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March 1975

As appeared in Rothman's Football Yearbook 1975-76 (6th year) :

The Queen Anne Press, London 1975

March
1 Third time lucky for Ron Saunders - his team Aston Villa win the League Cup 1-0. All the drama of a mediocre game is condensed in a short period towards the end of the match when Graydon scores from the penalty spot. Goalkeeper Keelan pushes the first shot against a post, but Graydon scores from the rebound ... At Sunderland, W.B.A. 'keeper John Osborne is injured and when a penalty is given against his team, he hands over the goalie's jersey to full back Nisbet. Towers crashes his shot against a post. But later the limping Osborne is beaten by Halom and Robson (2) ... Arsenal decide not to appeal on behalf of Ball and McNab against their dismissals last week at Derby. Both players will go ahead with their appeals and will conduct their own defence.

3 Alan Ball is upset over his club's refusal to support his appeal against suspension. 'Arsenal and I can never be the same again', he says ... Clubs involved in FA Cup replays next week will be excused for not releasing players for the England game against W. Germany.

4 Bristol Rovers agree to pay £25,000 to Coventry for Wilf Smith. Bournemouth sign John Rudge for £6000 from Bristol R., and Brighton pay £7000 for Alan Lewis of Derby - their 17th signing since manager Peter Taylor came to the club . . . The West German squad against England includes seven members of the World Cup winning side, but it also includes some completely new names.

5 Don Revie names Alan Ball in his 20-strong squad for the German match and also includes no fewer than eight uncapped players. Notable omissions - Emlyn Hughes, captain of England for the past nine games, Trevor Brooking, Martin Dobson, and the Leicester duo of Weller and Worthington ... Leeds beat Anderlecht 3-0 in the European Cup. Due to swirling fog, visibility is poor and referee Rudi Gloeck-ner takes the teams off the pitch for 17 minutes during the first half. Late in the game Bremner, for the first time in his career, is substituted.

6 Ipswich manager Bobby Robson is charged with bringing the game into disrepute, having allegedly been involved in an argument with the Derby player Francis Lee and the referee Bob Perkin during a League game at Portman Road... Terry Neill resigns as N. Ireland's national team manager ... Colin Stein goes back on a month's loan to Rangers.

8 A great day for London clubs in the FA Cup quarter-finals. Alan Taylor, a surprise choice for West Ham, scores twice at Highbury in his team's 2-0 win over the Gunners. This is the first time ever that Arsenal have lost a home Cup tie to a London club. Fulham beat Carlisle 1-0 with a Les Barrett goal, producing a fifth semi-final appearance for a club which has never reached the final. Birmingham are also in the last four, but Ipswich and Leeds have to replay following their goalless draw. In the League, Everton increase their lead to two points and Leicester catch Tottenham in the fight for survival at the bottom of the table . . . Phil Boyer and Ron Guthrie are sent off at Norwich, where Sunderland draw 0-0 . . . Seven players are sent off, including two from Port Vale - full-backs Neil Griffith and John Brodie. This gives a total of seven this season, a new record for a League club.

10 Don Revie appoints Alan Ball to captain England against W. Germany on Wednesday. He also drafts uncapped lan Gillard and David Mills, and Dave Thomas into the squad, as replacements for the Leeds and Ipswich players who are not available . . . Aston Villa turn down John Gidman's transfer request. The young full-back cannot get back into the team on recovering from a serious firework injury.

11 Brentford sell Willie Brown to Torquay for £5000, and buy Micky French from Q.P.R. for £2000. . . Revie gives first caps to full-backs Whitworth (Leicester), Gillard (Q.P.R.), and Hudson of Stoke. The Germans will field five of their World Cup winning side ... In Dublin, the Republic of Ireland beat W. Germany 'B' 1-0 with a goal by Jimmy Conway . . . Leeds and Ipswich draw once again - after extra time. A Dave Johnstone goal is equalized by substitute Duncan McKenzie 25 seconds from time . . . The FA reject a plan to show 'instant replays' on giant screens at Wembley. Scfioen agrees and says, 'It would be most unfair to the referee.' . . . Barry Wagstaff (Reading) joins Rotherham for £10,000.

12 England, in the 100th full international match at Wembley, beat W. Germany 2-0. The eleven - selected from ten different clubs - give a highly satisfactory performance in beating the Germans for the first time since the 1966 World Cup final. Revie says, 'This is the best performance by an England team since I took over as manager. They proved we have players in the country who can really play. There is a lot to do yet, but, at least, the foundation is there.' The game is seen on close circuit TV in a number of cinemas . . . Terry Cooper moves to Middlesbrough for a £50,000 fee ... Leicester pay £110,000 for Chris Garland of Chelsea.

13 A few more cut-price transfer deals: Martin Peters to Norwich for £50,000, Willie Carr to Wolves for £100,000, Colin Stein, who has been on loan with Rangers, will stay in Scotland for £80,000 ... The Stockport players threaten strike action unless they get their weekly wage on time. Chairman Lukic and manager Meadows are both anxious to resolve the matter before tomorrow's game v Bradford C. . . . Everton sign Dave Smallman the Welsh international for £70,000.

15 Wolves beat Chelsea 7-1 - the highest score this season in Division One. But the Ipswich v Newcastle clash provides even more goals. With the help of a Bryan Hamilton hat-trick, the East Anglians win 5-4! Ex-Spurs player Graeme Souness scores twice against his old club and Tottenham are now in a relegation spot in the table. Everton get a point in a dull goalless draw at Leeds, and are three points ahead of the field ... In Division Two, Aston Villa continue their march up the table with a 3-0 win over Southampton . .. Billy Bonds is taken to hospital with a badly gashed leg at West Ham after 90 seconds play. David Harvey, the Leeds 'keeper, is out with injury for the rest of the season.

16 Dave Clements, the N. Ireland "and Everton skipper, says that referees should organize a summer school to iron out inconsistencies. Chelsea pull three youngsters out of the UEFA squad travelling to Spain, because they need them against Q.P.R. in a League match ... The England players are asked whether they are willing to play against N. Ireland in Belfast. Five of them vote yes, two no, and four are undecided. Tony Waddington says that the matter should be decided by the FA after taking expert advice from the Government.

17 Ipswich beat Stoke 2-1, and are now three points behind Everton - beaten at Middlesbrough. In the Stoke game, Dennis Smith breaks his leg - the fourth Stoke player to suffer such a serious injury this season ... Q.P.R. complete a 'double' over Chelsea, and as Arsenal win, Chelsea are now 18th with only four points to spare over the relegation candidates ... Young England beat Spain 1-0 in Madrid and qualify for the UEFA Youth Cup finals, to be played in Switzerland ... The FA has turned down Malcolm Allison's request for the lifting of his seven-year-old touchline ban. A disappointed Allison says, '1 don't think referees get any better, but perhaps I have. My disciplinary record has been exemplary during the last two years. It is alright at Selhurst Park, where I have a 'phone link with the bench, but at away matches we are at a disadvantage'... Merlyn Rees, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, says that the international in May should be played in Belfast.

19 'Leeds reach the semi-final of the European Cup with a 1-0 away win over Ander-lecht . . . Sheffield W. directors Stanley Ashton and Arthur Broomhead resign. . . There will be substantial increases next season in admission charges. Minimum price will go up to 65p and seats might cost up to £3. These proposals will be put in front of the League AGM in June.

20 Independent Television has offered a deal to the BBC which involves alternating the major sporting events between the companies. They propose that this season the BBC should have the sole rights to screen the Cup Final, and ITV should cover the England v Scotland match.

22 Terry Cooper is sent off at Chelsea for a remark made to a linesman. 'I thought referee Jolly was pointing at a plane in the sky when he sent me off,' said the Middlesbrough full-back ... Everton are still three points ahead of five clubs on the 41 points mark . . . Luton put an end to Leeds' 19-match unbeaten record.

24 Dave Clement (Q.P.R.) is out of football for the rest of the season with a foot injury ... Alan Ball and Bob McNab are both suspended for three matches following their sending-off at Derby ... Sir Alf Ramsey takes a job with a sports equipment company, but says that he is still hoping to get back into football with an English First Division club.

25 After five-and-a-half hours play, Leeds and Ipswich are still deadlocked in the FA Cup ... Liverpool beat Newcastle 4-0, and are now only one point behind leaders Everton ... Luton improve their chance of escaping relegation with a 2-0 win over Arsenal ... Dave Mackay, the Derby manager, says that some clubs make 'criminal use' of the appeal system. Next season - as a principle - Derby won't appeal against bookings unless it was a case of mistaken identity ... Notts Co. are the first football club to have played 3000 League matches. Appropriately, their 'jubilee' game is against local rivals, Forest. The score - 2-2!

27 A complaint is made to the Price Commission about the Leeds plans to increase admission charges for the European Cup semi-final home leg against Barcenlona ... The Ipswich v Leeds Sixth Round FA Cup marathon is over - after seven hours' play Ipswich, for the first time in their history, reach the semi-finals by beating the Yorkshire team 3-2.

28 Tottenham record their first home win since December 7, by beating Wolves 3-0.

29 Day 2 of football's Easter rush period. A shock defeat of Everton at Carlisle enables Liverpool to go back on top of the table. Carlisle, still doomed to be relegated, are the only club to do the double against Everton this season . . . Roger Davies scores all five Derby goals against Luton. This is the best individual haul of the season, and the best in Division One since Geoff Hurst got six against Sunderland in 1968 . .. Clubs deep in relegation trouble win both London derbies. Chelsea win at West Ham and Tottenham at Q.P.R. - both 1-0. . . In Scotland, Celtic's reign is over - Rangers clinch the Championship with a 1-1 draw at Hibernian. Colin Stein, who has recently returned to the Glasgow club from Coventry, gets the equalizer for Rangers.

31 Ken Furphy, the Sheffield U. manager, bitterly complains about Arsenal's strong-arm tactics after the match at Highbury. 'I never thought 1 would live to see the day when Arsenal players fought among themselves, pulled shirts, wasted time, and so freely indulged in foul tactics.' Arsenal win 1-0 by a Brian Kidd goal and are four points clear of the relegation zone... Derby score five for the second time during the Easter holidays. They win 5-2 at Burnley . . . Luton concede five also within three days - their 5-2 defeat at Wolves seems to spell relegation for them ... In Division Two, Manchester United - 3-2 winners over Oldham in front of 56,678 people -are certain of promotion, and Sheffield W. go into Division Three.