1971-72 season scrapbook

[PendineRam]

Great stuff Brailsford, like you I am one of the lucky ones having first watched the Rams in the late fifties. My first match was a reserve game in '57 (Normo end upper tier) with my wonderful uncle Tom who was a Ram through and through. I graduated to the kids corner by '59 and barely missed a home game therefter. By 1960 I was going to a lot of away games and by '62 and earning a crust I hardly missed a game home or away (midweek fixtures like Plymouth being nigh on impossible for me in them days!)

Whilst the Clough/Mackay is obviously the highlight for me I have to say that I really enjoyed the early sixties. I remember those players (Parry, Powell, Oxford, Barrowcliffe, Young, Curry, Hall, Hutchinson, Davies,  Conwell, Upton, Hughes (Billy and Gordon), Swallow, Buxton, Moore, Adlington, Havenhand  etal) with much fondness! Linked with the 'swinging sixties' of the Beatles, mini skirts and cheap ale the early sixties were just incredible and the Rams at that time were, for me and my mates, a significant part of the whole package! Let's hope it can be repeated one day. 

For all that my departed father in law did even better! Having been demobbed from the Air Force he managed to get hold of a ticket for the Cup Final,  hitchhiked to Wembley and saw our famous victory!

So he saw us win the Cup and then experienced 2 league titles,  not bad eh! 

[Guest]

3 hours ago, Crewton said:

Great stuff as usual BR. 

Anyone interested in learning more about Tim Ward should hunt down a copy of the biography written by his son Andrew, entitled "Armed With A Football" (Breedon Press I think). Tim fought in Normandy after D-Day and it's a fascinating and moving story. 

What a concise and accurate critique Crewton. I have bought all the books about Derby County and Armed With A Football is one of my favourites. It is serious, sad and in parts sentimental and funny but a great story. Andrew Ward co-authored The Derby County Story with Anton Rippon. He did the same with John Williams in putting together Football Nation - Sixty Years of the Beautiful Game, which is also highly recommended. He should have written more. I wish he had written one on Tim's career as a football manager.

[Guest]

1 hour ago, PendineRam said:

Great stuff Brailsford, like you I am one of the lucky ones having first watched the Rams in the late fifties. My first match was a reserve game in '57 (Normo end upper tier) with my wonderful uncle Tom who was a Ram through and through. I graduated to the kids corner by '59 and barely missed a home game therefter. By 1960 I was going to a lot of away games and by '62 and earning a crust I hardly missed a game home or away (midweek fixtures like Plymouth being nigh on impossible for me in them days!)

Whilst the Clough/Mackay is obviously the highlight for me I have to say that I really enjoyed the early sixties. I remember those players (Parry, Powell, Oxford, Barrowcliffe, Young, Curry, Hall, Hutchinson, Davies,  Conwell, Upton, Hughes (Billy and Gordon), Swallow, Buxton, Moore, Adlington, Havenhand  etal) with much fondness! Linked with the 'swinging sixties' of the Beatles, mini skirts and cheap ale the early sixties were just incredible and the Rams at that time were, for me and my mates, a significant part of the whole package! Let's hope it can be repeated one day. 

For all that my departed father in law did even better! Having been demobbed from the Air Force he managed to get hold of a ticket for the Cup Final,  hitchhiked to Wembley and saw our famous victory!

So he saw us win the Cup and then experienced 2 league titles,  not bad eh! 

Love it Pendine. Are you exiled in Pembrokeshire now? My dad first taught me to drive on Pendine Sands when I was 14 in the summer of 1967 when we were on holiday down there. Brian Clough had arrived the month before. The players you mention were my starting point in 1961. From that time, I also remember Glyn Davies, who was Harry Storer's son-in-law, Mick Hopkinson, Don Roby, Bobby Stephenson and Des Palmer. I too was a boys enclosure apprentice. I have accumulated  a very large music collection over the years and I still am but my first two LPs were Christmas presents from my grandparents in 1963 - Please Please Me and With The Beatles. The next day the Big Freeze set in and that was the Boxing Day when Brian Clough suffered his knee injury playing for Sunderland against Bury at Roker Park. Derby's game was postponed that day and we didn't play again in the league until mid-February against Sunderland at the BBG. I didn't know of Clough's injury and I set off excitedly to watch the game and him in particular because his goalscoring feats were phenomenal. I was so disappointed when I got to the ground and found he wasn't playing. You're right about the Cup Final. I used to love listening to the guys that went. But I did get to meet Sammy Crooks (who was injured for the final), Jackie Stamps, Jim Bullions, Jack Howe and Reg Harrison over the years and I saw Raich Carter when he came to the BBG as Middlesbrough's manager in the 60s. He refused me an autograph. Anton Rippon's book, The Day We Won The Cup,is a good read.

But we're being greedy Pendine. We weren't dealt a bad hand were we?

Edited November 9, 2021 by Guest

[Reggie Greenwood]

1 hour ago, Brailsford Ram said:

What a concise and accurate critique Crewton. I have bought all the books about Derby County and Armed With A Football is one of my favourites. It is serious, sad and in parts sentimental and funny but a great story. Andrew Ward co-authored The Derby County Story with Anton Rippon. He did the same with John Williams in putting together Football Nation - Sixty Years of the Beautiful Game, which is also highly recommended. He should have written more. I wish he had written one on Tim's career as a football manager.

I worked with Tim in his later years , he had many stories to tell and what a gentleman he was.

[Guest]

2 hours ago, loweman2 said:

Frank was one of the players i went to see at his home when we did the "Legends" tour a couple of years ago, he was very chatty and remembered everything from his days at Derby, i dont want to hijack the thread with a long tale

Phil, you have so much to contribute to this scrapbook, from the meetings you and your dad had with the players from the championship days and what you have done for the Rams Heritage Trust. You might not have been there to watch it but you are a legend in your right around the halcyon years. I'm sure we all respect that and . we'd all love to know what you found as we go along. We're all Rams together, so please don't hold back.

[Guest]

2 hours ago, loweman2 said:

but one funny story i remember was that he said that on one of his first games they had travelled to London to play a game and on the morning of the match Cloughie took them for a walk alongside the Thames, Frank said that he managed to catch up with Brian at the front and wanted to make a good impression on him so engaged in conversation with him, after a couple of minutes Cloughie turned round to him and gave him the classic "Young man" "i have signed you to score goals for Derby County, i have not signed you to be my friend or to engage in idle chit chat now kindly leave me alone" 

 

I think that game was more than likely a mid-week fixture at Fulham, which we won 1-0. Frank scored the only goal of the game with a brilliant header in the second half. On the Saturday he scored again in a 5-1 win over Bolton at the BBG when promotion was clinched with four games still to play. So you can only say that Cloughie's. reminder to Frank perhaps had a somewhat immediate affect. I expect the manager was much kinder to Frank after those efforts.

[Macintosh]

2 hours ago, Brailsford Ram said:

What a concise and accurate critique Crewton. I have bought all the books about Derby County and Armed With A Football is one of my favourites. It is serious, sad and in parts sentimental and funny but a great story. Andrew Ward co-authored The Derby County Story with Anton Rippon. He did the same with John Williams in putting together Football Nation - Sixty Years of the Beautiful Game, which is also highly recommended. He should have written more. I wish he had written one on Tim's career as a football manager.

Andrew's not in a good way right now, dementia and cancer.

[Crewton]

Just now, Macintosh said:

Andrew's not in a good way right now, dementia and cancer.

That's sad to hear.

[PendineRam]

5 hours ago, Brailsford Ram said:

Love it Pendine. Are you exiled in Pembrokeshire now? My dad first taught me to drive on Pendine Sands when I was 14 in the summer of 1967 when we were on holiday down there. Brian Clough had arrived the month before. The players you mention were my starting point in 1961. From that time, I also remember Glyn Davies, who was Harry Storer's son-in-law, Mick Hopkinson, Don Roby, Bobby Stephenson and Des Palmer. I too was a boys enclosure apprentice. I have accumulated  a very large music collection over the years and I still am but my first two LPs were Christmas presents from my grandparents in 1963 - Please Please Me and With The Beatles. The next day the Big Freeze set in and that was the Boxing Day when Brian Clough suffered his knee injury playing for Sunderland against Bury at Roker Park. Derby's game was postponed that day and we didn't play again in the league until mid-February against Sunderland at the BBG. I didn't know of Clough's injury and I set off excitedly to watch the game and him in particular because his goalscoring feats were phenomenal. I was so disappointed when I got to the ground and found he wasn't playing. You're right about the Cup Final. I used to love listening to the guys that went. But I did get to meet Sammy Crooks (who was injured for the final), Jackie Stamps, Jim Bullions, Jack Howe and Reg Harrison over the years and I saw Raich Carter when he came to the BBG as Middlesbrough's manager in the 60s. He refused me an autograph. Anton Rippon's book, The Day We Won The Cup,is a good read.

But we're being greedy Pendine. We weren't dealt a bad hand were we?

No complaints, enjoyed every minute of it, the good, the bad and yes, at times, the ugly. It's all part and parcel! Two titles, pure football, Roy Mac, Dave Mackay, Toddy and Nish, Hector, O'Hare and Hinton! The list goes on and on and on. Bill Nicholson said, after watching us demolish his Spurs 5-0, I have just watched football the like of which I haven't seen before. We lost and I marvelled at every minute of It! Pure class! 

Pendine is like our second home, as soon as summer arrives off we go! Just me, the missus and the dogs now but our three kids loved it. My eldest learned to drive there as well and, of course, Saundersfoot and Tenby are just up the road! 

God, the big freeze! Now that was a winter, bloody cold all day. It never let up, frost on the trees 2 inches thick. 

Yes, it weren't too bad! Shame it had to end but I can say 'I was there'! 

[loweman2]

[loweman2]

So we started the season and played the first ten or so games in this hybrid shirt, a blend of the old design with the hooped neck and cuffs, this was of course the first attempt at Brian Clough’s to replicate the England kit, away from Black and White to Blue and White, also the Ram was new, the snorting ram, it had a bit of attitude about it and has sat there ever since.

[Guest]

I love the Ram design and the fact that it has withstood the test of 50 years says it all. Looking at it, the posture of the Ram has always symbolised a sign of strength for me..

Don Revie had changed the Leeds kit to all white from gold and blue. He wanted Leeds to be seen in the image of Real Madrid. I think changing the Derby kit to the England kit was a similar psychological ploy by Brian Clough. But it never worked for me. I was always a fan of the black & white Rams tradition. I have never seen a blue ram!!!! But then again we won the league in those colours so who am i to complain?

I was glad when we reverted to the traditional black & white.

 

Edited November 9, 2021 by Guest

[loweman2]

Looks like it was match day ten v WBA when the crisp new white shirts with no trim were introduced, this one was Ron Webster’s no2 shirt, soon to be Champions of England !

[Sufferingfool]

This is a wonderful thread bringing alive a time I only have vague recollections of from afar through the TV and newspapers. Living in Essex and never supporting a fixed team ( most of my friends supported West Ham) I recall being shocked as a 9/10 year old to see a team I had never heard of before suddenly at the top of the First division. I remember remarking on this to my Dad, who had no interest in football so could not help explain why this was. A friend had parents from Derby and although a Hammer explained they had been good in the past! I did not start supporting till I came to make Derby my home in 1980 and by then the decline was well underway but was in no doubt this was a football city to rival any. It is especially important at this time we remember the proud history we have keep the memories coming. UTR

[Guest]

44 minutes ago, Sufferingfool said:

I did not start supporting till I came to make Derby my home in 1980 and by then the decline was well underway but was in no doubt this was a football city to rival any. It is especially important at this time we remember the proud history we have

That's lovely to hear from someone who didn't move from Essex to the City until adulthood. You are so right. Derby were founder members of the football league in 1888. The story of the club's rise shows the affinity that the industrial heartland of this town, as it was until it achieved city status in 1977, had for Derby County from the outset. It was also and still is a county club with support from the far flung corners of Derbyshire. People still travel from New Mills and Glossop when they could choose to take the much shorter journey to Old Trafford or The Etihad.  It is a club that has always belonged to the supporters. Any owner is a custodian while he is here but the supporters are here forever. In the halcyon years, it was not just those who watched the games who had an interest, all of the town folk, including the women, few of whom attended at that time, shared that common interest in the club. Local industry always recognised that productivity increased when the Rams were doing well. The day after Rolls-Royce crashed in February 1971, Brian Clough famously went and paid £170k for Colin Todd "to put a smile back on the faces of the people of Derby," We were all in it together and we always will be.

Contrary to your pseudonym Suffering, you are no fool. Your opinion echos the heartfelt sentiments of no other than the great Peter Taylor, In his autobiography 'With Clough By Taylor, he said 'The Baseball Ground has always appealed to me. Nottingham is my birthplace but I feel more at home in Derby, a real football town.'

You can't get better than that.

Come On You Rams.

[Sufferingfool]

You are so right about Derby and Derbyshire Brailsford. When I moved up I was immediately at home in a City with an identity. Much as I miss the coast and woods of Essex I was always associated as being from London. I moved up for college and have never left, Derby gave me identity in a way but more it gave me Derbyshire and it’s beauty. Whatever happens for the club, god forbid liquidation, it must not change from being County. 

[Mucker1884]

Just caught up on the last 3 pages.
For someone who just missed out on the halcyon days (Technically, I didn't, as my first game in attendance coincided with the lap of honour with our second league trophy v Carlisle), this is turning into an absolutely bostin' scrap book!

Hat's off to all you old codgers (?), for not only remembering the many finer details, but also for being caring enough, and generous enough to share them.

 

Absolutely top drawer, this!

 

[Mucker1884]

On 06/11/2021 at 17:14, Brailsford Ram said:

... However, on arrival in Division One, the Rams had dominated in their encounters with Palace.with three wins and a draw in the league and a draw and a replay win in the League Cup in 1969. The first replay at the BBG was abandoned with five minutes to go as the thickest pea soup fog I have ever seen swiftly enveloped the ground, with the Rams leading 3-0. From my seat in the Normanton Upper, all I could see of the pitch was the outline of the Normanton End goal. We did not even know that the players had left the pitch until the abandonment was announced on the tannoy...

 

Thicker than v Burnley?
(Google reminds me that was FA Cup 3rd round Replay, Jan '92).

We were just inside the Ossie half of The Ley Stand*, 3rd row from front, and could see neither penalty area D, nor even a hint of the centre circle!  We had no idea where the ball was... I'm not sure the players did, either!  ?
I think it was abandoned with us

 

*Not my usual position, but it was close to my birthday (so maybe a treat?) and also Muckerette's second game, and she absolutely hated the BO-infected crush of The Pop-Side**, for her debut v Newcastle (big crowd, then!).  No idea when that was, but I'm pretty certain it took me a fair few years to convince her to return... and then the fog descended!  ?

 

**Not my usual position, but I guess my preferred Ossie End was all seats by latter half of the '80's, so I'd migrated by then?  ?‍♂️

 

EDIT:
Ooh... just found this...

 

 

 

 

EDIT 2:

Oops... sorry... just realised... way off topic!  ??

Edited November 10, 2021 by Mucker1884

[Brammie Steve]

Great to learn more about the definitive SuperSub  Frank Wignall!

I went to most matches at the BBG in ‘71-72. (Brother Mozza went to more, naturally!)

I know nothing about Harry Storer other than Peter Taylor in his book saying “That chin tells you all you need to know about Harry!” Clearly one tough cookie!

 

[Guest]

1 hour ago, Sufferingfool said:

When I moved up I was immediately at home in a City with an identity.

I understand that completely. I was brought up for the first eight years of my life in Cornwall and Aden where my dad was serving in the RAF. My family had no previous connection with Derbyshire. Thankfully, when he came to leave the RAF in 1960, my dad had already been offered employment as a technical author at Rolls-Royce. From the very beginning I quickly identified myself as a Derby person, as in time did my parents. I had just developed an interest in football and I started playing from the outset at school in Mickleover. I took an immediate  interest in the Rams and read the sports pages of the DET avidly for information. There were no books about the club at that time - that welcome trend didn't start until 1968. But there was a weekly historical article about the Rams written by the football journalist who went under the pseudonym 'Mark Eaton.' That's how I first began to understand the club's glorious past. The next season I started to go to the BBG and I've never looked back.

Like you Suffering, I was immediately at home here. There were a lot like us. The development of the aero-engine industry demanded people with those requisite skills from elsewhere. The railway and coal industry drew many workers from the North-East to the county. So people from elsewhere were always welcome here and that was very warming for them. It was the heartbeat of togetherness that made this place  so special and friendly Conversely, other Derby born people migrated elsewhere through employment but those people have retained their identity with the place. You only have to look at the geographical pseudonyms on this forum to see that. You can take the lad (lass) out of Derbyshire but you can't take Derbyshire out of the lad (lass).

That can be seen too with many of the football people who came to Derby County. It has never gone unnoticed with me just how many of them either stayed or returned to live here when their football careers were over. From just the era we are talking about, Kevin Hector, Roy McFarland, John O'Hare, Willie Carlin, Archie Gemmill, Roger Davies, Peter Daniel, Ron Webster and Steve Powell still live locally. Brian Clough was always fiercely proud of his north-east roots. But the Clough family never left here after they came in 1967. Why? Because this grew to be their natural home.

Even bloody Kenny Burns won't go away.

COYR