When Belgian referee Vital Loureax blew the final whistle on the England v Poland World Cup qualifying game played at Wembley on Wednesday 17 October 1973 it not only confirmed time was up on the fixture, but to all intents and purposes signaled the ten year reign of Sir Alf Ramsey as England manager had effectively come to an end.
Having guided the host nation to glory in the 1966 tournament, the 1-1 draw to have just ensued meant Poland and not England would finish top of qualifying Group Five, thus securing their place at the next global gathering taking place in West Germany the following summer.
While the Poles, with qualification now secured, had the 1974 World Cup Finals to anticipate, English football faced long hours of introspection on how they had regressed from world champions to also-rans in little more than seven years.
In failing to qualify focus would inevitably fall upon Ramsey, the cost of failure likely to be borne by a manager who exasperated the press and whose uneasy relationship with senior figures at his employers The Football Association had seen him become an increasingly insular figure. He had good reason to be wary of vindicative elements among both parties, although a tendency to be willful had greatly reduced any empathy among the poison pens and worse still the powerbrokers on the F.A. International Committee.
Around the same time Ramsey had started to become isolated, so the England team in his charge showed signs of being out of step with how international football was developing. The 3-1 European Championship quarter-final home defeat against West Germany in April 1972 offered clear indication of the progression taking place and through the last twenty games of his tenure that began with that Wembley humbling by the Germans, England had rarely been truly awful yet only in the briefest moments looked accomplished.
On the fateful night against Poland for the most part Ramsey had seen his team play well, but then again not well enough – the same applying to all the matches that really mattered during his latter days in charge.
Given their capacity to mishandle a situation, what happened in the wake of failing to overcome the Poles was ham-fisted even for The F.A. Ramsey oversaw two more friendlies, a 1-0 Wembley defeat to Italy in November 1973 and goalless draw in Portugal four months later when he named a side that included six new caps (the most Ramsey ever awarded in one fixture), but refused to resign.
In the end the governing body acted with unedifying brutality in wielding the axe. Their decision was leaked to favoured reporters before the subject himself was informed, they haggled over every aspect of his modest pay-off and offered a pension that was negligible (‘miserable‘ in the words of Sunday Times football correspondent Brian Glanville).
Some at the F.A. cited the loss of revenue in not reaching the World Cup finals, others the frosty manner Ramsey had toward journalists. While just a penalty from his last three games in charge told its own story, the treatment meted out to someone who could make the ultimate boast of a football manager (Ramsey far too reserved a character to ever be boastful) was shoddy and cruel – the F.A. bringing not just the game, but common decency into disrepute.
Conjecture remains whether Leeds United manager Don Revie expressed his interest in the position to The F.A. or they approached him, but either way (on a salary three times greater than Ramsey) Lancaster Gate – or more pertinently Harold Thompson, vice-chairman of the International Committee and long time adversary of Sir Alf – had their man.
Before Revie formally came into post, Elland Road commitments detaining him until July 4 1974, England had the Home Internationals and also four friendlies to contest. Five of the seven fixtures were against countries through to the forthcoming World Cup Finals, the former world champions now reduced to warm-up opposition for nations who had actually qualified.
Entrusted with overseeing management of the team before Revie took charge was Joe Mercer (60), an old hand at the management game whose vast experience spanned spells at Sheffield United, Aston Villa and currently Coventry City.
But it was a six year spell at Manchester City that had earned Mercer his managerial renown. In tandem with coach Malcolm Allison they guided the Maine Road side to the league title and won three cup competitions in little over two years as the 60s gave way to the 1970s – this after the pair had steered City to the second division title in 1966.
An amiable, jocular figure who encouraged his teams to play with positivity, at once he was more relaxed in his dealings with the media than Sir Alf had ever been. The F.A. had found the ideal stopgap and for the moment at least, saw the mutual antagonism existing between the England manager and themselves disappear.
Five weeks after the goalless draw in Lisbon when Ramsey had taken charge of England for the 113th and final time, Mercer took a side to Cardiff to face Wales for their opening fixture of the Home Internationals. Of the players who won their first cap against Portugal, Stoke City full-back Mike Pejic and QPR attacking midfielder Stan Bowles were retained, the team bolstered by the return of Liverpool pair Emlyn Hughes (installed as captain) and Kevin Keegan, Derby County centre-back Roy McFarland, Manchester City midfielder Colin Bell and Leicester City goalkeeper Peter Shilton – whose Filbert Street club-mate Keith Weller was called up for a first cap.
Through a windswept afternoon on a pitch bearing all the well-worn hallmarks of a long season, England laboured to a 2-0 success, goals in each half from Bowles and Keegan (each netting their first international goal), enough to overcome game but limited opposition.
While there was talk of a new chapter, for much of the contest it looked a familiar story – some encouraging individual performances, a lack of collective cohesion, the redeeming feature of a largely pedestrian victory being a three-match winless run had come to an end.
Four days later on Wednesday 15 May, the visit of Northern Ireland quickly came to resemble any number of recent England home games due to the lack of eye-catching forward play.
This low-key encounter, watched by a crowd of barely 45,000, was decided by a 73rd minute header from Weller, Mercer restricting new caps to just Frank Worthington, the virtuoso Leicester City striker appearing ten minutes after half-time in replacing Bowles – who reacted furiously to being substituted. His anger manifested in leaving the team hotel after the game, he and Mercer having previously clashed while both were at Maine Road a few years earlier.
With Bowles out of contention due to taking a self-determined leave of absence, Martin Peters came back into the fold now his UEFA Cup Final obligations with Spurs were done (Tottenham losing 4-2 to Dutch side Feyenoord over two-legs), the 1966 World Cup winner going straight into the team for the concluding British Championship fixture against Scotland at Hampden Park.
In meeting a home side buoyed by World Cup qualification and one backed by a vast and partisan crowd, Mercer took the curious decision of not selecting a midfield ball winner (in the same fixture two years before Ramsey picked virtually nothing but and was vindicated with a win) or recognised centre-half, playing Norman Hunter out of position in replacing the injured McFarland.
The caretaker boss either had no recollection or was prepared to overlook Leeds man Hunter – recently named the inaugural winner of the PFA Player of the Year Award – had endured a torrid night when played in the same role against West Germany at Wembley two years before.
The net effect was of England being disjointed at the back and overrun in midfield as a rampant Scottish team took full control of the contest. Two first half own goals, attributed to Pejic and Todd, were testament to English shortcomings and the one-sided nature of a 2-0 Scotland victory. Things improved after the break when Sunderland stopper Dave Watson replaced Hunter to give the England back-four a semblance of order, but they still needed a couple of fine saves from Shilton to prevent the Scots winning by a greater margin.
In holding the fort Mercer had just seen it crash down around him, presiding over the most abject England display (so far) of the decade – this an altogether miserable way for Peters to end a distinguished international career.
In the aftermath of being humbled at Hampden, Mercer called up Alec Lindsay of Liverpool whose debut was immediate, the full-back joining recalled pair of West Ham playmaker Trevor Brooking and his Anfield team-mate Keegan in the team who hosted Argentina five days later.
Whether it was the sight of opposition making their first appearance in London since a feisty World Cup quarter-final eight years before or Mercer now affecting the team with his personality, the difference was night and day to what had happened in Glasgow. In the event Wembley staged its most watchable international fixture of recent times as England were denied victory at the last – the visitors securing a 2-2 draw by virtue of scoring from a late penalty.
The better side during an entertaining first half, England took the lead a minute before the break with a goal boasting the intent and inspiration their attacking efforts had for so long lacked. An exquisite through ball from Bell put Mike Channon clear of the Argentinian defence, the Southampton striker cleverly side-stepping the goalkeeper before side-footing into an empty net.
In the second half England maintained the upper hand, extending their advantage nine minutes after the restart when Worthington was on hand to score after Bell had fired against the crossbar. But the two goal lead was short-lived as in the 58th minute Ruben Ayala showed a superb change of pace in going past Watson, his low cross palmed by Shilton into the path of Mario Kempes who slotted home – the effort a forerunner of the Gerry Armstrong goal for Northern Ireland against Spain at the 1982 World Cup.
Having moved almost to within earshot of the final whistle, the hosts saw a deserved victory snatched from their grasp when Argentinian referee Arturo Ithurralde (your genial host here at SAMTIMONIOUS.com could not believe it either) deemed a challenge by Hughes on Kempes merited a spot-kick – the rising star of football in his home land duly back on his feet to convert in ensuring the match ended all-square.
While disappointed with the manner in which they had been pegged back, England could reflect on an excellent showing against a team who would acquit themselves well in West Germany – the career path of Kempes leading him to the heights of top goal scorer at the 1978 World Cup, two of his tally coming in the final where the host nation defeated Holland.
The following week England travelled behind the Iron Curtain to contest fixtures against three World Cup participants from the Eastern Bloc, the first on their itinerary a match in Leipzig against East Germany.
Awarding a third cap to Liverpool goalkeeper Ray Clemence and second to classy Burnley midfield man Martin Dobson, Mercer saw his charges continue their fine form of the previous match, although dominating for long periods counted for nothing when Joachim Streich punished an error by Lindsay in giving the home side a 67th minute lead.
But falling behind proved only a brief setback as the visitors responded well – Channon equalising with a daisy-cutter free-kick that highly regarded East German goalkeeper Jurgen Croy should have saved, England nevertheless good value for a share of the spoils.
When it came to facing Bulgaria in Sofia two days later Mercer took the unusual step for an international manager of naming an unchanged team. The same XI once again performed with fortitude – exemplified by excellent displays from Watson and Todd in the centre of defence – but also no shortage of flair, Worthington reading a flick from Keegan a minute before half-time in scoring the goal that ensured a creditable victory.
The only dispiriting note of an otherwise commendable tour occurred not on the pitch but at Belgrade airport where England had arrived to take on Yugoslavia.
Dressed in casual attire (something that would not have been permitted under Sir Alf) and in high spirits, they perhaps resembled a stag party who had turned up in the wrong city. Some tomfoolery in the baggage collection area prompted an overreaction from security guards who inflicted brutal treatment on Keegan, who later claimed the beating he took made him feel like a prisoner of war.
Yet reflecting the amiable disposition of their manager it would be England and the Liverpool man in particular who had the last laugh.
Having found a balanced, fluent team Mercer once again made no changes, the decision quickly paying dividends when Channon gave England an early lead. The Yugoslavs hit back with a Ilija Petrovic header and stunning twenty-five yarder from Brane Oblak, but with quarter of an hour left England replied with a brave headed goal from Keegan. With time almost up a notable draw nearly became a memorable win – only for substitute Malcolm Macdonald to spurn the kind of chance he had twice taken for Newcastle in their FA Cup semi-final victory over Burnley two months before.
Despite the gloom still surrounding the national team in failing to reach the World Cup Finals, the most recent displays had produced definite signs of encouragement – the undefeated foray into Eastern Europe given greater kudos when each opponent they had faced offered a good account of themselves in West Germany.
East Germany defeated the hosts and ultimate winners in advancing to the second stage, Yugoslavia topped a group containing Brazil and Scotland on progressing through the competition and while Bulgaria failed to go beyond the initial group stage, they still managed two draws before being trounced by eventual runners-up Holland.
In fact such was the level of improvement in demeanor and tactical direction, muttering began in regard to Mercer taking the England job on a permanent basis. Genial Joe laughed away the suggestion when put to him by the press, although in more serious moments gave the impression he could be open to persuasion.
The F.A. of course had a full-time manager in waiting, informed opinion declaring Don Revie as the coach best equipped to take England forward. Brian Glanville called Revie the ‘obvious choice,’ his stock was high having just steered Leeds to the league title, the national team well on the road to recovery if the good work overseen by Mercer in the last four games was anything to go on.
Indeed, what could possibly go wrong……………….
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NEIL SAMBROOK is the author of ‘MONTY’S DOUBLE‘ – an acclaimed thriller available as an Amazon Kindle book and now in paperback.