The city of Newcastle is famed for its vibrant nightlife culture, with clubs, pubs and bars open
all hours as thousands flock into the city centre every night. As though Tynesiders were not
blessed enough with the fun to have in their own city, they've been given three more excuses for a
wild time as Newcastle United enter the group stage of the Europa League.
It is now forty-three years since Newcastle United last won a major trophy, but last season saw
Alan Pardew restore a little pride to the club with a fifth place finish in the Premier League
which brought with it the return of European football to St James Park next season. On todays match
of the past, though, we are going back to when silverware was just part of life for the supporters
of this club, starting with a compilation of highlights from their FA Cup final appearances of
1951, 1952 and 1955.
It was in 1969, before man had walked upon the moon and before the introduction of colour
television on BBC1 or ITV, that Newcastle United last won a major trophy. They beat Újpesti Dózsa
of Hungary over two legs in the final of the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, a tournament that
metamorphosised into the UEFA Cup two years later.
The Newcastle United club have announced this morning that Jackie Sinclair, who played for
Newcastle when we won the Inter-City Fairs Cup in 1969, has passed away after losing his fight
against cancer. The Fairs Cup side recently all that grey hair Jackie was 67, and played 52 games
for Newcastle from 1967 and [.
Inter-City Fairs Cup winning Newcastle United captain Bobby Moncur was presented with a
commemorative Barclays Premier League flag at St James' Park yesterday. Bobby Moncur presented
with flag by Barclays Representative The event was to welcome the famous Newcastle United club back
to the Barclays Premier League, where they obviously belong.
Frank Clark has talked today about Newcastle manager Chris Hughton and it seems he has known Chris
for some time and is also an admirer. Frank Clark - played over 400 times for Newcastle Former
Newcatle United left-back and Inter-City Fairs Cup winner Frank Clark told the Evening Chronicle
today that he is a big fan [.
"When are games versus Scottish teams ever as easy as they should be?"
So asked one Liverpool fan after his team were drawn against Hearts in their Europa League play
off.
The answer, a bittersweet truth to be sure, is that too many clubs from too many countries have
found games against Scottish teams clubs to be all too easy in recent years.
The first edition of this Europa League will have some captivating matchups in the quarterfinals as
the road to Hamburg heats up.
Valencia - Atlético
The all-Spanish affair will have a great deal of fanfare east side of the Iberian penninsula. Both
sides are out of the La Liga race and their respective form has been suspect to say the least.
As part of the 50th anniversary celebration of Bill Shankly's arrival at Anfield, there is
interesting information about the great man flying about all over the place. Here are 10 random
snippets of information some fans might not know about (and if you do, great!)
1. Shanks had to wait almost three years to experience his first Merseyside Derby as manager of
Liverpool.
All of us have our heroes and villains, and in every generation there are players who
passionately divide opinion, causing us to dissect every possible flawed trait of the human DNA,
especially those representing Arsenal.
The first conscious connection I had with Arsenal was the side that won the UEFA Fairs Cup,
followed by the 'Double' a year later, which was particularly pleasing because we equalled what
Spurs had done ten years previous, and I'm sure I read somewhere in statute law that under no
circumstances are Spurs allowed to get one over Arsenal for as long as the sun rises in the east
and sets in the west.
All of us have our heroes and villains, and in every generation there are players who
passionately divide opinion, causing us to dissect every possible flawed trait of the human DNA,
especially those representing Arsenal.
The first conscious connection I had with Arsenal was the side that won the UEFA Fairs Cup,
followed by the 'Double' a year later, which was particularly pleasing because we equalled what
Spurs had done ten years previous, and I'm sure I read somewhere in statute law that under no
circumstances are Spurs allowed to get one over Arsenal for as long as the sun rises in the east
and sets in the west.
I watched the highlights of the Fairs cup of 1970 again last night on Arsenal player, was that
really 40 years ago? I can remember that spring night as though it was yesterday.
For 11 years, ever since leaving school and starting our apprenticeships, my mates and I had
stood in all weathers and shouted ourselves hoarse, as we won nothing.
Imagine the consequences if Arsène actually did do such a thing today, no doubt the sky would
fall on his head. But that is exactly what happened to Bertie Mee the then Arsenal manager as he
left a restaurant in Rome after an Inter City Fairs Cup, first leg tie against Lazio.
An indifferent performance from us at Parkhead last night but the result we were looking for.
We'll have to really stamp on our collective crank in golf shoes not to qualify for the group stage
of the Champions League.
Thomas Vermaelen again looked like he'd been with Arsenal since he was a baby.
Giorgio Chinaglia, one of the most idiosyncratic footballers of all time and a member of the New
York Cosmos' glittering late 1970s NASL line-up, was found dead at his house in Flordia yesterday
morning after apparently suffering complications following heart surgery.
With J Hutcherson -- Hey look, it's Major League Soccer's answer to the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, the
SuperLiga. Yes, this tournament starts tonight, and yes it really is in its fourth year. For those
of you otherwise occupied in the run-up, we get Chicago, Chivas USA, Houston, and New England
representing MLS and Morelia, Pachuca, Puebla, and UNAM Pumas representing the Mexican League.
When I was writing about the evolution of the football programme a few weeks ago I mentioned a
Hibs v Liverpool Fairs Cup programme from December 1970 that carried an interview with Bill
Shankly.
I can't remember seeing an interview with a visiting manager in a programme before.
Jamie Carragher will equal Emlyn Hughes's club record of 45 appearances in the competition if he
figures in tonight's Europa League clash with SC Braga at Anfield. Here are all the rest of the big
match stats.
Liverpool's European record (overall): Pld 327 Won 185 Drawn 71 Lost 71
Liverpool's record in Fairs/UEFA Cup/Europa League: Pld 116 Won 64 Drawn 28 Lost 24
The Reds have won 7 and drawn 1 of the previous 9 meetings with Portuguese opponents at Anfield.
Ten more wonderful vintage photos picked at random from the Pies' archives...
A police alsatian attempts to relieve Fortuna Dusseldorf forward Dieter Woske of his shorts
after sliding into the net trying to convert a cross against Koln, 1959
Three Manchester City old boys catch forty winks on a bench in Trafalgar Square before their
side's FA Cup Final against Birmingham City at Wembley, 1956
Mourners gather in silence as the coffin of Manchester United captain Roger Byrne arrives at
Flixton Parish Church.
Growing up in the 1970's, tactics was never something that was discussed much. United played
4-4-2 week in and week out with the same players turning out each Saturday afternoon. We had
Coppell and Hill on the wings, Daly and McIlroy in the middle with Pearson and Macari up front. If
someone was injured then David McCreery was the usual substitute.
Yesterday we looked at the major events in the years between 1957-66 today we look at
the years between 1967-69 and find out who was the first British club to be crowned European Cup
Champions and who was the first England player to be sent-off while representing his Country check
it out below.
Yesterday we looked at the years 1946-56, today we will look at the years between 1957
and 1966, '66 was a great year for Soccer in England find out below why?
1957: Leeds striker John Charles becomes the first British player to transfer
to foreign club when he joins Juventus who also break the record transfer fee for River Plate
forward Omar Sivori for £93,000.
The war stopped Soccer in England for 7 years, although some players made guest
appearances for club's for entertainment value, many of which said helped people forget about the
war,if only for a few hours. Below are facts from 1946-56. Enjoy
1946: British Associations rejoin FIFA and the Soviet Union also join for the
first time.
Debrecen VSC being drawn out of the final pot to complete Group E of this season's Champions League
will hardly have sent shivers down the spine of Liverpool fans the world over.
Yet Hungary is traditionally one of Liverpool's unhappiest hunting grounds. The Reds have never won
there in four attempts.
UEFA's official record books already have Inzaghi as the all-time leading scorer in European
competition, as they discount Muller's seven goals in the now defunct Inter-Cities Fairs Cup. But
the Milan frontman, who has netted 68 times across the UEFA Cup, Cup Winners' Cup and Champions
League over the past 15 years, believes he will only [.
In 1967 the young Gary Roe is set to experience the glamour of European football... and a less
glamorous trip to Burnley. Forest were having a win-lose win-lose bit of form, we were not the team
we were last season. The thing that was exciting was the Inter Cities Fairs Cup, where we played
foreign [.
Don't know how others feel, but I'm pretty fed up with reading the football news, its either
about Cesc going to Barca, or Cesc going to Barca so instead I thought over the next few days I
would take a look back at a few ‘loved ones' from the team in red and white. Feel free to let me
know if it's a stupid idea
Today is all about John Radford just for our newly married blogger Big Raddy.
Welcome to TGIF, and this week there are some milestones to celebrate, the odd champagne cork to
pop, and also a growing realisation that eventually this team will deliver no matter how ugly the
play may look. In this special week of all weeks at Arsenal Football Club, let us take the time to
acknowledge Arsene Wenger's achievements and enjoy a degree of unity without bad mouthing the
Frenchman.
