1971-72 season scrapbook

[Carl Sagan]

5 hours ago, Gerry Daly said:

It would be nice if we could have the club badges of the time rather than the modern ones. 

I'm confused in that this is the Derby badge from the time isn't it? New that season? I have no idea about the opposition ones. Are they what you mean?

[MickD]

On 14/08/2021 at 01:30, LeedsCityRam said:

As we're all aware, this season marks the 50th anniversary of our first League title. Had an idea for a while to mark it by doing a walk through the season as it happened 50 years ago (rather than just next May) - sort of a variation on the 'Derby on this day thread'

Whilst its stating the obvious to suggest a first title changed a club, this season in particular acted as a benchmark for Derby. It was the first season we had the Ram that we still see on our shirts today, it set the platform for our European Cup exploits the following season (and Brian Clough's obsession with landing the trophy after the Juventus semi-final) & our later title in 1974-75. It is also the breakthrough season which still affords Derby a lot of respect nationally from fans of a certain age & one often remembered for the nail-biting ending.

I wasn't around 50 years ago so my efforts will be confined to finding Youtube footage (if it exists), match reports, memorabilia & updated league tables as the season gets going. Where it probably needs fleshing out is with contributions from those who were there at the particular matches - what do you remember about particular games, what were the away fans like (good & lets face it, bad in a lot of instances) & any other memories/match rituals of the time

Anyroad, enough wittering from me. Exactly 50 years ago today we kicked off 1971-72 against Manchester Utd at the Baseball Ground. Youtube highlights below but we were actually 0-2 down in our opener against the Man Utd side of Law, Best & Charlton...

 

The Wignall challenge on the goalkeeper wouldn't be allowed today.  Protected species.

[LeedsCityRam]

Matchday 8 – Saturday 11th September 1971 & a visit from Stoke to the BBG

Stoke weren’t a bad side, had quality like Gordon Banks & Jimmy Greenhoff in their ranks & won the League Cup later that season. But the Rams were in merciless mood & thrashed them 4-0 in front of 32,545. Goals coming from Todd, Gemmill, O’Hare & Hinton.

Suffice to say the nationals were reasonably impressed;

 

Derby's dominant win kept them in 2nd place - Sheffield Utd’s home draw with Spurs meant the gap at the top was cut to 2 points..

Edited September 11, 2021 by LeedsCityRam

[LeedsCityRam]

Posting this today feels a bit like driving an ice-cream van through a war zone but here goes. They can't take away our history...

Matchday 9 – Saturday 18th September 1971 & a visit to Stamford Bridge to face Cup specialists & media darlings Chelsea

Derby took the lead here through Roy McFarland after half an hour but were pegged back with a second half equaliser (Tommy Baldwin) in front of 42,872

 

 

Match report here

Programme of the day still revelling in Chelsea’s Cup Winners Cup win from the previous season..

Derby’s point in West London couldn’t keep them in 2nd as Man Utd won - Sheffield Utd also won & extended their lead over the Rams to 3 points;

[AndyinLiverpool]

On 04/09/2021 at 08:25, LeedsCityRam said:

Matchday 7 – Saturday 4th September 1971 & a trip to Goodison to face 1969/70 Champions Everton

The Rams got back to winning ways here with a 2-0 win in front of 41,024 – goals from Kevin Hector (18 mins) & Frank Wignall (72 mins) securing the points. Just on Frank Wignall, this was his 4th goal of the season after only 7 games but he only played 3 league games thereafter this season.

 

 

Programme of the day a pretty modern looking effort from Everton – generous too with our team photo on the main cover

 

The win moved us into second place but still 3 points behind fellow unbeaten side Sheffield Utd;

Interesting that the table has goal difference. My understanding is that goal average was used then. It was goal average that (spoiler alert) separated the 3 teams below us in the end.

[LeedsCityRam]

3 minutes ago, AndyinLiverpool said:

Interesting that the table has goal difference. My understanding is that goal average was used then. It was goal average that (spoiler alert) separated the 3 teams below us in the end.

Yes, that's right. Its a 'glitch' of the site I'm getting the tables from but I'll add these in manually the closer we get to the end of the season.

[AndyinLiverpool]

Just now, LeedsCityRam said:

Yes, that's right. Its a 'glitch' of the site I'm getting the tables from but I'll add these in manually the closer we get to the end of the season.

Not good enough. I demand you calculate each club's goal average every week.?

[48 hours]

9 minutes ago, AndyinLiverpool said:

Not good enough. I demand you calculate each club's goal average every week.?

Need something that distract us all this morning. 

At this time i would attend games (usually) wearing the following ...

Black Brogues / Red socks 

Levi denim trousers & jacket

Black+white check Ben Sherman shirt with button-down collar 

 - plus scarf (blue+white)

[AndyinLiverpool]

9 minutes ago, 48 hours said:

Need something that distract us all this morning. 

At this time i would attend games (usually) wearing the following ...

Black Brogues / Red socks 

Levi denim trousers & jacket

Black+white check Ben Sherman shirt with button-down collar 

 - plus scarf (blue+white)

Double denim? I say.

[Foreveram]

1 hour ago, 48 hours said:

Need something that distract us all this morning. 

At this time i would attend games (usually) wearing the following ...

Black Brogues / Red socks 

Levi denim trousers & jacket

Black+white check Ben Sherman shirt with button-down collar 

 - plus scarf (blue+white)

Scarf tied around your wrist 

[LeedsCityRam]

Matchday 10 – Saturday 25th September 1971 & West Brom were the visitors to the BBG

West Brom came into the game in a lowly 18th place but we had to settle for a 0-0 here in front of 30,628. Here’s a picture of future Wales & Wimbledon boss Bobby Gould doing his best ‘concentration face’ alongside Roy Mac…

 

Bit of chat backpage of the Ram about Derby monitoring Jeff Astle still..

 

The home draw kept us in 3rd place – Sheffield Utd beat Chelsea to stay top & extend their lead over Derby to 4 points;

[angieram]

55 minutes ago, LeedsCityRam said:

Matchday 10 – Saturday 25th September 1971 & West Brom were the visitors to the BBG

West Brom came into the game in a lowly 18th place but we had to settle for a 0-0 here in front of 30,628. Here’s a picture of future Wales & Wimbledon boss Bobby Gould doing his best ‘concentration face’ alongside Roy Mac…

 

Bit of chat backpage of the Ram about Derby monitoring Jeff Astle still..

 

The home draw kept us in 3rd place – Sheffield Utd beat Chelsea to stay top & extend their lead over Derby to 4 points;

Love that they obviously cam here and "shut up shop" against us - just what we did at their place this season. Some things never change in the ebb and flow of football!

[Wistaston Ram]

Bobby Gould RIP, scored the first goal I saw live in 1976 for Wolves v Ipswich.

 

[Ramifications]

I think he's still alive and kicking. 

[Wistaston Ram]

6 minutes ago, Ramifications said:

I think he's still alive and kicking. 

I stand corrected. he is 75, must have been thinking of someone else.

[GB SPORTS]

20 hours ago, angieram said:

Love that they obviously cam here and "shut up shop" against us - just what we did at their place this season. Some things never change in the ebb and flow of football!

If I remember rightly the Telegraph's headline was 21-0,the corner count. 

[Gerry Daly]

On 04/09/2021 at 15:04, Carl Sagan said:

I'm confused in that this is the Derby badge from the time isn't it? New that season? I have no idea about the opposition ones. Are they what you mean?

Yes I meant in the league table. Sorry I was being a bit of an arse 

[LeedsCityRam]

Matchday 11 – Saturday 2nd October 1971 & a visit to St James Park, Newcastle

Newcastle came into the game in 16th place & the Rams justified their superior placing with Alan Hinton’s goal giving them a 1-0 win in front of 32,040.

Match report suggests the scoreline probably flattered the Geordies a smidge..

Programme of the day at St James Park...

 

Derby’s win on Tyneside kept them in 3rd place. Elsewhere, the top of the table clash at Old Trafford saw Man Utd beat Sheffield Utd 2-0 to end the visitors’ unbeaten start to the season. That result left Derby as the only unbeaten side in the division after 11 games & cut the gap to Sheffield Utd to 2 points;

[Comrade 86]

Bloody hell! Those games, that league table! I wonder if we'll ever get close to that again.

Thanks for a great thread @LeedsCityRam

[BOB BIGGS]

1 hour ago, LeedsCityRam said:

Matchday 11 – Saturday 2nd October 1971 & a visit to St James Park, Newcastle

Newcastle came into the game in 16th place & the Rams justified their superior placing with Alan Hinton’s goal giving them a 1-0 win in front of 32,040.

Match report suggests the scoreline probably flattered the Geordies a smidge..

Programme of the day at St James Park...

 

Derby’s win on Tyneside kept them in 3rd place. Elsewhere, the top of the table clash at Old Trafford saw Man Utd beat Sheffield Utd 2-0 to end the visitors’ unbeaten start to the season. That result left Derby as the only unbeaten side in the division after 11 games & cut the gap to Sheffield Utd to 2 points;

I remember going to that one. My first visit to the North East, on the “ Ramaway”. Assured of a warm Geordie welcome, some Derby fans were hit by flying objects towards the end of the game, which we won fairly comfortably. 

We were stood in and among a few Home fans. A bloke next to us kept shouting something like “ It’s a bad bal an al”. We got it eventually….poor pass!

Strange after such an introduction that I’ve been in the region for the last 38 years. I didn’t see that coming at the time?