The memory may be playing tricks, but I think that another factor that hampered us in 1968/69 were injuries to both Paul Went and Keith Peacock, which kept each of them out for a significant number of games.
Another problem was too many draws at home.
Still, a memorable season and really only the second serious attempt at promotion after our first year down in 1957/58 until Lennie delivered us to the promised land after an absence of 29 years.
Such a memorable season As you say too many draws including the 3-3 at Palarse when we were winning Keith Peacock got injured against Palarse in the 0/0 Cup game at the Valley and was a major loss
Oh what might have been……
It's amazing how small the squads were then. I think Keith Peacock's injury kept him out of the the Arsenal FA cup tie at Highbury, Jimmy Mullen was his replacement. John Kiers was the replacement for Paul Went, a good player but not as good as Paul Went. Most clubs had a player who could fill in to most positions, Denis Booth was probably ours, Jimmy Mullen, John Stenson were probably behind him but I think we'd come to the end of the sixties colts production line by then.
Eddie was a strict manager in certain departments and set some very high standards, one of which was no swearing……..at least in his presence. 🫢🙄
I read somewhere he tried to introduce things he'd experienced in Italy, like proper diets - in those days some players lived on beer, fags and fry-ups so he probably met some resistance. Souness had a similar problem years later at Liverpool.
Eddie was manager when I first went to The Valley, I wish I'd seen him play - his record was better than one goal every two games, and a lot of those were in Italy where it's never easy to score goals.
Playing away at Millwall, The Den, Cold Blow Lane, SE14
Is that Eamon Dunphy to Harry's right ?
I think it may be a bloke called Billy Neill, rather than Dunphy, but hard to say from that picture. A great shot of Harry Gregory and Paul Went and I really liked that all-red kit.
Another stumbling block during the memorable 1968/69 season was that Millwall took all four points off us. I went to the opening game of the season, a 3-4 thriller at The Valley in front of 27,000 but not the return at The Den. We must have had an injury crisis, as Paul Went had to play at centre-forward and although he scored twice, we lost 3-2. To compound matters, the council workman who came around to do some repairs at our flat on the Monday was a Millwall season ticket holder, albeit a decent bloke.
Edit - I think the Millwall player is George Jacks
Playing away at Millwall, The Den, Cold Blow Lane, SE14
Is that Eamon Dunphy to Harry's right ?
I think it may be a bloke called Billy Neill, rather than Dunphy, but hard to say from that picture. A great shot of Harry Gregory and Paul Went and I really liked that all-red kit.
Another stumbling block during the memorable 1968/69 season was that Millwall took all four points off us. I went to the opening game of the season, a 3-4 thriller at The Valley in front of 27,000 but not the return at The Den. We must have had an injury crisis, as Paul Went had to play at centre-forward and although he scored twice, we lost 3-2. To compound matters, the council workman who came around to do some repairs at our flat on the Monday was a Millwall season ticket holder, albeit a decent bloke.
Edit - I think the Millwall player is George Jacks
Yes a great shot, seen it before somewhere possibly in Goal but think it was more recent than 50 odd years ago
There is a great shot of Charlie Wright in action on the cover of the Charles Buchan's Soccer Gift Book 1967/1968 with the story/interview inside of how he played for Hong Kong against Peru & saved a penalty & was made Hong Kong Footballer of the Year back in 1960. Also in the picture is (I believe) Ian King who was at Leicester with Colin Appleton before they both ended up at Charlton.
Eddie was one classy chap.I remember we were linked with Alex Ferguson but got Ray Crawford who was allegedly a bad influence. I was at the Leicester defeat too . Was this the game that Allan Ellis got injured? Theo kept us up but the following season saw us go down
Don't remember anything about Alex Ferguson (not saying we weren't linked) but as I have said previously we apparently had a bid accepted by QPR for John O'Rourke (70K from memory) who was having a great season but we pulled out & ended up with Ray Crawford. Ray of course was on his way down by this time but still looked a classy player, who can forget his goal at millwall ?
“who can forget his goal at Millwall”………Me for one. 🙄
Eddie was one classy chap.I remember we were linked with Alex Ferguson but got Ray Crawford who was allegedly a bad influence. I was at the Leicester defeat too . Was this the game that Allan Ellis got injured? Theo kept us up but the following season saw us go down
Don't remember anything about Alex Ferguson (not saying we weren't linked) but as I have said previously we apparently had a bid accepted by QPR for John O'Rourke (70K from memory) who was having a great season but we pulled out & ended up with Ray Crawford. Ray of course was on his way down by this time but still looked a classy player, who can forget his goal at millwall ?
“who can forget his goal at Millwall”………Me for one. 🙄
Comments
Eddie was manager when I first went to The Valley, I wish I'd seen him play - his record was better than one goal every two games, and a lot of those were in Italy where it's never easy to score goals.
Another stumbling block during the memorable 1968/69 season was that Millwall took all four points off us. I went to the opening game of the season, a 3-4 thriller at The Valley in front of 27,000 but not the return at The Den. We must have had an injury crisis, as Paul Went had to play at centre-forward and although he scored twice, we lost 3-2. To compound matters, the council workman who came around to do some repairs at our flat on the Monday was a Millwall season ticket holder, albeit a decent bloke.
Edit - I think the Millwall player is George Jacks
There is a great shot of Charlie Wright in action on the cover of the Charles Buchan's Soccer Gift Book 1967/1968 with the story/interview inside of how he played for Hong Kong against Peru & saved a penalty & was made Hong Kong Footballer of the Year back in 1960. Also in the picture is (I believe) Ian King who was at Leicester with Colin Appleton before they both ended up at Charlton.