1960-61 - Part one (Walsall's success continues)

Posted by Tony Hutton


TUESDAY 23RD AUGUST, 1960             Attendance 11,032

LEAGUE DIVISION THREE AT FELLOWS PARK, WALSALL

WALSALL 5 (Richards, Whale og, Taylor, Hodgkisson 2) SOUTHEND UTD 1 (Wall)

Christie; Haddington, Guttridge (capt); Dudley, McPherson, Rawlings;
Askey, Faulkner, Richards, Hodgkisson, Taylor;

Threadgold; Williamson, Whale; Costello, Watson, Dicks;
Stenhouse, Corthine, Houghton, Price, Wall;

Referee:- A. Holland, Barnsley

Third Division football returned to Fellows Park with a vengeance. Walsall gave a brilliant display and against a team which put up more opposition than the score suggests. Former Sunderland star, Harry Threadgold, was soon in action to save from Taylor and Faulkner, Richards shot inches wide and Hodgkisson hit the woodwork. The first goal came after twenty one minutes play and it was a characteristic effort by left winger Colin Taylor.

Just when Walsall's superiority was being challenged by some good football from Southend, he picked up a loose ball, raced clear of three defenders and crashed in a terrific shot from twenty five yards. However, Southend hit back to equalise in a most unusual manner. Haddington, with all the time in the world, attempted a needless back pass, which caught Christie unawares and went for a corner. Wall took the kick and Haddington, standing by the near post, appeared to have the ball covered but at the last moment stepped aside. All goalkeeper Christie could do, seeing the ball only at the last moment, was to help it into the net.
Price then had a header disallowed for off side, but it looked as though Southend might get on top. H.T.1-1.

Kicking down the slope in the second half Walsall took command. Two minutes after the restart, Threadgold could only palm out a high centre from Taylor and Richards had an easy task to head it into the net. Then after sixty nine minutes the Saddlers made it 3-1. Southend expected Taylor to centre, but he suddenly burst along the goal line and hit a hard low ball across the face of the goal. So hard in fact that full back Whale hardly knew what hit him as the ball cannoned off his foot into the goal.

Walsall were now playing delightful football with the ball playing ability of Dudley and Hodgkisson much in evidence. In seventy two minutes it was 4-1, Hodgkisson rounding Dicks and shooting past the oncoming goalkeeper. Two minutes later Hodgkisson again shook off two defenders and placed it under the diving Threadgold. So a convincing win in the end after a few problems in the first half.


SATURDAY 27TH AUGUST, 1960

LEAGUE DIVISION THREE AT FELLOWS PARK, WALSALL

WALSALL 3 (Richards, Taylor, Faulkner) TORQUAY UNITED 0

Christie; Haddington, Guttridge (capt); Dudley, McPherson, Rawlings;
Askey, Faulkner, Richards, Hodgkisson, Taylor;

Gill; Bettaney, Penford; Hancock, Northcott (G), Rawson;
Baxter, Cox, Northcott (T), Bond, Pym;

Referee:- A. Edge, Liverpool

A heavy rain storm shortly before the kick off soaked the ground and killed hopes of a large crowd. Both teams had difficulty in controlling the ball on the slippy surface, but it was Torquay who threatened to score first. Rawson lobbed a free kick to Bond who raced through unchallenged until Christie dived at his feet to save. Faulkner shot just wide from an Askey centre and then after seventeen minutes Walsall took the lead.

Hodgkisson lobbed a free kick into the goal area and Richards got his toe there first to prod the ball home. Pym, the outside left, was proving to be Torquay's danger man. From one of his passes Bond was again clean through but he shot hurriedly straight at Christie. Then at the other end Gill palmed away an Askey centre to Taylor and the winger's first time shot struck the goalkeeper's legs.

Richards got in a grand diving header from another Askey cross but it was straight at Gill. Then Christie did well to save a twenty yarder from Lawson as he slipped on the wet ground. A cannonball from Taylor was then charged down and Richards shot from the rebound was deflected over the bar. Half time 1-0.

Taylor was soon in action again, running on to a pass from Faulkner his low shot was so fierce that Gill could not hold it, but managed to grab it at the second attempt. Torquay were still in the game and a fine centre from Baxter was headed only inches over the bar by Northcott. Then Baxter, who was giving Guttridge a trying time, broke clean through and dribbled round Christie, but only managed to push the ball wide of the empty goal.

The home crowd's fears were put to rest in the sixty fifth minute when Colin Taylor did it again and set them roaring. Picking up the ball near the half way line he raced through on his own and left Gill standing with a left foot shot from the edge of the penalty area. It was Walsall all the way now and Faulkner completed the scoring when he neatly controlled a fine through pass from Hodgkisson to shoot past Gill from close range.



MONDAY 5TH SEPTEMBER, 1960                          Attendance 24,945

LEAGUE DIVISION ONE AT BLOOMFIELD ROAD, BLACKPOOL

BLACKPOOL 1 (Charnley) EVERTON 4 (Harris J., Vernon, Collins, Temple)

Waiters; Armfield, Martin; Kelly (J) capt., Gratrix, Durie;
Matthews, Lea, Charnley, Mudie, Campbell;

Dunlop; Parker, Green; Gabriel, Labone Harris (B);
Temple, Collins (capt), Harris (J), Vernon, Ring;

Referee:- F. Cowen, Manchester

This was Everton's first away win since April 14th, 1959. About time too, for Johnny Carey, their manager has spent really heavily to build up his present side. Everton introduced eighteen year old full back Green for his first league game and he was up against no less than the incomparable Stanley Matthews.

Green really need not have worried about this at all, for although the great Stanley did beat him on several occasions and floated across perfect centres, they were all wasted and he received such poor support from this really wretched Blackpool side that he might as well have stayed at home. Everton were obviously the better side in the first half, although they could not convert their superiority into goals. The only goal they did get was from close range by speedy centre forward Jimmy Harris. Half time 0-1.

In the second half Everton seemed to have got over the shock of being in the lead away from home and really turned on the heat. Man of the match was that little Scottish schemer Bobby Collins. He was here, there and everywhere, directing the whole course of the match. Everton's second goal was a beauty, Roy Vernon collected the ball some way outside the penalty area and suddenly let fly. Before Waiters could move the ball was lodged behind the iron stanchion in the back of the net.

Blackpool got consistently worse, their left winger Campbell and left half Durie being particularly poor. The only shining light was England full back Jim Armfield, who time and time again broke up attacks and started some of his own with powerful runs upfield. His opposite number Alex Parker was also outstanding in his use of the ball, as were both Everton wing halves. The real power of this team though lies in their inside forwards.

What a pair, Bobby Collins and Roy Vernon. Either of them could have score the third goal as Tommy Ring's cross found them both unmarked in front of goal. Vernon let it run and Collins calmly rolled it home.
Reserve outside right 'Shirley' Temple who looks quite a useful stand in for Micky Lill, scored the fourth with a fine left foot shot, after another piece of Bobby Collins trickery.

Finally when it was all over bar the shouting Ray Charnley, who had previously been bottled up completely by Brian Labone, scrambled in a consolation goal for Blackpool. The must need an awful lot of consoling after a terrible display like this one.



WEDNESDAY 7TH SEPTEMBER, 1960

LEAGUE DIVISION ONE AT BURNDEN PARK, BOLTON         Attendance 41,151

BOLTON WANDERERS 1 (McAdams) TOTTENHAM HOTSPURS 2 (Allen, White)

Hopkinson; Hartle, Banks; Stanley, Higgins (capt), Edwards (B);
Birch, Hill, McAdams, Parry, Holden;

Brown; Baker, Henry; MacKay, Norman, Blanchflower (capt);
Medwin, White, Saul, Allen, Dyson;

Referee:- R.T.E. Langdale, Darlington

Spurs came to Burnden Park with the impressive record of five game played and five game won. After a little anxiety they went away with their sixth victory tucker under their belt. The Real Madrid of English soccer drew a crowd twice as big as the previous best at Bolton this season. Spurs were without leading goal scorer Bobby Smith and teenager Frank Saul made his first league appearance.

In the third minute of the game Bolton shocked the Spurs by going ahead. A shot from Holden was only parried by Bill Brown and with the goalkeeper still on the ground, Hill calmly pulled the ball back to 
McAdams who shot into the net. This was only the Irish international's second game for
Bolton and the crowd have soon taken him to their hearts.

The game went on at a fast and furious pace, with Bolton's more aggressive style giving them more of the play than Tottenham's simple and cleverer game. McAdams nearly scored again with a hook shot from Birch's centre and it looked as if the league leaders were heading for defeat. However Spurs brilliant combined moves came more into evidence and after Hopkinson had done well to turn a drive from White over the bar young Saul looked certain to score.

The young centre forward, not yet showing the effects of Higgins powerful tackles, hit the post with his shot and the ball was scrambled clear. Bolton came again and a header from McAdam's and a Parry thunderbolt both hit the woodwork with Brown beaten. Half time 1-0.

Bolton carried on where they left off. Holden's low centre was gathered by Edwards and his shot passed only inches wide. Then a perfect cross from Birch was hit first time by Parry only for the ball to lodge between goalkeeper Brown's legs. After ten minutes of the second half Tommy Banks, the Bolton full back, appeared to strain a thigh muscle and went on to the wing for the remainder of the game.

This proved to be the turning point as Bolton went to pieces and spurred on by Blanchflower and MacKay the Spurs went to town. Les Allen equalised with a header from Dyson's precision cross after seventy one minutes and three minutes later John White volleyed home what proved to be the winning goal. Spurs played exhibition stuff for a while with both full backs proving themselves complete ball players. Bolton staged a late rally but without success and in the very last minute Hopkinson was call upon to make a brilliant save from Terry Dyson.


TUESDAY 20TH SEPTEMBER, 1960

LEAGUE DIVISION THREE AT FELLOWS PARK, WALSALL

WALSALL 2 (Richards 2) CHESTERFIELD 1 (Maddison)      Attendance 11.043


Christie; Haddington, Guttridge (capt); Dudley, McPherson, Rawlings;
Davies, Faulkner, Richards, Hodgkisson, Taylor;

Powell; Clarke, Sears; Mays, Blakey (capt), Frear;
Gilbert, Havenhand, Lewis, Foley, Maddison;

Following away defeats at Newport and Watford, Walsall just managed to beat Chesterfield, but the manner in which victory was accomplished did not satisfy their supporters. In the first five minutes Walsall missed a glorious opportunity of going ahead. Richards put Taylor through but the winger's first time shot flashed inches wide. Then Lewis from an excellent position headed over the bar for Chesterfield.

Walsall eventually took the lead after twenty five minutes of undistinguished football. Dudley cleverly lobbed the ball over a line of defenders and Richards was allowed to run on unchallenged to score with the defence unsuccessfully appealing for offside. He was onside when the ball was played to him. Walsall nearly scored again in the next minute after a shot from Taylor had been scrambled away. Davies, making his first appearance of the season, shot into the side netting.

After the Chesterfield goalkeeper, Powell, turned away a brilliant diving header from Richards, Chesterfield equalised. They had always looked dangerous and after thirty four minutes Madison sped away on his own to beat Christie from a narrow angle. Lewis should have put the visitors ahead two minutes later when shot against the bar from a fine pass by Havenhand. Faulkner also hit the bar for Walsall when put through by Guttridge. Half time 1-1.

After a lively start to the second half Walsall again faded away and it took a brilliant point blank save by Christie from a tremendous shot by Havenhand to bring the terraces back to life. Christie had to received attention to his bruised knuckles. Then at the other end Powell made an equally brilliant twisting save from a Colin Taylor cannonball. The best opportunity so far fell to Faulkner but he tamely put the ball straight at Powell.

Eventually after seventy four minutes, Richards scored the winning goal. He breasted down a corner kick from Davies and crashed the ball high into the net. The referee allowed the goal despite Chesterfield protests that Richards had handled the ball. The only shining light in a very poor game was the splendid form of Chesterfield left half Brian Frear, previously a Huddersfield Town inside forward. He was easily the man of the match.

MONDAY 3RD OCTOBER, 1960                   Attendance 12,141

LEAGUE DIVISION THREE AT FELLOWS PARK, WALSALL

WALSALL 3 (Foster, Taylor, Davies) SHREWSBURY TOWN 2 (McLaughlin, Harley)

Christie; Sharples, Guttridge (capt); Dudley, Palin, Rawlings;
Davies, Foster, Richards, Faulkner, Taylor;

Miller; Walters, Skeech; Wallace, Pountney, Harley;
Pragg, Starkey, Ambler, Rowley (capt), McLaughlin;

Referee:- L. Callaghan, Glamorgan

Walsall were without Haddington, McPherson, Askey and Hodgkisson due to injuries. Glanville Palin, signed from Wolves during the summer, made his debut at centre half. Outside right Pragg was also making his first appearance for Shrewsbury, who were led by their player-manager Arthur Rowley.

From the kick off McLaughlin raced through to gain a corner but this was cleared and Walsall immediately gained a corner on the left at the other end. Taylor swung the ball over and Trevor Foster running in jumped high to head the ball into the net. A splendid effort for the young inside forward's first league goal. Straight from the kick off Foster had the ball in the net again, but his one was disallowed for an infringement by another player.

McLaughlin, the young Irish winger released by Birmingham City, was proving to be Shrewsbury's best attacker. He was unlucky not to gain a penalty when brought down by two defenders. Shrewsbury were clearly playing the better football at this stage of the game and Walsall's defence was hard pressed to keep them out. The equaliser did come however after twenty nine minutes. Veteran player manager Arthur Rowley lobbed a free kick into the penalty are and Palin could only head it down to the feet of McLaughlin who promptly crashed it in for a well deserved goal.

This seemed to spur on Walsall for a time and Miller made excellent saves from both Rawlings and Faulkner. However five minutes before the interval Shrewsbury shocked the home supporters by taking the lead. Young Pragg beat Dudley out on the right and sent over a centre which went behind his forwards, but Harley a very energetic wing half, was following up well and he hit a grand shot first time well out of Christie's reach.
So Shrewsbury, third from the bottom of the league, went in for the interval with a well deserved lead against the team which are third from the top and only two points behind Grimsby, the leaders. H.T. 1-2.

Walsall were expected to come out and bombard Shrewsbury in the second half, especially as they were kicking down the slope towards their favourite laundry end, but they were strangely subdued. Young Foster looked very tired, which is only to be expected and the absence of Hodgkisson seemed to disjoint the whole forward line. The large collection of league managers in the stand must have been more impressed with young McLoughlin than the man they had apparently all come to watch - Colin Taylor.

Shrewsbury continued to play splendid football and Christie was called upon to punch a point blank shot from Starkey over the bar and then to save two splendid drives by wing half Wallace. Rowley, a rotund figure these days, prodded and probed from his centre of operations in midfield and how Walsall must have wished they had a general of his calibre to open up the Shrewsbury defence.

At last after seventy five minutes Walsall went into action. Skipper Bill Guttridge tore down the left wing like an express train, with the crowd roaring him on. His centre was only partially cleared and Colin Taylor was on the spot to crash the ball home with his right foot before Miller could see it. This goal really set Walsall alight at 2-2 and Colin Taylor at last began to show his admirers a glimpse of his real form.

Three minutes later he swung over a shot cum centre which beat goalkeeper Miller, rebounded from the far post and gave John Davies a simple task to shoot the ball into net for his first goal of the season. This sudden burst took all the fight out of Shrewsbury and Walsall coasted to a victory which the looked very unlikely to gain during the first half.


FRIDAY 28TH OCTOBER, 1960

LEAGUE DIVISION THREE AT FELLOWS PARK, WALSALL

WALSALL 1 (Hodgkisson) COVENTRY CITY 1(Kearns)                     Attendance 13,053


Christie; Sharples, Guttridge (capt); Hill, McPherson, Rawlings;
Askey, Faulkner, Richards, Hodgkisson, Taylor;

Lightening; Kletzenbauer, Bennett; Nicholas, Curtis (capt), Kearns;
Stifle, Straw, Satchwell, Farmer, Imlach;

Referee:- J.H. Hemingway, Pontefract

Despite the mud and fog there was plenty of excitement for the season's biggest crowd so far for this Friday night battle of the two Midlands rivals. Walsall were without wing half Jimmy Dudley and introduced local lad Ken Hill. Walsall had not been able to sign Notts Forest centre forward Tommy Wilson in time for him to play tonight, but he will add considerable experience to the Walsall squad
who are currently in fifth place in the league just five points behind leaders Bury.

Coventry had an interesting line up with a South African goalkeeper, right back Frank Kletzenbauer, despite his name a local Coventry lad and Middlesex cricketer Don Bennett was at left back. Outside left Stewart Imlach has done the rounds with Derby, Notts Forest, Bury and Luton. Inside forward Ron Farmer, a native of the Channel Islands, came from Notts Forest two years ago.

Walsall soon gave goalkeeper Albert Lightening plenty to do in the early stages, but Coventy urged on by Imlach on the left wing retaliated with a burst of speedy football which had the home defenders in trouble. Straw hit a post from Imlach's centre and then Satchwell's effort was blocked by Christie's body. Then Walsall came back strongly and Taylor hit a post, Richards had a header finger tipped over the bar and Lightening saved at full length in the mud from Hodgkisson. Taylor had to leave the field briefly for treatment to an ankle injury. Half time 0-0.

Richards nearly scored soon after the interval but Bennett brought off an amazing goal line clearance by hooking the centre forward's header off the line. McPherson also suffered an ankle injury and Walsall seemed up against it with two players not fully fit. Walsall's attack was getting bogged down in the mud and Askey who had looked dangerous was not getting enough of the ball. Coventry in particular gave away a lot of free kicks as the game threatened to get out of hand.

Coventry scored the first goal of the game in the seventy first minute as McPherson slipped in the mud and could only partially clear a cross from the right. The ball fell just right for wing half Kearns who hit it high into the net from the edge of the penalty area. Walsall fought back and within ten minutes had the equaliser following yet another free kick, which Rawlings planted into the area for Richards to head it down to Hodgkisson running in at pace to score from close range.

That was the end of the scoring in a hard fought game in very difficult conditions. Hopefully the weaknesses in the Saddlers forward line will be remedied once the signing of Tommy Wilson from Forest has been completed.


SATURDAY 5TH NOVEMBER, 1960

F.A. CUP FIRST ROUND AT FELLOWS PARK, WALSALL

WALSALL 0 YEOVIL 1 (Taylor)                 Attendance 11,887

Christie; Sharples, Guttridge (capt); Dudley, McPherson, Rawlings;
Askey, Faulkner, Richards, Hodgkisson, Davies;

Jones; Lyons, Hayward; Albury, Blackburn, McLaughlin;
Pounder, Paton, Kelly, Taylor, Ashe;

(Report from Wolverhampton Express and Star)

(Report from Birmingham Post)

1959-60 - Part five (Walsall/Burnley/Real Madrid)

Posted by Tony Hutton



TUESDAY 29TH MARCH, 1960

INTER-CITIES FAIRS CUP FINAL (FIRST LEG) AT ST ANDREWS BIRMINGHAM

BIRMINGHAM CITY 0 BARCELONA 0                          Attendance 40,500

Schofield; Farmer, Allen; Watts, Smith (capt), Neal;
Astall, Gordon, Weston, Orritt, Hooper;

Ramallets; Olivella, Rodriguez, Gracia; Segarra (capt), Gensana;
Coll, Koscis, Martinez, Ribellas, Villaverde;

Referee:- L Van Nuffell, Belgium

Barcelona in the Midlands for the second time this month, after trouncing Wolves 9-2 on aggregate in the European Cup, were without star inside forward Juan Suarez and brought in an unknown reserve Enrique Ribelles. The visitors must have got a shock when they stepped out on the pitch for although it had rained on and off during the day no one expected to see the top surface covered with water. The conditions may have been one of the reason why the conquerors of Wolves failed to produce the devastating form of which they are capable.

Another reason mentioned in some quarters was that they treated this match as unimportant, with the second leg coming up in Barcelona  which they are sure to win and with more important games with Real Madrid in the offing in the Spanish League as well as the European Cup, they could well afford to take things easy.

Barcelona only really threatened to score during the opening minutes when Louis Coll looked most likely to do the trick, but for the most part they were chase and harried off the ball by the hard tackling Birmingham defence who performed magnificently. In attack Birmingham's best players were the two wingers Gordon Astall and Harry Hooper who thrived on the long passes which reached them from defence. Hooper missed two chances during the second half but the worst of the lot was by Weston shortly before the end.

The Spaniards defence was however much too powerful for the inept Birmingham inside forwards, Gensana and Segarra the present Spanish international wing halves being in a class of their own. As far as the attack was concerned only Coll, with some brilliant dribbles and Martinez to a lesser extent, showed anything like their normal form. Koscis just ambled through the game almost unnoticed and Villaverde shrugged his shoulders at the fierce tackles and got out of the way.

Altogether a very disappointing game and while giving Blues credit for their fighting defence, one must assume in view of the different in this performance and that at Wolverhampton that the Barcelona side were saving themselves for greater things to come.

The second leg of this final was not played until 4th May when Barcelona predictably won by 4-1. Two goals from Hungarian winger Czibor and one each from Coll and Martinez were sufficent for Barcelona to take this rather long drawn out trophy which had been going on since 1958.

SATURDAY 16TH APRIL, 1960

LEAGUE DIVISION FOUR AT FELLOWS PARK, WALSALL               Attendance 10,527

WALSALL 2 (Billingham pen, Hodgkisson) GILLINGHAM 3 (Shepherd 2, Terry)

Christie; Haddington, Sharples; Billingham, McPherson (capt), Dudley;
Askey, Faulkner, Richards, Hodgkisson, Taylor;

Simpson; Proverbs, Hunt; Smith, Hughes, Hannaway;
Bacon, Shepherd, Terry, Pulley, Brown;

Referee:- R.H. Windle, Chesterfield

The league leaders Walsall kept the same side which beat Oldham 4-2 and Southport 4-1 during the previous week. Walsall did all the early attacking and it came as a surprise when Gillingham went ahead after eleven minutes. Outside right Bacon beat Sharples and Shepherd running in hit his centre first time from the edge of the penalty area to score a fine goal.

From now on it was all Gillingham. Playing fast constructive football their lively forwards had the Walsall defenders running round in circles. After both Pulley and Shepherd had missed good chances, the visitors scored again in thirty minutes. Brown put over a perfect centre from the left which found Terry opposite the far post and the centre forward scored with a grand header which went over Christie and dropped just under the bar.

Five minute later Walsall pulled one back when Taylor was brought down as he was going through and Peter Billingham scored from the spot. Gillingham's two centre forward plan troubled McPherson and when a bouncing ball beat the Walsall centre half, Terry was able to head on to Shepherd who scored his second goal with a low shot. Half time 1-3.

Walsall attacked strongly during the second half determined to draw level at least as Gillingham are only the third tea to score more than two goals against Walsall this season, the others being Watford and Peterbrough (in the cup). They had bad luck when Richards headed only inches wide from a Dudley free kick and again when a close range drive by Asked was pushed over the bar by Simpson.

Eventually after seventy three minutes Walsall managed to score a second goal. Askey headed the ball down to Hodgkisson who scored with a close range shot. The pressure was on now as the Saddlers went all out for an equaliser, but it would not come and the resolute Gillingham defence held out to the end. A very disappointing result for the home side following their two fine away wins, but Gillingham certainly deserved the points on their first half showing alone.


MONDAY 18TH APRIL, 1960                                   Attendance 22,788

LEAGUE DIVISION FOUR AT MEADOW LANE, NOTTINGHAM

NOTTS COUNTY 2 (Hateley, Roby pen) WALSALL 1 (Hodgkisson)

Christie; Haddington, Sharples; Billingham, McPherson (capt), Dudley;
Askey, Hodgkisson, Davies, Richards, Taylor;

Smith; Butler, Noon; Sheridan, Loxley, Carver;
Roby, Joyce, Hateley, Forrest (capt), Withers;

Referee:- G. McCabe, Sheffield

A large crowd turned up to see the two leading teams of the Fourth Division do battle, including about 5,000 who had travelled from Walsall. Both teams unexpectedly lost at home on Saturday and both made several changes.

Walsall did most of the early attacking down the right wing where Askey looked in good form. County retaliated with a fine run by left winger Alan Withers, but after twenty three minutes Walsall deservedly took the lead to the delight of their supporters. Dudley passed to Taylor who pushed it on down the left to Richards. He squared it across goal and Hodgkisson was on hand to hit it home from twelve yards.

Five minutes later County equalised with a splendid goal. Withers, a very tricky winger, broke away down the left and sent over a grand centre. Tony Hateley, jumping high, flicked his head and sent the ball just inside the post as Christie dived too late. A goal which must have reminded County supporters of the great Tommy Lawton. Roby missed a chance soon afterwards and Walsall were on the defensive right up to the interval.
Half time 1-1.

County really piled on the pressure in the second half and the Walsall defence in which Sharples was noticeably shaky and McPherson not at his best, had a struggle to keep them at bay. In the fifty first minute
 after Christie had been drawn out of goal, Haddington punched a shot from the bustling Hately over the bar and Roby scored from the resulting penalty.

County nearly added to their total twice in the next minute when first Haddington cleared off the line and then Christie brought off a grand one handed save. The Walsall attack was now almost non-existent and Roby and Joyce were playing havoc with the left flank of the defence. One particularly fine move ended with Joyce heading against the bar.

Walsall began their usual late rally and very nearly forced a draw when Richards swung over a perfect ball from the left and Hodgkisson met with his head only for Smith to save at the second attempt. So two very valuable points for the home side.

Both teams were in fact promoted to the Third Division at the end of the season. Walsall as Champions with 65 points and Notts County as runners up with 60 points

WEDNESDAY 27TH APRIL, 1960

LEAGUE DIVISION ONE AT ST ANDREWS, BIRMINGHAM

BIRMINGHAM CITY 0 BURNLEY 1 (Pilkington)

Schofield; Sissons, Farmer; Watts, Smith (capt), Neal;
Astall, Gordon, Weston, Murphy, Hooper;

Blacklaw; Angus, Elder; Adamson (capt), Cummings, Miller;
Meredith, McIlroy, Pointer, Robson, Pilkington;

Referee:- R.E. Smith, Newport (Mon)

Burnley with two games in hand on Spurs and Wolves the only two clubs ahead of them have a great chance of pulling off the league championship title and Birmingham still had an outside chance of being relegated. So this match was vital to both sides.

The visitors were without England outside right John Connelly and Birmingham continued with veteran Peter Murphy at inside left. Murphy, recently brought back from the third team, has virtually saved the Blues from relegation and scored two goal in the 4-2 win over Sheffield Wednesday last Saturday.

Burnley went all out into attack from the start, the clever footwork and short corners soon had Birmingham in trouble down the left wing and a surprise shot from McIlroy was brilliant saved by goalkeeper Schofield. After this early onslaught Birmingham made several tentative advances, but on nearly every occasion Hooper used the ball very badly.

With those two splendid wing halves Adamson and Miller gaining control Burnley returned to the attack. After Schofield had saved well from Miller he dropped a shot from Pilkington, but luckily no one was there to profit from his mistake. Pointer header into the net but was given offside. Then a most curious decision by the referee when he awarded an indirect free kick to Burnley after Meredith had been blatantly brought down inside the penalty area. Half time 0-0.

Birmingham's attack was very ragged and the only occasion on which Blacklaw was worried was during a terrific goalmouth scramble which was more like a Rugby scrum than an attack by a first division forward line. However it looked as though the hard work of Smith and Schofield would keep Burnley out. Then with only twenty minutes left Smith slipped and Pointer had only the goalkeeper to beat, but in trying to lob it over the keeper's head he only lobbed it gently into Schofield's waiting arms.

Soon afterwards came the decisive moment of the match when Meredith, the clever little reserve winger, beat Farmer and then Neal out on the right and crossed a low ball across the face of the goal. Pointer just touched it on and there was Pilkington, completely unmarked, with all the time in the world to place it into the corner of the net.

With just two matches remaining Burnley went on to take the League title. They drew nervously at home to Fulham but won the last match away at Manchester City 2-1 to finish the season on top.
Wolves took second place behind Burnley but also added the F.A. Cup by beating Blackburn 3-0 at Wembley. The victorious side is seen below.

Wolves team of cup winners - back row - Harris, Finlayson, Flowers, Slater (with cup), Broadbent, Clamp, Showell. Front row - Stobart, Horne, Murray and Deeley.

WEDNESDAY 18TH MAY, 1960         Attendance 127,621* (some papers quoted 134,000)        
            
EUROPEAN CUP FINAL AT HAMPDEN PARK, GLASGOW (TELEVISED LIVE)

REAL MADRID 7 (Di Stefano 3, Puskas 4) EINTRACHT FRANKFURT 3 (Kress, Stein 2)

Doninguez; Marquitos, Pachin; Vidal, Santamaria, Zarraga (capt);
Canario, Del Sol, Di Stefano, Puskas, Gento;

 Ley; Lutz, Hoffer; Weilbacher (capt), Eigenbrodt, Stinka;
Kress, Lardner, Stein, Pfaff, Meier;

Referee:- J. Mowatt, Scotland

Real Madrid had reached the final by beating their great Spanish rivals Barcelona in the semi-final, winning 3-1 both home and away. Having seen Barcelona destroy the English champions, Wolves, in the quarter finals, I was amazed at this result.

The front page of the German football magazine 'Kicker' describes Alfredo Di Stefano as the 'field commander' even before the game started in their special report from Glasgow.

Eintracht Frankfurt were paying their second visit to the city of Glasgow, having overwhelmed Glasgow Rangers 6-3 in the second leg of their semi-final after beating them 6-1 in Frankfurt.

After nineteen minutes of this remarkable game Eintracht outside right Kress in the centre forward position surprised red hot favourites Real Madrid by pushing home a right wing centre to give the Germans the lead.
Three minutes later the great Alfredo Di Stefano got in on the act. Canario rounded his full back in the tiniest of spaces on the right and pulled it back for Di Stefano to hit home from close range.

Then a swerving shot from Del Sol escaped Loy's grasp and in the instant it slipped from his hands, Di Stefano was there again to crashing the ball into the roof of the net. Just before half time Ference Puskas broke clear on the left and from a narrow angle sent a terrific shot into the net. Half time 3-1 to Real Madrid.

                                     Eintract attack (above) and defend (below)


After fifty four minutes speedy Gento was charged off the ball and a rather harsh penalty was awarded to Madrid. Puskas, instead of blasting it as one would expect, just sent the goalkeeper the wrong way and calmly rolled the ball into the corner of the net. Five minutes later Gento  was away like a bullet down his wing, near the goal line he turned and sent across a perfect hard centre. Puskas threw himself at it, headed it into the corner and ended up in the back of the net himself. 5-1 to Real and a truly brilliant goal.

After seventy minutes Puskas scored his fourth and makes it 6-1 with a brilliant left foot shot on the turn which thunders into goal. Then in a near goal a minute rush, centre forward Stein for Eintracht worked his way past three men and scored a grand goal to make it 6-2. Immediately from the kick off, Di Stefano had the ball and in a flash he was past four defenders and the ball was nestling in the right hand corner of the net. 7-2 in seventy two minutes!

Two minutes later Vidal mis-hit a back pass and Stein was on hand to score again for Eintracht. That finished the scoring at 7-3, but every minute of this game was exhibition stuff. Real Madrid seem to have reached perhaps the nearest to football perfection we shall ever see. Every player in their side was a true artist and there was no weak line. As for Di Stefano, Puskas and Gento, they must rank among the greatest geniuses this great game had ever produced. After Zarraga had been presented with the cup, Real ran around the ground in a lap of honour and was there ever such a roar of appreciation from just short of 130,000 people on any football ground anywhere in the world, never mind just Hampden Park.