FA Cup 3rd Round - Bolton 3, Stoke C 2, 6th January, 1974

[Sluffy]

I posted this on tw recently and it was suggested that some of the more 'mature' ww members might appreciate it - so here goes!

 

FA Cup 3rd Round - Bolton 3, Stoke City 2 - 6th January, 1974

 

These days the big matches are played on Sunday - but in the dark days (and I choose my words carefully) football was never played on the sabbath - well that is until the 6th January, 1974.

 

Bolton were the first club in the whole country to play a match on Sunday. Ok to be more precise we were the first to schedule to play a match on Sunday but the JCL's at Cambridge some time later scheduled their match against Oldam to kick off earlier than the Burnden match and thus get their names into the history books.

 

For the old 'un's like me (I was there - and even had my picture on the back page of the Daily Mirror the following day!) a game of memories - a 40,000 attendance - does anyone recall how the crowd had to pay to see the game? (answer at the bottom*). For you youngsters - a lesson in history - part of the legend of Bolton.

 

With great pride Sluffy's Date's gives you -

 

 

FA Cup 3rd Round - Bolton 3, Stoke City 2 - 6th January, 1974

 

WANDERERS: Siddall, Ritson, Nicholson, Rimmer, P. Jones, Waldron, Byrom, G. Jones, Greaves, Whatmore, Thomson. Sub: Lee for Rimmer

 

 

THE long-awaited advent of Sunday soccer may have sent Lord's Day Observance Society campaigners reaching for their marker pens and placards, but it was welcomed with open arms by the fans in Bolton.

 

Within hours of the Sunday ban being lifted, nearly 40,000 of them - Bolton's average gate in 1973-74 was 15,000 - queued to get into Burnden Park for the FA Cup third round tie against Stoke City on January 6, 1974. It was played at a time of a power cuts and a three-day working week.

 

Although playing in a withdrawn striker's role, John Byrom, a ??25,000 buy from his hometown club Blackburn Rovers in 1966, was always the man Bolton depended on for goals. And although they were generally in short supply that season, Byrom had a commendable strike rate of 10 from 16 starts.

 

He was aware of all the fuss going on around the game, but said he was only ever interested in what happened on the pitch. And it wasn't long before he made his mark.

 

After 23 minutes on-loan Liverpool and England winger Peter Thompson troubled the Stoke defence yet again, setting up Garry Jones to cross. Paul Jones headed down and Byrom had a simple task to finish it. Another chance fell the striker's way before the interval as Bolton dominated.

 

Peter Thompson

 

During the break, Stoke substituted former World Cup hero Geoff Hurst who knew a thing or two about scoring hat-tricks. He had been a doubt with flu.

 

Just 90 seconds after the re-start Byrom scored what Stoke manager Tony Waddington described later as "the killer goal". Alan Waldron, Garry Jones and youngster Neil Whatmore were all involved before the blond striker wriggled between two defenders to beat goalie John Farmer.

 

There was little threat from Stoke, although an Eric Skeels' snapshot against the bar reminded Bolton to be on their guard.

 

While Byrom's second may have been the "killer" goal, his third - a 62nd minute drive from the edge of the penalty area - was to be the winner. John Ritchie hit back two minutes later and a Sean Haslegrave penalty gave Bolton five anxious minutes to survive at the end.

 

Byrom, never slow off the mark when it came to celebrating, was one of the first in the bar afterwards. He recalls: "When the final whistle went John Mahoney, who was at Blackburn as a junior when I was there, said well done'. He said that Stoke had been looking for a striker but that he had told scout George Eastham not to bother with me because I was too fat. I can tell you I had a bit of fun with George and Gordon Banks in the bar afterwards."

Byrom, now 60, grabbed the match ball and got it signed by his team mates.

 

John Byrom

 

"Years later I donated it to the Wanderers for their museum but it never got in there. I don't know what happened to it, but if it is still out there I would like to know. After all, the ball that was used in the first ever Sunday game should be a collector's item. If not, then perhaps it could be raffled for charity."

 

Bolton went to Southampton in the fourth round and two more goals from Byrom earned them a 3-3 draw, before losing 2-0 in the replay. A Kevin Keegan-inspired Liverpool beat Newcastle 3-0 to win the cup while Bolton struggled to mid-table in Division Two.

 

"Cheeky Chappie" Byrom, something of a cult figure at Bolton in the 1970s, went on to play 296 league games for the Wanderers, scoring 113 goals to add to the 45 he had scored in 106 games at Blackburn.

 

He briefly returned to Blackburn in 1976 when Bolton released him. These days he lives at Chaigley, near Clitheroe.

 

STOKE: Farmer, Dodd, Pejic, Skeels, Smith, Bloor, Robertson, Greenhoff, Ritchie, Hurst, Mahoney. Sub: Haslegrave for Hurst.

 

 

* Because of restrictions under the Sunday Observance Act no charge could be made for admission so supporters paid either 40p or 60p for match programmes to get them through the turnstiles.

 

http://www.the-wanderer.co.uk/boards/viewt...p=149074#149074

[HAPPY SHOP PIG]

Because of restrictions under the Sunday Observance Act no charge could be made for admission so supporters paid either 40p or 60p for match programmes to get them through the turnstiles.

 

 

can see a trip to the loft looming wonder how much that programmes worth

[Guest Biff]

Because of restrictions under the Sunday Observance Act no charge could be made for admission so supporters paid either 40p or 60p for match programmes to get them through the turnstiles.

 

 

can see a trip to the loft looming wonder how much that programmes worth

 

They actually paid 40p or 60p for a team sheet at the turnstile. I still have mine. Official programmes were available and on sale at the normal price at the usual places. I have one of those as well.

[HAPPY SHOP PIG]

Because of restrictions under the Sunday Observance Act no charge could be made for admission so supporters paid either 40p or 60p for match programmes to get them through the turnstiles.

 

 

can see a trip to the loft looming wonder how much that programmes worth

 

They actually paid 40p or 60p for a team sheet at the turnstile. I still have mine. Official programmes were available and on sale at the normal price at the usual places. I have one of those as well.

 

Damn no way i`d have saved a teamsheet

[leigh white]

Remember that day well, Lever End, half Bolton, half Stokies. Got removed for a little bit of bovver, but in those days, you got back in the ground again, and managed to see all three goals by John.

[CSBWFC]

Yes and the old bloke outside with the sign

 

"The End is Nigh"

 

Johnny B was truly magic that day.

[Lever Ender in L.A.]

When was The King not magic ????

no mention of him popping up and clearing off our goal line with Barry Siddall well beaten..........the crowd went mad, and J,B, did his usual one arm salute, like he had just scored another

 

lets face it boys and girls the word LEGEND was created for The King

[byrom is the king]

How could I fail to respond to this thread?

 

Johnny B. was one of the greatest players to play for our team... whenever I hear a modern day commentator rhapsodize about a striker playing "in the hole" (cue bad jokes) I always think "nay lad, you should have seen Byrom...he invented the tactic".

[Burndens Bogs]

Remember it well,football violence was in it's infancy in '74 but there was quite a bit that day,i was on the Enbankment and my mate had a quarter house brick bounced off his head,he said it did sting a little.

JB was awseome that day.

[bolty58]

When was The King not magic  ????

no mention of him popping up and clearing off our goal line with Barry Siddall well beaten..........the crowd went mad, and J,B, did his usual one arm salute, like he had just scored another

 

lets face it boys and girls the word LEGEND was created for The King

 

Best I have ever seen in a BWFC shirt. Many abiding memories but one day at Burnden rubbing his gut when the crowd was singing 'you fat bastard' one of me favourites. Anybody else remember various controversies about him moonlighting in the close season? Driving a Warbys bread van and dropping a brick on his foot whilst hod carrying are two that I remember. A true legend.

[Guest Biff]

I remember when we played Liverpool in a cup match at Burnden and John Byrom twatted Tommy Smith all through the game. Great player, second to Nat as a striker. I could never understand why he was never played in the same team as Wyn Davies. They would have been some combination.

[Mounts Kipper]

It is a shame there is no footage of JB, i did watch him for a couple of seasons but at ten years old the memory is very faded, i would pay good money to see some of the great 70s games again in particular the 3 games against newcastle the win at everton in the league cup the stoke sunday game the derby 1/4 final and the win at huddersfield when we beat them in the F.A.cup.

[Carlos]

I remember when we played Liverpool in a cup match at Burnden and John Byrom twatted Tommy Smith all through the game.    Great player, second to Nat as a striker.  I could never understand why he was never played in the same team as Wyn Davies.  They would have been some combination.

 

Biff, when was this game as someone at the gym was on about it and I couldn't recall it at all?

[bolty58]

I remember when we played Liverpool in a cup match at Burnden and John Byrom twatted Tommy Smith all through the game.    Great player, second to Nat as a striker.  I could never understand why he was never played in the same team as Wyn Davies.  They would have been some combination.

 

Biff, when was this game as someone at the gym was on about it and I couldn't recall it at all?

 

Pretty sure it was a 3-2 League Cup win (over to you Biff). Not that long before we beat the Massives 3-0 in the same competition with that Gary Jones hat trick? Seem to recall Ian Callaghan throwing a little girls tantrum when they lost and definitely remember it kicking off in the Lever End during the game and outside Trinity St. station later.

[THunter]

I remember when we played Liverpool in a cup match at Burnden and John Byrom twatted Tommy Smith all through the game.    Great player, second to Nat as a striker.  I could never understand why he was never played in the same team as Wyn Davies.  They would have been some combination.

 

Biff, when was this game as someone at the gym was on about it and I couldn't recall it at all?

 

Pretty sure it was a 3-2 League Cup win (over to you Biff). Not that long before we beat the Massives 3-0 in the same competition with that Gary Jones hat trick? Seem to recall Ian Callaghan throwing a little girls tantrum when they lost and definitely remember it kicking off in the Lever End during the game and outside Trinity St. station later.

There;s a 3-2 League Cup game, but it's four years earlier than the win over City.

[Burndens Bogs]

I'm sure we beat Liverpool 2-0 at Burnden in a cup match,night game- early seventies i think. Or did i just dream it?

[Sluffy]

We drew with Liverpool away 1 -1 in the second round of the Leaugue Cup on the 13th September 1967 - Franny Lee got our goal and went on to win the replay 3 -2 in front of a 30,669 crowd two weeks later on the 27th September - Fredy Hill and Gordon Taylor (2) for us.

 

We went out in the next round to West Ham away 4 -1 - John Byrom getting the goal.

 

 

Mr Bogs - you must be confusing the 2 -0 win over Liverpool with someone else - as after our 3 -2 win we did not play Liverpool again until

Sept, 1978, and did not beat them again until Jan 1993 (away).

 

Interestingly this game was in the FA Cup which we won 2 -0 and was on a Wednesday - so apart from it being 20 years from the date you thought and not played at Burnden - is this the match you are thinking of?

 

Mr Bolty - the 3 -0 over City took place in October 1971.

 

I have actually done a match report on it like the one I did for this thread (well when I say match report - I have cut and pasted a few things together to create one).

 

If anyone would like me to start a thread on it just post on here and I will gladly do so.

[Guest Biff]

Yes I think it was the cup replay. Byrom gave Smith a right tonking on the pitch. Smith ad a go at Byrom as they were walking off te pitch at full time and Johnny B came out on top. Smith even waited for Byrom outside the dressin room after he had got changed and again came off second best.

[Mounts Kipper]

Yes I think it was the cup replay. Byrom gave Smith a right tonking on the pitch.  Smith ad a go at Byrom as they were walking off te pitch at full time and Johnny B came out on top.  Smith even waited for Byrom outside the dressin room after he had got changed and again came off second best.

 

well done john byrom, not many got the better of tommy smith.

 

p.s. biff, thought you were going to the spanish friendlies?

[Mounts Kipper]

recalling and reading this thread about the games in the 70s does any one get a warm glow of a feeling or is it just me.

[HAPPY SHOP PIG]

I remember when we played Liverpool in a cup match at Burnden and John Byrom twatted Tommy Smith all through the game. Great player, second to Nat as a striker. I could never understand why he was never played in the same team as Wyn Davies. They would have been some combination.

 

Biff, when was this game as someone at the gym was on about it and I couldn't recall it at all?

 

Pretty sure it was a 3-2 League Cup win (over to you Biff). Not that long before we beat the Massives 3-0 in the same competition with that Gary Jones hat trick? Seem to recall Ian Callaghan throwing a little girls tantrum when they lost and definitely remember it kicking off in the Lever End during the game and outside Trinity St. station later.

 

i`m sure we never played liverpool in the 70s until we got to the old 1st division 78, i remember us playing tranmere away and a lot of liverpool fans came and supported the wanderers because peter thompson was playing for us

 

As for the time we beat city 3-0 that was after beating bradford then huddersfield in the rounds before, i`d rather forget the round after that

[athywhite1958]

Remember that day well, Lever End, half Bolton, half Stokies. Got removed for a little bit of bovver, but in those days, you got back in the ground again, and managed to see all three goals by John.

 

I was in the Great Lever End that day, there were darts being thrown about, I remember 1 Stokie being led out with a dart stuck in his head

Kicked off like fook outside and all the way up Manny road after the game

[Big_Girl_Oral_Explosion]

We drew with Liverpool away 1 -1 in the second round of the Leaugue Cup on the 13th September 1967 - Franny Lee got our goal and went on to win the replay 3 -2 in front of a 30,669 crowd two weeks later on the 27th September - Fredy Hill and Gordon Taylor (2) for us.

 

.

 

 

My first ever football game as a 7 year old with me dad in the embankment i can still smell the frying onions from the hot dog stands as we walked back to his car, the beer wafting from the open doors of the pubs and the crowds on the car park lit up by the floodlights

[bolty58]

I remember when we played Liverpool in a cup match at Burnden and John Byrom twatted Tommy Smith all through the game. Great player, second to Nat as a striker. I could never understand why he was never played in the same team as Wyn Davies. They would have been some combination.

 

Biff, when was this game as someone at the gym was on about it and I couldn't recall it at all?

 

Pretty sure it was a 3-2 League Cup win (over to you Biff). Not that long before we beat the Massives 3-0 in the same competition with that Gary Jones hat trick? Seem to recall Ian Callaghan throwing a little girls tantrum when they lost and definitely remember it kicking off in the Lever End during the game and outside Trinity St. station later.

 

i`m sure we never played liverpool in the 70s until we got to the old 1st division 78, i remember us playing tranmere away and a lot of liverpool fans came and supported the wanderers because peter thompson was playing for us

 

As for the time we beat city 3-0 that was after beating bradford then huddersfield in the rounds before, i`d rather forget the round after that

 

Yep, think yer right HSP.The match I was referring to was in 1967 (3-2 home replay win).