Whether or not it was noted at the time is hard to recall, yet at a distance of 50 years there is no missing the irony that two forceful, opiniated figures adept at achieving results should make their presence felt in the opening week of 1975.
Appearing on television screens as the main figure in a new ITV drama series named ‘The Sweeney‘ was hard-nosed, no nonsense policeman Detective Inspector Jack Regan, actor John Thaw having previously played the character in a pilot episode the previous year.
The programme quickly built a huge following and would maintain high viewing figures through a four year duration (that ran to four series and two feature films), many episodes acclaimed for their realistic depiction of the struggle between police and thieves on the streets of London.
Regan was single-minded and uncompromising in his approach to fighting crime, similar traits found in the football manager methods of Brian Clough – who on Monday 6 January 1975, four days after ‘The Sweeney‘ first aired, returned to the game as manager of second division Nottingham Forest.
Four months on from his tempestuous 44-day stay at Elland Road where he and the players of reigning champions Leeds United proved the incompatible bed-fellows many predicted they would be (although not in such rapid time), Clough resumed a managerial career whose highlight to date had been guiding Derby County to the league title in 1972.
While the press were delighted to have this quotable, contrary, undoubtedly charismatic figure back in the game, there was little likelihood of him achieving the same level of success at Forest as he had enjoyed at the nearby Baseball Ground…….
Despite his high-profile status one suspects news of Clough taking over at the City Ground received only cursory back page coverage that week as football followers came to terms with fall out from the FA Cup third round that had taken place on the first Saturday of the new year.
Rather than contemplating how Clough would fare at Nottingham Forest (who 48 hours earlier had earned a White Hart Lane replay in holding Spurs to a draw), most were pondering how part-timers from the Southern League had gone to the side currently 7th in Division One and knock them out – or indeed, how Everton, a northern powerhouse of English football and currently second in the first division, had been held to a Goodison Park draw by a side from the Northern League.
In a time when third round FA Cup ties were insatiably attended and squad rotation was a concept for the century to come, no matter whether the ties were considered the last fixtures of the festive period (this perhaps a personal reminiscence of your genial host here at SAMTIMONIOUS.com given they were last games before going back to school after the Christmas holidays) or the first football page of a new year, from season to season through this era the intrigue created when first and second division clubs stepped forth into the FA Cup never seemed to waver.
On January 4 1975 some top flight operators, Arsenal, Derby, Everton, QPR and Spurs, were simply relieved to survive against lower ranked opposition in order to, hopefully, exert their higher standing in a second meeting three or four days later. Yet for the best supported club in the land, currently existing in the confines of Division Two, VAR at this juncture came to stand for Very Anguished Replay, as they crashed out of the competition against a side from the tier below.
By way of irony, down at The Dell the next two winners of the FA Cup faced each other in contesting a third round fixture – the winners of that tie one of the few East End outfits Jack Regan would not have banged to rights over the coming months.
Selected FA Cup Third Round ties of 1974-75 (Saturday 4 January 1975):
BURNLEY 0 WIMBLEDON 1: Before and since the FA Cup has been littered with shock results, but rarely, if ever, has the outcome of a tie had such era defining consequences as the victory by Southern League Wimbledon over Division One high-fliers Burnley.
That the amateurs (Wimbledon boss Allen Batsford taking several of his Walton & Hersham FA Amateur Cup winning side with him in taking charge at Plough Lane six months earlier), should prevail at Turf Moor, where the hosts paraded a full array of the talent who had lost only one of their last eight league matches, was remarkable enough.
But refusal of Burnley chairman Bob Lord to allow the game be covered for television highlights (on the grounds that in 1975 there was too much football being broadcast), has denied it the exalted cup kudos attached to the Hereford v Newcastle meeting of three years before.
Had there been footage it may well have made a household name of tenacious ‘Dons midfielder Dave Bassett before he became one, while also providing some famous commentary accolades for goalkeeper Dickie Guy (although that would come in the next round), who by all accounts was outstanding – and for Mick Mahon, whose 49th minute goal ultimately settled the tie.
Indeed, a Motson or Sinstadt is unlikely to have missed the fact midfield man Mahon had also been a member of the fourth division Colchester team who caused a major 1971 FA Cup upset in defeating Leeds.
The excitement and embarrassment experienced by the heroes and humbled at Turf Moor on January 4 1975 would manifest in vastly different ways through the months and years to come.
Burnley, who the previous season had reached the FA Cup semi-finals, would suffer an ignominious relegation 15 months later, while Wimbledon in 1976 were in the midst of a three titles in a row domination of the Southern League – the third at the end of 1976-77 proving catalyst for their election to the Football League, at the expense of Workington, in the summer of 1977.
From being light years apart on the first Saturday of 1975, just seven years later the two clubs would find themselves meeting on equal footing. By 1981-82 Wimbledon, steadily building the pressure that would eventually take them all the way to Division One and their 1988 FA Cup Final triumph, were a third division entity just like Burnley – who in the meantime had come to resemble a slow puncture.
EVERTON 1 ALTRINCHAM 1 (34,519) Replay: Altrincham 0 Everton 2, 7/1/75 (35,530): At the same time Wimbledon were clinching game, set and match, 50-odd miles south of Turf Moor Northern League Altrincham were offering a very good account of themselves in the land of Evertonia.
There was no sign of the non-leaguers being overawed in such salubrious surroundings, the tie already feisty when John Hughes fired past Welsh international goalkeeper Dai Davies to give the visitors a 36th minute lead.
The simmering antagonism went up several notches before the interval with Everton winger Gary Jones sent off for landing a punch on Hughes – the final minute of fractious half culminating in John Connolly leaving the pitch with a serious leg injury sustained in being fouled by Altrincham defender John Davison, the Scottish forward not featuring again for Everton that season.
With twenty minutes left the ten-man hosts had their blushes spared when Northern Ireland midfielder Dave Clements converted from the penalty spot, but Altrincham held firm through the closing stages to secure a visit to Old Trafford – The FA, in setting an unusual precedent for the time, granting permission for the second encounter to be switched to a far bigger venue than the Moss Lane base of the Robins.
Three days after the Goodison set-to focus shifted to the home of Manchester United, just five miles from Altrincham, where Everton imposed their obvious superiority – goals from centre-forward Bob Latchford (26) and central defender Mike Lyons (52) comfortably securing a place in round four.
MANCHESTER UNITED 0 WALSALL 0 (43,353) – Replay: Walsall 3 Manchester United 2 (aet) 7/1/75 (18,105): At the moment Altrincham found their valiant efforts were in vain, the true incumbents of Old Trafford were still in the FA Cup – although involvement for them was only to last another half hour.
Having been held to a goalless draw by their third division visitors the previous Saturday, second division leaders United saw the Fellows Park replay go into extra-time, a penalty from Republic of Ireland midfielder Gerry Daly restoring parity after Bernie Wright had put the Saddlers ahead.
While the first period failed to produce a goal, the second half of extra-time brought three in quick succession – prolific Walsall marksman Alan Buckley (109/113) netted a rapid fire brace and although Northern Ireland international Sammy McIlroy (114) reduced the deficit, Walsall safely negotiated the remaining time, their giant-killing exploits not yet over for the season.
Meanwhile, more cup disappointment through January still awaited United, Tommy Docherty’s side going out of the League Cup at the semi-final stage in the fortnight ahead, pipped to a Wembley place by fellow Division Two promotion hopefuls Norwich – John Bond’s Canaries emerging victorious by a 3-2 aggregate margin over the two-legs.
MANCHESTER CITY 0 NEWCASTLE UNITED 2 (37,625): United at least had the consolation of staying in the cup a short while longer than top flight neighbors City – whose interest began and ended against the beaten-finalists of the previous season.
Despite initially being drawn as the ‘away‘ side, City received home advantage by virtue of Newcastle being banned from hosting FA Cup ties on their own ground through the 1974-75 competition, this due to crowd disorder during their St James’ Park quarter-final victory over Nottingham Forest the previous March.
But having to travel proved of no consequence to the Magpies who saw themselves home, so to speak, with second half goals from Micky Burns and Geoff Nulty – although things would not go as well when they saddled up for their next FA Cup awayday a few weeks later.
LIVERPOOL 2 STOKE CITY 0 (48,723): The biggest crowd of the day gathered for a meeting of the cup holders playing a visiting side who had also emerged as title contenders.
In contradiction of the old adage that nothing is won in January, the two teams formed a guard of honour prior to kick-off in applauding reigning Footballer of the Year Ian Callaghan onto the field – the long-serving Liverpool performer and model of consistency, awarded an MBE in the recent New Year’s Honours List.
In their first FA Cup tie with Bob Paisley at the helm, Liverpool struggled to make headway against a resolute visiting defence – who had begun to see a Victoria Ground replay looming before Steve Heighway broke the deadlock ten minutes from time.
England striker Kevin Keegan wrapped things up with a close range header 90 seconds before the final whistle – Stoke goalkeeper and England international Peter Shilton going on to enjoy better days at Anfield when between the sticks for Nottingham Forest before the decade was out.
WOLVES 1 IPSWICH TOWN 2 (28,542): Rather than continuing to bask in the glory of their League Cup Final triumph of ten months earlier, Wolves needed a decent FA Cup run to kick start a so far humdrum season – an early John Richards goal, similar to his Wembley winner back in March, suggesting a corner might have been turned.
But the visitors, established among the first division frontrunners, were made of stern stuff and leveled before half-time through midfielder Colin Viljoen.
This appeared another tie that might require settling in midweek, but Ipswich avoided the necessity of a Portman Road replay when striker David Johnson struck a late winner.
For Wolves the season effectively ended right there – and in a month during which a local chart-topping group premiered their full-length feature film ‘Slade in Flame’, the home side saw any hope of salvaging something tangible from 1974-75 go up in smoke.
ARSENAL 1 YORK CITY 1 (27,029) – Replay: York City 1 Arsenal 3 aet 7/1/75 (15,362): Like Wolves, Arsenal needed significant FA Cup progress to revive their fortunes in a floundering campaign that had them stuck in the lower reaches of Division One.
On the face of it a visit from second division York was not the most demanding test they could have faced – but at present everything seemed an ordeal for the hangdog Highbury outfit, the outlook looking decidedly worse when Jimmy Seal gave the visitors a 51st minute lead.
Former Scottish U-23 international and Arsenal ’71 double-winner Eddie Kelly restored level terms six minutes later, but even then the Gunners could not eek out victory, the teams faced with a Bootham Crescent replay three days later.
An early Brian Kidd goal settled North London nerves on their Tuesday evening visit to Yorkshire, Arsenal within 20 minutes of victory when a Barry Lyons equaliser made a night of things by taking the match into extra-time.
In what virtually amounted to a one-man show, Kidd, a 1968 European Cup winner with Manchester United, scored in each period of the additional half hour – FA Cup advancement offering Bertie Mee’s men a form of redemption through these torrid times.
ORIENT 2 DEBRY COUNTY 2 (12,490) – Replay: Derby County 2 Orient 1 7/1/75 (26,501): Second division Orient (the ‘Leyton‘ prefix on a temporary sabbatical), had previous when it came to taking a notable cup scalp during the 70s – overturning a 2-0 deficit in ousting visiting fancy-dans Chelsea at the fifth round stage three years earlier a red-letter day for the Brisbane Road club.
Another upset looked on the cards when smartly taken goals from Gerry Queen and Derek Possee secured a 2-0 lead by the quarter-hour mark. The Os, for the most part outstanding during the opening 45 minutes, had cause to rue efforts from Queen and Barrie Fairbrother (scorer of the ’72 winner against Chelsea) that struck the woodwork before the interval – particularly when England defender Colin Todd reduced the arrears with the half-time whistle looming.
For much of the second half it appeared Orient might just have done enough to progress at the first time of asking – yet those hopes would be dashed when Todd netted again, once more at the last knockings.
In the subsequent Baseball Ground replay, the Rams scoresheet had a more familiar look as efforts from Bruce Rioch and Francis Lee were too much for the East Londoners who managed a goal from Fairbrother in reply.
At this stage of the season Derby were no doubt being mentioned when conversations turned to ‘good outside bet for the cup’ – an FA Cup triumph considered far more likely than a second league title success in three years………
NOTTINGHAM FOREST 1 SPURS 1 (23,355) Replay: Spurs 0 Nottingham Forest 1 7/1/75 (27,996): Even through a winter of discontent at White Hart Lane, Tottenham, teetering just above the drop zone after just one win in the last six league outings, still looked to have enough international pedigree to win at the home of second division stragglers who were without a manager and closer to the foot of the table than top.
When former England centre-forward Martin Chivers fired them into a 35th minute lead there was indication Spurs, now in the charge of Terry Neill following the August resignation of Bill Nicholson, might be in the process of rousing themselves from an underachieving stupor.
But a second half leveler from Welsh midfield man Dave Jones kept Forest in the competition – and ensured that when cyclone Clough hit the City Ground 48 hours later, his first game in charge would be an N17 replay.
From his own standpoint, the new boss (who took over from the recently departed Allan Brown), had FA Cup demons to banish, his last involvement being an embarrassing 4-0 first round replay defeat against the amateurs of Walton & Hersham (a number of whom had just won with Wimbledon at Burnley), while manager of Brighton in November 1973.
Was his reacquaintance with the competition a foretaste for what lay ahead? Who knows, by the end of the 1970s Clough may have built a team capable of regaining the top flight place Forest had lost in 1972. Anything else surely a pipedream – despite a second half goal from Scottish striker Neil Martin being enough to topple Tottenham.
SOUTHAMPTON 1 WEST HAM UNITED 2 (24,615): Having finished 1974 in fine fettle, West Ham had good reason to view the months ahead with positivity, a visit to the south coast to face a home side still coming to terms with their hard to fathom relegation of the previous season, a tricky, but not exactly problematic proposition.
It certainly looked that way when goals from Frank Lampard and Bobby Gould gave the Hammers a comfortable half-time lead, their afternoon then becoming a shade more difficult when Mike Channon pulled one back – England man Channon top scorer in Division One last term despite Saints failing to beat the drop.
John Lyall’s side were forced to reshuffle when Gould left the field with a shin injury that would sideline him for almost two months. The consolation for West Ham being opportunity in the weeks ahead to give a young striker they had bought from fourth division Rochdale for £40,000 the previous autumn some first team experience.
Not cup-tied and with only one start in the Hammers senior side to his name, 21 year-old Alan Taylor was destined to play a major part in where the FA Cup was bound.
Second division Saints meanwhile had just suffered what would prove their last FA Cup defeat for two years – destiny having big things in mind for them when the 1975-76 competition rolled around.
FA Cup Third Round 1974-75:
Burnley 0 Wimbledon 1. Bury 2 Millwall 2 (R1) Millwall 1-1 Bury (R2) Bury 2 Millwall 0. Liverpool 2 Stoke City 0. Preston North End 0 Carlisle United 1. Southampton 1 West Ham United 2. Leicester City 3 Oxford United 1. Notts County 3 Portsmouth 1. Nottingham Forest 1 Tottenham Hotspur 1 (R) Tottenham Hotspur 0 Nottingham Forest 1. Blackburn Rovers 1 Bristol City 2. Bolton Wanderers 0 West Bromwich Albion 0 (R) West Bromwich Albion 4 Bolton Wanderers 0. Wolverhampton Wanderers 1 Ipswich Town 2.
Sunderland 2 Chesterfield 0. Stafford Rangers 0 Rotherham United 0 (R) Rotherham United 0 Stafford Rangers 2. Luton Town 0 Birmingham City 1. Everton 1 Altrincham 1 (R) Altrincham 0 Everton 2. Swindon Town 2 Lincoln City 0. Sheffield United 2 Bristol City 0. Wycombe Wanderers 0 Middlesbrough 0 (R) Middlesbrough 1 Wycombe Wanderers 0. Manchester City 0 Newcastle United 2.
Fulham 1 Hull City 1 (R1) Hull City 2 Fulham 2 (R2) Fulham 1 Hull City 0. Coventry City 2 Norwich City 0. Brighton & Hove Albion 0 Leatherhead 1. Manchester United 0 Walsall 0 (R) Walsall 3 Manchester United 2. Plymouth Argyle 2 Blackpool 0. Oldham Athletic 0 Aston Villa 3. Chelsea 3 Sheffield Wednesday 2. Southend United 2 Queens Park Rangers 2 (R) Queens Park Rangers 2 Southend United 0.
Mansfield Town 1 Cambridge United 0. Arsenal 1 York City 1 (R) York City 1 Arsenal 3. Leeds United 4 Cardiff City 1. Peterborough United 1 Tranmere Rovers 0. Orient 2 Derby County 2 (R) Derby County 2 Orient 1.
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