The Old Trafford Robbery
John Snellgrove’s latest piece takes us back to 1978 and that travesty of justice in Stretford
Tuesday 11 March 2025
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NEXT HOME GAME: Burton Albion – Saturday 29 March, 12.30pm
NEXT AWAY GAME: Bolton Wanderers – Saturday 15 March, 12.30pm
Good afternoon everybody 🙂
I’ve got some big away games this month. Bolton away. Wrexham away. Hollyoaks away! An early 5am start for your editor this morning, off to play a nurse in Liverpool, even though sticking a plaster on a knee is about the height of my medical knowledge.
John Snellgrove’s also talking away games today, reminiscing about 1970s trips to Bradford, Doncaster, and Manchester United, where we were well and truly robbed in the League Cup. It’s Part 4 of John’s look back at the decade. Here’s the previous instalments if you’d like a catch-up first.
Today’s edition is sponsored by APL Locksmiths. A big thank you to Anthony. He’s offering a 20% discount for The Scarf My Father Wore readers on any key cutting this month. If you need anything doing, give him a call on 07712 657585 or email anthony@apllocksmiths.co.uk.
You’ll also see the advert for my comedy night at the end of this month. I’ve got 10 tickets left, which I’d love to get rid of. We’ve got a fantastic line-up, including Mike Newall (Britain’s Got Talent) and Chris Washington (Live from the BBC, Mock the Week, Richard Osman’s House of Games). Drop me a message if you’d like to come along.
Finally, I’m currently walking every street in Stockport to raise money for mental health charity Mentell. If you’d like to make a donation to help me reach my target, please click here.
Total distance so far: 216.74 miles
Total steps so far: 353,516
Total raised so far: £2,270
Total completed streets so far: 474 (Click here for the full list, which includes reports and photos from every day of the walk.)
Further information on the walk can be found by clicking here.
Des Junior
Terry Park celebrates his goal at Old Trafford in August 1978, which very nearly turned out to be the winner
1978 and another season was on the way. The country was in crisis (little change there then) with the next few months to be known as the “Winter of Discontent” due to the number of strikes caused by rising inflation and low wage increases. The only hope was that the discontent would not apply to the football.
We were certainly optimistic. County had assembled a good squad of players. Les Bradd (from Notts County) and Stuart Lee (on a free from Wrexham) proved one of the best striking partnerships I have seen at the club. Certainly the best since the Fryatt and Atkins partnership in the 1960s.
The rest of the team weren’t too shabby either. The developing Terry Park and Phil Henson in midfield (Henson achieved a first for me in being the first player I had seen wearing gloves); a defence of John Rutter, Andy Thorpe and Ken Fogarty; and a solid goalkeeper in Mike Rogan. What could go wrong? Division Three here we come.
Looking back nearly 50 years later I was shocked to see that the team only finished 17th, though when you discover the 38 league goals scored by Bradd and Lee were double the rest of the team put together, that probably explains a lot.
A promising start on the opening day of the Fourth Division season with a 3-0 win over Darlington, with two goals from Les Bradd, but two defeats in the next three games made us think this was not going to be as easy as we’d hoped.
Almost half a century later, the start of the 1978-79 season still holds very bad memories from our League Cup exit that year. After beating Shrewsbury in the first round over two legs, County got the draw to end all draws: Manchester United at home. Not a surprise when it was agreed to switch the game to Old Trafford.
I can’t remember whether we had to get tickets in advance but I suspect not. Anyway, a crowd of nearly 42,000 came to witness one of the greatest injustices in County’s history. An early goal from Joe Jordan boded ill but County were to put on one of the greatest performances I have been privileged to witness. Funnily enough the first half against City in 1997 is also in that select group. At times you find it hard to believe that what you are watching is actually happening and not a dream.
County were all over United and only heroics from Paddy Roche kept United ahead. Alan Thompson deservedly levelled for County from the penalty spot after Stuart Lee had been brought down and then with 12 minutes left the unthinkable happened. I can still picture Terry Park gliding through to put County in front. This couldn’t be happening, but it was.
Gordon McQueen was sent off for United, and with just a couple of minutes to go, County were on the verge of an unbelievable cup upset. Then a certain Peter Willis intervened. A free-kick for goodness knows what brought United’s equaliser from Sammy McIlroy, followed by a highly dubious penalty. County were out.
As we drove back through Chorlton we were blazing. On the scale of footballing anger this was a 10 on the Richter scale. It still rankles today. I don’t say this lightly but we felt we’d been cheated out of it, and the County staff felt the same with their comments after the match.
Still, undeterred we headed off to Bradford to watch County ten days later. The day was not to pass without incident and was in many ways a harbinger of doom for away trips to follow. Having only ever been to Bradford by coach this was our first foray by car. A smooth journey on the M62 (those were the days), floodlights spotted, and we managed to park right outside the ground. No satnavs back then, don’t forget.
At around half past two, we were struck by the lack of a crowd. Panic was setting in. Had the game been postponed without us knowing? Fortunately an elderly gentleman was spotted (yes, I know, pot and kettle). “No laddy,” he informed us. “This is Bradford Park Avenue.” We’d inadvertently parked up at the ex-Football League club of the same name who had been kicked out nearly ten years previously. Now deserted, only the ghosts of past teams. With the gentleman’s help we managed to find Valley Parade in time and witnessed a 1-1 draw. The two of us took the attendance over the 5,000 mark by one.
You’d think we would have learned our lesson and been better prepared for our next away trip. Maybe we were, but 30 minutes before kick-off at Doncaster we were lost in the town centre. Incredibly we asked about half a dozen people for directions to the ground but nobody had any idea. We headed off and somehow found the ground, but soon wished we hadn’t. Belle Vue had reached a new level of ramshackle, the 2-0 defeat was dismal, and the only interest was watching gliders in the nearby airfield. It was only later that we discovered the ground was by the famous Doncaster Racecourse!
An interesting friendly was arranged against Yugoslavian opposition. I’m sure you can read the programme as well as I can.
Suffice it to say County won 4-2 with goals from Bradd (2), Rutter and Henson. If you’re interested Janovic scored two for the opposition.
As the season progressed we gravitated to standing at the Railway End where we had our own personal barrier to lean on. No worries about having to defend it against the onrushing hordes. At times the Railway End resembled a barren wasteland with the few spectators dotted around.
A couple of memorable home games spring to mind. A 4-2 win at home to Portsmouth over the Christmas period and an incident in January against Bradford when Stuart Lee’s header had to be prised off the back of the net where it had become stuck in the frost.
More nostalgic memories to follow soon.
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Photo(s) of the day
In the build-up to the recent home game with Blackpool, I spent all week sharing the 55 photos I’d snapped at the seaside earlier in the season - our best away day of 2024-25 so far. With Bolton coming up on Saturday, I’ve decided to do the same again, as our 5-0 victory at home to the Trotters is certainly the EP highlight of the campaign to date. I took 20 photos on that memorable November afternoon, so there’s four each day for you.
Today in SK
🎬 Cinema
Two films at The Savoy Cinema (SK4) today. September 5 (15) at 6pm, followed by Conclave (12A) at 8.30pm.
🥃 Food and drink
The Nelson Tavern (SK1) have a great range of offers throughout the week, including £5.50 for drinks off the Doubles Bar, a comprehensive range of shots for £1.50, and 3 for £7 on Jägerbombs. Also, double up for £2 on premium spirits.
Happy Hour at Covent Garden Café (SK1) between 1.30pm and 2.30pm. If you spend £20 or more you get to roll the dice, and if you roll a 6 your bill is half price!
Enjoy a coffee and a cake for just £6 at The Dog & Partridge (SK2). The perfect excuse for a catch-up! 12pm - 4pm.
Bitter £2.30 a pint all day at The Cross Keys (SK8). Plus, discounts on certain lagers between 12pm and 6pm.
A number of venues are featured on The Scarf My Father Wore such as The Crown (SK2), The Alexandra (SK3), The Crown Inn (SK6), The Three Tunnes (SK7), Flute & Firkin (SK12) and The Ram’s Head (SK12). Support them this month by popping in for a few drinks or a bite to eat.
⁉️ Quiz night
The Steelworks (SK6). 7.30pm. £1 per person.
Random snippets from old County programmes
#16 - County v West Brom, 26 September 1998
County’s programmes in the 90s contained some mad stuff at times…
Pictured here is County daft dog Chas - sent in by his master Paul Smith from Romiley. Apparently Chas watches every County game on TV or on video and growls at anyone who looks like they might turn it off. He has a blue collar, blue lead, blue bowl and even a blue water dish.
He’s pictured here ready to watch County take on Bury live on Sky last season. Chas is a real special spaniel. Send in your pics of your County daft canine.
If you’re in need of any of the following this month, please use our sponsors as your first port of call
🪟 Blinds & Shutters: Bauhaus Blinds and Shutters
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🚙 Coatings: Colourtone Ltd
🐶 Dog Trainer: Forever Home Dog Training
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💷 Financial Services: The Mortgage Mill
💐 Florist: The Flower House
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🧰 Vehicle Repairs: C J Motors Stockport
I was there. First the elation & then one of the most unjust results I have ever witnessed.
Driving home, I was gutted...but never forgotten.
The County match was my last as a single man married for 47 years in October I think it is time you got over it it could even be a league fixture in the not so distant future as both clubs have rapidly gone in different directions in the last five years I know which of the two teams I would pay to watch at the moment and it certainly doesn’t play in red !