1964 memories...
Swansea Town v Preston North End: FA Cup Semi-final (1964)
Swansea Town 1 Preston North End 2, 14 March 1964 F.A. Cup Semi-final at Villa Park. Swansea Town’s 1963-64 league campaign is often forgotten by fans and will never be hailed as successful. In fac…
swans100.com
Sorry I can't help you WFG, but as a child I lived on Fletcher Road, and lining up on Deepdale Road in 1964 to watch the open top bus parade returning to Deepdale, was my first introduction to the whites.
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I can't help either, I was 3 years old at the time.
I notice that it was Swansea Town, anybody know when they became Swansea City? It must've been a while ago, they've always been City in my memory.
Edit: The name change was 1969.
I notice that it was Swansea Town, anybody know when they became Swansea City? It must've been a while ago, they've always been City in my memory.
Edit: The name change was 1969.
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Being a young pup I know little about this game.
Didn’t West Ham equalise in the last minute to take it to extra time?
Didn’t West Ham equalise in the last minute to take it to extra time?
ernest is your man for this, I think.
I've heard enough about them for one night thanks. 🤣
no they scored the winner in the last minute, first time they had been in front. from memory the ball hit the crossbar bounced onto alan kelly and into the net, bastards.
I suppose I have some - I was only writing about the Semi-Final against Swansea here a few days back and the Final. I was at the Semi-Final though not the Final and also attended several of the earlier games which I would guess was the case with your brother. I am still feeling a bit flat after yesterday but I will try to write something tomorrow - including about the giant Leek. Now there you are that should intrigue you.
Indeed - glad I have some uses.
No - that was their second equaliser, a header from Geoff Hurst. The goal that won it for them was a downward header from a right-wing cross that went back across Alan Kelly and just inside his left-hand post.
Sometimes it's best to let it lie Ernest. I will never watch it again ever.
As I said earlier I could never watch the second half again but there are still reasons to be proud and they are worth remembering.
At the time Ernest I was ok. though the lad i went with was in tears. It was a fantastic game to lose, just and probably the best season and team I have ever watched. But I couldn't bring myself to watch again and can't believe how much I had actually forgotten until reading this thread.
I said a bit earlier that I would write something for WFG and the memory of his brother Frank about that great Cup run in 64. I have written about it before and did so just last week to mark the passing of Doug Holden.
But here are a few things.
I had seen my first match the previous season but the 63-64 campaign was the first proper season in which I supported the team. I cannot really recall the first half of that season only that by the time it got to January and the FA Cup I was an avid fan.
The Third Round found us away against First Division i.e. Premiership equivalent opponents Nottingham Forest for a 0-0 draw. I genuinely don't know anything about the match other than the score. The replay was meant to be the Monday but was postponed because of fog - I was halfway through Ronaldsway with my dad when a fellow on a bike came towards us and told us the match was off - and took place the following night. I was there and the weather then was snow but the atmosphere under the floodlights was indescribable. The match was won in extra-time when the ball ran loose on the edge of the Kop End penalty area and Howard Kendall just 17 years old ran onto it and smashed a rising drive high to their keeper's left and into the next.
Fourth Round - away to another First Division side Bolton Wanderers. Bizarrely we were drawn against Bolton in the Forth Round - away, home, away again for three successive seasons - but this first match ended 2-2. Both our goals came from Alex Dawson- the first a nod down in the first half and the second a towering, imperious header in the second half from about the penalty spot. We then nearly threw it away by allowing them to come back and draw level. So replay at our place - first Dawson again though can't remember how then they equalised then Nobby Lawton got the winner from close range after as I recall their keeper fumbled a cross. I saw both matches.
Fifth Round - at home against lower league opposition Carlisle United who I think were in the bottom tier. Before the 5th Round matches a sports writer on the Daily Express called Eric Cooper 'The Voice of the North' published his predictions for all eight matches and got every single one wrong - well he predicted Man Utd would only 'scrape through' away against Barnsley and they won 4-0. In our case he predicted Carlisle would cause the 'shock of the round' and to be fair it was a very tough game which we won just 1-0 with a goal in the first half by Alan Spavin. They had a shot in the second half that hit one post and then the other before coming out and so on we went. Again I was there.
6th Round - away at Oxford United in what was I think their first full season as a League team. They had caused a shock a bit earlier - I think it was the 3rd Round - when they beat a First Division team who play in blue-and-white halved shirts in a ground by the River Darwen. But we won 2-1 with goals by Alex Dawson and Brian Godfrey. Their captain was a fellow called Ron Atkinson. I was not there but listened to the commentary on the radio. I remember my dad saying that Oxford sounded to be a characterful side and that he would like them to equalise so he could actually see them. I was not of that opinion and we held on to win.
Semi-Final - a rain-sodden Villa Park against Swansea Town in front of 69,000 spectators. The story of the match itself has been told here before. They were all over us in the first and should have been out-of-sight by half-time by went in only 1-0 up. I was at the front about in line with the edge of the six-yard box to the keeper's right at the end where all the goals were scored and I can still remember the look of sheer exultation on the face of their scorer with his eyes raised heavenwards as he wheeled away after their goal - he really thought he was on his way to Wembley. But things happened differently in the second half. First they gave away a penalty that Alex Dawson rammed home low to the keeper's right and then Tony Singleton hit the ball from about 35-yards out and it flew high to their keeper's right and into the net. There is an odd symmetry there for me because just as I remember the look of exultation on the face of their scorer in the first half so I can recall the expression of agony on the face of their keeper as he frantically clawed at the air as the ball went past him. The match then became a bit bad-tempered but the score remained the same.
That Semi-Final has another couple of memories for me, though, that relate to events afterwards. First the Giant Leek. Before the match a Swansea fan brought onto the pitch to be photographed what was evidently a homemade mascot - it was a giant leek or facsimile of one made it seemed from a tube about six-feet long and about a foot in diameter painted green with a great flounce of paper leaves at the top in other words a rather spectacular Welsh symbol. It attracted a lot of attention and was then carried off into the crowd. At the end of the game my dad kept me and my brother back for a few minutes to let the crowd disperse and then we were allowed to climb over the boundary wall and walk around the track by the side of the pitch behind the goals to the other side of the pitch which allowed us easier access to where our coach was parked.
The terraces on that other side had been packed with Swansea fans and as we got close I could see all the detritus they had left behind - sheets of what appeared to be hardboard painted with elegant white swans on blue water presumably lovingly painted in preparation for the match and now just abandoned. We then had to climb over the low boundary wall and drop a few feet down the other side because the terracing came down below pitch level. But as I landed I nearly went flying because I did not land on firm ground but instead - you guessed it - on a green cylindrical thing lying at the foot of the wall. It was the leek which just a couple of hours before had been the centre of attention for that massive crowd but which was now just cast aside. If Swansea had won you imagine it would have been carried back to Wales in triumph and then to Wembley where the whole nation would very likely have seen it on TV. But we had won and so now it was just literally rubbish which I daresay ended up by the Monday on a rubbish tip in Birmingham being picked at by the seagulls. What a symbol of the utter gut-wrenching difference between victory and defeat - especially in a Semi-Final. That is probably worse than losing a Final.
My other memory is just that when we got outside the ground a Swansea fan made a point of coming upto my dad shaking his hand and wishing us well for the Final. I seem to recall that when we played Swansea in the Cup when CB was manager people who attended reported a nasty anti-English atmosphere. That is a sad contrast.
The Final - little point going over it. We all know what happened. My dad went to Wembley but I watched on TV in Ribbleton right from the beginning of the coverage at about 11.00am through to that bitter, numbing end though I was in the Flag Market the following day for the team's return which was an upbeat occasion.
Anyhow that was my Cup run. I can understand BeteNoir's feelings but as I said there is a huge amount to be proud of and it isn't simply something that happened. The memories of what that team achieved still provide me with a benchmark of what the team should achieve today. I can understand why WFG's brother Frank should have wanted to write down his experiences - perhaps WFG will post them here.
One other thing. Many years after that Semi-Final in 2007 in fact I had to drive back from London to Preston one wet Wednesday night. But it was not a trip that would involve setting out with my dad from the same house from where we had walked to that 3rd Round match as previous returns had done. Instead it was to attend his funeral the following day. Halfway back I drove through Birmingham and saw the outline of Villa Park in the distance and it triggered something close to an hallucination. I began to relive the drive back to Preston in the coach after that Semi-Final which had been along the same stretch of road - there see what this team does to you. Never been back to Villa Park since but hopefully there will be a chance to do so again. I might even check if the Giant Leek is still lying there though I somehow doubt it.
But here are a few things.
I had seen my first match the previous season but the 63-64 campaign was the first proper season in which I supported the team. I cannot really recall the first half of that season only that by the time it got to January and the FA Cup I was an avid fan.
The Third Round found us away against First Division i.e. Premiership equivalent opponents Nottingham Forest for a 0-0 draw. I genuinely don't know anything about the match other than the score. The replay was meant to be the Monday but was postponed because of fog - I was halfway through Ronaldsway with my dad when a fellow on a bike came towards us and told us the match was off - and took place the following night. I was there and the weather then was snow but the atmosphere under the floodlights was indescribable. The match was won in extra-time when the ball ran loose on the edge of the Kop End penalty area and Howard Kendall just 17 years old ran onto it and smashed a rising drive high to their keeper's left and into the next.
Fourth Round - away to another First Division side Bolton Wanderers. Bizarrely we were drawn against Bolton in the Forth Round - away, home, away again for three successive seasons - but this first match ended 2-2. Both our goals came from Alex Dawson- the first a nod down in the first half and the second a towering, imperious header in the second half from about the penalty spot. We then nearly threw it away by allowing them to come back and draw level. So replay at our place - first Dawson again though can't remember how then they equalised then Nobby Lawton got the winner from close range after as I recall their keeper fumbled a cross. I saw both matches.
Fifth Round - at home against lower league opposition Carlisle United who I think were in the bottom tier. Before the 5th Round matches a sports writer on the Daily Express called Eric Cooper 'The Voice of the North' published his predictions for all eight matches and got every single one wrong - well he predicted Man Utd would only 'scrape through' away against Barnsley and they won 4-0. In our case he predicted Carlisle would cause the 'shock of the round' and to be fair it was a very tough game which we won just 1-0 with a goal in the first half by Alan Spavin. They had a shot in the second half that hit one post and then the other before coming out and so on we went. Again I was there.
6th Round - away at Oxford United in what was I think their first full season as a League team. They had caused a shock a bit earlier - I think it was the 3rd Round - when they beat a First Division team who play in blue-and-white halved shirts in a ground by the River Darwen. But we won 2-1 with goals by Alex Dawson and Brian Godfrey. Their captain was a fellow called Ron Atkinson. I was not there but listened to the commentary on the radio. I remember my dad saying that Oxford sounded to be a characterful side and that he would like them to equalise so he could actually see them. I was not of that opinion and we held on to win.
Semi-Final - a rain-sodden Villa Park against Swansea Town in front of 69,000 spectators. The story of the match itself has been told here before. They were all over us in the first and should have been out-of-sight by half-time by went in only 1-0 up. I was at the front about in line with the edge of the six-yard box to the keeper's right at the end where all the goals were scored and I can still remember the look of sheer exultation on the face of their scorer with his eyes raised heavenwards as he wheeled away after their goal - he really thought he was on his way to Wembley. But things happened differently in the second half. First they gave away a penalty that Alex Dawson rammed home low to the keeper's right and then Tony Singleton hit the ball from about 35-yards out and it flew high to their keeper's right and into the net. There is an odd symmetry there for me because just as I remember the look of exultation on the face of their scorer in the first half so I can recall the expression of agony on the face of their keeper as he frantically clawed at the air as the ball went past him. The match then became a bit bad-tempered but the score remained the same.
That Semi-Final has another couple of memories for me, though, that relate to events afterwards. First the Giant Leek. Before the match a Swansea fan brought onto the pitch to be photographed what was evidently a homemade mascot - it was a giant leek or facsimile of one made it seemed from a tube about six-feet long and about a foot in diameter painted green with a great flounce of paper leaves at the top in other words a rather spectacular Welsh symbol. It attracted a lot of attention and was then carried off into the crowd. At the end of the game my dad kept me and my brother back for a few minutes to let the crowd disperse and then we were allowed to climb over the boundary wall and walk around the track by the side of the pitch behind the goals to the other side of the pitch which allowed us easier access to where our coach was parked.
The terraces on that other side had been packed with Swansea fans and as we got close I could see all the detritus they had left behind - sheets of what appeared to be hardboard painted with elegant white swans on blue water presumably lovingly painted in preparation for the match and now just abandoned. We then had to climb over the low boundary wall and drop a few feet down the other side because the terracing came down below pitch level. But as I landed I nearly went flying because I did not land on firm ground but instead - you guessed it - on a green cylindrical thing lying at the foot of the wall. It was the leek which just a couple of hours before had been the centre of attention for that massive crowd but which was now just cast aside. If Swansea had won you imagine it would have been carried back to Wales in triumph and then to Wembley where the whole nation would very likely have seen it on TV. But we had won and so now it was just literally rubbish which I daresay ended up by the Monday on a rubbish tip in Birmingham being picked at by the seagulls. What a symbol of the utter gut-wrenching difference between victory and defeat - especially in a Semi-Final. That is probably worse than losing a Final.
My other memory is just that when we got outside the ground a Swansea fan made a point of coming upto my dad shaking his hand and wishing us well for the Final. I seem to recall that when we played Swansea in the Cup when CB was manager people who attended reported a nasty anti-English atmosphere. That is a sad contrast.
The Final - little point going over it. We all know what happened. My dad went to Wembley but I watched on TV in Ribbleton right from the beginning of the coverage at about 11.00am through to that bitter, numbing end though I was in the Flag Market the following day for the team's return which was an upbeat occasion.
Anyhow that was my Cup run. I can understand BeteNoir's feelings but as I said there is a huge amount to be proud of and it isn't simply something that happened. The memories of what that team achieved still provide me with a benchmark of what the team should achieve today. I can understand why WFG's brother Frank should have wanted to write down his experiences - perhaps WFG will post them here.
One other thing. Many years after that Semi-Final in 2007 in fact I had to drive back from London to Preston one wet Wednesday night. But it was not a trip that would involve setting out with my dad from the same house from where we had walked to that 3rd Round match as previous returns had done. Instead it was to attend his funeral the following day. Halfway back I drove through Birmingham and saw the outline of Villa Park in the distance and it triggered something close to an hallucination. I began to relive the drive back to Preston in the coach after that Semi-Final which had been along the same stretch of road - there see what this team does to you. Never been back to Villa Park since but hopefully there will be a chance to do so again. I might even check if the Giant Leek is still lying there though I somehow doubt it.
One other thing I remember relating to your description of Carlisle's shot which hit each post is that it was Sammy Taylor, a former PNE player from our Div 1 days who did that shot. I was on the Town End, right behind it. 😨
I was right behind the Town End goal too when Sammy hit that shot , couldn't believe how it stayed out. The Bolton game away was so packed coming off the ground I was just carried along off feet barely touching the floor. The only cup game I missed that season was the Oxford away one.
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