FA Cup 1969-70 & 1970-71: Sublime to the Ridiculous
Blackpool's FA Cup record through the 60s and 70s could only be described as abysmal. Once notorious cup fighters they have clocked up some unenviable statistics in recent times. At one point it looked as though they might go an entire decade without a cup win. Following the 3rd Round win over Mansfield Town in January 1960, it was January 1968 before their next success, achieved at the expense of Third Division Chesterfield. Even then it took an own goal to clinch the 2-1 victory at Bloomfield Road. Their away record in the competition was even worse. Having beaten Southampton at the Dell in January 1959, it would be November 1981 before the next away win was recorded. A period of almost 23 years! By now Pool were a Third Division club, with the long awaited win coming in the First Round against Hordern Colliery Welfare of the Northern League.
During these dark days there were occasional glimmers of hope, usually followed by desperate disappointment. There were two such instances in successive seasons in the early Seventies, of which I have vivid memories.
Season 1969-70 saw Pool drawn away to Arsenal in the Third Round. At the time well placed behind the leading group in Division 2, Pool were just about to hit the run of form that culminated in promotion. Arsenal were well on their way to assembling the side that would win the double the following season. In the first game at Highbury Pool took an early lead with a rare goal from Tommy Hutchison, and hung on until 10 minutes from the end when John Radford equalised. The replay at Bloomfield Road, was, to use that well known cliché, a game of two halves. Arsenal were one up after 20 minutes when Jon Sammels shot home from 20 yards, and went further ahead just before half time when John Radford slid in from close range. In the second half Bill Bentley took over from the injured John McPhee in midfield, and had an immediate impact. Pool seemed to move up a gear and began to take control. It wasn't long before Alan Suddick was put clear to coolly round keeper Bob Wilson and score the first goal. The Arsenal defence, by now creaking under the pressure, was breached again when Fred Pickering forced home the equaliser. Then in the dying minutes, a long Suddick cross from the right was met at the far post by Mickey Burns who headed a superb winner. It was a marvellous finale to the best performance of the season, in front of 24801, the biggest crowd at Bloomfield Road for some years.
The 4th Round tie against Mansfield Town looked like a tricky one, but at least we had home advantage. Unfortunately our Third Division visitors hadn't read the script, and proceeded to take the lead within the first five minutes, Dai Jones heading home from a corner. Pool spent the rest of the game frantically chasing the elusive equaliser, it just wasn't to be their day. In the end it was all too much for Bill Bentley, who was sent off in the second half for aiming a wild kick at an opponent rather than the ball. With Pool pushing forward there was always a chance that Mansfield might snatch another, particularly against ten men, which is precisely what happened in the 90th minute.
When the draw was made for the 3rd Round the following season Pool were in the middle of their brief and disastrous return to Division 1, so morale wasn't exactly sky high. By the time the tie was played Bob Stokoe had been appointed manager, this being his first game in charge, and Pool were unbeaten in three matches. Things were looking a bit more promising. The BBC Match of the Day cameras had been attracted by one of the few all First Division ties, plus West Ham's reputation for playing entertaining football. It turned out to be good decision, although not in the way they expected. The lacklustre Hammers, including Bobby Moore and Jimmy Greaves, were torn apart by a rampant Pool, orchestrated by a virtuoso performance from Tony Green. His first goal was created from nothing, as he picked up the ball in the centre circle and weaved his way past a number of hesitant defenders, into the heart of the penalty area before coolly beating the keeper. For goal number two, determined work from John Craven and Mickey Burns resulted in a weak clearance to the edge of the box, where Green brought the ball down, skilfully avoided a challenge, and shot into the top corner from 20 yards. Brilliant stuff! He was also on hand to provide John Craven with the opportunity to force home the third. The scoring was completed with a rare goal from fullback Henry Mowbray, who found acres of space when the Hammers' defence failed to pick him up at a free kick.
During the days that followed, the West Ham post mortem revealed that certain star players had been observed drinking in a Blackpool night club, in the early hours of the morning before the game. Sensing a whiff of scandal, the tabloid press blew it out of all proportion, especially when it became known that Messrs. Moore and Greaves had been amongst the guilty.
Just as in the previous season, we were brought crashing down to earth again in round four. Hull had always been a bit of a bogey team and, despite their Second Division status, this once again proved to be the case. By all accounts Pool were outfought by a more committed side, although one of the goals had an element of luck about it. Goalkeeper Alan Taylor and Hull striker Ken Wagstaff went up for a high ball in the six yard box, in the ensuing tangle the ball ended up in the net to make the score 2-0. I don't think either player knew where the ball had gone until the crowd's reaction sounded bad news for Blackpool. Pool were well on their way to another ignominious cup exit.