steveb
Alan Finley's Headband
Posts: 5
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Post by steveb on Apr 16, 2020 13:52:51 GMT
I'm doing research for a book on Irish football, and would be grateful if any Hatters fans could clarify something for me.
George Best played 3 or 4 games for County, and was due to play in the New Year's Day fixture against Cambridge United in 1976. He's listed in the programme line-up for the match, but I've heard differing reports as to whether he did actually play the game.
Is anyone able to confirm on that ?
Thanks in advance for any help, Steve
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Post by gazz on Apr 16, 2020 14:06:51 GMT
Welcome to the forum, Steve. This was a little bit before my time supporting County, but there will be someone here who will be able to help you with that, not least our very own hatter_in_macc or maybe even hedgegrower |
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Post by bringbacklenwhite on Apr 16, 2020 14:08:59 GMT
No Steve.
But I will direct you to a book called "Derek Spence - From the Troubles to the Tower".
Some good background info. on Irish football from the legend who is a mate of mine.
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Post by archie on Apr 16, 2020 14:26:45 GMT
According to 'Stockport County - A Complete Record' by Peter Freeman with Richard Harnwell (P1994), George Best played 3 times for County. Consecutive home games (oddly enough, he couldn't make away games!) against Swansea (28/11/75), Watford (12/12/75) and Southport (26/12/75).
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steveb
Alan Finley's Headband
Posts: 5
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Post by steveb on Apr 16, 2020 14:38:34 GMT
Thanks Archie. This was during Best's 'Pay per Play' era, so it wasn't unusual for clubs to only want him for home games to bag the bumper gates themselves. If he'd been played in away fixtures it would've handed the opponents a financial windfall, with County picking up the tab. He played for a lot of clubs in this way, so each had to decide whether the potential 1/2pts were worth the cost of paying him for away matches. It seems like County took the safe option  ) Thanks again |
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steveb
Alan Finley's Headband
Posts: 5
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Post by steveb on Apr 16, 2020 14:39:35 GMT
Found it on Amazon. Looks interesting, so will add it to the collection ! Thanks
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steveb
Alan Finley's Headband
Posts: 5
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Post by steveb on Apr 16, 2020 14:45:21 GMT
According to 'Stockport County - A Complete Record' by Peter Freeman with Richard Harnwell (P1994), George Best played 3 times for County. Consecutive home games (oddly enough, he couldn't make away games!) against Swansea (28/11/75), Watford (12/12/75) and Southport (26/12/75). Do you have the scores for those games ? He also played a friendly against Stoke in November, which apparently had been arranged so he could get to know the rest of the team, and he scored past Peter Shilton in it. Thanks again.
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Post by archie on Apr 16, 2020 14:47:29 GMT
No problem, Steve.
I'd guess that it was widely known that he wouldn't play against Cambridge as the attendance was 2789, exactly the same as the attendance for the last home game prior to Best's brief spell. When he played, attendances were 9220 (Swansea 3-2), 4755 (Watford 2-2) and 6321 (Southport 1-0). He scored against Swansea and Watford and is also credited with forcing a Swansea own goal with an in-swinging corner.
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Post by gazz on Apr 16, 2020 15:43:47 GMT
Cheers for the info, Archie, nice work!
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Post by hatter_in_macc on Apr 16, 2020 17:01:16 GMT
Only just picked this up - but well played, archie!  |
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steveb
Alan Finley's Headband
Posts: 5
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Post by steveb on Apr 17, 2020 13:54:21 GMT
No problem, Steve. I'd guess that it was widely known that he wouldn't play against Cambridge as the attendance was 2789, exactly the same as the attendance for the last home game prior to Best's brief spell. When he played, attendances were 9220 (Swansea 3-2), 4755 (Watford 2-2) and 6321 (Southport 1-0). He scored against Swansea and Watford and is also credited with forcing a Swansea own goal with an in-swinging corner. He was listed in the programme for the Cambridge United match though, so County obviously still hoped he would play - but had lost contact with him (he was believed to be on the p**s in London). Co-Chairman Fred Pye told the Irish Times on 31st December 1975 “We have offered him a good deal and he has not replied”, and said he still didn't know at that stage whether or not he'd line out for the Hatters the next day. Apparently over the 4 games he played (including the Stoke friendly) the club had brought in £16,000 in gate money and 5 points. Thanks very much to you and others for all the info & the clarification. I've family in Davenport, so will have to drag my brother-in-law along to a match when I'm up again in the post-Covid world ! )
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Post by gazz on Apr 17, 2020 15:03:24 GMT
Best of luck with the book, Steve, it sounds like it's going to be a great read!
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Post by archie on Apr 17, 2020 17:23:04 GMT
Apparently over the 4 games he played (including the Stoke friendly) the club had brought in £16,000 in gate money and 5 points. You might like to add a footnote for the younger generations to the effect that 3 points for a win didn't start until 1981 so the points haul was 5 out of 6 available. Best of luck with it. |
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Post by gazz on Apr 17, 2020 21:03:06 GMT
Apparently over the 4 games he played (including the Stoke friendly) the club had brought in £16,000 in gate money and 5 points. You might like to add a footnote for the younger generations to the effect that 3 points for a win didn't start until 1981 so the points haul was 5 out of 6 available. Excellent point, Archie, you're absolutely right. |
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