Fifty Years Ago it was Getting Tense but we Did it

[John B]

Around this time fifty years ago we could only hope for Div 1 but we did it thanks to Terry Paine and his eight or so goals

 

Who remembers these fixtures

 

Sat 02 Apr 1966 MIDDLESBROUGH H League W 3-1 The Dell

Fri 08 Apr 1966 Bristol City A League W 1-0 Ashton Gate

Mon 11 Apr 1966 BRISTOL CITY H League D 2-2 The Dell Channon scored his First Saints goal

Sat 16 Apr 1966 CRYSTAL PALACE H League W 1-0 The Dell

Wed 20 Apr 1966 CARDIFF CITY H League W 3-2 The Dell

Sat 23 Apr 1966 Preston North End A League D 1-1 Deepdale

Sat 30 Apr 1966 CHARLTON ATHLETIC H League W 1-0 The Dell

Sat 07 May 1966 Plymouth Argyle A League W 3-2 Home Park

Mon 09 May 1966 Leyton Orient A League D 1-1 Brisbane Road

Wed 18 May 1966 Manchester City A League D 0-0 Maine Road

 

I certainly do

[derry]

After we signed David Webb we went on an unbeaten run.

[70's Mike]

i was 12 and mum and dad took me to everyone of those except Preston and Man City

Have said before the Charlton game was the most tense i can remember

I think, in fact know because of my two sons telling me, that younger fans who have known the premier league find it hard to understand that this was the first time the club got to the top flight

at that time in the words of the song "were yet to win the FA Cup or win the league but you will see were going to win them both one day"

so 50% there

[Saint Billy]

This is making me feel really old!!

[david in sweden]

I remember all those quite vividly, and saw most of the ones at The Dell, at least.

 

Ironically we'd had a run of indifferent series of results in February and March, and after the boring 1-1 home game against a super Rotherham side, one critic wrote..

"the Saints can cancel the promotion champagne right now" such was our poor showing, after which we went 10 games unbeaten and began to move up the table.

 

Martin Chivers who had been scoring for fun all season, had clocked up 30 goals in 29 games - by mid February, suddenly lost form (partly due to a back injury) - and failed to score again in the remaining 13 games. Even Chivers' strike partner Norman Dean - who went into the record books as the only Saints player to score a hat-trick at Fratton Park (Saints had won 5-2 in February) was also absent, and it was left to Terry Paine to see the season out with 9 goals in the last 12 games.

 

In retrospect, the two Easter games v. Bristol City were the turning point, as City were going well and were just above us in the League at the time.

The Good Friday game at Ashton Gate saw us win by a City own goal, although we had to defend throughout the entire game, and seldom had another chance.

 

Chivers failed a fitness test on Easter Monday and a young Mick Channon made his debut and scored after about half-an-hour. City came back and scored twice, and it was left for Terry Paine to equalise 2-2 ..in the 94th minute. The final seconds at The Dell were lost in a riot of enthusiasm from Saints hysterical fans.

 

Moving above City in the table was the springboard that was needed and we won 4 and drew 3 of the remaining 7 fixtures.

We needed only one point to get second place from our away game v Leyton Orient. However, the game at Leyton Orient didn't go according to plan when Orient scored inside the first 10 minutes . Most of the 12,000 people there were Saints fans (as Orient had already been relegated, and few of their fans bothered to come to the last game).

It was left to Terry Paine, (who by this time was the established England no 7) to pop up with a second half equaliser ...and we were promoted ...well almost...

 

The long 10 day wait for our final game (away to the already promoted Man.City) was really stressful, especially as the statisticians kept reminding us that - we were OK ....as long as we didn't lose by more than 6-0 ...but it was an easy-paced 0-0 draw and enough to see us get promoted to the top tier for the first time ever.

 

Many in my father's generation (who had witnessed those infamous late-season collapses that had robbed us of promotion 20 years before) rejoiced as much as anyone.

Edited 27 March, 2016 by david in sweden

[Nordic Saint]

I remember all those quite vividly, and saw most of the ones at The Dell, at least.

 

We needed only one point to get second place from our away game v Leyton Orient. However, the game at Leyton Orient didn't go according to plan when Orient scored inside the first 10 minutes . Most of the 12,000 people there were Saints fans (as Orient had already been relegated, and few of their fans bothered to come to the last game).

It was left to Terry Paine, (who by this time was the established England no 7) to pop up with a second half equaliser ...and we were promoted ...well almost...

 

 

Point of order. The attendance was 19,839 and over 15,000 of them were Saints fans, as we packed three sides of the ground.

[david in sweden]

Point of order. The attendance was 19,839 and over 15,000 of them were Saints fans, as we packed three sides of the ground.

 

....and so it was .

[Nordic Saint]

You may have been confusing it with our next promotion game at Orient, in 1978, when there were only 12,000 of is in a crowd of 19,248 and we were packed into just one side. The wall collapsed at the end as we all flooded onto the pitch to celebrate and chase the 200 Spurs fans behind the goal to our left.

 

Coincidentally, both were night games, and what I remember about 1966 was how much darker it was, as floodlight were not as powerful then as they are today. Terry Paine's bullet header came as a huge relief in a game we were expected to win fairly easily.

[FloridaMarlin]

Point of order. The attendance was 19,839 and over 15,000 of them were Saints fans, as we packed three sides of the ground.

 

How can that possibly be? Surely only the bestest are capable of doing that?

 

I have vague recollections of being taken to some of those games by my dad - certainly the Bristol City home game where Channon scored his first goal.

 

He used to take some stick in the early days from the earthy dockers in the corner where we stood, many of whom frequently questioned where Mick's handbag was.

 

I remember the 9-3 win over Wolves - who wouldn't? But many of the games towards the tail-end of that season are blurry.

 

In contrast, I can still remember most of the games in the first season in the First Division sharply, probably because it was the first season my dad and I attended every week.

[spyinthesky]

Last game of the season away to Man City and we would not have gone up if we had lost 6-0

 

Think Malcolm Alison was the Asst Manager (to Joe Mercer?) at Maine Road and he spouted off that City would beat us comfortably (it ended 0-0) similar to his bellicose statements when he managed Palace when we played them in the '76 Cup Semi Final

 

Remember waiting to hear the result on the radio then we went up to the local pub for an under age drink to celebrate!!

[david in sweden]

How can that possibly be? Surely only the bestest are capable of doing that? .

 

Whenever we got close to any sort of success, lots of occasional fans turned up at The Dell (and followed to away matches)..like the Orient game.

Most stadiums had mostly standing on the terraces. When all seater arenas came in - many clubs (like Saints) - lost half of their original capacity.

 

The now legendary 1963 FA Cup 6th round - 2nd replay v. Notts Forest brought out (reputedly) around 30,000 Saints fans to the neutral venue at White Hart Lane.

Aside from the thousands who travelled up by car, every coach and train was fully booked.

The Spurs ground staff were totally unprepared on a mid week evening, only opened part of the ground. Thousands arrived late and many were locked out.

The official gate was 42,256 ...the majority were Saints fans. Those who went there will never forget it. After two very closely-runs games. Saints won 5-0

 

....in those days most fans walked up and paid on the day. Season ticket holders were a small % of the gate in most clubs.

 

Leyton Orient 's successes had been few and far between. Although at one time they were First Division, after relegation many of their fans dropped off .

Orient were already mathematically relegated when we came to play them, so not many (of their fans bothered)... but many Saints fans travelled up.

Edited 27 March, 2016 by david in sweden

[david in sweden]

 

You may have been confusing it with our next promotion game at Orient, in 1978, when there were only 12,000 of is in a crowd of 19,248

 

With the passing decades memory doesn't always keep track so well, but thankfully " In that Number " confirms;

 

9th May 1966 Orient away. gate 19839

 

25th April 1978 Orient away. gate 19248

[Nordic Saint]

The first Division 1 game at White Hart Lane in 1966/67 saw another 10,000 Saints fans take over the whole Park Lane End.

[simo]

Dad's Army out in force today I see

[david in sweden]

The first Division 1 game at White Hart Lane in 1966/67 saw another 10,000 Saints fans take over the whole Park Lane End.

 

yes but not the most memorable game for them to see.....Ron Davies scored in the first few minutes, but we were 1-4 down by HT. Ended as a 3-5 defeat.

[Badger]

The first Division 1 game at White Hart Lane in 1966/67 saw another 10,000 Saints fans take over the whole Park Lane End.

 

First game oif that season was home v Man City.

[david in sweden]

Dad's Army out in force today I see

 

........and some of us are Grandads

[VectisSaint]

First game of that season was home v Man City.

I reckon he meant the first game for Saints at WHL in Division 1. It was end of November when we played them. I'm feeling very young here, this was the season before my first game (3-5 at home to Chelsea, Big Ron (2), Mick C the other, Chivers' last game for us, this was after we had beaten then 6-2 at Stamford Bridge).

[John Boy Saint]

I often thought it spooky that both times we were promoted to the top flight, before Football was invented by Sky, promotion was secured at Leyton Orient.

[Norm]

Point of order. The attendance was 19,839 and over 15,000 of them were Saints fans, as we packed three sides of the ground.

 

And I was one of the 19,839

[John B]

And I was one of the 19,839��

 

I was one of the 19,839 and 19,248 at Leyton Orient saw First game at home v Man City the 9-3 win over Wolves and of course great days

[inoffthepost]

My first game ever at the Dell was, as a 10 year old, the Easter Monday game against Bristol City in the Boys Box. My most vivid recollection was the number of fans that were calling Mick Channon 'Diane' because he kept falling over his handbag!

The following season I remember queuing at the Dell from before 12.00 for quite a few games to ensure getting in!

[Toomer]

First game oif that season was home v Man City.

 

We drew that one as well I was there with my dad my mate who lived across the road and his dad, and as David in Sweden has said yes a good few of us are now grandads.

[Fitzhugh Fella]

My first game ever at the Dell was, as a 10 year old, the Easter Monday game against Bristol City in the Boys Box. My most vivid recollection was the number of fans that were calling Mick Channon 'Diane' because he kept falling over his handbag!

The following season I remember queuing at the Dell from before 12.00 for quite a few games to ensure getting in!

 

 

It was "Doreen" not Diane as I recall

[70's Mike]

I reckon he meant the first game for Saints at WHL in Division 1. It was end of November when we played them. I'm feeling very young here, this was the season before my first game (3-5 at home to Chelsea, Big Ron (2), Mick C the other, Chivers' last game for us, this was after we had beaten then 6-2 at Stamford Bridge).

 

that 6-2 win at Stamford Bridge was the first time i every saw police horses inside ground, we were under that old stand(think it was called North Stand) that only went about a third of the way long the end opposite the Shed

[The9]

Ignore!

Edited 28 March, 2016 by The9

[The9]

Erm...

[The9]

Oops!

[Deano6]

I don't remember any of this. In fact I have no idea what any of you are talking about.

[sadoldgit]

I was 12 years old and the Charlton game was my first game at The Dell. I was right behind the left hand post when Chivers knocked the ball across to Terry to stick the ball away and got squidged in the crush that followed!

[Tom & Gerry]

The first Division 1 game at White Hart Lane in 1966/67 saw another 10,000 Saints fans take over the whole Park Lane End.

 

The "we'll support you ever more " game. A chant we learnt the previous week from Man U I think. We sang it the whole game even though we were being hammered.

[inoffthepost]

The "we'll support you ever more " game. A chant we learnt the previous week from Man U I think. We sang it the whole game even though we were being hammered.

 

And here we all are true to the song. I loved that chant and the soppy old g i t that I am the passion with which it was sung brings a tear to the eye!

[9-3]

9-3 here, my log in name! Southampton 9 Wolves 3.

Hence my first ever game my Dad took me, actually Wolves scored first with bad back pass form Tony Knapp.

We were still winning 9-3 with half hour to go, the crowd chanting, 'we want ten, we want ten!' Saw us lose to Man City 1-0 at home.

Think another home match was a boring 1-0 win!!! Against Charlton. The front cover of 'Full Time at the Dell' photo shows overhead picture.

When we played Leyton Orient in last match I remember my Dad waking me up to Saints have just been promoted.

[david in sweden]

9-3 here, my log in name! Southampton 9 Wolves 3.

Hence my first ever game my Dad took me, actually Wolves scored first with bad back pass form Tony Knapp.

We were still winning 9-3 with half hour to go, the crowd chanting, 'we want ten, we want ten!' Saw us lose to Man City 1-0 at home.

Think another home match was a boring 1-0 win!!! Against Charlton. The front cover of 'Full Time at the Dell' photo shows overhead picture.

When we played Leyton Orient in last match I remember my Dad waking me up to Saints have just been promoted.

 

the worst part of that was....that the Wolves keeper Dave MacLaren ... played a blinder..... and saved almost as many as they conceded.....

........which later prompted Saints to sign him the following year after an injury crisis when Campbell Forsyth broke his leg.

 

It would be easy to blame MacLaren for the 56 goals we conceded in his 22 League games that season, but the fact that we conceded 92 and used 4 keepers all season, proves our defence was regularly outclassed and full backs Jones, Webb and Hollywood must have drawn lots before every game to see who'd play on which flank.

 

Thank goodness that we survived (just) thanks to Ron Davies' 37 League goals.

[Give it to Ron]

the worst part of that was....that the Wolves keeper Dave MacLaren ... played a blinder..... and saved almost as many as they conceded.....

........which later prompted Saints to sign him the following year after an injury crisis when Campbell Forsyth broke his leg.

 

It would be easy to blame MacLaren for the 56 goals we conceded in his 22 League games that season, but the fact that we conceded 92 and used 4 keepers all season, proves our defence was regularly outclassed and full backs Jones, Webb and Hollywood must have drawn lots before every game to see who'd play on which flank.

 

Thank goodness that we survived (just) thanks to Ron Davies' 37 League goals.

 

McLaren was the worst keeper I have seen in all my tears of supporting Saints!

[VectisSaint]

McLaren was the worst keeper I have seen in all my tears of supporting Saints!

Nice typo that, or perhaps it was deliberate :-)

[Give it to Ron]

Nice typo that, or perhaps it was deliberate :-)

 

Watching McLaren always had me in tears I was a young lad then [emoji111]

[John B]

One good thing about football fifty years ago was that football was at 3pm on a Saturday now never sure when we play I know it is tomorrow but not sure of the time but will look it up

[Nordic Saint]

One good thing about football fifty years ago was that football was at 3pm on a Saturday now never sure when we play I know it is tomorrow but not sure of the time but will look it up

 

I also preferred the 7.30 pm midweek kickoff times and shorter half-time breaks, which made it easier to get back from away games by train. 8pm kickoffs mean it's too late even for many home fans to get home by public transport, but I guess they fit in better with TV schedules. Also, there never used to be an 'obligatory' 5 minutes+ of added time in games back then. Add all those factors together, and evening games nowadays finish nearly half an hour later.