1973-10-31
31st October 1973
FL Cup R3
West Bromwich Albion (a)
Away day Memories
Andrew Long recalls a night at The Hawthorns
written in 2002/03
West Bromwich Albion 1 Exeter City 3
Football League Cup 3rd Round
31st October 1973
West Bromwich Albion then, as now, were fighting hard to reclaim a position in the top flight. They had spent extensively on star Scottish winger Willie Johnston from Rangers. He was to become infamous when sent home from the World Cup in 1978 for taking drugs. And this proved to be a big night for him as well.
City then, as now, were in the bottom division. This was the middle of John Newman's six year period in charge. He built a number of sides who pushed hard for promotion, but didn't make it until five months after he'd left in 1976- 77.
City's star was Fred Binney. He scored 25 goals in 38 league games in this season, becoming one our (few!) goalscoring legends. This made him, I think, joint top goalscorer that year in the entire Football League. It turned out to be a big night for him too ...
The draw had been tough on City, as they drawn away in all four rounds. Swansea City were dispatched after a first round replay. Rotherham United were swept aside 4-1 at Millmoor. Binney was in full flow, netting 4 times in the first two rounds and he wasn't finished yet either!
The trip to The Hawthorns was also probably the biggest game in Campbell Crawford's career. The City full back had signed from West Bromwich Albion, his only other professional club. At first he was the typical utility player - playing in seven different positions in his first season. These were the days of a professional squad of 16 players and no reserve team. After settling at full back, Crawford became a valuable and long serving asset to the club. His task was to mark the expensive international Johnston!
As can be seen from the score, it was a great City victory, outplaying more illustrious opponents on their own ground, Johnston got his first Albion goal -after over 40 appearances, which ultimately helped transform his career at West Bromwich. It was scant consolation for the home fans that night.
But the quality of City's play was something to behold. Binney ran their defence ragged. His best goal involved a mazy run past three defenders before bending the ball into the far top corner. His other involved deceiving the defence and keeper on the near post.
Our other goal was a superb team effort. From a throw in on our left - just in front of where I stood involved close control by Binney. Neat passing freed up space for Dave Gibson to cross-and he was probably the best passer of a ball ever to appear in a City shirt. The ball was flicked on at the near post by big John Wingate and bundled in at the far post by
Binney's strike partner Dick Plumb.
And on a personal level this I was now at university, rather proud of the fact that there two of us from the same Exeter school reading the same subject at the same Oxford college. We'd started earlier that month, but by then knew enough about student life to leave at lunchtime to travel to Birmingham.
The Hawthorns now is served by its own station, with both rail and Metro platforms (And on a further personal note I travel through that station every day to and from work!) But then it involved a tiresome bus journey. Dave and I arrived so close to kick off that we couldn't get in the away section. Our requests to transfer were politely but firmly refused.
A glorious night and a wonderful triumph. So we'll pass over the outcome of the next two cup games in the space of four days in the following month. Away at Wolverhampton Wanderers in the 4th round of the League Cup and home to Alvechurch in the FA Cup .
Andrew Long recalls a night at The Hawthorns
written in 2002/03
West Bromwich Albion 1 Exeter City 3
Football League Cup 3rd Round
31st October 1973
West Bromwich Albion then, as now, were fighting hard to reclaim a position in the top flight. They had spent extensively on star Scottish winger Willie Johnston from Rangers. He was to become infamous when sent home from the World Cup in 1978 for taking drugs. And this proved to be a big night for him as well.
City then, as now, were in the bottom division. This was the middle of John Newman's six year period in charge. He built a number of sides who pushed hard for promotion, but didn't make it until five months after he'd left in 1976- 77.
City's star was Fred Binney. He scored 25 goals in 38 league games in this season, becoming one our (few!) goalscoring legends. This made him, I think, joint top goalscorer that year in the entire Football League. It turned out to be a big night for him too ...
The draw had been tough on City, as they drawn away in all four rounds. Swansea City were dispatched after a first round replay. Rotherham United were swept aside 4-1 at Millmoor. Binney was in full flow, netting 4 times in the first two rounds and he wasn't finished yet either!
The trip to The Hawthorns was also probably the biggest game in Campbell Crawford's career. The City full back had signed from West Bromwich Albion, his only other professional club. At first he was the typical utility player - playing in seven different positions in his first season. These were the days of a professional squad of 16 players and no reserve team. After settling at full back, Crawford became a valuable and long serving asset to the club. His task was to mark the expensive international Johnston!
As can be seen from the score, it was a great City victory, outplaying more illustrious opponents on their own ground, Johnston got his first Albion goal -after over 40 appearances, which ultimately helped transform his career at West Bromwich. It was scant consolation for the home fans that night.
But the quality of City's play was something to behold. Binney ran their defence ragged. His best goal involved a mazy run past three defenders before bending the ball into the far top corner. His other involved deceiving the defence and keeper on the near post.
Our other goal was a superb team effort. From a throw in on our left - just in front of where I stood involved close control by Binney. Neat passing freed up space for Dave Gibson to cross-and he was probably the best passer of a ball ever to appear in a City shirt. The ball was flicked on at the near post by big John Wingate and bundled in at the far post by
Binney's strike partner Dick Plumb.
And on a personal level this I was now at university, rather proud of the fact that there two of us from the same Exeter school reading the same subject at the same Oxford college. We'd started earlier that month, but by then knew enough about student life to leave at lunchtime to travel to Birmingham.
The Hawthorns now is served by its own station, with both rail and Metro platforms (And on a further personal note I travel through that station every day to and from work!) But then it involved a tiresome bus journey. Dave and I arrived so close to kick off that we couldn't get in the away section. Our requests to transfer were politely but firmly refused.
A glorious night and a wonderful triumph. So we'll pass over the outcome of the next two cup games in the space of four days in the following month. Away at Wolverhampton Wanderers in the 4th round of the League Cup and home to Alvechurch in the FA Cup .
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