Oh, how times have changed!

[CanadaSaint]

Amidst this ongoing orgy of transfer rumours, I thought it would be fun to see (with thanks to Duncan Holley et al) what things were like when we were first promoted to the top division in 1966 under Ted Bates.

 

Last Game in Division 2 - May 18, 1966 (Manchester City – away): Forsyth, Webb, Hollywood, White, Knapp, Walker, Paine, Chivers, Melia, Deane, Sydenham

 

First Game in Division 1 - October 20, 1966 (Manchester City – home): Forsyth, Webb, Hollywood, White, Knapp, Walker, Paine, Chivers, Davies, Melia, Sydenham

 

The only line-up change on opening day was Ron Davies in for Norman Deane.

 

On the last day of that first Division 1 season, the only changes from opening day were Eric Martin replacing Campbell Forsyth, and Hugh Fisher replacing Ian White.

 

Things weren't much different on our second promotion to Division One in 1978, under Lawrie McMenemy. There were only three line-up changes on opening day, one forced - Mike Pickering, Graham Baker and Terry Curran in, Manny Andruszewski, Nick Holmes (injured) and Tony Funnell out. Holmes was back in for the last game of the season, along with Austin Hayes (RIP) and Trevor Hebberd; no longer in the line-up were Pickering, Ted MacDougall and Curran.

 

It's going to be mighty different this year.

[Give it to Ron]

I think thats mainly due to Sky and the money involved in the game now.

Clubs are far richer , players can earn far more and there is something in the game now

that wasn't so prevailant then......leeches otherwise known as agents.

[david in sweden]

Ah I remember them well.....

 

Norman Dean was one of a number of good Reserves that season, and it wasn't only the first team that had "hot shots ". Making his debut at 19 (in 1963) Norman had banged in over 60 Reserve team goals by the time " his number came up " in the winter 65/66. He hit a purple patch in February and scored 7 goals in 5 games, which included a fantastic hat-trick v. Pompey at Fratton Park. To this day he is the only Saints player ever to score 3 goals at Fratton Park. Sadly, his performances made him a "one season wonder" and after we won promotion in May, Ted saw that Norman wasn't really Div.1 material ....and bought a little known centre forward from Norwich City named ....Ron Davies. The rest as they say ....is history .

 

the "second " promotion side 1978 - saw the showing of our first " super - sub " Tony Funnell, whose whirlwind career on the left wing was both short and dynamic. Beginning in Feb.1978, Funnell came on as an early sub in a home game (.v.Terry Venables Crystal Palace side) and scored both goals, and earned himself a first team spot two weeks later. He proceeded to score a further 5 times in the next 7 starts including a point-saving goal in the last away game v.Orient, which helped us over the line to promotion. However, he lost his place to the newly-signed Terry Curran in the summer signings and fell out with Mc Menemy and the coaching staff and subsequently moved on in the Autumn, trying his luck in the USA, before returning to lower league clubs in England.

 

Like Norman Dean before him (prev.story).Tony was the man of the moment, scoring several vital goals in the promotion run-in, but never " class enough " for a regular First Division place in the team.

Edited 28 August, 2012 by david in sweden

[Doctoroncall]

Nowadays, players earn quite a bit of money in a move. Now if that didn't happen it would be interesting to see what the transfer market would look like and at least the greedy player tag wouldn't be used.