the most ludicrous things about the football set up in Scotland. (He said this one season when we played St Johnstone seven times)

Edited January 28, 2017 by SteveC

[ian1964 10,546]

[the gunslinger 3,366]

A bench full of players we should be developing

 

I guess its really about the result in the end.

Edited January 28, 2017 by the gunslinger

[SteveC 150]

 

Edit: I hadn't realised that Hodson was injured

Edited January 28, 2017 by SteveC

[ian1964 10,546]