Day-by-Day - The World Cup 1978

Just as you remember your first kiss or your first job, to while away the summer, here is a day-by-day account of the first World Cup that I can remember.

I was too young for 1974 but eagerly looked forward to the 1978 world cup in Argentina. At the time, the people of Argentina were captive under a military dictatorship, but when you are ten years old you don’t worry about such things. In fact, I can’t recall any of the news events of 1978 – apart from the football.

England's hopes had departed along with Don Revie in 1977. It would be four more years before I would see England kick off a world cup proper campaign.

Scotland had qualified and, which with hindsight seems an astonishing miscalculation, many thought they had a good chance. On paper they certainly had a strong squad – stronger than today’s Scotland team – but was it strong enough? In the build up Andy Cameron charted with one of the most famous world cup songs ‘Ally’s Army’ – ‘and we’ll really shake ‘em up, when we win the World Cup, as Scotland are the greatest football team.’

The draw had taken place earlier that year. Group 1 had Argentina against the triple Euro attack of Italy, France and Hungary. Of course the hosts were expected to qualify comfortably but the other spot was wide open. In Group 2, holders West Germany faced Poland, Mexico and Tunisia. Nothing much for the Germans to worry about there.

Group 3 had Brazil also facing three European teams in Spain, Sweden and Austria (whatever happened to Austria?) and Group 4 had the Jocks facing Holland, previously beaten finalists and one of the main favourites, with Peru and Iran making the numbers – or so we thought.

Ten European teams out of 16 – you can see why world cups were felt to be imbalanced.

The rules were four groups of four with the top two qualifying – and then, oddly, the eight teams would be sorted into two more groups of four with the winner of each group playing in the final and the runners-up would be in the third place play off (no semi-finals!) There would be 38 games in all.

For this account, special credit goes to the web site run by 'upthemaggies' of ITV Football - link to the right.

FA Cup Final Day

FA Cup Final day was always a special day for TV football fans in the 1970s for a number of reasons. For example:

 

-It was the last day of the domestic football season. All league issues, promotion, relegation, were settled. (The only exception would be if a club had a European final afterwards). The game was a way for all of us to say goodbye to the season.

 

-It was a rare case of a game which was televised live – indeed the only live club game of the season.

 

-Playing at Wembley was a special treat for most players, and attending was a special treat for all fans. I remember my own excitement in 1985 going to watch Norwich in the League Cup Final.

 

-And of course the FA Cup is the world’s oldest football competition – a straight forward one-off knock out competition – lose and you are out – the only team that does not lose is the winners.

 

Television would help make the day very special. With only three channels, and two of them dominated to the day from mid-day through to after 5pm, it was a rough afternoon if you were not a football fan.

 

Coverage of the day would be a usual pattern – we would talk to the players at their hotels, have a further chat on their respective buses, another chin wag as they wander on the pitch in their new suits, specially designed for the occasion – there would be ‘The Road to Wembley’ features where we saw the highlights of the previous rounds (those games which had been televised of course) – and a usual panel of experts giving their thoughts, along with some celebrity guests such as Eric Morecambe and Elton John.

 

There will be specials of Football Focus and On The Ball, and Saint and Greavsie would each follow a team – I especially remember 1984 when Ian St John attached himself to the Everton team bravely wearing his red Liverpool shirt, while Londoner Greavsie would visit ‘our new borough’ in Watford.

 

ITV would slip in their usual other features – the wrestling, of course, and the racing – and BBC would feature shows such as ‘It’s A Cup Final Knockout’, ‘Cup Final Mastermind’ and, er, ‘Cup Final Jim’ll Fix it’. And sometimes the Women’s FA Cup Final would feature.

 

We’d see the teams come out, all line up to meet the guest of honour, sing Abide with Me, then kick off with a big cheer. Afterwards it would be ‘Meet The Winners’ – or not as in the case of 1970 and 1981-2-3. Replays are now of course something else that has changed.

 

Then all over by 5.30, time for tea, Doctor Who, and then, just in case you’ve not had enough of the box, Saturday evening telly – but that is another story!

 

Goals Of The Season 3 - The Ossie Volley

The Match of the Day's Goal of the Season award for 1972-1973 went to Chelsea legend Peter Osgood for the first goal in the FA Cup Quarter Final with Arsenal on 17 March 1973.

'Ossie' was one of the greatest goalscorers of the time, and is best remembered as part of the colourful Chelsea team of the late 60s and early 70s. Surprisingly only capped four times by England, he also made a name for himself at Southampton as well as a stint with Phildephia Fury. He died in 2006 of a heart attack, aged 59.

This game finished 2-2 with Arsenal winning the replay 2-1, before themselves losing to eventual winners Sunderland 2-1 in the semi-final.

Note David Colemans' characteristic 'one nil'.

FA Cup Semi Final Day

Semi-final day was another day of FA Cup excitement. Four teams left, two to go to Wembley.

Previously semi-finals were played at neutral grounds – Villa Park, Highbury and Hillsborough were frequent hosts. However, in my view, one of the lowest points of FA Cup history was the 1991 semi-final between Arsenal and Tottenham – as, for the first time, a semi-final was played at Wembley.

We were told that this would be a one-off. But then in 1993 and 1994, both semi-finals took place at Wembley. And now it is the norm - since 2008, both semi-finals have taken place at the great stadium. I am informed this is to help pay for Wembley’s rebuilding work, but I think this lessens the importance of the final itself.

For television, in the 1970s and 1980s, both games were played at the same time – and the TV channels would show highlights of one each. As ever, fans would be crowded round the radio to listen to progress.

My first memory of an FA Cup Semi Final is the controversial match of 1977 between champions Liverpool and their old rivals Everton at Maine Road which was on Match of the Day that evening. A great game reached 2-2 and, in the final minutes, a cross from Ronny Goodlass was deflected into the goal by Bryan Hamilton’s hip – but disallowed by referee Clive Thomas for reasons unknown to this day. We can only assume he thought Hamilton had handballed it or that he was offside (although there was no flag) but Everton fans have been aggrieved to this day – and Liverpool won the replay 3-0.

In 1990, for the first time, both games were shown live and on a Sunday, and they were two crackers with Crystal Palace beating Liverpool 4-3 and, after an hour break for the EastEnders omnibus (only two episodes a week in those days!) we saw Manchester United and Oldham drawing 3-3.

The semi-finals of 1978, our featured year were:

Saturday 8 April 1978 – Match of the Day
Ipswich 3-1 West Bromwich Albion (at Highbury)

Sunday 9 April 1978 – The Big Match
Arsenal 3-0 Orient (at Stamford Bridge)

When It Was 'Up For Grabs Now'

Last season, 2011-12, produced one of the most exciting finishes in football league history, when Manchester City produced two very late goals to win at home and clinch the title on goal difference. However, TV wise, there was one large snag – you could only see the game on Sky. Listening to the game on radio, or watching Garth Crooks jump up and down on the sofa on Final Score, does not have the same effect at all.

For this reason, therefore, we go back to the real winner of the ‘most exciting finish to a season’ award – that of 1988-1989 – not only because the denouement was so unexpected, but precisely because it was something we could all share.

The evening of Friday 26 May saw me take my seat in a crowded common room of Ceredigion Hall, a student hall on the sea front in Aberystwyth. It was the last game of the league season and the big match was live on ITV.

My team, Norwich City, had had a good season, up among the top contenders for the league and getting to the FA Cup semis, but alas a bad April with no wins had seen us fall back out of the race. So two teams emerged from the pack.

The all-conquering, all powerful, Liverpool team were there of course. In the preceding 16 years, Liverpool had won ten league titles, two FA Cups, four League Cups, two UEFA Cups and, the big prize, four European Cups. Managers and players had changed – yet mercilessly the Anfield machine had rolled on.

Meanwhile, Arsenal had also put in a challenge. George Graham had put together a good team based on a solid defence with the famous back four and offside trap. For much of the season they had led the way. Hopes were raised of their first title since 1971.

The game was originally scheduled for April – but was postponed following the Hillsborough disaster, which of course hung a shadow over the rest of the season. Because of fixture congestion, the game could only be fitted in, right at the end – unusually to take place on a Friday.

On 13 May, Arsenal were five points ahead of Liverpool with three games to play and home games against Derby and Wimbledon to come. Liverpool had four to play.

But, shock, first, Arsenal lost to Derby 2-1 with Liverpool beating Wimbledon 2-1 - and then Liverpool beat QPR 2-0, before Arsenal drew 2-2 with Wimbledon. Points and goal difference were equal but Liverpool had one game in hand.

On Saturday 20 May, I was in that same common room watching Liverpool beat Everton 3-2 in a dull FA Cup final which only livened up in extra time. Tuesday 23 May, I was in the pub down the road (The Sea Bank – sadly no longer with us) as I heard the news that Liverpool had beaten West Ham 5-1. Using peanuts (well, we were students) we calculated, as the rest of the country knew, that Arsenal had to beat Liverpool at Anfield by two clear goals to win the title on goals scored. We all thought Arsenal had blown it. Liverpool simply did not lose at home! They rarely lost at all! And they had hit form while Arsenal had lost theirs. 

The game started, the cans got opened. A dull first half before Alan Smith scored early in the second. Suddenly we all sat up – Arsenal might do this! The game opened up, both sides created chances, Liverpool scored but disallowed for offside. The game wore on, eventful but without many events - if you see what I mean.

As the TV clock ticked past 90 minutes, Kevin Richardson was on the ground being treated for an injury. In those days we did not have the board to tell us how much injury time there would be, and so the whole room – possibly much of London as well – shouted ‘get up!’ at the top of our voices.

Lukic to Dixon, long ball to Smith, it’s with Mickey Thomas, he’s through, and, as Brian Moore so memorably said, ‘It’s up for grabs now’ as Thomas slots the ball away. 2-0 to Arsenal.

As the final few seconds were played out, and the Liverpool fans in the room sat in stunned silence, the rest of us partied as the whistle blew and we watched Tony Adams lift the trophy at Anfield before we were off to catch last orders . Truly the most magical TV moment of the 1980s.

FA Cup - The Sixth Round

Then as now, in most years every quarter final of the FA Cup was televised by someone. Now we are spoiled by live coverage of all four games – but before it was, of course, just the highlights.

The first quarter final to be shown live was on BBC One on Sunday 11 March 1984 – ending in a rather tepid 0-0 draw between Sheffield Wednesday and Southampton.

Not surprisingly that match does not appear to have been put on YouTube so instead here is a sixth round game from our featured year of 1978 when Nottingham Forest, going for a domestic treble, came up against West Bromwich Albion, managed by the young Big Ron.

FA Cup televised games that weekend:

Saturday 11 March 1978 – Match of the Day

West Bromwich Albion 2-0 Nottingham Forest

Millwall 1-6 Ipswich

Sunday 12 March 1978 – The Big Match

Wrexham 2-3 Arsenal

Middlesbrough 0-0 Orient

TV Legends (2) - Jimmy Greaves

There are essentially two people called Jimmy Greaves, depending on your generation. To some, he is the greatest goalscorer this country has ever produced, breaking records for Chelsea, Spurs and England. To others, he is a kind avuncular figure with his bald head and moustache not out of place in front of a log fire with pipe and slippers telling you stories of the old days.

The transformation of Greaves via his two careers has been remarkable. Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer were also both great goalscorers in their day, but when you compare old footage of them to their current appearances on Match of the Day, you can see that basically they are the same characters albeit a bit greyer and thinner on top. Greaves, on the other hand, went through a complete reinvention – the young fit goal machine of the 60s with the keen eye and aggressive forward manner became the warmer softer pundit of the 80s, always with an anecdote or two to tell.

I first knew of Jimmy through reading articles in Shoot magazine in the 70s through which he occasionally contributed. I was also aware of his achievements, especially with a mother who supported Spurs, and that, at the time, he was a regular player for Barnet.

And then I recall asking who was that person on ITV’s World Cup panel 1982? This world cup I had keenly looked forward to, as it was, for me, the first with England in. I devoured much of the coverage but could not place the calm gentleman with the soothing voice who sat with people like John Bond and Jack Charlton. By now, even though he was only 42, Jimmy had the balding head and the bushy tache which became his trademarks. I soon warmed to him, with his comments and stories aplenty.

He was a considerable success on the panel but completely unlike one’s image of a ferocious goal poacher, and remained a pundit and personality appearing on chat shows, quiz programmes and daytime television.

His reinvention came complete with his teaming up with Ian St John on the legendary ‘Saint and Greavsie’ show – starting in 1985 and broadcast Saturday lunchtimes. Preview shows have never been my cup of tea – for example, Football Focus and On The Ball – but Saint and Greavsie seemed to be something different, very informal, chatty, St John’s straight man presentation skills superbly balanced by Greavsies’ witty asides and his catchphrase ‘it’s a funny old game’.

I was at university from 1988 and the common room was always packed at 12 noon on Saturdays. No-one could start their Saturday afternoon until we had seen Ian and Jimmy discuss the day’s footy and present various features.

Of course, they were open to mockery – Baddiel and Skinner providing several sketches portraying the two in a variety of guises – although Jimmy did appear on the ‘Phoenix From The Ashes’ segment for a (sort of) recreation of the moment from the Brazil v England world cup quarter final in Chile, 1962, when a dog invaded the pitch and urinated on Greavsie.

It was a sad day when the Saint and Greavsie show was axed in 1992 following Sky obtaining the Premiership TV rights. At the final scene, we saw our two friends cycling off into the sunset singing ‘this could be the last time’, as indeed it was.

Jimmy is now 73 years old and currently works on live shows and after dinner speaking. His latest show ‘Jimmy Greaves Live’ is this summer, details on jimmygreaves.net.

Jimmy, not only English footballing legend, but also television legend - we salute you.