BeforeKeanetherewasRobson
Full Member
There's a saying about old football/sport to justify the hard nature of the players and 'the good old days' ... "when men were men".
Almost exactly half a century ago, the 70 Cup Final replay (at Old Trafford) possibly epitomised this with a perfect storm .... North v South, two teams that hated each other, Ron Harris v Norman Hunter, an F A Cup trophy at stake and a ref in his last game who seemed to have forgotten what a foul was. And all watched by a live TV audience of TWENTY EIGHT million (only topped by the 66 World Cup Final at the time).
The fouls were legendary as was the ref's tolerance levels. As renowned Observer journalist Hugh McIlvanney wrote afterwards: “At times, it appeared that Mr Jennings would give a free-kick only on production of a death certificate.” As it happened, the referee gave one yellow card.... for a shove.
It has been re-refereed twice since by leading officials according to modern interpretations of the rules. In 1997, David Elleray concluded he would have shown six red cards, while more recently, Michael Oliver said he'd have given eleven (he would?).
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/52416192
If you want to watch the game (there's actually some good football in there - both teams were decent, finishing 2nd and 3rd in the league that season) ... https://footballia.net/teams/leeds-united
An interesting tactic by Chelseas' Osgood included trying to leg Jack Charlton from behind (he must have been mad!) with Charlton calmly responding... neither were booked! ...
Winner of "Foul of the night" went to Chelseas' McCreadie for his attempt to decapitate poor, defenseless Billy Bremner ... which the referee played on!! ...
Good times eh? Anyone old enough to have watched it?
Almost exactly half a century ago, the 70 Cup Final replay (at Old Trafford) possibly epitomised this with a perfect storm .... North v South, two teams that hated each other, Ron Harris v Norman Hunter, an F A Cup trophy at stake and a ref in his last game who seemed to have forgotten what a foul was. And all watched by a live TV audience of TWENTY EIGHT million (only topped by the 66 World Cup Final at the time).
The fouls were legendary as was the ref's tolerance levels. As renowned Observer journalist Hugh McIlvanney wrote afterwards: “At times, it appeared that Mr Jennings would give a free-kick only on production of a death certificate.” As it happened, the referee gave one yellow card.... for a shove.
It has been re-refereed twice since by leading officials according to modern interpretations of the rules. In 1997, David Elleray concluded he would have shown six red cards, while more recently, Michael Oliver said he'd have given eleven (he would?).
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/52416192
If you want to watch the game (there's actually some good football in there - both teams were decent, finishing 2nd and 3rd in the league that season) ... https://footballia.net/teams/leeds-united
An interesting tactic by Chelseas' Osgood included trying to leg Jack Charlton from behind (he must have been mad!) with Charlton calmly responding... neither were booked! ...
Winner of "Foul of the night" went to Chelseas' McCreadie for his attempt to decapitate poor, defenseless Billy Bremner ... which the referee played on!! ...
Good times eh? Anyone old enough to have watched it?