May 1971

As appeared in Rothman's Football Yearbook 1971-72 (2nd year)

The Queene Anne Press, London 1971

Note : The news from thirty years ago has an archive below

1 Sheffield U. are promoted to Division One. . . Fulham, already qualified for the Second Division, lost at home to Preston N.E., also going up, so failed to lift the title. Kevin Keegan, Scunthorpe U. midfield man, signed for Liverpool after his club's last game. . . and so gained a Cup Final ticket in the Liverpool party. . . sad farewell for Jimmy Langley, player-manager of Hillingdon, beaten 3-2 by Telford in F.A. Challenge Trophy Final at Wembley . . . but retribution for Telford U., beaten in the first final a year back. . . Tony Hateley scored his 200th league goal, and MacDougall took his total for Bournemouth to 49 . . .

3 Arsenal clinched the League title, a record eight times, with a headed goal by Ray Kennedy in the last seconds of the final game, at Tottenham . . . more than 51,000 inside, and about the same locked out of the ground. . .

4 Alan Mullery, 'I am tired out', asked to be left out of England squad for the game with Malta and the Home International championship. . . Malcolm MacDonald scored three goals for Luton T. in his last game before signing for Newcastle U. for 180,000 pounds . . .

5 Ralph Coates signed for Tottenham H. from Burnley at reported figure of 200,000 pounds, which if true, set new British record. . . Arsenal won F.A. Youth Cup by beating Cardiff C. in second leg. . .

6 Wolverhampton W. won the Texaco Cup 3-2 on goal aggregate despite losing at home 1-0 to Hearts. . .

7 In play-off match for third and fourth place in F.A. Cup, Stoke beat Everton 3-2. . .

Arsenal v Liverpool FA Cup Final Programme

8 Arsenal clinch the Double. . . after being a goal down to Liverpool shortly after the start of extra time, they popped in two to win the Cup, to add to the League championship. . . feat hitherto only performed by Tottenham H. this century in 1961 . . . Rangers and Celtic drew 1-1 in Scottish Cup Final. . . Rangers' equaliser scored by sixteen-year-old Johnstone. . .

12 England defeated Malta 5-0 at Wembley in game so one-sided that goalkeeper Gordon Banks only touched the ball four times, all from back passes. . . Celtic won replay of Scottish Cup Final 2-1 . . . and Cardiff C. again qualified for Europe by beating Wrexham in Welsh Cup Final. . .

15 England won 1-0 against Northern Ireland at Belfast, and Wales and Scotland drew 0-0 on waterlogged ground at Cardiff.

18 Scotland 0 Northern Ireland 1 . . .

19 Eng]and 0 Wa]es 0 . . . England fielded entire Liverpool half-back line together with full-back Lawler . . . Chelsea let Real Madrid snatch last minute draw after apparently coasting home in Cup Winners Cup Final at Athens. . .

20 Chelsea made no mistake this time, goals from Dempsey and Osgood beating Real Madrid in Athens replay . . .

21 Officially announced that the first Arsenal goal at Wemb]ey had been credited to Kelly. . . While Chelsea were being given a triumphant reception down the Kings Road, England were beating Scotland at Wembley 3-1. . . a goal by the almost unknown Hamilton helped Northern Ireland beat Wales . . . and England, with five points, are Home International champions. . .

24 Goal by Birmingham's young Francis almost certainly meant that England's Youth team wou]d enter semi-final of the European Youth Championship. . . F.A. XI on their way to Australian tour drew I I with Eire XI in Dublin . . . Jimmy Lindsay joined Watford from West Ham u. for 20,000 pounds fee. . .

27 Anglo-ltalian tournament brought eight bookings and the sending off of Bernard, of Stoke C. . . . C. Palace beat Cagliari, and not one Italian team won. . . meanwhile Leeds U.'s final with Juventus, first leg, was abandoned owing to torrential rainstorm, after an hour's play with no score. . .

29 Leeds U. and Juventus had second go, and drew 2-2 . . . F.A. announced that Jeff Astle of W.B.A. had been barred from receiving tickets for F.A. Cup Finals and International matches for the rest of his life . . . Tommy Hughes, Chelsea goalkeeper, signed for Aston Villa.