Last Saturday was the worst possible
result in the world for US and we
threw away three valuable points to
a side who, though better o n the
day than us, had a little bit of luck.
And that's certainly something
we've been short of this season.
But we just haven't been getting
the performances the players were
producing earlier in the season when
many clubs were saying we were the
best side they had faced.
I've asked the players t o commit
themselves more for the club and I
hope that attitude will be borne out
this afternoon.
We took another blow last week
when we lost Kenny Clements who
has gone into hospital for a cartilage
operation which could keep him out
for the rest of the season.
Kenny has been carrying the injury
since November last year and
although we knew the player needed
an operation it was he who insisted
that he should carry on playing.
With a small pool of players it has
made life very difficult for us and
looking back we have been dealt
some cruel blows with injuries.
Nick Sinclaii is out for the season.
Gary Hoolickin has played only forty
minutes football in 13 weeks and
Steve Edwards. Paul Futcher. Paul
Heaton, Ged Keegan. Darron
McDonough, Roger Palmer, John
Ryan and Rodger Wylde have all
missed games because of injury or
suspension.
Look at the luck some of the
other promotion high fliers have
enjoyed - Luton have sailed through
the season virtually unchanged and
Rotherham haven't had one serious
injury.
Now we have lost Darron
McDonough for two matches and
OLDHAM ATHLETIC
ASSOCIATION FOOTBALL CLUB
BOUNDARY PARK OLDHAM
FOUNDED1899
Board of D~rectors
Cha~rrnan:H.W~lde
V~ceCha~rrnan: R.Schof~eld
D.A.Br~erley. G T Butterworth
J.Kershaw . G.Kn~ght . I.H.Stutt
F.D.Wh~tehead
Team Manager J.Fr~zzell
for two players to take on loan but
there are other players with records
that put them perilously close t o
being suspended.
I'm not making excuses for our
dreadful run since Christmas which
has seen us drop out of the top
three for the first time since the
beginning of December.
But the injuries haven't helped.
Secretary: T F~nn
Comrnerc~al Manager. A. Hardy
A s s ~ s t a nCoach:
t W.Urmson
Ch~ef Scout: C. McDonald '
Hon.Med~cal R.B.Hollos
Off~cer:
Phys~otherap~st:
S.Wanless,M.S.R.G.,S.R.R.G.
Programme E d ~ t o rA.: Hardy
at the time of writing these notes I
have met with little success despite
being in touch with more then two
dozen clubs.
We have no money t o buy and with
a lot of clubs running on similar lines
t o ourselves, just can't afford to let
players go.
Take our own situation last week -
we could have gone into the game
without a substitute.
If.the reserve team would have had
a fixture that's what would have
happened.
Talking of the reserves I would like
t o mention that whilst we have some
promising youngsters in the side they
are not yet quite ready for the
rigours of the Second Division.
It is for that reason we have t o keep
playing our recognised first tearners
even when they are off form.
At one time I could put them in
the reserves whilst they played their
way back but. at the moment, that's
impossible.
I named the players who didn't do
their job last week and they knew I
was right.
Now we have to go out with the
attitude to win, nothing else will be
good enough.
The promotion race isn't over yet
and three points against Sheffield
Wednesday, whom we welcome to
Boundary Park this afternoon, will
put us right back in contention.
Despite a run that has brought only
two wins since December we were
still in the top three until last week
.. . and with teamschasing promotion
still having t o play each other
anything can happen.
Let's hope a little bit of luck breaks
our way this afternoon and we can
get back to our winning ways.
 with
MARTIN
TYLER

Granada TeleVkion

The North West has witnessed a significant
switch in football's tactical approach. It was at
Manchester City's Maine Road in February that
Ron Greenwood asked Manchester United's Ray
Wilkins to operate as a sweeper behind marking
defenders - Latics' Paul Futcher and Brighton's
Steve Foster. Y
The interest in the experiment must have
produced a smile or two in the Burnley area.
Brian Miller's side has utilised a similar plan for
much of the season -usually with that experienced
and wise footballer, Martin Dobson, as a sweeper
- and the tactics have played a major part in
Burnley's stirring run from a disastrous start to
the season into promotion candidates.
Ron Greenwood is quick t o point out that the
system has attacking as well as defensive qualities.
You only have to think of Franz Beckenbauer's
effective break from the back to agree. Scirea of
Juventus and Italy is another Bweeper who has
weighed in with important goals at the highest
England's opponents in the first group game.
Naturally England's scouting team had watched
the Belgians many times. One tactic they had
never used was the offside trap. Yet in Turin,
Belgium played offside.
England were caught and could manage only
a draw. Belgium went on into the final.
On KICK OFF Don Howe also put forward the
argument that the Football League should offer
no points for a goalless draw. It is a formula that
deserves investigation, and would put an end to
an attitude which at times can still be detected.
That a team can have one point before the game
starts and goes onto the pitch determined not
t o lose it.
It was unfortunate for Don that Arsenal's
result at Manchester United the next day was
. . . nil-nil - a scoreline repeated at Manchester
City last weekend!

k
level.
MATCH TIME cameras that afternoon were not
at Old Trafford but at Anfield, where Coventry

/* For England the ability to vary the pattern

will be important in the World Cup. Don Howe,
now Greenwood's right-hand man, gave me a
telling example of the need for variety when he
was a recent guest on KICK OFF. In the 1980's
European Championship finals, Belgium were
City were put to the sword. Liverpool reminded
us all, Arsenal included, of one important aspect
of their success. In the nature of the contemporary
game it is vital to get a regular supply of goals
from midfield players. McDermott, Souness and
Lee were all on the mark against Coventry.

*I

-
1 programme design & I
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C
ASCROFT STREET - OLDHAM
Tel:061.624 12221633 5958

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LATIN AMERICAN
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I A COMPREHENSIVEHISTORY
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Blackburn .March 1913

18 Middleton Road Royton Ifaay suppalcrbddranylhiqdating lo

' FROMTHE BOARDROOM ;L
-
.- -
'
\-
<a:-;.
>-*
I , I was rather u et this week t o see the
comments of F.A. Ecretary Ted Croker in the
Press, s u gestin that the efforts of Jimmy Hill
and Six %att Busby t o find a way of makin
League football more attractive were a waste of
time.
He says the game is still attractive and it is the
attitude of the teams which must change.
, While I recognise that the F.A. represent foot-
ball as a whole and, at the moment we abide by
their rules, it often seems ludicrous that we in
the Football League run a professional set-up and
yet come under the control of the F.A. which is
m essence an amateur body.
One area which I find strange is the issue of
control over referees. Because they come under
F.A. control, we in the League have no redress. We
can't even be critical of them.
Players are not all sweet and innocent, of
course, but it's fair t o say that some referees are
also at fault.
When we lose players through automatic
suspensions where we have no right of appeal, i t
is not so much the individual who suffers but the
clubs, again, who are without their services. We
can only take one player o n loan (two in a full
.
8 .-L~,
season) which means many clubs have to carry
bigger staffs than is real1 necessary at a time when
we all recognise the needTto economise.
I believe the League should have control over
referees and that an independent tribunal should
hear disciplinary complaints, allowing clubs the
right of a peal.
It is a t o u t time the F.A., the League and the
players union got together on this, and many other
subjects, before the game falls apart around our
ears.
Here is just another example of how silly the
situation is when we have separate governing
bodies:- At a time when several League clubs are
faced with extinction and most are in some sort
of financial diffi+ty the F.A. paid out in
Corporat~on Tax m tke last financial year, a
ering 8350,000.
St% t mone is lost t o the game of which the
League is sure& the ma-or element in that, o n top
of everythin else - like roviding the ma'or
teams in the /.A. Cup - we 2- provide club s i d e
for European tournaments an_d players t o
represent us internationally.
H. WILDE (Chairman)
Talk person to persa -
As Oldham's largest insurance brokers,
we offer a full and, most important a
personal service for all types of insurance.
It's a service we're proud to extend to
mortgages, both domestic and industrial.
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Established over 50 years.
Whitehead & Lees 1
(Insurances) Ltd. I
The British Insurance Brokers' Association
34, Union Street. Oldhmn (tel061-6332361)
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14. Rossall Road. Cleveleys (tel0253-855818)
 ' B a c k Row: A. McCulloch, I. Mellbr, D. Redfern, R. Bolder, B. Cox, J. Pearson, D. Grunt. Middle Row:
I
F. Blunstone, M- Setters Coaches), J. Holton, M. Smith, G. Megsori, G. Oliver, M. Sterland,
T. Mattheiuson. R. Blackha I, Peter Shirtliff, T. Toms (Coach), Front Row: K. Taylor, G. Owen,
.'2 Curran, B. Hornsby, A. Mirocevic, J. Charlton (Manager), D. L e w n , C. Williamson, Paul Shirtliff,
J. King, G. Bannwter

SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY - BRIEF Wednesday's darkest hour came in 1974-75when,

HISTORY
MANAGER Jack Charlton's current Sheffield
Wedne a slde has a long, proud tradition to live up
to a dSgOiOUgh.
' '
*-" 6ednesda are the third oldest club e; in
the ~ o o t b dLeague, having been f o u w o n
Sept mber 5 1867.
takk their name "Wednesday" because that
~ i e y
'was the half-da off in the town p d the title adopted
by the wedneszay Cricket Club m 1816. The cricket
lads finally decided to form a soccer club to keep
members together during the winter.
The "Wednesday" t stuck with the soccer club
whe the cncket and fo3ball club split in 1883
8e@esday have. since won the Foqtball ~ e a g u e
champ~ondu four tunes -in the successwe seasons of
1902-03 am?1903=4 and again in 1928-29,1929-30.
The 1928-29 trium h came just a year after they had
narrowly avoided r 8 ation!
In 1980 ~ e d n a a ywent close to achieving the
League and Cu double falling in the semi-final of the
F.A. Cup to guddersfikld Town to a hotly-disputed
g@.
Wednesday.hape made five appearances in the F.A.
Cy final - w g
- three of them m 1896.1907 and
:J9b.
The Second Division championshi has one to
Wednesday f~ve tunes - in 1899-1B00, 1%25-26
1951-52. 1955-56 and 1958-59. They were alsd
promoted m 1949-50 as runners-u to S up on goal
d~iference from arch-rivals ~he&ield t m t e d and
. Southam~ton.
for the first and only time in their history, they were.
rele ated t o the Third Division.
hanager Jack Charlton (O.B.E.) was appointed in r .
October 1977 and ded Wednesday back to the
Second Division in 19%-79 as runners-up.
, 5
A W A R M welcome today to our rivals from
across t h e Pennines, Sheffield Wednesday, w h o are
sure to provide tough opposition.
Jack Charlton's team have, rather like ourselves,
struggled to find their best form at home recently.
But a record o f eight away wins in 15 matches
speaks for itself.
Among the Wednesday players expected o n ,
I
d u t y are:-
R A Y BLACKHALL - born Ashington, right-
1
back signed from Newcastle August 1978.
G A R Y BANNISTER - born Warrington, signed
from Coventry City July 1981. L e f t mid-field or
winger ahd enjoying a good goalscoring record this
term.
1

.- -.. ----.- -.-- - . - - -- -- ,-

- -.ie follc _ - .,
. fir1 - - thl-
1st and present in sponsoring the Undersoil Hearing Sytem at ~ o u n d a r ~ ~ a

PHASK ENGINEERING. WllSONS BREWERY OLDHAM METROPOLITAN BOROUGH

1

1
 ' BOB BOLDER - (goalkeeper). ~orn-~over,

- ,
joined Wednesday from Dover F.C. in March 1977.
-
. TERRY CURRAN - (forward). Born Kinsley,
- Nr. Pontefract. Joined from Southampton, March
1979. was t o p scorer with 23 goals in 1980181.
DAVID GRANT - (left back). Born Sheffield.
AT A LOTTEMAGENT
1, An ex-Sheffield Boys' player and a member of the
Yorkshire Boys7 squad. Joined from school as an
NEAR YOU I-

apprentice in July 1976 and became a full

professional February 17th 1978. CL
i
GARY MEGSON-(midfield). Born Manchester.
' Joined Plymouth from school and went t o Everton
1 8 months ago. Joined Wednesday from Everton
30.7.81. Was a member of the England,Under-21
- squad.

i ANTE MIROCEVIC - (midfield). Born

Titograd, Yugoslavia. Joined from Budocnost,
Titograd in September 1980. A member of the
Yugoslav International team. Made 25 League
appearances for Wednesday last season, scoring 5
goals.
ANDY McCULLOCH - (forward). Born North-
ampton. Joined from Brentford June 1979.
Wednesday's top scorer last season with 1 8 goals.
JOHN PEARSON - born Sheffield, lives only
minutes from the ground, he joined from school as
an apprentice and became a full professional May
1981. Made his League debut against Bristol City,
September 1980 and scored in the 2-1 win. A
member of the England Youth squad.
PAUL SHIRTLIFF - (born Barnsley). Joined
- from school as an apprentice June 1979 and
became a full professional in 1980. The brother of
Peter Shirtliff.
PETER SHIRTLIFF -(defender). Born 'Chapel- .-
town, Nr. Barnsley, joined from school as an
apprentice and became a full professional in 1978.
MARK SMITH - (defender). Born Sheffield,
joined from school as an apprentice July 1976 and
became a full professional January 1978. An
ex-Sheffield Boys' player and a member of the
England Under-21 squad for the last two seasons.

t
MELVYN STERLAND - (midfield). Born
Sheffield, an ex-Sheffield Boys' player, joined
from school as an apprentice June 1978 and
became a full professional Ohtober 1979.
KEVIN TAYLOR- (midfield). Born Wakefield,
joined from school as an apprentice and became COMMISSION ON ALLTICKET SALES
a full professional October 1978. POINT OF SALE MATERIAL
CHARLES WILLIAMSON - (defender). Born BONUS PRIZE OF 10% ON ALL WlMNl
Sheffield. An ex-Sheffield Boys' player, joined TICKETS SOLD FOR f10 OR QVER-
from school as an apprentice and became a full ie.THE f4,000WINNER f400 BONU
( professional February 1980. REGULAR WEEKLY COLLECTIOP

snUlnspnnn~-h~ab~
R S E A L WINDOWS L TD 01

- - ILLOUCHB'
38 100 BROADWAY CHADDEF
WINE 8 SPIRIT MERCHANT
Telephone. 061 620 1374
I
I
I I
 STEVE EDWARDS

!- -
-i+w

OLDHA
-
!f&k061*652
-
Tel:O61*969 7534
--F

SALE
-L -

VERSATILE Steve Edwards is, surprisingly

enough, one of the longest serving players on
Athletic's books at the moment. Surprisingly,
I

"EXTL . - ..DBEmFITTED BEDROOM

FURNITURE
I because he is still relatively inexperienced in
terms of senior football having made around
70 first-team appearances.
""CAF!RIa'LC "'EURUPA KITCHEN Steve, a couple of months past hi 2 i t h
. . FURNITURE birthday, was spotted by our scouting staff
playing for Ellesmere Boys and signed for the
club in June 1974.
Although signed originally as a midfield
player, he has developed through the junior
ranks into a versatile defender. However, he has
had to face strong competition for a place over
the years - from the likes of Maurice Whittle,
David Holt and Ronnie Blair.
In the reserves, Steve has played in all the
back-four positions but has found it difficult
t o grad his favoured left-back berth regularly
in the senior side and is now playing on the
opposite flank as cover for the injured Nick
Sinclair and Gary Hoolickin.
Amiable Steve, who hails from Birkenhead,
is married with a young daughter and has
FtJRNlTUREMANUFACJURFRS recently moved home t o live in Shaw.
Tunwell Mills
Tunwell Lane
Eccl~hill
Bradford BD2 2HE

Tei: Bradford (0274)630576

1
 &J
'
As League football struggl.es from one crisis to the club then they shoukl tell their manager that if t w ~atab4i&eaggl'-;;-

-.8
next, and Rllana~arstall by the wayside like tenpins in a them in that position he has a job for life.
bowling allay - victims of the success of others - But what happens?When they gzt to the Second Division,, -
Shatfield Wednesday boss, ,Jack Cha,rlton cpalk out t h e very same dimtore have bigger visbna, dream oe'
some home trutho. ,. V b
'?ah,
8 playing in the First Division, of winning cups and trophies. * .
I talk to some (Llr*Gm6ffmtberl &&sin ifw Thlednd
idMeBfmhinBD
They are ideals which are not always mlietk to the,
circumstameo of the club because the outside infkrsnce such1 ,
as crowd potential a d wch like are deciiw.
3 if r
The diffmcwm in the running costs of a Fhrst and %orxi
Division cktb a n rtaggering... I wuuld estimate it is at b a t
I f500.000.50where do you get half+-million quid on winnjng
promotion? If you want to stasy up than you have to buy
i player6 and the increased revenue though ths gates will not
cover t h t .
I I

-
I -
-
.. !:'- - a 5;-
 Undoubtedly from what I have seen this season the level of
organisation, that is defensive organisation in terms of
pressuring the ball and limiting people's time to play, is
probably as great if not greater in the lower divisions than it is
in the First Division. At the top there seems to be more
respect paid to players and their ability to play in tight
situations and therefore they are often given a little bit more
room. There isn't much room given to players in the Third
Division and we have to come to terms with that fact. If that
means that there is less rolly polly football as it were then that
is an unfortunate fact of life which is forced upon us.

CRISIS
"At Brjstol our tactics have been dictated purely and simply
by the players available plus a few basic philosophy's and it
WHEN BRISTOL CITY BOSS Bob Houghton suddenly quit so happens that one of our basic principles is that you should
at the beginning of the year, it was a stunning reminder of try and restrict the amount of time and space opponents
the pressure and frustration smothering the modern game. have on the ball. Otherwise they can destroy you with their
Houghton had won international recognition only three skills."
short years ago when he led unfashionable Swedish club Roy had no previous experienc; of management in this
Malmo to the final of the European Cup. It was a fine tribute country although he was in charge of the Swedish club
to his powers of leadership and coaching ability, yet in the Halmstad for five years before join@g Houghton at Bristol,
pressure cooker atmosphere of fhe Football League he.ran and took them to a Swedish Championship triumph.
out of time and inspiration... life at the bonom of the Third However he concedes that "the Football League always has
Division proved too exacting. a magic ring about it and it is different, but the problems of
One man who was shocked by Houghton's decision - management are much the same wherever you are."
although the City boss had confided in him a month earlier of He points out: "The Swedish First Division is a much
his intention - was his assistant Roy Hodgson. who was higher standard than the English Third Division although the
then asked to take over the club on a temporary basis.
This sort of arrangement is very hard on the person
stepping in but Roy had no qualms: "Oh no it was quite a
logical step really" he exclaims: "I am only a caretaker
manager anyway, that has been made perfectly clear and the
club then advertised the vacancy. It was up to them to decide
whether they wanted to perpetuate the status quo and
continue the work Bob and I had started or whether they
wanted a fresh approach altogether."
Consequently Hodgson was under tremendous strain,
having come from within the existing organisation he could
not expect the sort of latitude extended to a new
appointment ... here there was no extension given, success
was expected to be instant.
"That is absolutely right" confirms Mr. Hodgson who
continues: "But 1 made it clear to my Chairman that I did not
dissociate myself in any way from what had gone on, in fact
quite the opposite. I feel fairly proud in being associated with
what Bob did. He turned the club around, certainly as far as
the economics were concerned, and made big sacrifices.

DOUBLE EDGED
"Of course I was as appalled and disappointed as anybody
that it all co-incided with a bad run of results which placed us
at the wrong end of the table, but I still think we were
working on the right lines. Given time - and when we
started the Chairman did say it would be a three year
programme - our way will bring success.
"The point that having taken over three months short of
that half-way stage, I would be evaluated on the previous
fifteen months is perfectly valid but it is a situation one has to
accept and I made it clear that I was hoping to serve my
contract out with the club.
"The Third Division is a very even competition and that is
like a double edged sword. It means that there aren't any
easy games and so you can not depend on any easy points to
get out of trouble. On the other hand there is no need to be
afraid of any side either, for we are just as likely to win points
from the Chesterfield's of the world as the Wimbledon's.
"The critics suggest that the Third Division is a difficult
division to play 'football' in but what is attractive football?
What appeals to me might not to be to your taste.
problems of coaching and dealing with players are basically
the same. The job at Bristol for example is to coach and
balance the team - organise them in such a way as to
1
produce results from the resources available.
"There is no doubt about it, success on the field is the
imperative factor for all football clubs because it is the only
constant factor that one can base ideals on when it comes to
]
attracting the public to your ground."
Roy Hodgson like all the rest will be judged on results...
but he certainly can't have expected to find himself in the
centre of a crisis which threatened to close the clubs
operation. With a f700.000 overdraft and losing a f1,000a
day Bristol City have simply run out of money, Roy Hodgson
is certainly in at the deep end, as his club totter on the brink
of extinction.
 The Columbian image is unsuit-
able for the 1986 Finals claims a
strong lobby from the Columbian
parliament who are clearly anxious
to call off the proposed football
festival which they estimate will
cost the impoverished Country
something like 380 million dollars
to stage. . . Brazil would seem to
BOLTON WANDERERS are
currently eduring one of the less
auspicious periods that have
frequently punctuated their
illustrious history, since
becoming founder members of
the Football League in 1888.
Although the club can not claim
any great achievements in
terms of championships won,
they have managed to stay the
course for the majority of their
time and spent just two seasons
NEIL WHATMORE - finished in ninth, fifth and then
scored 74 goals for
Bolton.
outside the First and Second
Division's.
It all started as a Sunday
School enterprise in 1874 under
the name Christ Church, but as
the football side became more
serioud a rift between the
committee and the vicar
developed until the footballers
were forced to leave the church
premises. Having no base they
became wanderers and in 1877
formed themselves into Bolton
Wanderers Football Club.
A year later the Wanderers
became founder members of
t h e Lancashire F o o t b a l l
Association, playing their home
matches at Pike's Lane until
1895 when they transferred to
Burnden.
However before that came
about the club found itself in
hot water with the authorities
following an incident in 1883
when the referee was "hooted
on the ground" and afterwards
assaulted by unruly spectators.
The FA recommended that the
club be expelled from football
but fortunately the case was
dealt with by the County FA
who were more sympathetic
and so the Wanderers lived on.
DOWN AND UP
There were further brushes with
authority to come when Bolton
were suspected of fielding pro-
fessionals. By chicanery they
hoodwinked the investigating
commission, but later admitted
that they had wrongfully paid
their players... However the
outcome saw the acceptance of
professionalism in 1885.
Three years later the Football
League was launched with 12
clubs. Bolton started badly
losing 6-3 at home to Derby al-
though they gradually improved
and finished the season in fifth
position, having won 10 and
drawn two of their 22 games,
with 63 goals for and 59 against.
The following season's Bolton
third place, the highest ranking
in their history. They have since
equalled that achievement
twice but the last occassion was
the season of 1924-25.
The first major setback was
suffered during the season of
1898-99 when despite thrashing
Sunderland 6-1 they could
muster only nine wins all
season, and thus were rele-
gated together with Sheffield
Wednesday. Nevertheless both
teams proved far too strong for
the Second Division and
bounced straight back up,
Wednesday finishing top and
Bolton second.
Relegated again in 1903 it '
took the Wanderers t w o
seasons to reafirm their status
in the top flight and after three
more seasons they faced the
drop once again.
This time Bolton returned as
Second Division Champions 1
(1908-091, with the following :
record: P38, W24, D4, L10, 1
F59, A28, Pts 52. The names of
Gaskell, Robinson, Baverstock, 1
Edmondson, Slater, Barber,
Greenhalgh, Hagan, Hughes, i
Owen, McEwan, Stokes and a
Hunter were imortalised, they
had won for Bolton their first
major trophy.
Not that the club hadn't been
close before, indeed they had
alreadv earned a feared reDu-
tation 'as Cup fighters and had
played in two finals by that
time. The first appearance was
at Everton in 1894 when they i
met Notts County whose 1
centreforward Logan netted a
hat-trick in County's 4-1 win. In
1904 Bolton faired a little better
I
against Manchester City at
Crystal Palace, but again only
collected runners-up medals
having lost by a single goal.
The Cup was becoming a
tradition and it was fitting that
Bolton should feature in the first
Wembley Final in 1923. What a
day that was with an estimated
126,000 people thronging onto
.the pitch and the famous white
horse clearing the playing area
so that the game with West
Ham United could commence. ..
It certainly proved third time
lucky for the Trotters, who this
time made no mistake with
goals from Jack and J. R. I
Smith clinching a fine 2-0 win.
Three years later Bolton were
back at Wembley, this time with
the chance to avenge former
conquerers Manchester City.
That man Jack got into the act
once again and his lone goal did
iust that.
YEAR FORMED: 1874
Turned Professional: 188L
Previous name: Christ Church FC until 1877
Second Division Champions - 1908-09, 1977-78
Second Division Runners-up- 1899-1900, 1904-05, 1910-11,
I
I Third Division Champions
FA Cup Winners
FA CUDRunners-uo
- 1972-73
- 1923, 1926, 1929, 1958
- 1894, 1904, 1953
1

UP FOR THE CUP TOP LEAGUE SCORERS

Bolton were almost making it a
habit to visit Wembley and in
1929 the famous shirts were
there again t o take on
Portsmouth. Neither side had
enjoyed a good season in the
League but they put on a great
show as Bolton won the Cup for
the third time with a 2-0 victory.
The goals came from Butler and
Blackmore.
1976-77 Neil Whatmore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
1977-78 Neil Whatmore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
1978-79 Frank Worthington . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
1979-80 Neil Whatmore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
1980-81 Neil Whatmore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Walter Rowley, Bill Ridding, Nat Lofthouse, Jimmy
Mcllroy, Jimmy Meadows, Nat Lofthouse, Jimmy
Armfield, Ian Greaves, Stan Anderson and George
Mulhall.

After all that glory Bolton trophy once again 2-0.

slumbered in relative Cup
obscurity until the old flame
was rekindled in 1953. This
game against Blackpool was to
become another chapter in
football folklore and was after-
wards dubbed the 'Matthews
Final.' It unfolded like a fictional
tale with Bolton taking a
sensational lead in two minutes
through Nat Lofthouse. Early in
the second-half Bolton were
cruising to victory with further
goals from Moir and Bell giving
them a 3-1 lead but then
Matthews inspired the most
sensational Cup comeback in
the history of the game.. .
Bolton were beaten 4-3.
. Five years later Machester
United provided the opposition
to Bolton's home grown team.
Once again it was a Final of
incidence and Lofthouse's
charge on United goalkeeper
Harry Gregg remains one of the
talking points of the Cup. The
BRIAN KlDD - A former England striker. goal stood and Bolton won the
Since then there have been
many sterling battles against
t h e likes of Liverpool,
Newcastle and Arsenal as
Bolton have reached the fifth
round on five occassions, but in
the league the club wandered
off course during the seventies
and found itself in the Third'
Division for the first time in
1971. It was the lowest ebb
dthough promotion was quickly
gained with the Third Division
title in 1973 and progress was
continued, culminating with the
Second Division Championship
in 1978. Alas Bolton could not
cement their position in the First
Division and slipped back down
in 1980.
Now the battle is on to try
and stop the downward trend.
spiraling, but it is a challenge
they have become accustomed
to over the years at Burnden
Park. Bolton who helped create
the Football League have found
more fame in the FA Cup!
 n was eno.
snow. And it wasn't only because West Bromwich
Albion had sbfdy negotiated the first hurdle on what
they, and their supporters, hoped might lead to the FA
Cup Final and Wembley.
The winter slush was still thick on the ground
outside the Hawthorns as smiling fans made their way
home - talking about the fate of others as much as
the tiuccess of their own side.
It wasn't really the fact that Birmingham had been
pipped by lpswich which induced the smiles. Neither
was it the news from Molineux where Wolves cup
interest had been summarity dismissed by Leeds.
No, it was the result from Watford, where the
Second Division side had stripped the gloss from
! Manchester United with a one goal win, which
reminded everyone what a. supwbly unpredi,ctable
competiti'on.the FA Cup can be.
One beaming Midlander summed it all up:" He left
us to go to a club where they would win troph'm.
Wonder what he thinks now?"
He? Ron Atkinson, erswhile manager of West
Bramwich Albion and now supremo of the multi-
million pound, multi-talented United quad.
Atkinson's defection still wrankles in these parts.
The fact that his often larger than life presence - not
to say shrewd mana-ent - had contributed much
to the success of Albion over the last couple of yeqrs
has been quickly forgotten.
Albion fans didn't bike it - and, I suppose, you can
appreciate their virew. It wasn't just Atkinson. Remi
Moses followed him and then, in a welter of
controversy, Bryan Rrrbm, too, made the trip to Otd
Trafford. It made him the most expensive player in
British footba.ll, but f1.7 million - or whatever -
didn't really appease the mass dimppointment.
DISCONTENT
The club, themselves, weren't exactly enamoured by
the dealings even thwgh some f2 million had been
accrued as a result of the transfer deals.
Man in the middle of - " nese developments was
Ronnie Allen - a man y might suspect with blue
I
and white striped blood in his veins.
He wae once an idol at the Hawthorns. A centre-
farward of pace and reflex who often gave centre-
.
halves three or f w r inches in height. . and an awful
lot of trouble.
It was 28 years ago, in 1954, when he fashioned his
own piece of Albion history by scoring twice in an FA
Cup Final win over Preston North End. Few who saw it
will forget his coolness as he dotted home a penalty
that brought Albion level at 2-2. The Preston
goalkeeper, Thompson, got both hands to the ball but
was beaten by Allen's power.
Allen was rrbviously the man for a crisis. And his
subsequent dealings have shown the merit of his
selection to take over the Albion reins.
He has coached in many parts of the world -
including a successful spell at Bilbao, it shouM be?said,
where England are to play their World Cup matches.
But in England it has really only been Albion who haw
demanded his attention.
Returning in such difficult circumstances he has
achieved much in a short space of time and his
judgement in the transfer market has been a real eye-
opener.
With the Atkinson-Robson-Moses furore blowing
an icy blast of discontent through the West Midlands it
was not surprising that Albion made a miserable start
to the mason. They found themdws precariously
near the bottom of the table and were disappointingly
shunted out of the UEFA Cup in double quick tirne.
But Allen was not going to be rushed into any hasty
transfer activities. He had the money to spend but
wasn't going to waste cash on playersjust for the sake
of it.
Of the Albion side that had moved excitingty into
Europe last season he had aiso lost the attacking skills
of Peter Barnes - in addition to Robson and Moses.
Then Allen made his mwe. Visits to the continent
were repaid with the signing of Martin Jol, a tall,
commanding and tough midfield operator from Dutch
club Twente Enschede.
 FAVOU RITES nis back room staff where former Gillingham manager
,"I, though very much a different opefator, may prove summers was Summers has
as valuable a signing as the dynamic Dutch duo bf succeeded in getting the best out of Albion and the
Arnold Muhren and Frans Thijssen have been to playing staff.
The changes were not entirely complete, howevev

-
loswich.
Steve Mackenzie, a hero of ManChester FA Gary Owen, the England under-21 international, was
Lup Final run last year, suddenly .found himself placed on the transfer list after failing to agree new
outslde John Bond's future plans and on his way to with the 'Iub.
the Hawthorns. It says much for Ronnie Allen tnat despite losing
Later he was joined Iry King, ms Robson and Moses, Barnes and, with Owen
Park Rangers and the versatile and adaptable Clive discontent, the Albion were being widely tipped as the
Whitehead from Bristol City. side to watch in cup competitions.
Allied with arguably the best pair of full backs in the It Surprise that he picked up a Bell's
First Division - Brendan Batson and Derek Staham - Manager of the Month award but Allen's reaction was
typical - it is the players who in the end produce the
-.
results. But, with wise buying, a manager has got to
..:&-.&
,,, :... 4.- c*., ,
h ,
.

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Albion received their b0,nu.s when centre forward

suspected. Suddenty he was the man the media

clamoured for to lead England's atta'ck in Spain and at
the big man began to score goals as if there was no
to.morrow there was a certain logic in the argument.

M e K W Out every Wnesday

 Second Division rivals, Leicester back in goal.
and Shrewsbury, could figure in
a remarkable F.A. Cup quarter-
final last week. While that little cameo was

involved - Alan Young.

:

- WARWICK MILL
OLDHAM ROAD
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