Home win against Arsenal in 1973

See link
https://www.uptheclarets.com/gunners-gu ... t-the-turf

Did Alan Ball play in white boots - and got some serious stick for doing so (if he did)?

That’s an iconic lineup by Arsenal. Amazing team who we beat to stay third in the league but the crowd was 13k !!!!

I was one of that utterly embarassingly paltry crowd, especially bearing in mind we were the third best team in the country at the time! There was also barely any away following if I remember correctly, but I do remember a lone Arsenal fan in the CF front row waving a flag when Radford scored right in front of her to give Arsenal the lead. I also remember Alan Ball taking dogs abuse (no idea why?) from the home fans and eventually reacting with a salute (of sorts!)

Dark Cloud wrote: ↑

Fri Dec 22, 2023 2:24 pm

I was one of that utterly embarassingly paltry crowd, especially bearing in mind we were the third best team in the country at the time! There was also barely any away following if I remember correctly, but I do remember a lone Arsenal fan in the CF front row waving a flag when Radford scored right in front of her to give Arsenal the lead. I also remember Alan Ball taking dogs abuse (no idea why?) from the home fans and eventually reacting with a salute (of sorts!)

I'm pretty certain Radford's goal was at the Bee Hole End.

sjb wrote: ↑

Fri Dec 22, 2023 2:29 pm

I'm pretty certain Radford's goal was at the Bee Hole End.

Well you might be right, bearing in mind I was a teenager then and now I'm a 65 year old gimmer! CT will surely know, but I have this apparently clear memory of him scoring at the CF end.

Dark Cloud wrote: ↑

Fri Dec 22, 2023 2:32 pm

Well you might be right, bearing in mind I was a teenager then and now I'm a 65 year old gimmer! CT will surely know, but I have this apparently clear memory of him scoring at the CF end.

I was only young too but I was stood on the Longside and I'm 99% sure all 3 goals were scored at the Bee Hole - Waldron's winner definitely was. Still, the memory sometimes plays tricks on we old 'uns!

sjb wrote: ↑

Fri Dec 22, 2023 2:29 pm

I'm pretty certain Radford's goal was at the Bee Hole End.

All at the Bee Hole End.

Will there be a boxing day report from that season Tony?

Ptangyangkipperbang wrote: ↑

Fri Dec 22, 2023 2:52 pm

Will there be a boxing day report from that season Tony?

I've tried to do both 1973/74 and 1998/99 on the correct dates but I got behind due to being unwell this month and am currently playing catch up. Should hopefully get the Boxing Day games in on time before going to the Turf.

I was at this game though I can't remember any of it. The excuse for low attendances the Saturday before Christmas was it was the last chance for shopping. Not sure why you couldn't shop in the morning if that was the case.

A classic game of two halves. Conditions dictated which team could 'play' in each half. Ball orchestrated things in the first half then 'lost it' big time in the second half as we mounted a fightback. Surely he must have been familiar with the barracking he received in the second half but Arsenal without the prompting of their best player were a shadow of the team that dominated the early part of the game. Surprised to see a gate of only 13,000; a pity because two top teams were on show. Always recall that back in the 60's and 70's poor attendances pre- Christmas were usually put down to the effects of Christmas shopping. Never understood it myself but that's what we were told from 'the experts'.

I was on when Kev Mcdonald destroyed Arsenal and Nicholas Bentener got slated for his coloured boots