Match in the Day

I had calculated that, on my weekly pocket money at age 12 of ten new pence, it would be almost a year before I would have enough to go on the school trip.

I was reluctant to ask my parents for the money because it was for the bus fare and ticket for a football match.

Trouble was, the newsletter about the event had been circulated in March of 1975 and with the date of the game, England v Cyprus only a few weeks ahead on 16th April.

The fact that this was almost, to the day, 45 years ago is hard to believe.

I became quite anxious that this opportunity would pass me by as the interest amongst my fellow 400 students at Grammar School was high and the places, restricted to the capacity of a single coach were going fast. All of my friends had paid their money and I was wracked with mixed emotions of really, really wanting to go but at the same time not to burden my parents with additional and, to be honest non essential, expenditure out of the family budget. This was already allocated to the housekeeping for us four siblings and one on the way plus general living costs.

You may laugh now but in 1975 the cost of the trip at £4.75 (four pounds and seventy five pence) for everything except a pack-up tea was a lot.

I am ashamed to say that I was quite persistent in pestering my parents to find the money through a combination of pleading, begging, blackmail and every form of emotional pressure. We, as children, never lacked anything but at the time just expected all of our whims and fancies to be satisfied. It is only now in my own later life in parenthood that I can appreciate the sacrifices of my own parents where extra-curriculum activities were involved.

From somewhere the money was found and I came to be aboard the bus and travelling the 160 plus miles from my home town to Wembley Stadium, the famous Twin Towers, in London.

I don't remember much about the journey which is a good sign as I was otherwise prone to travel sickness. The excitement probably acted as a boost to my system and waylaid my usual bodily tendencies to throw up.

Kick off was at 7.45pm under the floodlights which is always magical on first sight of the bright green of the turf and all of the pomp and ceremony even for a Qualifying Match in the European Football Championships.

My only financial contribution to the trip was the 15 pence for the Programme and I am happy to say that it is still, 45 years later, in pristine condition. Of course I had pledged, in return for the cost of the trip, to work extra hard in my school lessons, homework, music practice and in all of my chores around the house.

The match against Cyprus was England's third consecutive home tie in Group 1 having had a good win over Czechoslovakia (3-0) and a 0-0 draw with Portugal. As always there was much speculation about how far England could go in the tournament. After all they had a good starting line-up of Shilton (GK), Beattie, Madeley, Todd, Watson, Ball, Bell, Hudson, Channon, Keegan and MacDonald.

The match got off to a good start with goal for the home side after just 2 minutes and the promise of a rapid goal fest but it was not until the 35th minute that the lead was doubled.

A good many schools had also sent contingents of pupils as the chanting, singing and cheering was quite high pitched .

It was not for want of goal scoring attempts and it could have been, in my reckoning on the night, 8-0 by half time. In the second half three more England goals and many chances missed put the game out of reach of a struggling Cyprus.

I had in fact witnessed history as all 5 goals were scored by the Newcastle Striker, Malcolm Macdonald.

It was not to be a great year for the National Team as they failed to top the group and with the eventual tournament winners being Czechoslovakia in the Belgrade final in 1976 after the first penalty shootout in a European Championship Final over West Germany.

It was however a most memorable day and one that I still recall with fondness some 45 years later.