David Gwilliam
Well-Known Member
Feeling withdrawal symptoms I rented a DVD of the 1960 cup final. Recently Borderfox accused members of thinking the 1960s were part of the Dark Ages. I think he was being unfair - name and shame the people you meant Border. However I accept that not every member is interested in football history and so this is not a thread for everyone..
(1) The game was played in blazing heat. Kenneth Wolstenholme remarked on the spectators being a sea of white - by which he meant shirt sleeves though there were still some supporters who did not take off their jackets. Any man who wore a shirt that was not white would be regarded as a bit "unhealthy."
(2) Wolves had been playing the offside trap all season and continued to do so for the cup final. Kenneth Wolstenholme made it clear how much he disapproved of this as spoiling the game. It had not occurred to me how 1950s football would be more attractive than football since the offside trap became part of the game.
(3) Wolves had two of the most brutal footballers in an age of brutal players. Neither Ron Flowers or Eddie Clamp would last 45 minutes with a modern referee. "Chopper" Clamp was the hardest player I ever saw and when a Wolves player was fouled at Molyneux the fans would chant "Eddie'll get you". Throughout the 90 minutes the referee did not book a single player.
(4) Dave Whelan of Blackburn had his leg broklen. This was the second cup final running where a player broke his leg and his side was down to ten men. It was clear from Kenneth Wolstenholme's commentary that there was an increasing demand for the use of substitutes.
(5) When Dave Whelan was down the press ran onto the pitch to get close up photos. Nobody protested so this was seen as reasonable behaviour.
(6) Kenneth Wolstenholme regarded it as his job to commentate on the match. He did not come up with the barrage of statistics that later commentators would use. It was his job to tell you which player had the ball. I will admit that I prefer the John Motson type commentary.
(7) There was no action replay. I thought Deeley of Wolves scored the first goal but Wolstenholme claimed it was an own goal. There was no loudspeaker to tell the fans. A goal was disallowed for offside and the lack of action replay was a pity.
(8) Wolves included a 21 year old called Stobart. Even two years after the Busby Babes it was extraordinary to have a 21 year old in the team.
(9) Wolves captain Bill Slater was also a lecturer in Physical Education at Birmingham University.
(10) Both goalkeepers played well although their defences did not protect them anywhere near as much as present day defences. I mention this as by the 1980s it was fashionable to sneer at the limitations of pre-Banks goalkeepers. Those goalkeepers were agile, had safe hands and by God they were fearless.
(11) Because of the heat Blackburn were switching forwards into the wing to give them a rest. In 1960 wingers were not expected to chase back and help fullbacks.
(12) The TV picture was much poorer than today and not just because it was in black and white. Kenneth Wolstenholme once said of the John Motson era "They have twenty cameras at a cup final; in my day the BBC did not have twenty cameras.
(1) The game was played in blazing heat. Kenneth Wolstenholme remarked on the spectators being a sea of white - by which he meant shirt sleeves though there were still some supporters who did not take off their jackets. Any man who wore a shirt that was not white would be regarded as a bit "unhealthy."
(2) Wolves had been playing the offside trap all season and continued to do so for the cup final. Kenneth Wolstenholme made it clear how much he disapproved of this as spoiling the game. It had not occurred to me how 1950s football would be more attractive than football since the offside trap became part of the game.
(3) Wolves had two of the most brutal footballers in an age of brutal players. Neither Ron Flowers or Eddie Clamp would last 45 minutes with a modern referee. "Chopper" Clamp was the hardest player I ever saw and when a Wolves player was fouled at Molyneux the fans would chant "Eddie'll get you". Throughout the 90 minutes the referee did not book a single player.
(4) Dave Whelan of Blackburn had his leg broklen. This was the second cup final running where a player broke his leg and his side was down to ten men. It was clear from Kenneth Wolstenholme's commentary that there was an increasing demand for the use of substitutes.
(5) When Dave Whelan was down the press ran onto the pitch to get close up photos. Nobody protested so this was seen as reasonable behaviour.
(6) Kenneth Wolstenholme regarded it as his job to commentate on the match. He did not come up with the barrage of statistics that later commentators would use. It was his job to tell you which player had the ball. I will admit that I prefer the John Motson type commentary.
(7) There was no action replay. I thought Deeley of Wolves scored the first goal but Wolstenholme claimed it was an own goal. There was no loudspeaker to tell the fans. A goal was disallowed for offside and the lack of action replay was a pity.
(8) Wolves included a 21 year old called Stobart. Even two years after the Busby Babes it was extraordinary to have a 21 year old in the team.
(9) Wolves captain Bill Slater was also a lecturer in Physical Education at Birmingham University.
(10) Both goalkeepers played well although their defences did not protect them anywhere near as much as present day defences. I mention this as by the 1980s it was fashionable to sneer at the limitations of pre-Banks goalkeepers. Those goalkeepers were agile, had safe hands and by God they were fearless.
(11) Because of the heat Blackburn were switching forwards into the wing to give them a rest. In 1960 wingers were not expected to chase back and help fullbacks.
(12) The TV picture was much poorer than today and not just because it was in black and white. Kenneth Wolstenholme once said of the John Motson era "They have twenty cameras at a cup final; in my day the BBC did not have twenty cameras.
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