BLACKPOOL GET A SHOCK AT BURNDEN PARK
Bolton play their best game
LOFTHOUSE SCORES
Bolton Wanderers 1, Blackpool 0
By “Spectator”
BLACKPOOL are good box office these days. Even Burnden Park, where Bolton’s decline this season has been emptying the stands, had nearly 30,000 inside its gates half an hour before the kick-off this afternoon.
Stanley Mortensen came with the team, but only to watch the match. “I’d sooner - a lot sooner - have been playing,” he said.
The attendance bordered on 40,000 and loudspeaker batteries were directing the people away from the congested corners when the teams appeared.
Teams:
BOLTON WANDERERS: Hanson; Banks, Crook, Forrest, Atkinson, Howe, Woodward, Rothwell, Lofthouse, Bradley, Moir.
BLACKPOOL: Wallace: Shimwell, Suart, Farrow, Hayward, Johnston, Matthews, Munro, McIntosh, Buchan (W), McCormack.
Referee: Mr. F. Thurman (Preston).
THE GAME
There was a noticeably bigger reception for Blackpool than was given to the Wanderers.
When Harry Johnston lost the toss Blackpool’s defence faced the sun but little else in preliminary skirmishes which were fast, but led nowhere,
Johnston built a couple of attacks on the left wing, but no forward had a shot in the first five minutes.
It was the quietest opening to a match I have seen this season.
Except that the ball was constantly moving on to the Wanderers goal there was nothing to report. Yet the first time this goal was in peril it nearly fell, McIntosh crossing a ball which hit Hanson’s knees.
The ball bounced back into a pack of men who immediately hurled themselves into a scrum for possession of it before It was cleared.
Another minute and again McIntosh, out on the right-wing, centred a low fast ball which Forrest headed away almost on his knees with the goal gaping open,
PENALTY REFUSED
In the next minute, too, there was another flare of drama as Woodward escaped for the first time before crossing a ball which appeared to rise off the rutted turf and hit Shimwell’s hand as he raced across to meet it in the area.
For a couple of minutes afterwards. with a penalty refused, the Wanderers raided to a storm of boos and jeers - raided all out and won the first corner in the eighth minute before taking the lead in the 10th.
It was a remarkable goal. The ball flew over from the right, crossed fast by Forrest, the Wanderers’ attacking wing half.
LOFTHOUSE, the centre-forward Blackpool wanted to sign last season, was all on his own in the inside-left position, fell on both knees to reach the pass, was sprawling on the grass as the ball rose out of Wallace’s reach and dipped at the last split second beneath the angle of post and bar.
That was a goal not in the book at all. Until half the other Wanderers lifted him from the turf I question whether the centre-forward knew he had scored.
UPSET BLACKPOOL
It was nevertheless a goal which, served to shatter Blackpool’s composure for a time.
For minutes afterwards the Wanderers were raiding, never resembling in the process a bottom-of-the-table team.
Blackpool retaliated with a corner in the 13th minute, one in a Buchan-Matthews-Munro raid, but after those first eight or nine minutes the Wanderers were setting the pace all the time with those long passes to the wings which Blackpool were too seldom employing.
OUTPLAYED
Blackpool defence retreats
In the end, with the ball seldom reaching the Blackpool forwards from an outplayed and retreating defence, Matthews began his famous wandering act, played for half a minute as an outside-left, for another half minute as an inside-left.
But it made no difference. Something for a time had gone wrong with the works.
It was all the Wanderers - a team fast and aggressive with the wing forwards constantly racing into open positions.
Twenty-two minutes had gone and they were cheering again for another goal, out this time prematurely.
Rothwell took a pass, lobbed it forward, left Lofthouse to shoot fast and low into the net for a goal which, without any hesitation, Mr. Thurman disallowed to another storm of protest.
A couple of minutes later Moir crossed a fast low centre which Lofthouse and Woodward in succession hurled themselves at and missed with only the deserted Wallace in front if them.
Hayward halted another full-line raid brilliantly and Shimwell another, but as the interval approached it had become almost an event for a Blackpool forward to reach a shooting position.
The Wanderers were entitled to the lead. Might, in justice, have been even further in, front.
CAME TO EARTH
Five minutes of the half were left and there was another penalty demand which was again refused.
This time it was by Blackpool as in a brief pressure McCormack zigzagged past two men before diving to earth under the tackle of a third.
A Bolton Pressman told me “The Wanderers have never played such football as this all season.”
I could believe it. It had outplayed Blackpool almost completely after the first quarter of an hour, shaken the defence and left the forwards a marooned force.
Half-time: Bolton Wanderers 1, Blackpool 0.
Blackpool had to concede a corner in the first minute of the half as Hayward hooked the ball over the line from Lofthouse with the centre-forward chasing another of those long passes which were riddling Blackpool's defence today.
Afterwards Blackpool were at last in the game again, but no raid could force a gap in the Wanderers’ defence.
When Matthews was given a pass there were ironical cheers all round the ground.
There were signs nevertheless early in this half that Blackpool could still make a match of it, but after the tempestuous last half hour of the first half there was a curious poverty of incidents.
BIG ESCAPE
In the 13th minute of the half Blackpool had a big escape. Hayward and Shimwell left the ball to each other. Neither moved to it.
Between them cut Bradley, the new forward from Southampton, half hit a shot which spun away from Wallace and left Rothwell vainly lurching at it off balance almost on the line of air empty goal.
Matthews was searching for the loose ball again with Munro out on the wing. Somebody had to get this forward line going with the minutes ticking away and Matthews presumably was the only man to do it.
For 10 minutes England’s outside right was in a curious position midway between centre-forward and inside-right. but still no full line attack could be built.
Blackpool were still losing and still creating none of those positions which produce goals.
Blackpool won three comers in the last two minutes in a last desperate bid, but there was no one to score the goals today.
Result:
BOLTON WANDERERS 1 (Lofthouse 19 mins)
BLACKPOOL 0
COMMENTS ON THE GAME
This was Blackpool's least impressive game for a long time. The defence was nearly stampeded out of the match before the interval by a line of Bolton forwards playing a fast open game which had quality in it but often little except a desperate fury.
Afterwards the Blackpool front line was given plenty of the ball, chiefly by that nonstop attacking half-back, Johnston, but could make little progress with it.
Again, the folly of leaving Matthews neglected on one wing and massing play on the other was completely exposed.
The folly of the short pass Against a packed defence was exposed too.
In the last half hour the total eclipse which had been threatening nearly all the first half lifted, but it revealed only a forward line which had no marksman in it and few signs of the direct plan which make goals.
McIntosh was seldom given a reasonable pass during the first hour. Later, he could make no impression on a defence content to marshal all its forces in the centre on the principle of holding what had unexpectedly, but deservedly, been won.
The truth is that in nearly every position the Wanderers were faster on the ball and played with a decision which was curiously absent from Blackpool's game. That was the story of the match in a sentence.
Stanley Matthews played the last 20 minutes of this game in the field’s centre, vainly seeking a ball which seldom reached him on the wing.
Nothing could justify a team plan which compelled that to happen.
STILL CRAZIER TRANSFER MARKET
The things they are asking
By “Spectator”
IF Alice had walked out of Wonderland into the 1947 football transfer market she would never have noticed the difference.
This market is crazier than ever these days - an Insanity Fair.
I reported in this column a week or two ago that when Blackpool went to sign Norman Lockhart, the Swansea Town outside-left, the Welsh club asked for a player who had cost £2,000 from Linfield 12 months earlier, a couple of Blackpool’s inter nationals and a £3,000 cheque.
Now Manager Joe Smith has been on the prowl to watch a Third Division forward.
What happens?
He is not impressed. "But,” he is told by the player’s directorate, ‘‘you should have seen him last week.”
It was questionable in the circumstances whether Mr. Smith ever particularly wanted to see him again, but he asked “What’s the price?”
No cheque, but-
THEY told him. No cheque was required, but only three Blackpool players who have a First Division reputation.
That’s all - three men who have played in the First Division, and may play in it again, for one Third Division forward who may or may not be a success in a higher grade of football.
Mr. Smith came home. He is probably still wondering why he ever went away.
And that’s going on everywhere all the time.
One of these days Blackpool may have to pay one of these outsize fees - probably for an outside-left but there is no particular inclination to pay one yet.
Case of McIntosh
TOPIC of the week, however, is A not a man who is coming but a man who has come back.
Jim McIntosh has, probably to his own embarrassment, suddenly found himself a winder hero.
Today the people who barracked him out of First Division football last season, are hailing him as the answer to one of Blackpool’s major problems.
The problem was - for already I am told it is in the past tense - "If Stanley Matthews and Stanley Mortensen are played as a right wing for Blackpool, who is to be fielded at centre-forward?”
The answer today is "Good old Jimmy!” as the centre paddock now call him.
That may be unfair to this modest, unembittered player, and may be making excessive demands of him on the strength of two games only.
But there are indications that McIntosh may be on the way back, not again, as I see it, as the tearaway centre-forward, who, in 1935-36, at the age of 17 and a half scored 52 goals for Blackpool.
He may not be known again as a man who shatters scoring records, but he may yet make a name as a skilful leader of the attack.
One man, in the meantime, who can afford to smile at the present hullabaloo is Mr. Joe Smith, who has never lost his faith in this player, and was nearly persuaded less than a month ago to accept a big offer made for him by Hull City.
One day he may say, "I told you so,” but he’s too old and wise in the game to say it yet.
Jottings from all parts
BY "SPECTATOR" 25 October 1947
F.A. Cup
Arsenal 11-1 favourites, Blackpool 14-1
ARSENAL are favourites at 11-1 in the advance betting list of a leading bookmaker for the F.A. Cup.
Blackpool and Preston, their challengers for the First Division leadership, are quoted at 14-1.
Charlton, the Cup holders, and Burnley, their victims in last season’s final, are rated as 25-1 chances.
Prices about Second Division clubs range from 33's against West Bromwich to 500-1 against Doncaster, Millwall, Notts Forest and Plymouth.
***
PORTSMOUTH’S big centre-forward, Douglas Reid, is no advertisement for Blackpool. Twice within a year he has been taken ill within a few hours of coming to the town.
When the team were quartered in Blackpool for the Preston match last season he went to bed with a chest complaint.
It happened again last weekend.
When he told the trainer that his breathing was affected, Mr. Jimmy Stewart actually had him out for a walk on the sands last Saturday at about 3 a.m. But it made no difference. The famous dustless breezes are no good to him at all.
And Blackpool once nearly signed him when he was at Stockport.
CASUALTIES and international calls have played such ducks and drakes with Blackpool this season that there are only four men - the four-square defence - Jock Wallace, Eddie Shimwell, Ron Suart and Eric Hayward, who have not yet missed a match this season.
And the season is only a couple of months old.
TOM LYON, the forward who played for Blackpool before the war, is in Chesterfield’s front line again.
Ken Dawson, who went back to Falkirk in 1938 because he could not score at Blackpool, is still in Falkirk’s attack, and - still scoring.
Jim Blair has had a good Press down South since he went to Bournemouth, where they think his elegant football will give a new class to his new team.
LOUIS CARDWELL, the ex- Blackpool and Manchester City centre-half, thinks the Crewe Alexandra - Wrexham match last weekend was one of the best in which he has played for years.
And not merely because the Alexandra, his new team, won by a goal, either.
Bob Finan, so Louis says, had another fine match, and so had Frank Hill, the Alexandra manager and former Blackpool and Arsenal forward, who, when he had no left-half to field, played there himself,
NOTE for the Big Cheque Men: The present Burnley team cost exactly £7,000, which is about the price a few clubs ask for apprentices these days.
Alan Brown’s price was £5,000, the right-half, Attwells, £2,000. The remaining nine cost nothing at all.
And out of the XI they have made a team which is a team in the strict sense. Manager Cliff Britton has shown that it can be done.
***
JACK BRADLEY, the new Bolton forward from Southampton, who made his first home appearance this afternoon against Blackpool, played several games for Blackpool in wartime football when he was serving at the R.A.F. station at Weeton.
***
A FEW other folk may have been surprised, but not the Portsmouth delegation, when Jim McIntosh played such an impressive | game against the Fratton Park men last weekend.
He often appeared for Portsmouth when he was |stationed at the Royal Naval Barracks during the war.
He has another intimate relationship with Portsmouth, too. Trainer Jimmy Stewart’s son and the Blackpool forward married sisters - just as Stan Mortensen and Harry Johnston married cousins.
LATEST acquisition in Blackpool’s training quarters is a table tennis set. These days they are at it whenever they are not out on the field. It’s become a new craze.
Now what about a table tennis championship?
A snooker championship is being promoted by the Supporters’ Club. Two golf championships are being played at Fairhaven - one match-play, the other stroke, for cups presented by Mr. Richard Seed and Mr. George Mee, with Mr. W. H. Orry offering a guinea voucher for the defeated finalist in the first.
And they still find time to play football.
GOOD WORK
BLACKPOOL had lost only nine goals in 13 games before this afternoon’s match at Burnden Park.
Four of the goals were scored by centre-forwards, and one each by an outside right, an inside right, an outside left, an inside left, and a right half.
THE winter progamme is now taking shape. and many social activities have been fixed.
The committee hone that members and friends will give these efforts every support.
Guy Fawkes dance
OUR first big effort is the Guv Fawkes dance at the Tower on Wednesday November 5. Many will remember our event there last March. It was a most enjoyable and successful evening.
Dancing will be from 7-30 to midnight (fuel cuts permitting). Late transport is being arranged. If there is sufficient demand a -bus will, be run to St. Annes.
There will be novelty features and spot prizes.
Green cloth stars
STAR snooker and billiards attraction at the Clifton Hotel will last a full week, with afternoon and evening sessions. November 10 is the opening date.
The biggest array of billiards and snooker stars seen in Blackpool will include Fred Davis. Harold Morris. Herbert Beetham, Arthur Hibbert, and many others.
Admission will be 4s. per session (including tax), and season tickets are available at £2 2s. and £1 1s. from any member of the committee, the chairman. Mr. H. Markland (Tel. Blackpool 3974). or the hut at the ground.
Get your tickets early, please.
Quarterly meeting
THE quarterly meeting, fixed for November 18, has again had to be postponed owing to the international match with Sweden taking place the following day. Journalists and players attending the game would be unable to take part in the “Quiz.” The meeting will take place at a date to be arranged.
Brilliant, fascinating reading about everything going on at the club back in the day. A great history lesson into our great club.
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