August 2002

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

As appeared in Rothman's Football Yearbook 1973-74 (4th year) :

The Queene Anne Press, London 1973

August

Derby fined 5,000 pounds in connection with the Ian Moore transfer muddle and warned as to their future conduct.

2 The Under-23 Committee asks the FA to impose a two-year international ban on Alan Hudson (Chelsea) and Colin Todd (Derby) because they refused to go on the England tour in June. . . Bristol R. win 2-0 at Burnley and will play Sheffield U. in the Watney Cup final. The Yorkshire team beat Peterborough 4-0 away, despite the loss of Tony Currie, who was sent off in the 28th minute. . . Celtic 3 Aberdeen 2 in the Dryborough Cup after extra time.

3 Ian Ure moves on a free transfer to St. Mirren from Manchester U.

4 Arsenal lose 4-0 in Hamburg in a friendly. Pat Rice is taken off with an ankle injury. . . C. Palace become the first League club to be sponsored by a commercial firm. The chairman of Mat thews Holdings Ltd., Ray Bloye, is the new chairman of the club. . . Ajax beat Bayern Munich 5-0 in a friendly.

5 Bristol R. win the Watney Cup on penalty kicks (7-6) against Sheffield U. After 90 minutes goal less play the Third Division club scored seven consecutive penalties.
Ted Hemsley missed for the visitors. . . In Scotland, Hibernian beat Celtic 5-3 (after extra time) in the Drybrough Cup. . . Manchester C. win the Charity Shield, beating Aston Villa 1-0 in Birmingham. . . English clubs do not fare too well in pre-season warm-up games against foreign opposition.-Derby lose 2-1 at home to FC Den Haag, Leeds draw 2-2 with Olympiakos in Greece, and Chelsea have the same scoreline v Go Ahead Deventer in the Netherlands. . . Arsenal manager, Bertie Mee, says that his team will playa different style of football, more in line with the new Continental 'total football' concept. . . Malcolm Allison also promises attacking football from Manchester C. and names Leeds as the greatest danger of City's title aspirations. . . The Fenerbahce (Istanbul) v Luton match abandoned in the 70th minute with the score 1-1 when fighting broke out between the players.

6 Alan Hardaker praises the Watney Cup: 'What has happened to Bristol R. is absolutely marvellous. This competition has brought a taste of soccer success to an area that is crying out for it' . . . Brian Clough's eve of season forecast is that seven clubs have about equal chance of winning the title, but Derby are the only ones yet to reach their peak.

7 Aston Villa chairman Doug EIJis axed at a strong board meeting. The new chairman is Jim Hartley. Ellis had been in office since 1968 and had helped to give impetus to Villa's revival. . . Tommy Gemmell is the new skipper ofNottingham F. in place of Peter Hindley, who does not want the job any longer. . . George Best breaks a hand in training and is doubtful for next Saturday's match. . . Celtic beat Tottenham H. 1-0 in a friendly at Parkhead.

8 Five players named by League managers as the outstanding footballers of 1971-72 (Banks, Francis, MacDougall, O'Mara, and Keegan) are to receive silver trophies donated by Gallaher . . . Leeds sign Roy Ellam, the Huddersfield centre-back, for 30,000 pounds . . . John O'Mara (Brentford) suspended for three games for being sent off against Hillingdon in a pre-season friendly. . . John Hollins fit for Chelsea's opening League game against Leeds, who will line up without Hunter and Clarke (suspended) and Cooper (still injured).

9 Derbyand Reading ordered by the FA to post warning notices for three weeks.
The decision follows crowd disturbances at the end of Jast season. . . Charlie George and Eddie Kelly in pay disputes with Arsenal. . . Jackie Charlton will not be Leeds' first-choice centre-back next season. The club would like to use him as an 'observer' of future opponents, but the 37-year-old ex-England player refuses to accept that his active career is over .

10 The Football League announce that they will do everything in their power to assist the four Home Countries in their efforts to reach the World Cup finals. No League game will be sanctioned for the week of the international fixtures, and if the clubs insist on playing they will have to line up without their international players. Len Shipman says, 'There is no doubt that some reorganisation of the League is needed in the not-too-distant future. The First Division is too big. . .' . . . Aston Villas shareholders vote Doug Ellis back on the board of directors in place of Harry Parkes. . . Peter Swan to play for Shcffield W. against Fulham on Saturday-his first League game for eight years!

11 John Roberts (Arsenal), named as substitute, puts in a written transfer request, Charlie George out of the side with a hamstring injury. . . Barry Bridges and Eamonn Dunphy missing from the Millwall team because of pay disputes. . .
Fulham will be without Earle and Went in their opening game. 'The injuries are my fault', says manager Alex Stock, 'I worked them too hard' . . . Eve of season predictions (and the bookmakers) make Leeds favourites for the title with Liverpool and Manchester C. joint second favourites. It is 3-1 against Francis Lee finishing on top of the goal-scorers, and 5-1 against Martin Chivers . . , The Arsenal board decide to grant the transfer request of Roberts and the two pay rebels, Kelly and George. . . Two of the UEFA Youth Cup-winning team will start the season in the First Division: Alan Green (Coventry) at White Hart Lane and Kevin Beat tie (Ipswich) at Old Trafford against Manchester U.

12 The new League season opens unhappily for Leeds: goalkeeper David Harvey is carried off with concussion in the 26th minute and Mick Jones leaves the field at the same time with a ricked ankle. Lorimer goes into goal and Chelsea beat the 10-man Yorkshire side 4-0. . . At Liverpool, Larry Lloyd and Wyn Davies sent off as Manchcstet C. lose 2-0, . . Manchester U. beaten at home by Ipswich and promoted Birmingham start the season with a home defeat by Sheffield U . . .
Norwich take a point at Everton . . . Middlesbrough beat Sunderland 2-1 in the Second Division and Aston Villa get two points at Preston. . . Stan Horne (Fulham) is the third player ordered off the field, in his case for dissent. . . Sheffield W. beat the Londoners 3-0 . . . In Scotland, the fancied teams win easily in the League Cup-Dundee score eight times v East Stirling.

13 The Dutch League season opens with easy victories for crack teams Ajax and Feyenoord. In Switzerland, champions Basle lose at home to Sion . . . Torpedo Moscow win the Russian Cup.

14 Chelsea, strongly attacked in the Press for the chaos before and during the Leeds game, decide to cut the standing capacity of Stamford Bridge by 7,000. During the reconstruction period the crowd limit will be set at 44,000 . . . C. Palace to train under their new floodlights in preparation for tomorrow's match v Derby. . , West Ham beat Coventry 1-0 with a disputed goal-four players' names taken.

15 Paul Davies, Ron's younger brother, goes on loan transfer from Arsenal to Charlton . . . Brian Clough, guest speaker at the Sportswriters' lunch, makes the usual quota of controversial statements: 'With the present League set-up England has no chance whatever in the World Cup. . . Colin Todd was suspended for being honest. . . The top club managers have the power to change the game in England, but they don't trust each other. . . Derby will reach the semi-final of the European Cup.' . . . Arsenal give an impressive demonstration of their version of 'total football', beating Wolverhampton 5-2. . . Liverpool 2 Manchester U. 0 -a flying four-points start for the Shankly team.
16 Another night of unpleasant incidents-four players sent off and 51 names taken . . . Tot ten ham join Liverpool and Arsenal as the only 100 per cent teams in Division I. . . In the League Cup Aston Villa beat Hereford 4-1 in front of 32,314 people.

17 The second round League Cup draw brings together Arsenal and Everton at Highbury. Holders Stoke open their defence of the trophy with a home tie v Sunderland . . . Larry Lloyd to appeal against his sending-oft. in the game with Manchester C. . . . Dennis Follows, FA secretary, asks thc players to show common sense and reason. 'We have completely reorganised the disciplinary system in the game. The clubs wanted it and the players accepted it, if not cheerfully, then without too much protest. But if those very people are not going to accept it in the spirit in which it was conceived we are in for a very difficult time.'

18 Everton chairman John Moores says that Continental players, especially from the Common Market countries, should be allowed to play in England as full professionals.

19 Peter Wall (C. Palace) breaks a leg in the game against Liverpool . . . Arsenal beat Stoke 2-0 with two Ray Kennedy goals and are the only team in the First Division with full points from three games. Chelsea (2-1 at Derby), Liverpool (1-1) Everton (2-0 v Manchester U.) and West Ham (5-2 v Leicester) are all on five points. Pointless Manchester u. are last and W.B.A. have yet to score a goal.
Hereford register their first-ever Football League win-3-0 v Reading.

20 Bruce Rioch has a fractured wrist and is likely to be out of the game for six weeks.

21 The eleven Scottish League players selected by a panel of journalists in connection with the launching of the Rothmans Football Yearbook 1972/73 are honoured at a luncheon reception in Glasgow. They are: Clarke; Brownlie, McNeill, D. Smith, Hay; Murdoch, Stanton, Phillip; Johnstone, Harper, Macari . . . Leicester sign Frank Worthington (Huddersfield) for an estimated fee of 80,000 pounds. . . UEFA take a tough line on crowd behaviour and states that in future only grounds with adequate safety facilities, such as two-metre high fences or moats, will be eligible to stage finals. . . Uruguay withdraws her proposal concerning the Home Countries and in future England, N. Ireland, Scotland, and Wales will still be treated as separate entities by FIFA. The delegates recommend that the 16-strong field for the 1978 World Cup finals should be maintained and so the number of competing countries will not be increased to 24.

22 Concetta Lo Bello, the Italian referee who is an MP will be in charge of the Liverpool v Eintracht Frankfurt UEFA Cup tie. . . Hereford sign Dave Rudge from Aston Villa for 6,000 pounds. . . Sir Alf Ramsey and Helmut Schoen will manage the two 'Common Market' teams in the match scheduled for January. . . Don Murray (Cardiff) sent off in the League Cup replay v Bristol R. . . . Arsenal drop their first point of the season, at Coventry . . . Tottenham put Graham Souness on the transfer list.

23 Leicester pay Orient 112,000 pounds for Dennis Rofe-the biggest transfer fee paid for a full-back in Britain. . . FIF A decide the ban on Rhodesia must stand. . .
Liverpool win 2-1 at Stamford Bridge and go on top of the table. . . Manchester U. collect their first point of the season at home v Leicester. Frank Worthington scores on his debut for the visitors.

24 Derby buy Davtd Nish from Leicester for a British record fee of 225,000 pounds. . .
The Celtic v Rangers League match will kick off at 12 noon and will be played at Hampden Park in order to fight rowdyism due to drunkenness. . . C. Palace will play Hearts, and Newcastle will face Ayr in the first round of the Texaco Cup.
-Seven ties will be played between English and Scottish clubs, while SheffieJd U. meet W.B.A. in an English clash.

25 Leicester insist that Peter Shilton is not for sale. . . Alfredo di Stefano in England to watch Manchester C., future UEFA Cup opponents of his club, Valencia . . . Charlie George, in pay dispute with Arsenal, recalled against Manchester U. in place of the injured Radford . . . Tony Waiters appointed as manager/ coach to the England Youth team in succession to Gordon Milne . . . Bobby Charlton will play in the reserve team tomorrow against Bury Reserves, his first appearance for the reserves for ten years. Charlton says: 'There are things I could say about the situation here that I would regret later.'

26 Ralph Coates taken off with a nose injury against Leeds and the game ends in a 0-0 draw at White Hart Lane. Liverpool return to the top of the table with a 3-2 win over West Ham. Arsenal and Everton are the other unbeaten clubs in Division I. Sheffield W., Halifax, and Mansfield top the other divisions. . . Brentford's John O'Mara is 'for sale' according to manager Frank Blunstone.

28 Fulham win at Reading 1-0 in the second replay of their League Cup tie. Two young strikers John O'Mara (Brentford) and Bill Garner (Southend) are watched by several top division managers and their transfer into a higher class of football seems imminent.

29 West Ham drop goalkeeper Bobby Ferguson, in dispute with the club over his contract. The Hammers lose 1-0 at Highbury, where Alan Ball scores from a penalty after 50 seconds play! . . .In the other games C. Palace beat Manchester C. and Everton defeat Derby. . . only four goals scored in five First Division matches . . . David Turner (ex-Brighton) joins Blackburn on a free transfer. . . Italian players threaten strike action if their pay structure and pension schemes don't improve before the opening of the league season. . . Sir Stanley Rous attacks the 'shamateurism' of the Olympic football tournament and calls for a revision of its rules, but regretfully admits that it's not a FIFA responsibility. Only the IOC can put its own house in order.

30 First defeat for Liverpool-after leading 2-0 with two goals by John Toshack.
Keith Wellers' hat-trick gives home team Leicester a 3-2 victory. . . Billy Bremner, playing as a striker, gets a late winner for Leeds against Southampton . . . Manchester U. still without a win after six matches. . . The FA makes it clear that a player can be booked only once in the game. A second offence which warrants a caution must be punished by sending the player off . . . Ron Wigg (Watford) suspended for three matches. , . Barry Bridges goes to Brighton from Millwall for 30,000 pounds.

Thanks to Andrew Vause for helping to point out that there was no iron man in the Man U team, called Ian Ore !