John Sitton – A Little Knowledge is a Dangerous Thing
John Sitton’s autobiography is a compelling, at times painfully honest, account of life at the sharp end of the Football League, in an era completely removed from today’s multi-million-pound business. If you’re familiar with his name, it’s more than likely through the YouTube clips taken from a 1995 Channel 4 documentary on Leyton Orient, where…
Denis Law and FA Cup Goalscorers
In a January 1961 FA Cup Third Round tie, Denis Law scored six goals for Manchester City against Luton Town. It would have set a record for the competition, but unfortunately the game was abandoned after 69 minutes, with City leading 6-2. Luton won the re-arranged game 3-1, though Law scored again for City. There…
Sheffield Wednesday v Arsenal, FA Cup 1979
Sheffield Wednesday v Arsenal – this Third Round FA Cup clash at a snowy Hillsborough in January 1979 was the first of a series of five games between Division Three side Wednesday and First Division Arsenal. At the time, Cup ties were played to the death, without penalty shoot-outs. It took four replays, three of…
Manchester United v West Bromwich Albion, 1978
Manchester United v West Bromwich Albion at the end of 1978 is regarded as one of the finest English League games of the decade. The match contained many of the characteristic elements of domestic football of the era: packed terraces, a muddy pitch, all-British line-ups and managers, no shirt sponsorship, players numbered 1-11. An ugly…
AC Milan: The British Abroad
As well as creating the world’s first professional football league in England in 1888, the British were active in spreading the game around the world in the mid-to-late nineteenth century. From Sâo Paulo to St Petersburg, expatriate merchants, sailors and workers formed sporting clubs, often initially for playing cricket or rowing, but increasingly focusing on…
The Russian Goalkeeping Dynasty
One of the stars of Dynamo Moscow’s historic tour of Britain in 1945 was goalkeeper Alexei Khomich. Despite standing at only 5’ 8’’ in height, he had a spectacular leap, and was nicknamed ‘Tiger’ for his bravery between the posts by an admiring British press and public. Khomich was himself the latest in a line…
Dynamo Moscow Tour of Britain, 1945
For decades after the creation of the world’s first professional league in England in 1888, British football remained insular, sure of its superiority over the rest of the world. The arrogance of the game’s authorities and their isolationist stance was perfectly captured by FA committee member, Charles Sutcliffe, in refusing to accept an invitation to…
Tony Ford, Football League Record-Breaker
Tony Ford made his Football League debut as a 16 year-old for his hometown club Grimsby Town in 1975. His final League appearance came 26 years later, on the 3rd November 2001, as a midfielder for Rochdale in their 2-0 Third Division victory over Torquay United at Spotland. In the intervening years Ford played for…
Southampton v Sporting Lisbon, 1981
This 1981-82 UEFA Cup tie brought a familiar face back to English football, as Malcolm Allison took his Sporting Lisbon side to The Dell to face Lawrie McMenemy’s Southampton. Allison had been assistant manager of Manchester City from 1965-71, taking charge of playing matters under Joe Mercer, the club’s veteran manager. This was a highly…
The Football League 1888 – Overview, Part Two
Playing kit, pitch markings and the rules of the game were all evolving, even as the world’s first professional football league came into being. Prior to the advent of the Football League, players had to buy their own kit, consisting of heavy jerseys without any ornament, ‘knickerbockers’ covering the knees, and socks. Each club was…
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