ASTON VILLA 2-1 SOUTHAMPTON, FA CUP ROUND 4 REPLAY, JANUARY 1969...

Shorts and John McGrath

When I was a small boy, I was fortunate enough to be selected for the district schools’ soccer team but the green and white shirts came with, let’s say, spacious white shorts. I combated this enigma by rolling the waistband of the said knickers over and over, three or four times. Yes, that was more like it. They were thus tighter at the insides of the thighs, although it seemed like I had sails attached to the outsides.

AT HOME, WEARING MY OWN, BETTER FITTING SHORTS...

Professionals who followed this particular fashion in the 1950s and more so in the 1960s usually exposed evil bulging hamstrings and centre-halves often displayed uncanny resemblances to beefy nightclub bouncers to an unsuspecting public. Perhaps one of the finest exponents of the mode was John McGrath, Southampton’s signing from Newcastle in the 1960s. As a youngster, I may have labelled him as an uncompromising defender but I guess he was simply a  defensive stopper and he seemed like a bit of a beast.

JOHN McGRATH...

I recall a 4^th round FA Cup replay at Villa Park between Second Division Aston Villa and First Division Southampton, following a creditable 2-2 draw for the Midlanders at the Dell. Villa’s Manager Tommy Docherty conjured up a magical evening at Villa Park, before 59,000 spectators. That night, John McGrath was in his element, battling away in defence, shorts rolled over from his waistband, with his shirt sleeves rolled up for the tough task ahead. His mean thighs revealed fearsome wooden gargoyles and he was to mark Villa’s ball-playing forward Lionel Martin.

LIONEL MARTIN...

Lionel’s wing-play had enticed me to Central League games at Villa Park and although he lacked pace, this undervalued player could dribble with the ball, using deft and often unreadable moves to wrong-foot defensive stooges. His crossing of a ball was reasonable too and when he was used as a makeshift centre-forward in the first team, several goals materialised. I met him some years ago, working at a car sales and service garage, in Castle Bromwich and I reminded him of this particular game.

MICK CHANNON SCORES FOR SAINTS...

VILLA'S RIGHT-BACK KEITH BRADLEY CAN'T STOP CHANNON'S SHOT GOING INTO THE NET...

Mike Channon opened the scoring for Saints in front of the Holte End, craftily working an opening and shooting low past Villa’s smoking ‘keeper John Dunn, a goal which was equalised by a rare Peter Broadbent header. A physical encounter ensued until an unforgettable moment arrived on the Trinity Road side of the ground. Broadbent clipped a decent pass towards Villa’s diminutive right-winger Dave Rudge, a Wolverhampton lad who had risen through the junior ranks and was liked by Tommy Docherty. The play unfolded towards me as I stood on the Holte End terrace and as Dave Rudge made ground along his flank, I noticed John McGrath’s moment of decision. He took responsibility for the situation and his bared thighs were soon in motion. He was fully intending to ambush Rudge, rather like a rumbling predator bent on intercepting its fleet-footed prey. McGrath’s eyes were surely on the ball, yet should the rumbling defender have missed his tackle then fine, the prey would be taken down instead. And possibly gored…

A RARE GOAL & AN EVEN RARER HEADER BY VILLA'S EX-WOLVES STAR PETER BROADBENT REGAINS PARITY FOR THE HOSTS...

SAINTS' GOALIE GERRY GURR IS BEATEN BY THE LOOPING TRAJECTORY...

The rolled-over waistband and the wooden thighs were about to reach the Villa man and McGrath’s wicked eyes were trained on the ball and Rudge’s legs. The Saint bore down on the Villa winger side-on and launched himself forwards, propelling boots, studs and tree-stump legs, like battering rams at a mediaeval door. At the point of impact however, Rudge, probably having sensed the attack, or death, nudged the ball on and sprang over the lunging McGrath’s committal, skipping clear. Gasps were audible as McGrath slid over the touchline like a Baseball batter struggling to make fourth base and the unsightly Saint crashed off the pitch and slid towards the surrounding wall in a sorry heap. 

THE SPORTS ARGUS ILLUSTRATES VILLA'S WINNER...

Subsequently Rudge delivered a centre towards the unmarked Lionel Martin, who controlled the ball, swivelled and placed a neat drive past Saints’ goalie Gerry Gurr, thus winning the tie for Villa.

MARTIN FIRES VILLA'S WINNING GOAL...

A SIMILAR FINISH BY MARTIN TO THAT WHICH BEAT QPR IN ROUND THREE, ALSO 2-1...

This was a memorable incident at Villa Park, yet neither Martin, nor Rudge became legends, although McGrath’s stature was already legendary and he will remain as such with me, especially when I see the waistband of a pair of shorts being rolled over to make an ill-fitting garment appear more wearable. 

THE SPORTS ARGUS AGAIN...

In Reading, at Bulmershe College soon after that match, my kickabouts between P.E. lectures with my mate Martin Phipps were enlivened by me rolling the elastic top of my shorts over and over…

For those memorable moments I WAS John McGrath…

JOHN McGRATH SCORES IN THE FIRST GAME AT THE DELL...