Kevin Whitcher
Okay, charity dinner plug. Here are the key details in brief…
What: Three course dinner in the company of Bob Wilson, Eddie Kelly and the Fairs Cup trophy itself. Auction with Tom Watt. Live entertainment from Pete is Elvis.
Why: To raise funds for Bob’s charity, the Willow Foundation
Who: Organised by the Herts and Beds Supporters Club
When: Friday 18th February. 7pm till midnight
Where: Ashlyns School, Chesham Road, Berkhamsted HP4 2AH
How much: £65 (or table of 8 for £400) – includes dinner and half bottle of wine
Contact – via email - [email protected] or phone (Ben) 07525 349228
Now for some nostalgia penned by Ben Roberts from the Herts and Beds Supporters club to tempt you with some memories (or a history lesson if you aren’t so long in the tooth!)
The 1960s were perhaps the gloomiest and most frustrating years in Arsenal’s history. An era fans of today would never understand. It must have been bizarre for those fans who grew up watching the amazing team of the 1930s. Herbert Chapman had created a winning machine at Highbury and George Allison took it on to the next with players like Tom Parker, Herbie Roberts, Cliff Bastin, Alex James, Ted Drake, and Joe Mercer lighting up the world of football over a glorious period. Arsenal hovered around mid-table in the 60s and it was even said by the media that Arsenal may never win anything again.
In the summer of 1966 Arsenal promoted physio Bertie Mee to manager. Imagine the uproar now. Mee appointed Dave Sexton and retired club captain Don Howe as his assistants and promoted many of Arsenal FA Youth Cup winners squad to the first team including Charlie George, Pat Rice, John Radford, Peter Simpson and Ray Kennedy. Then he also snapped up George Graham from Chelsea as the 60s wore on. Mee’s team would suffer more disappointment though, losing the League Cup Final to Leeds in March 1968. But it was a step in the right direction.
The following season Arsenal again reached the League Cup final. This time they were favourites until flu swept through the camp robbing Arsenal of top first team players. They eventually lost in extra time. Still that season would prove a turning point in Arsenal’s history. Despite losing to Chelsea late on in the season the Gunners held them off to finish fourth and qualify for the European Inter-Cities Fairs Cup. It would be a great adventure for Gooners.
That European adventure started at Highbury on 9th September 1969 against Glentoran from Northern Ireland. George Graham settled the nerves after 15 minutes and Graham and Gould would make it 3-0 by half time. We would lose in Northern Ireland 1-0 but the tie was over and Arsenal were on the move visiting Sporting in Portugal, Rouen in France, and Bacau in Romania before facing Ajax in the semi-finals. I don’t think Gooners would have foreseen Arsenal winning that tie 3-1 on aggregate against a team that included Johan Cruyff, Rudi Krol, Wim Suurbier and Piet Keizer but our lads did the job at Highbury 3-0 with two goals from Charlie George and one from Jon Sammels. Arsenal would lose in Amsterdam but the tie had been won.
Anderlecht were a much stronger force in those days, they had all the top Belgian internationals, and overcame Inter Milan in the semi finals. They’d also left a trail of broken British hearts through the competition dumping out Northern Ireland’s Coleraine, Scotland’s Dunfermline, and those barcode boys from the intersportandski.com St James’ Park on away goals.
So off Arsenal went on the 22nd April 1970, having lost two cup finals in two seasons, would it be three? By half time Bob Wilson’s net had bulged twice. Things weren’t looking good. Dutch forward Jan Mulder made it 3-0 with only 15 minutes to go in the first leg. Arsenal were surely done and dusted. Then Bertie Mee replaced Charlie George with Ray Kennedy on 77 minutes. Five minutes later he’d bagged an all important away goal and Arsenal were on the up. Six days later the Belgians came to London and the media scoffed as Captain Frank McLintock told them Arsenal would pull back the goals and lift the trophy. 28th April 1970 would be an evening to go down in Arsenal folklore.
51,162 packed Highbury for the second leg. Mee named the same starting XI, Wilson, Storey, McNab, Kelly, McLintock, Simpson, Armstrong, Sammels, Radford, George, and Graham. It was to be a night full of emotion as Arsenal blew away 17 years of gloom. First a Kelly rasper on 25 minutes. Can you imagine the tension as McLintock led the boys back out for the second half? Then the dream was really on as McNab found Radford in the air. 2-0. One more and the trophy was ours!! Moments later the ball was with our Charlie George, who found Sammels on the right, cut inside and smashed a shot in off the post.
Bob Wilson and his troops kept a clean sheet and the trophy was in Frank’s hands, above his head, and Gooners flooded the pitch to celebrate with the once more glorious Gunners. This was the spark that ignited a golden era for the Arsenal.
Why not join Arsenal Herts & Beds for their Christmas dinner to commemorate this magical night 40 seasons ago. Hear players and fans who were at Highbury that night and re-live a magical experience. You will be able to ask any questions you have about what went on before and AFTER the match. You’ll also have your chance to grab a picture with the famous European Trophy.
Tickets are on sale now, and can be purchased online here.
