Rather than making a claim, it is more statement of fact to say there had never been a season like 1966-67 – and in all probability we will not see its like again.
Just three weeks after England had climbed to the very summit of world football began a further ten months of extraordinary achievement, many among a widespread array of astonishing talent at the peak of their potency.
Indeed, brilliant individual exploits lifted the domestic game to new heights of excellence. Yet the last season for the game in an age or relative innocence, (before terrace disorder became a depressing by-product) resulted in the supreme team effort of Celtic becoming the first British club to win the European Cup.
Which is not to say the all-conquering coterie assembled by Jock Stein over the previous couple of seasons were short of virtuoso brilliance, diminutive winger Jimmy Johnstone a spell-binding match winner of the time (whose best days were in fact to come).
But it was the collective calibre of those in green and white hoops that saw a nap hand of trophies go the way of Celtic Park – culminating on a Lisbon afternoon when Inter Milan succumbed to the all-round resourcefulness of Parkhead’s multi-prizewinners.
South of the border down Manchester way, those entering Old Trafford twenty minutes after kick-off generally still had over an hour of sparkling football to enjoy, but chances are the Stretford End had already witnessed the latest rapid-fire destruction of shellshocked opposition. United developed a habit of reducing the visitors to rubble within earshot of the first whistle, Best, Law and Charlton barely wasting a second – literally on some occasions – in putting defences on notice, being particularly potent through the autumn of 1966.
Ironically this coincided with release of a second album by London-based mod band The Who – ‘A Quick One‘ not only the LP title, but apt description of the first United goal in any number of home matches.
At the same time Messrs. Clapton, Bruce and Baker were coming together as a revered blues-rock combo named Cream, the red-shirted Old Trafford power-trio named above were to the fore as Manchester United regained the title – Matt Busby’s men scoring 84 times in becoming champions with four points to spare.
At various times through the campaign they contested top spot with Chelsea, Nottingham Forest and Liverpool, although there is always a sense Manchester United simply have too much firepower to be denied, underlined in the Upton Park thumping of West Ham in the penultimate game of the season. That said, the most significant result was arguably a mid-January 1-0 Old Trafford victory over Spurs – after which Bill Nicholson’s side embarked on a twenty four match all-competition unbeaten run that carried them through to winning the FA Cup.
Indeed, had they not been so typically Tottenham through October (losing to relegated pair Aston Villa and Blackpool in successive weeks, before putting five past Southampton), White Hart Lane may been acclaiming its second double of the decade rather than first piece of silverware in four years.
Elsewhere local rivals Everton and Liverpool became engaged in their own four-act neighborhood dispute as they met in the Charity Shield, round five of the FA Cup and twice in the league. FA Cup holders Everton had the better of these Stanley Park-based skirmishes, reigning champions Liverpool having the overall pleasure of finishing one place higher than their nearest and jeerest – although with so much energy spent in being best in their own backyard, neither were able to mount a sustained title challenge.
With eleven World Cup winners parading their skills on a weekly basis, the top flight, also boasting a swathe of other suitably gifted performers, was already set for an enthralling, (and given the exaltation arising from events beneath the Twin Towers on July 30), unique season.
Yet if there were two matches that encapsulated the most distinguished season of the decade, perhaps of post-war English football, they occurred beyond the confines of Division One, each taking place at Wembley within six weeks of each other in the spring of 1967.
Both were won by the underdog who in each case prevailed by the odd goal in five – Scotland toppling world champions England in April after the previous month third division Queens Park Rangers overturned a two goal deficit in recording the most remarkable domestic cup triumph of all-time in defeating holders West Bromwich Albion to lift the League Cup.
Lennon/Law, McCartney/Moore, Starr/St John, George Harrison/Jimmy Greaves – on the eve of this extraordinary season The Beatles released their monumental ‘Revolver‘ album, the football to come breathtaking no matter where you looked.
Or as the Fabs themselves put it – ‘Here, There and Everywhere‘………..
TWENTY GREAT GAMES of 1966-67:
MANCHESTER UNITED 5 WEST BROMWICH ALBION 3 (20/8/1966): As an opening day overture this Old Trafford opus perfectly serves purpose. The season is barely 60 seconds old when George Best fires United ahead, World Cup winner Nobby Stiles quickly adds a second, Bobby Hope pulls one back in the tenth minute, the home side reacting to this temerity by then scoring three times in six minutes – Denis Law (16/21), David Herd (17) – such rampancy establishing a 5-1 lead with three quarters of the match still to play.
And breathe……….
After the break Albion twice hit back, each time through winger Clive Clark, the damage duly limited but extensive enough to have long since ended things as a contest.
Strangely enough this crackerjack of a curtain raiser attracted (41,343) the lowest Old Trafford league gate of the season.
LEEDS UNITED 3 MANCHESTER UNITED 1 (27/8/1966): More times than we care to remember has the phrase ‘a week is a long time in football‘ been used, so forgive the laziness in trotting it out again – but it does neatly sum up the opening week for Manchester United.
Seven days on from walloping West Brom on their own patch (in fairness they had also scored a notable 2-1 midweek win at Everton, thus wrecking the home debut of Alan Ball), United were on the receiving end at Elland Road. Having broken even from their first two outings (defeat at Spurs, home win over West Brom), Leeds are off to a flyer when Paul Madeley heads home a fourth minute Johnny Giles cross.
The lead was extended before the break on full-back Paul Reaney sending a glancing header beyond Alex Stepney and although George Best reduced the arrears early in the second half, the issue was settled by a fearsome twenty-yarder from Scottish winger Peter Lorimer of the sort for which he was gaining renown.
Ironically this fine display from Don Revie’s side was the exception rather than rule during the opening weeks of 1966-67, Leeds reaching the end of October having already suffered four league defeats – this after losing just nine times in finishing runners-up to Liverpool the previous season.
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 2 MANCHESTER UNITED 1 (10/9/1966): By early September 1966, The Kinks, among others, were making London swing. Carnaby Street had become the place to been seen, but on this sunny afternoon, dedicated followers of football – all 56,295 of them – headed to the Lane after jotting onto their autumn almanac this fixture between two well-respected teams.
To date Denis Law had scored six of the 14 goals the visitors had scored, Jimmy Greaves and Alan Gilzean accounting for seven of the 11 netted by Spurs.
It was not then unduly surprising that Law should put United ahead just before half-time, but on the other hand neither were the late strikes from Gilzean and Greaves that saw the home side to victory in a rousing contest – which no doubt dominated conversation on the Tottenham High Road all day and all of the night.
EVERTON 3 LIVERPOOL 1 (27/8/1966): There are ways of endearing yourself to supporters of your new club – and there is Alan Ball playing in his first Merseyside derby.
Having joined Everton from Blackpool a fortnight earlier when manager Harry Catterick broke the British transfer record to sign him (two days after The Toffees had lost the Charity Shield meeting against their neighbours), Ball took the field as the first all-Mersey league meeting of the campaign came around – the World Cup winning wonder wasting no time in ingratiating himself to the Gwladys Street by scoring twice in the first 18 minutes.
Quickly aware a world class talent had entered the vicinity, the land of Evertonia would remain enraptured by Ball for the next five years.
Although a 43rd minute Tommy Smith goal briefly threatened to rain on this parade, a late Sandy Brown effort settled matters – and for Evertonians among the 64,318 present, the ball was already rolling.
WEST BROMWICH ALBION 3 MANCHESTER UNITED 4 (17/12/1966): After their opening day Old Trafford encounter had produced eight goals, you could imagine both defences being circumspect in The Hawthorns return. Some chance – or to put it another way, chance after chance with seven conceded between the 5th and 43rd minute.
The Baggies, perhaps more to the point prolific centre-forward Jeff Astle, opens and closes their first half account, levelling on eight minutes after United, through David Herd, had made their usual early breakthrough. Scottish forward Herd put the visitors back in front on 13, Albion centre-back John Kaye equalising seven minutes on.
Aware he is missing out, Law puts the visitors back in front just after the half hour before Herd completes his hat-trick in establishing a 4-2 advantage in the 41st minute – only for Astle to cut the deficit 90 seconds later.
All of which makes a blank second half hard to fathom – United holding out for the points against a side who scored 77 times in finishing among the also-rans.
WEST HAM UNITED 1 MANCHESTER UNITED 6 (6/5/1967): Arriving at Upton Park aware victory would land their second championship in three seasons, it may have crossed the mind of Matt Busby to say as his players prepared to go out, ‘Look lads, keep it tight, 1-0 will do us.’
Then again most likely not, as during a campaign when cavalier rather than caution had been the mindset, style would always be the way.
Had Busby actually envisaged one goal doing the trick then World Cup winner Bobby Charlton obliged after just two minutes – the title done and dusted, West Ham dazed and demolished inside ten as Scottish midfielder Pat Creand and centre-back Bill Foulkes also found the net.
Things took on rout proportion when George Best completed the first half scoring in his own inimitable fashion and while West Ham pulled one back through defender John Charles, all it did was serve to reopen the floodgates.
Denis Law weighed in with a brace (one a penalty) as United not only played like champions but took on the mantle – something it would take them over a quarter of a century to achieve again.
ASTON VILLA 2 CHELSEA 6 (17/9/1966): Nothing expediates the feeling of relegation quite like a home soil shellacking after an already poor start to the season – Villa pretty woeful for weeks even before Chelsea arrived to dole out this hiding.
In the wake of 6-1 midweek League Cup walloping off West Brom at The Hawthorns, it is apparent why 1966-67 became such a hard campaign for the Holte End to endure – three cap England international Bobby Tambling their tormentor-in-chief on presenting a masterclass in six yard box simplicity.
Giving a finisher of his finesse space to operate is recipe for disaster, Tambling netting a first half hat-trick as Chelsea, with the addition of a John Boyle goal, reach the break having scored four without reply.
Soon after the restart goals from John MacLeod and Tony Hateley – who would move to Stamford Bridge for a £100,000 fee the following month – made inroads into the deficit only for Tambling to net twice more, his five goal haul still a Chelsea record for a ‘competitive’ (term used loosely in this case) away match.
As for hapless Villa conceding by the bucket load remained their unfortunate forte, shipping five at Leicester and six at Stoke in the weeks ahead. This last top flight season for nine years (during which time they would spend two in Division Three) manifested in a nine match win less run as the campaign lurched to an end – relegation already assigned by the time of a 6-2 drubbing at The Dell on the final day, the six conceded to Southampton taking their goals against tally to 85.
BLACKPOOL 6 NEWCASTLE UNITED 0 (22/10/1966): If, in the midst of a calamitous campaign, you are only going to win one league game on your own turf, it might as well come with bells on – Blackpool hitting Newcastle for six in their lone success in front of the long-suffering locals.
Ian Moir (6,17), Alan Skirton (31) and Ray Charnley (35) brought overdue home comfort as the visitors were buried by the Seasiders before half-time, Jimmy Robson (56) and Charnley again (58) ensuring illumination was not confined to the nearby seafront.
After such a resounding win it feels ironic to state their fate was sealed by a chronic shortage of goals, as by a strange twist of fate only third-bottom Newcastle scored fewer than cellar-dwellers Blackpool.
While five sides conceded more, the summation of frequently bad Bloomfield Road results was a meagre tally of 21 points and last place finish.
WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS 4 HULL CITY 0 Division Two (25/3/1967): Or how a good signing of the time became a man for all seasons (certainly the next few to come).
Bought from top flight Leicester City for £50,000 to bolster Wolves second division promotion bid, charismatic Northern Ireland international Derek Dougan became an immediate hero of the home support by netting a hat-trick on this his Molineux debut.
After the trophy-laden years of 1949-1960, there had been precious little to cheer in the these parts as the ’60s unfolded, Wolverhampton Wanderers now in the second of a two season Division Two sojourn after going down in 1965 – the end of reduced circumstances about to pass as ‘The Doog‘ netted on 38, 61 and 73 minutes (the gifted Peter Knowles adding the fourth late on), midtable Hull swept away in front of almost 31,000.
Heading back to Division One on the strength of finishing runners-up to Coventry City, manager Ronnie Allen had bought a figurehead for the future, Dougan a pivotal performer through some good times to come.
Allen had long since been replaced by Bill McGarry by the time Dougan was a member of the 1974 League Cup winning side – which came two years after reaching the 1972 UEFA Cup Final, the Ulsterman one of five survivors (goalkeeper Phil Parkes, Gerry Taylor, Mike Bailey and Dave Wagstaffe the others from this second division success against Hull), who lost out to Spurs over two-legs.
CHELSEA 5 WEST HAM UNITED 5 (17/12/1966): According to the old adage anything can be proved with statistics. In which case the final league table of 1966-67 could be used as proof that top level football in England had rarely, if ever, been played with such abandonment.
Half a dozen sides in the bottom half scored over 60 goals apiece – the case for all-attack best presented by 16th placed West Ham (80) who were only outscored by table-topping Manchester United.
If it really was about how the game was played opposed to winning and losing then The Hammers were the only party in town. Their football variation of the Harlem Globetrotters was never better served than this mid-winter sortie to Stamford Bridge – where Chelsea themselves were no slouches when it came to serving up sparkle.
Goals from Peter Brabrook (24) and World Cup winner Martin Peters (29) secured West Ham a 2-0 lead that has halved before the break by Tommy Baldwin.
Chelsea were level on 50 through Tony Hateley and hit-back to such an extent were ahead through Scottish winger Charlie Cooke four minutes later. They had no answer, however, when West Ham cut loose in a devastating six minute spell that brought a brace for John Sissons (56, 60), one from Johnny Byrne 62), who in the same period had a penalty saved by Peter Bonetti.
To all intents and purposes that was Ron Greenwood’s men heading back east full of Christmas cheer, but under the charge of Tommy Docherty, who ten years later would have Manchester United playing in the same expansive manner, Chelsea continued to press.
They were rewarded ten minutes from time when Bobby Tambling converted a penalty and then with the final whistle of an astounding afternoon about to blow, he struck again to earn the hosts’ a point.
World Cup winning captain Bobby Moore was no doubt bemused by such profligacy, West Ham on their way to being breached 84 times – not that many short of the total conceded in his entire twelve season international career that still had seven years to run.
SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY 6 CHELSEA 1 (31/12/1966): All things considered it had been another respectable year for Sheffield Wednesday. Safely installed as an established top tier outfit, a memorable FA Cup run had carried them all the way to Wembley where they let slip a two goal lead in losing to Everton.
On their day Wednesday had capability to undo anyone, underlined by this leathering of Chelsea who began the month in pole position. Jim McCalliog (18) and David Ford (42) saw the Hillsborough men to their interval lead, yet it was after Bobby Tambling pulled one back (57) the New Year’s Eve celebrations moved into full-swing – John Ritchie (2), John Fantham and Ford again all on target as Wednesday ended 1966 with a firework display of their own.
They made steady progress through the early months of 1967 until suffering defeat in the FA Sixth Round when they went down to a last minute Tommy Baldwin goal – at Chelsea.
NOTTINGHAM FOREST 3 EVERTON 2 FA Cup Sixth Round (6/4/1967): Where the tie of the round became a great game for the ages, hosts Forest and holders Everton producing a five goal epic that was to enter the annals of folklore.
Not unusually subplots abound. In charge of Forest, who at this stage are still in pursuit of a league and FA Cup double, is Irishman Johnny Carey whose Goodison tenure had ended six years earlier in the back of a London taxi when he was sacked by fellow passenger, Everton chairman John Moores. This cleared the way for Harry Catterick to take the reins – a reign that so far had yielded a league title and FA Cup triumph.
In addition, Forest had already completed a league double over the visitors, recording home and away wins in the space of a few days through the Christmas period. On an enthralling afternoon beside the Trent, Jimmy Husband put Everton ahead nine minutes before half-time, although the real story, or in this case Storey, was about to unfold.
Forest forward Ian Storey-Moore, counted among the most watchable footballers of the period (an injury plagued career restricting him to just one England cap), levelled in the 66th minute and shortly afterward was on hand to put the home aide ahead – shooting low past Andy Rankin after taking a pass from former Everton man Frank Wignall (who Catterick had sold to Forest four years earlier).
With ten minutes remaining Husband restored level terms, scoring his second in turning home a Sandy Brown cross, the excitement barely abating as play switched from end to end. Wignall had a header cleared off the line by Colin Harvey while Forest ‘keeper Peter Grummitt saved brilliantly in denying Johnny Morrisey.
Then, with a Goodison replay only seconds away, Storey-Moore forced his way through, an initial close-range effort blocked by Rankin. In following up the Forest man headed against the crossbar – but nodded the second rebound into the net from a yard out.
Commentator Kenneth Wolstenholme is enthralled by it all, while nine years later Guardian football scribe David Lacey would evoke this fixture when describing a Wolves v Manchester United Sixth Round replay – stating it was the best FA Cup Quarter-Final he had witnessed since this Trent-side treat.
LIVERPOOL 2 AJAX 2 European Cup Second Round second-leg (14/12/1966): As the stewardship of Bill Shankly had so far resulted in the second division championship, two league titles and an FA Cup triumph, there had developed a sense no situation was irretrievable, panic all but erased from the Anfield vocabulary.
It was then somewhat surprising that on their visit to Amsterdam two weeks earlier for the first-leg, Liverpool had agreed to play in foggy conditions described as ‘farcical‘ by one (misty-eyed) observer. Shankly conscious a trip to Old Trafford loomed at the weekend, turned down the chance to delay the European Cup clash by twenty four hours in order to have sufficient preparation time in facing Manchester United.
It was a decision Shankly came to rue as Ajax cut through the gloom (and the Liverpool defence) at will, racing to a 4-0 half-time lead. The visitors only consolation on a painful, pea-souper of a night being a late Chris Lawler goal, this after Ajax had already added a fifth.
Even against the backdrop of a murky Merseyside evening, in the return it was still possible to behold the ability possessed by a seventeen year-old Dutch wonder talent named Johan Cruyff, who opened the scoring at Anfield four minutes after half-time.
While for Liverpool any hope of going through was now over, they commendably refused to give up on the game. World Cup winner Roger Hunt momentarily upstaged the fledgling world class operator in opposition ranks by firing in a 54th minute leveler.
It what was becoming a personal duel between the two, Cruyff put the visitors back in front on 71 minutes, Hunt equalising again two minutes from time – this exceptional clash prompting a standing ovation for both sides at the final whistle.
The Dutch champions fell at the quarter-final stage against Dulka Prague – but the European Cup had not seen the last of Cruyff and Ajax. Nor for that matter, Liverpool.
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 5 SOUTHAMPTON 3 (26/11/1966): Those heading to White Hart Lane on this early winter afternoon may have done so with no great feeling of anticipation – Tottenham without a win in six, newly-promoted Southampton managing just two victories from the last seven.
But that was discounting the goal threat each side carried, if a little shy in the case of Spurs in the past few weeks.
As the scoring touch returned so Alan Mullery, Dave Mackay, Jimmy Greaves (penalty) and Cliff Jones (2) all found the target as Bill Nicholson’s troupe found their bearings once more. Southampton replied through Welsh international Ron Davies (2) and England World Cup squad member Terry Paine, Saints the most welcome top flight newbies for many a year.
Not only did they possess a lethal marksman in Davies, who would top the first division goalscoring charts at the first time of asking with a stunning return of 37 from 41 games (including one trot of netting in ten consecutive league matches), they were also most accommodating at the other end – Southampton conceding 92 in the distinction of having the worst defensive record in the division.
LIVERPOOL 5 LEEDS UNITED 0 (19/11/1966): The first few months of the 1966-67 campaign had been no great shakes for either of these recognised powerhouses, the league champions and runners-up of the previous season misfiring their way into autumn.
True, Liverpool had roused themselves of late with three straight wins, but Leeds continued to languish in eleventh, this mid-November Anfield meeting representing, overstating perhaps, the current standing of both.
For the first forty odd minutes Welsh international goalkeeper Gary Sprake drew praise for keeping the visitors on level terms, only to be beaten by a 43rd minute shot from Chris Lawler as Liverpool maintained a siege on the Leeds goal.
After being given an inch the home side spent the second half taking a mile, Peter Thompson (57), Geoff Strong (75/89) and Ian St John (83) piling on the pain for Don Revie’s pulled apart outfit.
Despite an autumnal upturn in the fortunes of Liverpool, come spring it was Leeds with more to smile about – a 2-1 Elland Road victory over the Anfield side in May saw them to a third placed finish, one place and four points above their visitors of the day.
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 2 CHELSEA 1 FA Cup Final (20/5/1967): The 86th final of the FA Cup, yet curiously the very first contested by two London clubs, the protagonists converged on Wembley with differing pedigree – Spurs aiming for a fifth triumph, their Stamford Bridge opponents making a debut appearance at this stage.
They were also in contrasting form, Tottenham not having lost a match of any description since mid-January, Chelsea with only three wins in their last nine fixtures – their FA Cup run a godsend in a season where momentum had gradually faded on the league front.
The first half unfolded into a tale of Spurs dominance against blue-shirted persistence, although in twice forcing fine saves from Tottenham ‘keeper Pat Jennings, Chelsea managed the more pointed threats on goal – Spurs finally taking reward for their overall control when Scottish winger Jimmy Robertson fired them ahead four minutes before half-time.
Having passed the hour mark with Chelsea still unable to make any headway, Tottenham moved to the point of being secure when winger Frank Saul doubled the lead on 67 minutes, his low shot on the turn beating the despairing dive of Peter Bonetti.
With five minutes remaining Bobby Tambling beat Jennings to a John Boyle centre to head home from six yards and while his 28th goal of the season changed the score line it could not help alter the outcome – Spurs standing firm to record a third FA Cup success of the decade, that remained their last for fourteen years.
EVERTON 1 LIVERPOOL 0 FA Cup Fifth Round (11/3/1967): For a manager renowned in understatement, Everton boss Harry Catterick describing this fifth round win as ‘It was a good game to win‘ borders on overreaction.
It was of course, neighbours Liverpool who were out of the FA Cup following a clash described by Gavin Buckland in his superb ‘Money Can’t Buy Us Love – Everton in the 1960s‘ book, as ‘the greatest derby experience outside Wembley.’
He has a point. All these years later it is hard to convey how much anticipation the fixture generated. Indeed, demand for the 64,500 Goodison tickets was so great, it was decided to beam the tie back to Anfield where it was shown on eight enormous screens – the 40,500 observers on the other side of Stanley Park making it the most watched domestic game outside of Wembley ever staged.
For broadcast purposes the game was given a 7pm kick off time, Everton having drawn first blood earlier in the week by signing highly-rated Preston midfield man Howard Kendall from under the noses of their Mersey rivals.
With both clubs showing interest Catterick swooped – opposite number Shankly finding it particularly galling due to close links with Deepdale being a former North End player.
When it came to separating the FA Cup holders and reigning league champions in a feisty, full-on Saturday night bun fight, the honours were done by the irrepressible Alan Ball, whose decisive 48th minute strike was later described by the scorer as ‘the sweetest volley I ever hit in my life‘ – the World Cup winner a hero to multitudes at Goodison and star of the silverscreen(s) to many at Anfield as well………..
QUEENS PARK RANGERS 3 WEST BROMWICH ALBION 2 League Cup Final (4/3/1967): Given it is often said lightning does not strike twice in the same place, when third division QPR found themselves trailing 2-0 to to cup holders West Brom, the game looked up – lightning not likely to strike Wembley again, particularly as Everton had overcome the same deficit in lifting the FA Cup ten months before.
Former QPR man, winger Clive Clark (who would return to Loftus Road in two years time), scored two first half goals as Albion appeared to have sealed a return to The Hawthorns with their name once more on the trophy.
But if there was ever 45 minutes of football to encapsulate ‘Swinging London‘ then the swing in fortunes during an extraordinary second half were the visible proof.
Through the opening period Rangers totem talent Rodney Marsh had been a peripheral figure, Rangers boss Alec Stock seemingly going for a half-time change of plan that broadly speaking amounted to ‘get Rodney on the ball.’
Suddenly, the trail they were blazing to the third division title also came alight at Wembley. In the 63rd minute Roger Morgan reduced the arrears on heading home from six yards, the shift in momentum emphasised when Marsh leveled with a low shot quarter of an hour from time.
The transformation became complete as the match entered the final ten minutes – winger Mark Lazarus netting at close range to secure victory. Rangers almost won by a bigger margin when the same player hit a post in the closing seconds – QPR duly becoming the first third tier team in England to win a major trophy.
Since its inaugural season in 1960-61, the final of the League Cup had played as a two-leg home and away affair, 1966-67 the first time it had been played as a one-off Wembley showpiece. This stands as not only the greatest League Cup Final of all, but arguably the most astonishing English cup final ever staged.
ENGLAND 2 SCOTLAND 3 – European Championship qualifier (15/4/1967): Considering it was the fixture he most hated losing, the magnanimity of England boss Sir Alf Ramsey has to be admired when after this unforgettable European Championship qualifier he conceded, ‘Scotland deserved to win‘
On the basis of some of the most superlative football the fixture had ever produced, Sir Alf calls it about right. His reigning world champions, whose twenty match unbeaten beaten record is brought to an end, are outscored by a visiting side – in the charge of new boss Bobby Brown – who play with purpose and panache before holding their nerve in becoming the first side to defeat England since their World Cup triumph of nine months before.
The main plot involves Denis Law (27), Bobby Lennox (78) and international debutant Jim McCalliog (88) netting the goals to which England reply to through Jack Charlton (86) and Geoff Hurst (89). But the back-stories and hypothetical hypothesis are what keep many of us returning to a contest that is raised whenever the true drama of football is discussed.
Should Scotland have won by more against an England side reduced to eight fit outfield players ? (Jack Charlton and Ray Wilson of no more than nuisance value due to injuries in the days before substitutions were allowed in international fixtures)
For all the keepy-up cockiness of the great Jim Baxter, should not the outstanding displays of Scottish centre-backs Ronnie McKinnon and skipper John Greig (whose goal line clearance at 1-0 was a key moment) be just as acclaimed?
Is the gravity-defying tip away by Gordon Banks to thwart a lob from Law the greatest save ever seen in ending any debate regarding the best goalkeeper of all-time?
For however long great football matches are talked about, such discussions will continue. As Ramsey reflected the day belonged to Scotland, yet even as those words appear on screen in clipped tones can be heard a voice saying:
‘Yes, but you see we never lost to the Scots again while I was England manager in the seven times we played them after that.’
CELTIC 2 INTER MILAN 1 European Cup Final (25/5/1967); Six weeks after being members of a Scotland side who recorded their most famous win over England since the ‘Wembley Wizards‘ of 1928, an afternoon in Lisbon would make lions of goalkeeper Ronnie Simpson, full-back Tommy Gemmell and forwards Willie Wallace and Bobby Lennox – who along with seven equally accomplished team-mates (the Celtic collective all born within twenty five miles of Glasgow), would bring the European Cup to the British Isles of the first time.
Indeed, in reaching the final they advanced further than an team from Britain had gone before. While some high quality U.K. sides had distinguished themselves with semi-final appearances during the past eleven seasons of the competition, this was new territory altogether.
Despite having already secured four trophies through the season, Celtic descended on the Estadio Nacional with the clear intention of being more than the last line resistance to Italian opponents expected to lift the trophy for a third time.
In retrospect Milan taking an early lead, the magnificent Sandro Mazzola converting a seventh minute penalty, determined how the game played out, Inter content to be dour and defensive as means to an end.
In contrast Celtic played with purpose and positivity, their patience rewarded in the 63rd minute as Gemmill lashed home from twenty five yards. Having played in such negative manner for almost an hour, Milan found it hard to change with the game now in the balance – the outcome decided and history created when Steve Chalmers was on hand to score a deserved winner six minutes from time.
From being seen by some as merely willing participants, Celtic had proved themselves worthy champions of Europe, theirs a victory for ambition over attrition.
There was no more fitting way for the 1966-67 season to end…………
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