Fifty Years Ago - Barcelona Bound

[26th of foot 6,082]

A Trio of League Fixtures.

 

After qualification for the ECWC quarter-finals, Rangers faced a trio of League fixtures to see out November'71. We had began the league season in appalling fashion, had battled to keep ourselves off the bottom of the table and, then put together a run of five winning games to hoist the club into fourth position. Spirits were high and a decent crowd was expected at Ibrox for the visit of Dundee. The Dens Parkers were a tasty side in those days, passed you off the pitch, with John Duncan, Gordon Wallace and, Jocky Scott all ready to put the ball into the net.

 

My mates and I caught the Tannochside bus and joined another thirty-five and a half thousand on the terraces. Rangers began a contract with StadiaCatering in August'71, the idea was to provide an alternative to pie and bovril, macaroon bars and, Wrigley Chewing gum. A couple of dozen lads circled the track replete in white coats and forage caps. They carried trays loaded with cheese rolls, meat rolls, Chipmunk crisps and, Kia-Ora drink cartons. The mystery was 'the meat' on the meat rolls, my inquiry was answered, "it's meat meat". Even in Ershur, they differentiate between Spam and Corned Beef, don't they? Whatever became of Chipmunk Crisps?

 

Rangers lined up with : McCloy, Jardine, Mathieson, Greig, Jackson, Henderson, Smith, Conn, Stein, Johnston and, MacDonald; whereas Dundee turned out - Donaldson, Wilson, Johnston, Steele, Philip, Ford, Duncan, Kinninmonth, Wallace, Scott and, Wilson. My cheese roll with added crisps had hardly began to digest when Gordon Wallace ran in Dundee's third goal on the 19th minute. He followed up both Kinninmonth on the 5th and Johnston on the 12th minutes. Willie Johnston pulled one back several minutes before half-time and the interval talk was of all out attack in the second period. Bud notched another just after the hour mark and, John Greig was sent up front. The game finished 2-3 and the boos echoed around the Stadium.

 

Next stop was the Tail-of-the-Bank, the tide was out and Cappielow was deemed playable. The 'Ton ran out with : Sorensen, Hayes, Laughton, Lumsden, Anderson, Clark, Smith, Mason, Osborne, Murphy and, Chalmers. Rangers fielded : McCloy, Jardine, Mathieson, Greig, Jackson, Smith, McLean, Conn, Fyfe, Stein, MacDonald and, Johnston. The persistent rain kept the attendance to a manageable 12,500; just as well, the terrace at the corner of East Hamilton Street and the Port Glasgow Road slid towards the pitch pre kick-off.

 

Everything happened in the first half hour, leaving us all an hour and a half of driving rain to be endured. Bud scored on the 6th minute, Morton equalised through Osborne on the 15th and, Ham and Egg knocked in the winner on the 27th. The 'Ton's Anderson was ordered from the field on half hour mark, no doubt grateful for an early, warm bath? The opposition Keeper, Eric Sorensen had been on our books for a season and a half before returning to Greenock and Joe Mason would be a £10,000 Rangers signing the very next year. I remember former Lisbon Lion, Stevie Chalmers took dogs abuse that game before the rain dampened everyones ardour.

 

We ended the month with another seaside trip, this time to Somerset Park. Ally MacLeod was Ayr United's Manager and the former Third Lanark - St Mirren player was best characterised as, 'a character'. He would bang his hands together then gesticulate and, let go with a stream of invective. He could promote a player, the Honest Men won the Reserve League season '71-'72 and the stand out player was right back, Davie Wells. Ally MacLeod stated he had already knocked back a most attractive bid from Bayern Munich! Fifteen thousand squeezed in to see Ayr United : Stewart, Fillipi, Murphy, Fleming, Quinn, Mitchell, Doyle, Graham, Whitehead, McGovern and, Stevenson. Rangers fielded : McCloy, Jardine, Mathieson, Greig, D Johnstone, Smith, Henderson, Conn, Stein, MacDonald and, Johnston.

 

Somerset Park and Ally MacLeod was always a struggle for Rangers. There was a pretty equal split on the three available results over five-six years. Joe Fillipi and Johnny Doyle were always at it and, both earned their respective moves to Sellik in the next couple of seasons. Colin Stein opened the scoring on the 11th minute, Fillipi equalised on the 36th and, Willie Henderson scored the winner on the 39th. Interestingly, this was Willie's 36th and final goal for Rangers in his dozen year spell. MacLeod held the Sunday newspaper headlines, claiming Joe Fillipi was worthy of national consideration reference Scotland traveling to Holland midweek.

 

Scotland went down 2-1 in the Netherlands, Rinus Michels Dutch side included Cruyff, Wim Jansen, Ruud Krol, Johan Neeskens, Israel and, Muhren. Tommy Docherty fielded : Bob Wilson, Eddie Colqhoun, Davie Hay, Sandy Jardine, Billy Bremner, Archie Gemmill, Eddie Gray, Jimmy Johnstone, Pat Stanton, Kenny Dalglish and, George Graham. Cruyff opened the scoring, Graham equalised after half time and the Dutch notched the last minute winner through Hulshoff. Scotland's goal scorer, George Graham came from a Lanarkshire village near my own and I knew the family. George was a huge Bluenose but years after he told me the genuine article in both Arsenal - Scotland team was Bob Wilson. His middle name was Primrose, after Bob's Uncle, James Ure Primrose, Chairman of Rangers for a dozen years after WW1.

 

December beckoned, the Indo-Pakistan War would begin, David Bowie would release Hunky Dory and, Rangers would play on Christmas Day.

[Scott7 6,005]

Brilliant. Thanks.

 

Rangers had nine pretty good players, a mercurial bloke and a decent tradesmen. How come they struggled in the league?

 

Dundee’s Philip was a player. Beckenbauer-on-Tay.

 

 

[compo 7,040]

Back then the half time pie and bovril were the only thing worth turning up for 😂

[26th of foot 6,082]

On 27/11/2021 at 16:55, Scott7 said:

Brilliant. Thanks.

 

Rangers had nine pretty good players, a mercurial bloke and a decent tradesmen. How come they struggled in the league?

 

Dundee’s Philip was a player. Beckenbauer-on-Tay.

 

 

Iain Philip could play, he won the League Cup on three occasions with both Dundee clubs. I thought his Crystal Palace move was probably the wrong one for such a heads-up player? Spurs would have been a better match.

 

Talking of Spurs, John Duncan made that move from Dundee. As a centre forward, he had more than his fair share of injury problems. I checked his stats and they are incredible, five years at the Lane saw him make 103 appearances and score 53 goals. Gordon Wallace scored at a similar rate wherever he played and, Jocky Scott was a genuine hard case. Of course, it was Davie White that assembled that Dundee team.

[Scott7 6,005]

50 minutes ago, 26th of foot said:

Iain Philip could play, he won the League Cup on three occasions with both Dundee clubs. I thought his Crystal Palace move was probably the wrong one for such a heads-up player? Spurs would have been a better match.

Now that you mention it, of course. Why didn’t ‘Spurs think of that?

 

The bold McLeod I saw as a player at Hibs transferred from Blackburn Rovers at the end of his career. By that time he was slower than his predecessor, widden legs Ormond. Nonetheless, in my memory an ineradicable video plays of McLeod skinning Bobby Shearer on the half line at Easter Road, a remake of an identical incident a few years previously at Pittodrie. In that game, the part of the skinner was played by Jackie Hather. He was rocket fast so Bobby had an excuse on that occasion. Both times the damage was repaired by Eric Caldow coming from the other wing at warp speed. Am I the only man alive to have seen Bobby Shearer beaten twice?

 

I saw Mcleod close up managing top division Ayr United, in a Scottish cup-tie at Borough Briggs. He arrived smiling, joking, and glad-handing. He left after ninety minutes girning, moaning and raging on the back of a 2-0 defeat.

 

He could talk the talk, McLeod but the walk at the final hurdle was too much for him. Assembled a good Scotland side but couldn’t quite get it to work. Not alone in that, though.

 

Never mind trivia. Concentrate on the Rangers. Jardine, Jackson, Greig, Stein, Smith, Johnston and McDonald are all at least as good as the present incumbents in their positions, yet the team performed badly in the league. It’s not as if they had to carry four duffers. The play up against the Rangers factor has always existed. Were the other teams of a better standard in terms of football ability than they are now? Of course they were, so maybe matches in Europe were just a wee bit easier.

 

[26th of foot 6,082]

A Winter of Discontent.

 

Winter's fickle finger was wagging at the beginning of December'71. The country was being prepared for a national Miners' strike, the Prime Minister, Edward Heath had warned Parliament that if coal from the minefields did not reach the power stations, then a state of emergency would be declared. In the early 70s the UK had nearly a million Miners. My old man held a senior management position at Rank Hovis McDougall with responsibility for four Mothers Pride Bakeries in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and, Carlisle. Hustings had been held and a Bread strike was imminent. The Industrial Relations Act 1971 first impact was going to be no coal and no bread but, the immediate hammer blow was Benny Hill was now number one with, 'Ernie'.

 

Ernie may have been the fastest Milkman in the West but, he could not catch Sandy Jardine. The Rangers right back regularly entered the Powderhall New Year sprint and I believe once finished second? Sandy's participation could not be guaranteed, the previous New Year's had witnessed the Ibrox Disaster and Rangers were scheduled with Thistle as first footers, away to Celtic on the 3rd of January. Nothing was guaranteed, around every corner waiting was a Two-Ton Ted from Teddington and he drove a Baker's van. Around Rangers immediate corner was Clyde managed by Archie Robertson, a Chemistry graduate who also worked for the Coal Board.

 

The Bully Wee arrived at Ibrox on the 4th December 23,000 attended to see the following teams leave the tunnel : Rangers - McCloy, Denny, Mathieson, Jardine, D Johnstone, Smith, Henderson, Fyfe, Stein, MacDonald and, Johnston. Clyde - Cairney, McGoldrick, Swan, Burns, McHugh, Glasgow, Sullivan, McGrain, McBride, Hulston and, Aherne. I did not attend, my Scout Troop were climbing Tinto Hill to raise funds for the annual Gang Show. Ging gang goolie ya bass' inspired Colin Stein to notch the only game of the game on the 70th minute. After several reasonably successful years as Clyde's boss, Robertson left the club and the Coal Board to become Head Chemistry Teacher at Hunter High, East Kilbride. He coached the school team, including Ally McCoist.

 

Before Rangers and I arrived at East End Park on the 11th of December, Dunfermline had appointed Andy Stevenson as Manager. His tenure barely lasted three weeks, he was gone before the Miners and Bread strikes began. Ernie was still riding the fastest milkcart in the west. We were cutting through the graveyard as the teams ran out : Dunfermline Athletic - Arrol, Callaghan, Mercer, Fraser, Cushley, McNichol, Paterson, Thomson, Mitchell, Scott and, Gillespie. Rangers - McCloy, Jardine, Mathieson, Greig, D Johnstone, Smith, Henderson, McLean, Stein, MacDonald and, Johnston. The crowd was given as 14,000 and myself and two mates were three of several thousand that missed Ham and Egg's opener on the fifth minute. There were barely several thousand left on the terraces when Bud got the second in injury time. 

 

I remember Cushley had a good game at Sweeper, he was a former Celt and at that time a Teacher at Holy Cross High School, Hamilton. Further, he was Lanarkshire School's Intermediate boss and I had been up for selection a few weeks before at Kerswell College. I made the cut and Cushley would go on to discover a host of players, particularly for Celtic. The McStay and McCluskey brothers being the most prominent. Sadly, John passed 15 years past, another former football that succumbed to MND.

 

Two Rangers greats passed at the end of that second week in December, Torry Gillick and Alan Morton went on the same day. Torry or Torrance to give him his Sunday name was a winger who won the Championship on both sides of the border with Rangers and Everton. Morton or, 'the Wee Blue Devil' was another winger, specifically the Wembley Wizards winger. Morton was never full time, he was a Mining Engineer who won nine League Championship medals and three Scottish Cups. On retirement he became a Club Director until his death. To this day, climb the marble staircase and you are greeted by a life size portrait of the man who tormented the English at Wembley in our 1-5 victory in 1928.

 

Next up was Airdrie at Ibrox and then Hibs at Easter Road on Christmas Day. Attending a football game in the Capital city on the Saviour's Day was not that difficult because Christmas Day was NOT a national holiday in Scotland in 1971.

 

 

[compo 7,040]

Great memories 

[Scott7 6,005]

2 hours ago, compo said:

Great memories 

They are indeed. Not just memories of the heroes but of players with other teams as well. What a fine inside forward Archie Robertson was. Clyde - yes, Clyde - could field three internationalists, Robertson, Harry Haddock and Tommy Ring.

[onevision 1,569]

49 minutes ago, Scott7 said:

They are indeed. Not just memories of the heroes but of players with other teams as well. What a fine inside forward Archie Robertson was. Clyde - yes, Clyde - could field three internationalists, Robertson, Harry Haddock and Tommy Ring.

Indeed....John Arrol in goal....there's a name i've not heard mentioned since the seventies....smashing goalkeeper.

[26th of foot 6,082]

Bleak Midwinter.

 

It was Christmas week and both schools and amateur football were placed in cold storage. It would be mid-January before an opportunity presented for tying on the fitbaw bits. Shin pads were optional but on Saturday 18th December'71, they became compulsory as Airdrieonians were the visitors to Ibrox. The Tannochside RSC bus was two thirds full for the Diamonds but already had a waiting list for Christmas Day's visit to the Hibees. The Ibrox attendance was sparse, given as 20,000 but I suspect that was optimistic? Airdrie had a grim reputation that the teams of the era did not deserve.

 

Rangers lined up : McCloy, Jardine, Mathieson, Greig, Jackson, Smith, McLean, Conn, Stein, Fyfe and, MacDonald. Airdrie put out : McKenzie, Jonquin, Clarke, Menzies, Delaney, D Whiteford, Wilson, McKay, Busby, Jarvie and, Cowan. Rangers were in a hurry, running in three goals in the first half. Stein notched in the second minute, Sandy got the second on the 33rd and, Fyfe completed the scoreline on the 37th. The comfort of a three zip result was quite surprising. Airdrie had knocked out both Manchester City(4-2 on aggregate) and Huddersfield(7-2 on aggregate) in the Texaco Cup in the previous several weeks. In fact the Diamonds went all the way to the final, losing 2-1 on aggregate to Brian Clough's Derby County.

 

Drew Jarvie went on to have a decade long career at Aberdeen, the last Third Lanark player playing, Drew Busby did similar at Hearts. McKenzie was a Northern Ireland Keeper, kept out the international side by Spurs Pat Jennings, Paul Jonquin was a battering ram in the tackle and, Billy Wilson had blistering pace. In those days, trips to Broomfield were usually a high scoring adventure, it could be 4-3 either way. I felt a better standard of Manager could have taken that Airdrie side to a sustained higher level?

 

Benny Hill was still number one in the charts, novelty records were quite the thing in the 60s and 70s. BBC 2 aired a serious music show for the first time in September'71.  David Attenborough commissioned the Old Grey Whistle Test and was presented by Richard Williams. On the 21st December, TOGWT began another tradition; a ninety minute Christmas Special of highlights. Lindisfarne, David Bowie, Heads Hands and Feet, Elton John, Cat Stevens, Wishbone Ash and Glasgow's very own, Stone the Crows had us captivated. Maggie Bell had the pipes.

 

Christmas Day TV was a cornucopia, Michael Aspel, the Black and White Minstrel Show, Basil Brush, Rolf Harris, Ken Dodd, Morecambe and Wise and, Bruce Forsyth all had their own shows. Endurance and survival techniques were required if you wanted to survive. The big film was, 'Arabesque' - starring Gregory Peck and Sophia Loren. I am convinced the Saviour's Day became a national holiday in Scotland because of the televisual feast. We did New Years back then, the major religious festival was Easter, we worshipped the risen Lord. 

 

Half a century past was the last time football matches were scheduled for Christmas Day and for us, Easter Road waited. My old man worked Christmas morning and decided to visit the Mothers Pride Edinburgh Bakery. I accompanied and we took in the game in Leith. The old Dutch fulminated, our Festive Lunch was served at 7 O'Clock in deepest, darkest Lanarkshire. Why do we have Turkey as the preferred festive dish? My Mother proclaimed it to be non-native and always served roasted leg of lamb. It was most welcome that day, the snow flurried continually at Easter Road.

 

Hibs ran out : Herriot, Brownlie, Schaedler, McEwan, Stanton, Blackley, Edwards, Hamilton, O'Rourke, Cropley and, Duncan. We lined up : McCloy, Jardine, Denny, Greig, Jackson, Smith, McLean, Conn, Stein, MacDonald and, Johnston. Rangers had a huge travelling support crammed on to the old high terrace of the Edinburgh ground. The attendance was given as 26,000 but I thought that to be several thousand light? The constant wind whipping up off the Forth made life on the terrace grim but, our tenacity was rewarded in the final minute when Colin Stein emerged from a growing blizzard to knock the ball past Jim Herriot. A 0-1 victory and the two points secured lifted us to third in the table, seven points behind joint leaders Sellik and Aberdeen.

 

One of my Christmas presents that day was a copy of Alistair MacLean's new novel, 'Bear Island'. My Aunt thought it appropriate because it was about Rangers. The tome was set in Norway, not the Isle of Lewis.