Terry Butcher - Rangers

by Alistair Aird (Author of Ally McCoist - Portrait of a Hero)

In the summer of 1986, Terry Butcher was regarded as being one of the finest central defenders in the British Isles. A standout performer at the heart of the Ipswich Town defence in the 1980s, he was a first pick for England and had been in terrific form during the World Cup Finals in Mexico. He was courted by Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur on his return from North America, but it was the persuasive powers of Graeme Souness that won him over and he joined Rangers for a club record fee of £725, 000.
In the long run it would prove money well spent, as Butcher became the cornerstone of Rangers' rebuilding programme. His arrival also illustrated that Souness meant business and showed that a Rangers board that had often been regarded as parsimonious were prepared to back their manager as he sought to revive the fortunes of the club.
Immediately installed as club captain, Butcher made his debut in a friendly against Bayern Munich at Ibrox on 5 August, and led the team out for their opening Premier Division match of the 1986/87 season against Hibernian four days later. It was the first of forty-three league appearances that the Englishman made in his debut season, and it was his goal - a towering header against Aberdeen at Pittodrie - that clinched the Light Blues' first title in nine years.
Victory in the title race and success in the Scottish League Cup - Rangers defeated Celtic 2-1 in the Final - had made Butcher's first season in Scotland a memorable one, but his second campaign was blighted by injury and suspension. He was ordered off in a tempestuous Old Firm game at Ibrox in October, and just a month later he broke his leg in a league match against Aberdeen at the same venue. The injury kept him out the side for the remainder of the season, and his prolonged absence undoubtedly cost Rangers a second successive Championship win. The Light Blues finished third, twelve points adrift of champions Celtic.
A tough, no-nonsense centre-back, Butcher also boasted a fine range of passing - his long forward passes with his left foot were a hallmark of Rangers' attacking play in that era - and he was re-introduced to the Rangers team when he returned to the fold in time for the start of the 1988/89 season. During that campaign he forged an excellent partnership with Richard Gough as Rangers won back the Premier Division title and also added the League Cup for a third successive season. Butcher missed only two league matches, and scored a couple of vital goals, notably his looping header against Celtic in a 4-1 win in the league at Ibrox on New Years' Day 1989.

Butcher added another league title to his collection in the 1989/90 season, playing in thirty-four of Rangers' thirty-six league matches, but it would prove to be his last full season as a Rangers player. After returning from the World Cup in Italy nursing a knee injury, he struggled for form in the early matches of the 1990/91 season, and endured a dreadful afternoon at Tannadice in September when Dundee United profited from two of his mistakes to secure a 2-1 win. Those errors were Butcher's last acts in a Rangers jersey. He was dropped for the next match, the semi-final of the League Cup against Aberdeen four days later, and never played for the first team again. He was sold to Coventry City for £400, 000 in November 1990 and became player-manager at Highfield Road.
Named in the Greatest Ever Rangers XI in 1999 and inducted into the club's Hall of Fame in 2000, Butcher made a total of 176 appearances and scored eleven goals for the Light Blues. He played a pivotal role in rousing Rangers from their decade-long slumber, and wore his heart of his sleeve, which means he will forever be regarded as a legend in the eyes of the club's supporters.

John McGovern - Derby County

by Mike Cockayne

John McGovern signed for Derby County in September 1968, moving to the Baseball Ground from Hartlepool United for a £7500 transfer fee. Although the slightly built nineteen year old right winger cum midfielder took time to settle, he joined a club that had been transformed by appointment of Brian Clough as manager and the signing of the former Tottenham Hotspur stalwart Dave Mackay. Having established himself as a regular in the side in January 1969, McGovern starred in the away wins at Aston Villa and Bury as County went on to win the Second Division championship seven points ahead of Crystal Palace. The "Rams" enjoyed a magnificent first season back in the top flight, a series of tremendous home performances securing a fourth place finish. John's ability to do the simple things well, allied to his work ethic and willingness to act as a man marker saw him return a series of solid displays; often against much older and experienced opponents. He netted four goals, scoring against Liverpool, Newcastle United, Sunderland and Southampton, the undoubted highlight being a brilliant curving drive in a 4-0 demolition of the Merseyside club. Although County started their 1970/71 campaign well, seven defeats in September and October 1970 saw them eventually finish in ninth spot. McGovern made thirty-four appearances, scoring six goals including a double strike in a 4-2, first home game of the season, win against Wolverhampton Wanderers. He also netted goals against Coventry City, Everton, Burnley and local rivals Nottingham Forest. In his first three seasons at the Baseball Ground John made a total of eighty-five league appearances, including three as a substitute, his midfield partnership with Archie Gemmill and Alan Durban in the Spring of 1971 working particuarly well.

Derby County opened their 1971/72 First Division campaign in tremendous form, a twelve game unbeaten run setting the tone for the remainder of the season. After a further five straight win sequence in March 1972 they eventually clinched the title by one point from Leeds United, Liverpool and Manchester City having used just sixteen players and returned twenty-three clean sheets. John was a virtual ever present in the County midfield, making forty appearances and scoring three times, including the only goal of the home game against Liverpool and strikes against Southampton and Huddersfield Town. In 1972/73 Derby slipped to seventh place, McGovern netting his only league strike of the campaign in a 5-0 thrashing of Arsenal. In the European Cup County reached the semi-final stage, exiting controversially against the Italian giants Juventus. On route they demolished Benfica 3-0 at the Baseball Ground, John netting a fine goal in a magnificent team performance. The club was rocked to its foundations in October 1973 when, after an away win at Manchester United, manager Brian Clough announced his resignation. Although his replacement Dave Mackay initially faced a player revolt, calm was eventually restored; County going on to finish in third place behind Leeds and Liverpool. John made twenty starts and scored two goals. He fell out of favour following Mackay's signing of Rod Thomas from Swindon and, along with John O'Hare, rejoined Clough briefly at Leeds United and then longer term at Nottingham Forest. His final game in the "Rams" shirt was against Manchester City at Maine Road on February 6th 1974. In all competitons John played 227 games for County, including four as a substitute. He scored twenty goals and at his best demonstrated ball control and passing skills of the highest level, a talent that frequently allowed others to shine.

Gary Crosby - Nottingham Forest

by David Scranage

Little Gary Crosby joined Nottingham Forest in December 1987 on the recommendation of a man who has gone on to prove himself as no mean judge of a footballer - Martin O'Neill. Crosby was playing under O'Neill at non-league Grantham Town when the former Forest star advised Brian Clough that here was a man who could play at a higher level. Clough liked what he saw and the waif-like winger was on his way to the City Ground. Crosby did not have to wait long for his debut as he made an appearance as a substitute for youngster Lee Glover in a 2-2 draw at home to Charlton Athletic in January 1988. He went on to feature in 13 of the remaining 17 League games including a dazzling performance in Forest's 2-1 win at home to Liverpool where the twinkle-toed winger tore Liverpool youngster Gary Ablett to shreds. Crosby scored his first goal for the club in a 3-2 win against Chelsea at the City Ground on and also netted the only goal of the game in Forest's victory at Birmingham City in the FA Cup fifth round. Crosby held his place for the quarter-final meeting with Arsenal as Forest pulled of a splendid 2-1 victory at Highbury and he also played in a 2-1 semi-final defeat against Liverpool at Hillsborough. That Liverpool game was played in front of a crowd of 51, 627 which was rather more than he had been used to in his Grantham days! The following season Crosby was struck down with a serious knee injury during the home game with Coventry City in November and sadly for the diminutive wide-man he was to miss out on Forest's twin Wembley date.

Gary Crosby was very much a regular during the 1989/90 season, starting 34 of 38 League games and scoring five goals in the bargain. One of the goals was particularly memorable as it came in Forest's 2-1 victory against fierce rivals Derby County at the City Ground. The tricky winger also bagged three goals on the road to Wembley as Forest retained the Littlewoods Cup with a 1-0 win against Oldham Athletic. This time there was to be no Wembley heartbreak for Crosby as he played the full 90 minutes on the Forest right flank. The following season saw Crosby, and Forest, taking a particular liking for Norwich City with the wide-man scoring in Forest's 6-2 romp at Carrow Road and also in the return game as the Reds strolled to a 5-0 win at the City Ground. He was back at Wembley again but this time it was a huge disappointment as Forest were beaten 2-1 a.e.t. by Tottenham Hotspur in the FA Cup final. Crosby had netted twice en route to Wembley including once in a 4-0 semi-final win against West Ham United at Villa Park. His other goal came in a remarkable tie against Crystal Palace as the Reds eventually triumphed 3-0 in a second replay. Forest had their annual trip to Wembley for the 1992 Rumbelows Cup Final, with Gary once again featuring, but they went down 1-0 to Manchester United in a rather disappointing game. Things took a turn for the worst for both club and player thereafter and Forest were relegated at the end of the 1992-93 season with Crosby scoring his last goal for the Reds in a 1-0 win at home to Queens Park Rangers. A new manger meant new ideas and Crosby managed just a handful of appearances under new boss Frank Clark before moving on to Huddersfield Town in September 1994.

Glyn Pardoe - Manchester City

by Ian Penney - author of The Legends of Manchester City

When Glyn Pardoe made his senior debut for Manchester City on 11th April 1962 (a 4-1 home defeat at the hands of Birmingham City) he was just 15 years and 314 days old. Perhaps not too suprisingly this tender age made him the youngest player ever to appear in City's first team. The cousin of another City stalwart, Alan Oakes, Pardoe was born in the Cheshire town of Winsford on 1st June 1946 and played in variety of positions as a schoolboy footballer. He never let a particular position bother him; by his own admittance he was happy to play anywhere. Having worked his way through the ranks of both the Mid-Cheshire and England schoolboy sides, Pardoe originally signed for City as an apprentice on 26th July 1961. He was still officially an apprentice when he made it into City's first team. The early years of the 1960s were not particularly goods ones in the fortunes of Manchester City Football Club. The club was in a limbo period between the demise of the FA Cup winning team of 1956 and the arrival some nine years later of the rejuvenating managerial partnership of Joe Mercer and Malcolm Allison. Despite these lean times City had a number of young local players on the books who would prosper as the decade evolved. Along with the likes of Alan Oakes, Neil Young and Mike Doyle, Glyn Pardoe was a man who played in both the dark days and the glory ones that would follow. He played four times in his debut season, 1961/62, on each occasion playing centre-forward, taking over from the injured Colin Barlow. Six appearances (five in the League and one in the FA Cup) followed in 1962/63 with Pardoe's versatility coming to the fore as he wore four different numbered jerseys in those six games. In June 1963 he turned professional and was rewarded for his newfound status with 21 starts in the 1963/64 campaign. That was also the season when Glyn opened his goalscoring account with City; his two goals coming right at the end of the season, against Huddersfield (a 2-0 win away) and in a 3-3 draw at Swansea. New manager George Poyser (like his predecessor Les McDowall) persevered with Pardoe as an attacker all season and despite no shortage of skill and passing ability, it would be as a defender that he would really make his mark with City. A record low attendance and a disappointing drop of five places (to 11th in Division Two) marked the end of Poyser's reign as manager at the end of the 1964/65 season. Pardoe continued to appear in the first team (again as a forward) and added a further three goals as well as 16 more games to his career statistics. The arrival of the aforementioned Joe Mercer and Malcolm Allison in the summer of 1965 sparked off a remarkable chain of events in the club's fortunes. By the end of 1965/66 - their first season in charge - they had taken City to the Second Division Championship and had been so impressed with the now 19 year-old Pardoe, that they played him in all bar two of the 42 League games that season. Starting out as a central attacking player, Glyn finished the season as right-half but his nine goals (including successive twos against Carlisle and Norwich in September) was by far his most productive to date and put him only behind Neil Young and Johnny Crossan in the club's goalscoring table. As City established themselves in the top flight in 1966/67 Pardoe was by now a regular first teamer. He started the season where he'd finished the previous one, played three times back in attack in September and October, but from match eleven (a 2-1 home defeat at the hands of Tottenham on October 8th) he then played another 30 games as a left-back. Mercer and Allison had gradually transformed Pardoe into one of the most cultured full-backs in the country. Strong in the tackle, his years playing further forward could be easily seen in the way he distributed calmly and effortlessly from the back. Constantly on the verge of England recognition (ultimately he never did make it although he was desperately unlucky to miss out on the squad for the 1970 World Cup) Pardoe had, by August 1967, established himself in a City side that was on the verge of its greatest period ever.

No Manchester City supporter could imagine the glories that were to follow as their side began the 1967/68 season with a goalless home draw against the current Champions Liverpool. With Pardoe now firmly established as the first choice left-back for Joe Mercer and Malcolm Allison he would miss just one (a 4-2 away win at Fulham in October) of the 42 League games all season. He also took part in each and every one of City's eight cup games (four each in both the FA and League tournaments) that term, one that resulted in the club's first Championship success in 30 years thanks to the see-saw events at Newcastle on the final day. City won a remarkable game 4-3 at St James' Park that day with all the goals coming in the second half. Their great rivals from across Manchester went down to a surpise 2-1 defeat at home to Sunderland, meaning that The Blues finished two points clear of United, although City would have took the title on goal difference had United won by anything other than a landslide scoreline. Pardoe had come along way since those dark days some five or so years previously. Having picked up his first winners' medal, he was still just a month short of his 22nd birthday; had played almost 200 times for the Blues as well as been capped by England at Under 23 level. His consistency continued into the 1968/69 season with an almost similar story in both appearances and silverware. Although now he missed three games in the League, he still clocked up a remarkable 51 first team appearances as City went all the way to Wembley and ultimate FA Cup success against the soon-to-be relegated Leicester. Four days after the Cup Final in May 1969, it was Pardoe's goal - his first since January 1967 - that earned a League point against West Ham United at Maine Road. European Cup football, a League Championship medal and now an FA Cup winner, Glyn Pardoe's career had risen to these lofty heights through dedication and hard work - not to mention ability and style and despite being a part of the famous '8, 000' game against Swindon - and yet was still not at its peak. Only two other players (Tommy Booth with 59 and skipper Tony Book with 57) bettered Glyn's 56 League and Cup appearances in the 1969/70 season. Towards the end of the campaign Pardoe moved into midfield (wearing number 11) to accommodate the arrival of new record signing Arthur Mann, a left-back signed from Hearts in October. It was in this position that Glyn was to have perhaps his greatest moment in a City shirt. Having progressed all the way to Wembley and a dreadful pitch for the League Cup Final against West Bromwich Albion (see photo above, Glyn clearing upfield as Tommy Booth looks on), it was Pardoe himself who decided the game when he hooked home Colin Bell's header twelve minutes into extra-time to seal a 2-1 victory. It was his one and only goal of that 1969/70 campaign. That success at Wembley came just three days after a difficult goalless draw away at the Portuguese side Acadamica Coimbra in the European Cup Winners' Cup. As City's mixed League form meant they finished tenth overall, it was in this cup competition also that they shone this term, going all the way to eventual success in a rain-soaked Prater Stadium in Vienna against the Polish Cup holders Gornik Zabrze. Pardoe was playing at the peak of his powers in a City side that had become the first English team to become the first to win both a domestic and European trophy in the same season. However, just eight months after the triumph in Austria, Glyn Pardoe would suffer a horrific injury that threatened not only his future playing career but also his life.

Despite the arrival of Arthur Mann in October 1969, Glyn Pardoe was back in his number three jersey in readiness for the start of the 1970/71 season and missed just one of the first 20 League games of the campaign. In that 20th game, a resounding 4-1 win against Manchester United at Old Trafford on December 12th, Pardoe was badly tackled by George Best after just 23 minutes. The collision was so severe that both the tibia and fibula in Pardoe's right leg were shattered and the arteries became trapped. In his own words the City player said years later, 'It was a shocker. The leg was just hanging off; it was real mess. At one point it was touch and go whether or not the leg would have to be amputated.' The severity of his injury kept Glyn out of first team action until November 1972 when - as Willie Donachie had by now established himself as City's first choice left-back - he replaced Tony Book at right-back in a 4-0 home win against then Champions Derby County. He played a total of six times in 1972/73, slowing regaining match fitness and would eventually replace Book permanently at number two when the skipper retired to become assistant manager in November 1973. Pardoe made 38/1 appearances in 1973/74 and was again part of a City side that reached Wembley and the League Cup Final. Regrettably though this time he would be on the losing side as a strong City team lost 2-1 to Wolves. He was 28 years old when the 1974/75 season started and his first team opportunities were restricted to seven all season as, by and large, his spot at right-back was taken by the new signing Geoff Hammond from Ipswich. Another injury - this time to his left knee - caused Glyn to play all of his football in 1975/76 in the reserve side. On the 30th April 1976 he finally retired from playing with a career record of 22 goals in 378/2 appearances for City as well as the club's youngest player record that seems as though it will never be broken. Unable to play as much towards the end of his career because of his knee injury, Pardoe began to take an interest in the coaching side of the game and later did some scouting for his former captain and now first team manager, Tony Book. These early steps led to him eventually successfully working full-time with City's youth and reserve sides until he became a victim of wholesale changes at the club when Peter Reid took over the manager's reigns in May 1992. Glyn's seemingly quick removal (after 31 years in one capacity or another at Maine Road) angered many and stunned the man himself so much that he took a year off from everything. He later got a job in the computer centre of Barclays Bank in Knustford and also became a summariser on City's games on BBC local radio.

Martin Chivers - Tottenham Hotspurs

by Tony Smith

Martin Chivers signed for Spurs from Southampton in January 1968 for a then British transfer record fee of £125, 000. The young forward had made his name in his local team's 1966-67 Division 2 promotion winning side and was seen by the White Hart Lane club as the eventual successor to Jimmy Greaves. On his debut for Spurs in January Chivers scored the opener for his side in their 2-1 victory at Sheffield Wednesday. Later in the same month Tottenham's new number 9 hit both goals in the Londoners 2-2 F.A. Cup draw with Manchester United at Old Trafford. The following season provided more signs of encouragement, with Chivers scoring ten goals in his 23 league and cup appearances. Great things were expected of Martin in season 1968-69 and in September the big man scored his first hat-trick for Spurs in their 4-1 2nd round League Cup win at Aston Villa. However, later that month Chivers suffered a serious knee injury in a 2-1 home win over Nottingham Forest and he was sidelined for almost a year. With his fitness regained, Martin Chivers made 31 league appearances in 1969-70 and hit 11 goals. His return to the side signalled the end of Jimmy Greaves days at The Lane and Chivers and Alan Gilzean were now established as Spurs first choice strikers. The injury to his knee had prevented Chivers breaking into the full England team, having to content himself with 5 appearances for the under-23's, for whom he scored twice, against Scotland and Hungary. In total Chivers made 17 appearances for England under-23's and it proved to be an ideal international apprenticeship. It was a bold decision by Bill Nicholson to let the club's all time record scorer Jimmy Greaves leave for West Ham, but a fully fit Martin Chivers would repay his manager's faith.

The 1970-71 season was the beginning of Martin Chivers golden years, for both club and country. He played in all 58 of Spurs competitive games and scored 34 times, hat-tricks coming against Coventry in a 4-1 home League Cup win and in a 4-0 victory over Dunfermline in the Texaco Cup. Chivers seven goals, including the two in the final against Aston Villa, were largely responsible for his side winning the League Cup. Martin netted twenty-one times in the league, helping Spurs to a third place finish. Alf Ramsey awarded the Spurs forward his full England debut in April 1971 in England's 3-0 Wembley win over Greece in a European Championship qualifier. The new boy, playing alongside Geoff Hurst, scored England's opener and played a further seven times for his country that season, scoring 6 more times. During 1971-72 Chivers hit the best form of his career, making 64 appearances and scoring an astonishing 44 times. In September his goal earned Spurs a win at Torino in the 1st leg of the fledgling Anglo Italian League Cup Winners Cup Final and he also scored Tottenham's first in their 2-0 win in the return leg. Chivers seven goals in seven League Cup games enabled Spurs to make a spirited attempt at defending their trophy. Although he was on target in both legs of the semi-final against Chelsea, it wasn't sufficient to stop their London neighbours reaching the final. The Spurs number 9 saved his most impressive form for the season's UEFA Cup challenge. Martin played in 11 of Spurs 12 games and scored 8 times, scoring a home hat-trick in a 9-0 destruction of Keflavik in the opening round. The real glory for Chivers came in the 1st leg of the all English final when his superb double gave his side a 2-1 win at Wolves. Martin helped Spurs capture the crown with a hard fought 1-1 draw in the return leg. 

Martin Chivers continued his rich vein of scoring form in the 1972-73 season, scoring 33 times from 61 appearances. Four of these goals came in the League Cup as Spurs won the competition for the second time in three seasons with a 1-0 victory over Norwich City. In a December home replay with Liverpool, in the quarter-finals, the big man had popped up twice to help earn Spurs a 3-1 victory. Chivers was also on target in the semi-final second leg at Wolves, where the Londoners drew 2-2 to reach the final. The England international's European form was also impressive as Spurs reached the semi-finals of the UEFA Cup. Chivers played in all of his sides 10 games, scoring 8 times including 5 in the opening round tie against Lyn Oslo. The possibility of another piece of European silverware for Chivers ended when Spurs lost on the away goals rule to Liverpool. Tottenham made it all the way to the final of tha same competition the following season and their centre-forward again featured heavily. Of Spurs 12 games he played 10 times and scored 6 goals, including the opener in the home 2-0 victory over Lokomotive Leipzig in the semi-final 1st leg. The final was to bring disappointment however, with Dutch side Feyenoord coming out 4-2 winners on aggregate. In 1973 Chivers won the last of his 24 England caps (13 goals), appearing a remarkable 11 times for his country in that one year. The Spurs forward was on target for England 6 times during this hectic year, scoring against Scotland in a 5-0 Hampden Park romp in February, both in England's 2-1 victory against Northern Ireland in May and further goals against Wales, USSR and Austria.

By the beginning of the 1974-75 season Martin Chivers was now the senior forward at Tottenham, Alan Gilzean having left for South Africa at the end of the previous campaign. The season proved to be a nightmare for Spurs. Chivers missed the opening three league games, all 1-0 defeats, and on his return to the team in August, Spurs went down at home to Manchester City 2-1. In early September Martin played his last game for the manager who had signed him from Southampton 6 years earlier. There was to be no fond farewell for Bill Nicholson, as Chivers could do little to prevent Middlesbrough winning 4-0 at Spurs in the 2nd round of the League Cup. The new manager given the responsibility of keeping Spurs in Division 1 was ex-Arsenal hero Terry Neill, who took over in September. Chivers found the back of the net for his 1st goal of the season in Neill's first game in charge, a 5-2 defeat at Liverpool. Injuries restricted Chivers league appearances to 28 games, in which he scored 10 times. Crucial goals came in a 2-1 win over West Ham, two in a 3-2 win over Wolves, against Arsenal in a 2-0 win and the last in Spurs 4-2 win over Leeds, which secured their place in top flight football. The following season, 1975-76, was to be the last at White Hart Lane for the former England star. The Spurs number 9 appeared 37 times in all competitions, scoring 9 times. Tottenham finished 9th in Division 1 and were beaten in the League Cup semi-final by Newcastle United. Martin Chivers last appearance for Spurs came on April 24th 1976 when he was sent on as a substitute in a 3-0 home defeat by Newcastle, on the last day of the season. His final goal had come in the previous month's 5-0 home win over Sheffield United. After 367 competitive games and 174 goals for Spurs, Martin Chivers left in the summer of 1976 for Servette of Switzerland for a fee of £80, 000.

http://www.sporting-heroes.net

Denis Law - Manchester United

by Steve Drabble

Denis Law joined Manchester United in August 1962 at the age of 22. He was brought to Old Trafford by Sir Matt Busby, the man who had given him his Scotland debut nearly four years earlier. United paid a then British record transfer fee of £115, 000 for his services from Torino, the third occasion on which he had held that accolade, having become the first £100, 000 player in 1961 when joining the Italians from Manchester City. A slim man of average height, Law was renowned for his nose for goal and soon showed this great ability to the Old Trafford faithful. He made his debut in the opening fixture of the 1962/63 season against West Bromwich Albion when he scored United's first goal in a 2-2 draw. He also scored the opener in a 3-1 FA Cup Final victory over Leicester City later that year, a suprising result given United's struggles in the league that season (they finished 19th whilst Leicester were 4th). That terrific first campaign at Old Trafford had quickly established Denis as a crowd favourite and the following season would see Law further endear himself to the United fans with the remarkable return of 46 goals from only 42 appearances in all competitions. His goalscoring exploits saw United improve dramatically in the league compared to the previous season and they managed a runners-up spot, four points behind champions Liverpool. His performances the following season took United to the 1st Division Championship and in the process earned the Scotsman the 1964 European Footballer of the Year vote. Though they lost the final game of the season to Aston Villa, United finished level on points with Leeds United and won the league by goal difference.

His contribution of 30 goals in 37 games helping to tip the balance in United's favour. 1965/66 proved to be a year of near misses for United with semi-final defeats in both FA and European Cups and 4th place in the League. A further League title followed in 1966/67, as United remained unbeaten throughout the second half of the campaign. In his first five full seasons as a Manchester United player Denis' strike rate was phenomenal, scoring an incredible 160 goals in only 222 games.
By 1967, the names of Best, Law and Charlton were synonymous with the success sweeping through Old Trafford. Though they finished runners-up in the League campaign that season, Denis helped United to the1968 European Cup Final. However, a knee injury kept him out of the final, which he was forced to watch in hospital on TV as a result. The day after a 4-1 victory against Benfica Matt Busby took the trophy to Law's bedside as a tribute to the man who had contributed so much. He scored seven goals in the two-leg tie against Waterford, which began United's European Cup defence in style the following season. However, defeat in the semi-final against AC Milan signalled the end of their hopes of retaining the trophy. European distractions caused United to finish 11th in the League and the legendary Busby retired as Manager at the end of the season. No further honours came his way over the final four seasons of Law's United career as the club struggled to overcome the departure of Busby. Despite the teams failure, Law's wily skills continued to entertain Old Trafford throughout his career and, at a time of true legends at the Theatre of Dreams, Denis Law was simply known as 'The King'.

With a remarkable total of 236 goals in 409 appearances, he is United's second all-time goalscorer behind Bobby Charlton. He was controversially sold on a free transfer to Manchester City at the end of the 1972/73 season following Tommy Docherty's arrival and his final goal for United came in a 3-1 win over Bari in the Anglo-Italian Tournament. He remains United's FA Cup record scorer and was only eclipsed as European top scorer in 2000 by Andrew Cole. Denis will be remembered as more than just a goalscorer with his abilities to create a chance for a colleague equally memorable.

John Toshack - Liverpool

by Martin Greensill

A 6ft 1in forward with good technique and great heading ability, Wales striker John Toshack joined Liverpool in November 1970 for a club record fee of £110, 000 from Cardiff City, where he had scored 75 goals in 162 League games and gained his first caps at senior international level. He was the ideal targetman and would later link up with Kevin Keegan to form one of the most successful strike partnerships in the history of English football. John made his Liverpool debut on November 14, 1970, in a 0-0 draw at home to Coventry City in the League, and scored his first goal a week later in a 3-2 League win against Everton at Anfield, heading home at the Kop end to become an instant hit. He followed up with another League goal, in a 1-1 home draw with Leeds in early December, and then managed three in successive games, a 2-0 win against Arsenal in late January and 1-0 wins over Leeds and West Ham in early February. Five goals in 21 League games was a decent start to Toshack's Anfield career but the season ended in disappointment for both him and the club as Liverpool could only finish 5th in the League and were beaten 2-1 by Arsenal in the FA Cup Final at Wembley (the photo above is during the game). The arrival of Kevin Keegan in August 1971 not only gave the club a boost but provided 'Tosh' with his ideal strike partner, a fast and skilful goalscorer who could profit from his promptings. Over the next few seasons, many Liverpool goals would result from Toshack finding Keegan, often with his head, though it was a reciprocal arrangement and, despite niggling injuries restricting him to 29 League appearances, the big Welshman finished the club's top League scorer in 1971-72, netting 13 times (to Keegan's nine), including both goals in a 2-0 home win against Sheffield United in February and another brace in a 2-0 home win over Ipswich Town two months later. However, John is probably best remembered that season for a 'goal' he didn't score, his disallowed late effort in the final League game, away to Arsenal on May 8, that would have given Liverpool the title. As it was, they had to settle for a 0-0 draw and a third-place finish, one point behind champions Derby County. Nevertheless, Liverpool were on the up after the sweeping changes to the playing staff manager Bill Shankly had made in the previous two years, and the 1972-73 season was when the new team would come of age. Due to injury and a loss of form that led to him being dropped, Toshack made only 22 League appearances but was still joint top scorer with Keegan on 13, hitting braces in a 2-3 defeat at Leicester City in August and a 3-1 home win against Chelsea in November, and his goals were an important factor as Liverpool won their first League title since 1966 and a record eighth in total. John was less prolific in Liverpool's UEFA Cup campaign, scoring just once in eight ties, in a 3-1 home win in the first leg of the quarter-final against Dynamo Berlin in December 1972, but he made his mark in the first leg of the two-legged final against Borussia Moenchendgladbach at Anfield, where his aerial power proved too much for the West Germans' defence, two of his headers setting up Keegan for a brace of goals as the Reds ran out comfortable 3-0 winners. Liverpool lost the away leg 0-2 but that was enough for a 3-2 aggregate victory and their first ever European trophy. Toshack had won his second medal of a memorable campaign.

John was again bedevilled by injuries and loss of form in the 1973-74 season, with Phil Boersma or Alan Waddle sometimes replacing him up front, and made only 19 League appearances, scoring five goals, including the second in a 2-0 win at Arsenal in November, as Liverpool finished runners-up to Leeds United in an unsuccessful bid for back-to-back titles. In other competitions, Toshack found the net six times in 11 games, three of which came in Liverpool's run to the FA Cup Final. He scored in a 2-0 win at Carlisle United in a 4th round replay in January, before hitting the only goal of the game in a 1-0 win away to Bristol City in a 6th round tie in March. In the semi-final replay with Leicester City at Villa Park, he rounded off Liverpool's 3-1 win by netting the last goal, which helped him retain his place in the team after a spell on the sidelines. After scoring in a 2-2 League draw at West Ham in late April, John got the nod ahead of Phil Boersma to line up in the FA Cup Final against Newcastle United. It proved to be a game of few chances in the first half but Liverpool turned on the style in the second period and, after unluckily having an Alec Lindsay effort chalked off for offside, they opened the scoring through Kevin Keegan (see photo above, Tosh about to catch his airborne strike partner in the post goal celebrations!). Toshack then played his part by heading on for Steve Heighway to drill home the second goal and a further Keegan strike wrapped up a 3-0 victory, meaning Liverpool lifted the famous trophy for only the second time in their 82-year history. The 1974-75 season was definitely one of contrasting fortunes for John Toshack. He played only three of the first 20 League games (scoring once, in a 2-0 home win against Wolves in August) and would have joined Leicester City had he not failed the medical after agreeing terms with the Midlands club. Instead, he returned to Anfield and forced his way back into the Liverpool team, scoring on his return to action, a 2-0 home League win over Luton Town in mid-December. Now enjoying a new lease of life and linking up again with Kevin Keegan, he followed up with goals in the next two games (a 1-3 defeat at Birmingham City and a 4-1 home win over Manchester City) and went to be the club's top scorer in the League with 12 from only 21 appearances, including braces in the home wins against Ipswich (5-2), Newcastle United (4-0) and Queens Park Rangers (3-1) in early 1975. However, despite John's welcome return to form, the season ended in disappointment for the club as Liverpool finished second in the League, just two points behind champions Derby County, and made early exits from all three cup competitions they were involved in. 

His partnership with Keegan now re-established following his impressive end to the 1974-75 campaign, Tosh was to enjoy the most productive season of his Anfield career in '75-76. Free of the niggling injuries and dips in from that had hampered him over the previous five seasons, John made 50 appearances in this campaign (10 more than in any other), scoring 16 times in 35 League games, including hat-tricks in a 3-0 home win over Aston Villa in September and a 4-0 stroll at West Ham United in January '76. He also found the net in the crucial last game of the season, as Liverpool won 3-1 at Wolves on May 4, to clinch a record ninth First Division championship. John made 15 appearances in other competitions, scoring seven times, all but one of these goals coming in the UEFA Cup, where he was an important figure in Liverpool's run to the final. His strikes included a hat-trick of headers in a 3-1 win over Hibernian in a 1st round, second leg tie at Anfield in September and, most famously, the only goal of the game as Liverpool beat the great Barcelona side (Cruyff, Neeskens and co) 1-0 a semi-final, first leg tie in the Nou Camp in late March. Liverpool drew the return leg at Anfield 1-1 to go through 2-1 on aggregate to the two-legged final, where they defeated FC Bruges of Belgium 4-3 on aggregate to complete their second League-UEFA Cup double in four seasons. Tosh was substituted in both legs of the final but overall he had enjoyed a very successful campaign, having collected two more winners' medals and been the club's top scorer with 23 goals from 50 games in all competitions. 

The following season was to prove even more memorable as Liverpool chased a historic League-European Cup-FA Cup treble, but it would be one of mixed emotions for Toshack himself. The big Welshman had scored 10 goals in 22 League games by mid-March 1977, including a brace in a 4-1 home win against Birmingham City the previous month, but his season came to an abrupt end when he limped off in the second half of the epic European Cup quarter-final, second leg tie with French champions St Etienne at Anfield, a game Liverpool won 3-1 to go through 3-2 on aggregate, Tosh's replacement, 'Supersub' David Fairclough, scoring the decisive goal. John could only watch from the sidelines as Liverpool won the League for a record tenth time and the European Cup for the first time (beating Borussia Moenchengladbach 3-1 in Rome) but lost the FA Cup Final (Manchester United defeating them 2-1 at Wembley). He had to be content with his third championship medal in five seasons and second spot in the club's goalscoring charts (behind Keegan) with 13 goals from 30 appearances in all competitions. John didn't return to action until the 11th League game of the of the 1977-78 campaign, coming on as a sub in a 2-1 win at Leeds in mid-October. He then started a 0-0 draw at home to Everton a week later, but a 1-1 draw in another League game, at home to Bristol City in November, marked his last outing in a red shirt. With a history of injury problems and the departure of his former strike partner, Keegan, to SV Hamburg the previous summer, his future at Anfield had been in doubt for several months, and he had now fallen behind the two Davids, Fairclough and Johnson, in the pecking order to play alongside Keegan's replacement, Kenny Dalglish. After making 246 appearances in all competitions, scoring 96 goals, Toshack was granted a free transfer and joined Swansea City as player-manager in February 1978. He won six major honours in seven seasons at Anfield and is fondly remembered by Liverpool fans for his highly successful partnership with Kevin Keegan.

David Speedie - Chelsea

by Kelvin Barker

If they awarded international caps for guts and determination, David Speedie would have been one of Scotland's most capped players. Born in Glenrothes but raised in Yorkshire, 'Speedo' came up the hard way, working in the coalmines before making his breakthrough into league football with Barnsley. As a player Speedie had it all: pace, wonderful touch, two good feet and, most surprising of all considering his lack of inches, prodigious heading ability (see photo above, David soaring over Leicester's 6ft plus defender John O'Neill!). He also had a fierce temper which would often boil over when frustration got the better of him. Speedo played with the hunger and tenacity so often prevalent in players who were never afforded the luxury of a football apprenticeship and it was those qualities which tempted John Neal to pay Darlington £80, 000 for his signature in May 1982. After The Blues made a disappointing start to the 1982-83 campaign Neal unleashed Speedie to spectacular effect, the new man scoring twice on his debut in a 2-0 victory over Oldham. As Chelsea fought against relegation to Division Three, David earned the respect of the Chelsea faithful with his never-say-die attitude and selfless hard running. He scored seven goals that season including a searing far-post header which clinched a crucial point against Sheffield Wednesday as Chelsea embarked on an end of season, four-match unbeaten run which enabled them to avoid relegation by just two points. Speedie was surprisingly omitted from the starting line-up at the beginning of 1983-84 but when Colin Lee fell ill at the end of October it opened the way for him to return and he grabbed the opportunity with relish, scoring twice against Charlton in his first start of the season and immediately forming a potent partnership with Kerry Dixon which remained intact for the next three years. A regular, though by no means prolific, goal scorer, Speedie found the net 13 times that season, the pick of them being a stupendous 30-yard volley against Blackburn, as Chelsea roared to the title.
David Speedie's first season in Division One was blighted by a string of suspensions but his performances when he was available for selection were exemplary. Stunning goals in victories over West Ham and Liverpool, and a calm last-minute finish to earn a point at home to Arsenal, helped keep Chelsea's title push on track but he was suspended when The Blues went to Sunderland for the first-leg of the Milk Cup semi-final and were beaten. Speedo returned in time for the second-leg and scored an early goal but as the game later slipped away, he reacted to a challenge from behind and was sent-off. He won his first cap for Scotland in a 1-0 win over England in the summer of 1985 and the following September earned the penalty which sent the Scots through to a World Cup play-off at the expense of Wales. He was in fine form in the league too, heading winning goals against Coventry and Everton before becoming the first player since Geoff Hurst twenty years earlier to score a hat-trick in a Wembley cup final as The Blues beat Manchester City 5-4 in the Full Members Cup. A week later Chelsea collapsed to successive heavy defeats against West Ham and QPR and in the closing stages at Loftus Road the red mist descended again as he was dismissed for elbowing an opponent. The disappointing end to his season was later compounded by the news that Alex Ferguson had omitted him from the Scotland World Cup squad. Speedie spent much of 1986-87 languishing in the reserves after falling out with manager John Hollins and requesting a transfer. In what was a season of great unrest for the club, David made just 28 appearances. He played his last game for Chelsea at home to Liverpool on the final day of the season and scored with a dipping volley in a 3-3 draw. That summer he was sold to Coventry for £750, 000 much to the chagrin of his many admirers around Stamford Bridge.

Archie Gemmill

by Mike Cockayne

The £60000 transfer of Archie Gemmill was undoubtedly Brian Clough's most audacious signing for Derby County. When he heard in September 1970 that the Preston North End midfielder was close to signing for Everton, Clough drove directly to Lancashire. When young Archie initially refused to sign, the Derby boss, in typical fashion, invited himself to stay overnight at the Gemmill household! His persistance was rewarded when the following morning he persuaded the 23 year old Scot that his future lay at the Baseball Ground rather than on Merseyside. Gemmill's role for County was to provide the link between defence and attack, utilising his remarkable stamina to make lung-bursting runs between the two penalty areas. He scored three times in the "Rams" 1970/71 league campaign, his strikes against Nottingham Forest, Manchester United and Wolves capping fine individual displays. Derby remained unbeaten for twelve games at the start of the 1971/72 season, and eventually won the First Division Championship having kept twenty-three clean sheets. Archie was at his best on the notoriously heavy Baseball Ground surface. As soon as he got possession of the ball he would often carry it, seemingly unhindered by the mud, deep into the opposition half, leaving would be tacklers slipping and sliding in his wake. As champions Derby took their place in the 1972/73 European Cup, eventually going out 3-1 on aggregate at the semi-final stage to Juventus. Gemmill played well in the "Rams" early games in the competition, scoring against Zeljenicar Sarajevo in the first round. Significantly, however, suspension kept him out of the vital second leg fixture against the Italians, a game that finished scoreless at the Baseball Ground. After their European exit, County won their last three league matches to finish in seventh place in Division One. Archie ended the season with a series of fine performances, scoring his third goal of the campaign, a penalty, in a 3-1 victory against Everton.

Derby recovered from the infamous Brian Clough resignation drama in October 1973 to finish third in the 1973/74 Division One table. Archie's only league goal of the season under new manager Dave Mackay came from the penalty spot in a 2-1 defeat by Queens Park Rangers. He also netted an FA Cup hat-trick against Boston United, ensuring County's 6-1 third round replay victory. With Roy McFarland on the sidelines for all but the final four games of the 1974/75 campaign, Gemmill took on the additional responsibility of team captain. He proved to be an inspirational leader, constantly urging his team-mates on and seemingly growing stronger as opponents tired. An unbeaten sequence of nine games at the end of the season saw Derby win the Championship by two points from Liverpool and Ipswich. Archie missed just one of the forty-two league fixtures, his partnership in midfield with fellow Scot Bruce Rioch being outstanding throughout. County also reached the third round of the 1974/75 UEFA Cup competition. Archie marked his 200th overall game for the club with a magnificent performance in a 2-2 away draw against Atletico Madrid.

The following season the Scottish international was an ever present in the side, scoring five times including a great winning goal in a 3-2 win against Middlesborough. The "Rams" thrashed Ipswich 6-2 on the last day of the season to clinch a creditable fourth place finish. The club also progressed to the semi-final stage of the FA Cup, losing 2-0 to Manchester United. In the 1975/76 European Cup Gemmill had a tremendous game as the "Rams" crushed the mighty Real Madrid 4-1 at the Baseball Ground. Their three goal advantage proved to be insufficient however; Derby, despite Archie's best efforts, being swept aside 5-1 in the return game to go out 6-5 on aggregate.

County got off to a dreadful start in the 1976/77 season, gleaning just five points from their first eight fixtures. Tottenham were then thrashed 8-2, but soon afterwards Dave Mackay resigned as manager. Reserve team boss Colin Murphy took over the reins, and in another amazing end to the campaign the "Rams" lost just twice in their last seventeen games, eventually finishing fifteenth. Archie played in a more forward positon in several games under the new manager, his goal against Manchester City helping County gain a 4-0 victory. In 1977/78 Murphy himself paid the price for another poor start to the season, being replaced by Tommy Docherty after Derby had gained two points from their opening five games. The "Rams" game against Leeds on September 17th also brought to an end Archie's first spell with the club. He scored in a 2-2 draw, but soon afterwards rejoined Clough at East Midlands rivals Nottingham Forest in a £25000 deal that involved young goalkeeper John Middleton moving to County.

Gemmill returned to the Baseball Ground in November 1982 after a five year absence that saw him make 164 league appearances for Forest, Birmingham and Wigan. Archie made twenty-five league appearances for the "Rams" during the 1982/83 campaign, inspiring a 15 game unbeaten run between January and April 1983 that ensured the club's thirteenth pace finish in Division Two. He also netted six goals in his return season, including a superb curling free kick in a 1-1 draw with Charlton Athletic. County's inability to score on a regular enough basis resulted in a 20th place finish in the league table and relegation to the Third Division the following season. Archie played his final game for the club on the last day of the campaign, sadly for him, missing a penalty in a 3-0 defeat at Shrewsbury Town. Overall, Archie made 404 appearances for Derby County, scoring 33 goals. At international level he played twenty-two of his forty-three games for Scotland whilst at the Baseball Ground, being best remembered for his stunning dribble and goal against Holland at the 1978 World Cup. It would be unfair to remember Archie as just a player with remarkable stamina. His competetive attitude was as strong at the end of his Derby County career as it had been at the start. He developed his overall game to such a level that, at his peak, there were few better midfielders around in the British game.

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Ray Clemence

by Martin Greensill

Liverpool's best ever goalkeeper, Ray Clemence joined the club in June 1967 in an £18, 000 deal from Scunthorpe United, where he had made 48 League appearances. Aged only 18, he gained valuable experience in Liverpool's highly successful reserve side before making his first team debut in a 2-0 home win over Swansea City in a League Cup 3rd round tie on September 25, 1968. However, with the legendary Tommy Lawrence still in fine form between the sticks, Ray did not play again for nearly a year, appearing in a 10-0 demolition of Irish minnows Dundalk in a European Fairs Cup 1st round 1st leg tie at Anfield on September 16, 1969. He finally made his League debut in a 1-0 defeat at Nottingham Forest on January 31, 1970, but did not become Liverpool's regular keeper until Lawrence was dropped following a shock 1-0 defeat at Division Two side Watford in a 6th round FA Cup tie a few weeks later. Ray played the last 13 League games of that season (conceding 11 goals as Liverpool finished 5th in the table), his great agility and fine judgement effectively putting an end to Lawrence's long and illustrious Anfield career. An excellent shot-stopper, especially in one-on-one situations, and a superb commander of his penalty area, Clemence would go on to surpass his famous predecessor both in terms of quality of performances and trophies won.

Now established as the club's No 1, Ray missed only one of Liverpool's 62 games in the 1970-71 season, and helped the side equal a defensive record by conceding only 24 goals in their 42 League games (though two of those goals came in the game in which he was rested, a 2-2 draw at Manchester City in April 1971). He kept 22 clean sheets in the League that term, including a run of four in a row in January-February 1971. However, Liverpool struggled for League goals, scoring just 42, and finished a disappointing 5th in the table, 14 points behind champions Arsenal. There was no success in knockout competions either, the Reds losing in the semi-finals of the European Fairs Cup (1-0 on aggregate to Leeds United) and then being defeated 2-1 by Arsenal in the FA Cup final on May 8, a game in which Clemence was given no chance by Charlie George's superb 20-yard strike that won the Cup for the Gunners. In season 1971-72, he conceded only 30 League goals and again kept 22 clean sheets in that competition, including an excellent run of seven in a row in February-March 1972. One of these clean sheets came in the crucial last game of the campaign, a 0-0 draw away to Arsenal on May 8, but the team's failure to score in that match meant they had to settle for 3rd place in the table, just one point adrift of champions Derby County. Liverpool made early exits in the three cup competitions they contested that term, but the young team rebuilt by manager Bill Shankly was steadily improving, with Clemence looking very solid in goal. Ever present in Liverpool's 53 games in all competitions, Ray's fine performances had not gone unnoticed at international level and he made his first England Under 23 start that season, a prelude to his full England debut in a 1-0 win against Wales in November 1972. That would be the first of 61 caps in a distinguished international career, a figure which would have been far higher but for the presence of Peter Shilton.

Bill Shankly's rebuilding programme would bear fruit in the 1972-73 campaign, and Clemence was again an important figure, playing in all but one of Liverpool's 65 games in a marathon season that would end in triumph. In the League, he kept 14 clean sheets in 41 games, eight lower than in the previous two campaigns, but the Reds still boasted the best defensive record with only 42 goals conceded. Allied to the side's greater attacking prowess - they knocked in 72 League goals with the Kevin Keegan-John Toshack strike partnership in full flow - this defensive stability helped Liverpool win a record eighth League title, a 0-0 home draw with Leicester City on April 28, being sufficient to bring the championship to Anfield for the first time since 1966. Early exits in the League and FA Cups had cleared the way for an assault on Europe and in May 1973 Liverpool faced Borussia Moenchengladbach in a two-legged UEFA Cup final. In the first leg at Anfield on May 10, they beat the West German side 3-0, Ray playing a crucial part by saving a second-half penalty from Jupp Heynckes to prevent an important away goal. As he said himself: "I watched Heynckes take a penalty in the semi-final on television and decided to dive the same way. The save was a reward for my homework." That stop would prove decisive, as Liverpool lost the second leg 0-2, just holding on for a 3-2 aggregate win. Without Clemence's heroics, the tie would have ended 3-3 on aggregate and they would have lost on the away goals rule. As it was, they not only won their first ever European trophy but also became the first English side to collect League and European titles in the same season. Ray was an ever present in the 1973-74 campaign, playing all of Liverpool's 61 games and keeping 30 clean sheets. In the League, he kept the opposition out in 19 of the 42 matches, including a run of five straight shutouts in February-March 1974, and conceded only 31 goals in total. However, Liverpool ended the League season with a whimper, winning only one of their last eight games to finish runners-up by five points to Don Revie's powerful Leeds United side. After early exits in both the European and League Cups, their last chance of silverware came when they faced Newcastle United in the FA Cup final at Wembley. Inspired by Kevin Keegan, who scored twice, Liverpool ran out comfortable 3-0 winners, Clemence having little to do as Newcastle's star striker, Malcolm Macdonald, was marked out of the game by a skinny 20-year old who would later captain club and country - Phil Thompson. After keeping seven clean sheets in nine ties in the competition, Ray deservedly picked up his third major honour in two seasons.

The 1974-75 campaign began with uncertainty at the club following the shock departure of manager Bill Shankly in August 1974, though Clemence himself continued as a permanent fixture in the Reds' goal. He would appear in all 53 games in the 1974-75 season, keeping 24 clean sheets, 18 of which came in the League. His best run of shutouts in this competition was four in October, Liverpool winning all four games to go top of the table, but they could not quite regain the League title and finished runners-up, two points behind Brian Clough's Derby County. Unlike the previous term, no silverware came from any of the cup competitions either, the Anfield trophy cabinet being, for once, left bare. However, following Shankly's resignation, the club had regrouped very effectively under new boss Bob Paisley, who in the coming seasons was to outperform even his legendary predecessor in terms of trophies won. It was also this campaign in which Clemence enjoyed probably his easiest ever game in a Liverpool shirt, admiring from afar as his team-mates hammered the Norwegian side Stromsgodset 11-0 (still a club record win) in a European Cup Winners' Cup 1st round, 1st leg tie at Anfield on September 17, 1974. Ray was again an ever present in the 1975-76 season, playing all 59 of Liverpool's games as the side returned to trophy-winning ways after the hiatus of the previous term. Clemence let in only 31 goals in the 42 League games, keeping 22 clean sheets including a run of six on the bounce in March-April '76 as the Reds surged to the League title, dropping only one point in their last nine games. He also underlined his value to the side in Liverpool's run to the UEFA Cup final by saving two penalties: the first in a 1-0 defeat by Hibernian in a 1st round 1st leg tie in September (Liverpool won the return leg 3-1, so would have lost on the away goals rule had it not been for that stop); the second in a 0-0 quarter-final, 1st leg draw at Dynamo Dresden in early March. Later that month, he produced a string of fine saves in the first leg of the semi-final as Liverpool achieved a historic 1-0 win away to a Barcelona side led by the great Johann Cruyff. A 1-1 draw in the return leg at Anfield saw Liverpool through 2-1 on aggregate to a two-legged final against FC Bruges of Belgium, a tie they won 4-3 on aggregate to complete their second League-UEFA Cup double in four seasons. Ray had capped another outstanding season by adding two more major medals to his growing collection. 

The 1976-77 campaign was to prove even more memorable and Clemence would be in the thick of it as usual, playing all 62 games of a marathon season. In the League, he conceded only 33 goals in 42 games and kept 18 clean sheets, including five in seven games up to and including a 0-0 draw at home to West Ham United on May 14, which gave Liverpool a record 10th championship. Having already reached the finals of both the European Cup and FA Cup, the club's dreams of a famous treble were a step closer to reality. However, they were shattered by a 2-1 defeat to Manchester United in the FA Cup final at Wembley, the winning goal coming from a deflected shot that wrong-footed Clemence. Now Liverpool had just four days to pick themselves before the European Cup final in Rome against West German champions Borussia Moenchengladbach. Starting the game well on the steamy night of May 25, Liverpool led 1-0 at half-time through a 27th minute goal from midfielder Terry McDermott but were pegged back on 55 minutes, Clemence given no chance by a superb 20-yard strike from Danish star Allan Simonsen. As Moenchengladbach poured forward, Ray made a brilliant stop from Uli Stielike, rushing from his line to deny the West German international midfielder with his knees. That save proved the turning point as Liverpool went on to reassert their authority, a header from Tommy Smith and a penalty from Phil Neal completing a historic 3-1 victory. The European Cup had come to Anfield for the first time, and Clemence had more than played his part in an unforgettable triumph. 

Clemence appeared in all but two of Liverpool's 62 games in the 1977-78 season, keeping a clean sheet in 32 of them. He was particularly impressive in the League, conceding only 30 goals in 40 games and notching up 23 shutouts. Going for a hat-trick of League titles, Liverpool could never quite keep pace with Brian Clough's impressive Nottingham Forest side and a run of four defeats in five games in January-March proved fatal to their chances. They ended the season with a 12-game unbeaten streak, in which Ray conceded just two goals, but had to settle for the runners-up spot behind Forest, who also defeated them in a 1-0 in the League Cup final replay on March 22, Clemence only beaten by a disputed penalty. Silverware still found its way to Anfield, however, as the Reds retained the European Cup, Ray keeping another yet another clean sheet as Kenny Dalglish's delightful chipped goal was enough to defeat their old foes FC Bruges 1-0 in the Wembley showpiece.

Clearly determined to regain the league title that they had surrendered to Nottingham Forest in 1977-78, both Clemence and Liverpool began the '78-79 season in superb form, Ray letting in just four goals as the Reds won 10 and drew one of their first 11 League matches. Their first defeat didn't come until late October 1978, a 1-0 reverse at Everton, Andy King's 20-yard drive proving decisive. Early exits from the League and European Cups meant that Liverpool could concentrate on regaining the League title, and they did exactly that, coasting to championship glory by an eight-point margin from runners-up Forest and setting a First Divison record of 68 points (under the system of two points for a win). It was also in this League campaign that Clemence helped Liverpool concede only 16 goals in their 42 games, a record low for all four divisions of the Football League. He kept a remarkable 28 clean sheets and, at Anfield, picked the ball out of the net just four times in 21 games. Numbers like that prompted him to comment: "Sometimes I feel I'm hardly wanted in this Liverpool team. If I get two or three saves to make, I've had a busy day." Ray appeared in all but one of Liverpool's 60 games in the 1979-80 campaign, keeping 27 clean sheets. It was a season where Liverpool were 'nearly men' in the domestic knockout competitions, losing in both the semi-finals of the FA Cup and the League Cup, to Arsenal (in a third replay) and Nottingham Forest, respectively. But, as usual, the League was a different story. Liverpool lost only two of their first 23 games to establish a lead they would never relinquish, and a 4-1 home win against Aston Villa in early May 1980 gave them their fourth championship title in five seasons. Though not quite as solid defensively as the previous term, they still only conceded 30 League goals, Ray achieving 19 shutouts in his 41 games. 

Clearly determined to regain the league title that they had surrendered to Nottingham Forest in 1977-78, both Clemence and Liverpool began the '78-79 season in superb form, Ray letting in just four goals as the Reds won 10 and drew one of their first 11 League matches. Their first defeat didn't come until late October 1978, a 1-0 reverse at Everton, Andy King's 20-yard drive proving decisive. Early exits from the League and European Cups meant that Liverpool could concentrate on regaining the League title, and they did exactly that, coasting to championship glory by an eight-point margin from runners-up Forest and setting a First Divison record of 68 points (under the system of two points for a win). It was also in this League campaign that Clemence helped Liverpool concede only 16 goals in their 42 games, a record low for all four divisions of the Football League. He kept a remarkable 28 clean sheets and, at Anfield, picked the ball out of the net just four times in 21 games. Numbers like that prompted him to comment: "Sometimes I feel I'm hardly wanted in this Liverpool team. If I get two or three saves to make, I've had a busy day." Ray appeared in all but one of Liverpool's 60 games in the 1979-80 campaign, keeping 27 clean sheets. It was a season where Liverpool were 'nearly men' in the domestic knockout competitions, losing in both the semi-finals of the FA Cup and the League Cup, to Arsenal (in a third replay) and Nottingham Forest, respectively. But, as usual, the League was a different story. Liverpool lost only two of their first 23 games to establish a lead they would never relinquish, and a 4-1 home win against Aston Villa in early May 1980 gave them their fourth championship title in five seasons. Though not quite as solid defensively as the previous term, they still only conceded 30 League goals, Ray achieving 19 shutouts in his 41 games. He had now won 10 major honours, but more glory was to come in season 1980-81, another marathon affair which saw him play 62 of Liverpool's 63 games. For the first time in a decade, the Reds failed to mount a challenge for the League championship and ended up in 5th place, the first time they had not finished in the top two since the 1971-72 season. Recurring injuries to full back Alan Kennedy and central defender Phil Thompson were part of the problem, causing the team to leak 42 goals, the highest figure in eight seasons. The season finished brightly, however, as Liverpool overcame West Ham United to lift the League Cup for the first time in their history (winning 2-1 in the replayed final at Villa Park), and then regained the European Cup (their third triumph in five seasons) with a 1-0 victory over Real Madrid in Paris on May 27, Alan Kennedy scoring the only goal of the game. A fixture for club and country (he was sharing the England goalkeeping duties with Peter Shilton) and only 32, Clemence was at the height of his powers - or so it seemed. Manager Bob Paisley saw things differently and sold him to Tottenham Hotspur for £300, 000 in August 1981. It was a shock transfer, especially as Paisley was putting his faith in an inexperienced youngster, Bruce Grobbelaar. However, Grobbelaar would have a long and illustrious career at Anfield, just like his predecessor, who had won 12 major medals, including five League championships and three European Cups, and kept an amazing 335 clean sheets in his 665 appearances for the club. A true Liverpool legend, Ray received a thunderous ovation from the Kop when returning to Anfield with Tottenham for a League game in May 1982.

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Mick Mills

by Csaba Abrahall

After his local team, Portsmouth, had been forced to disband their youth team as an economic measure, Mick Mills joined Ipswich Town in the summer of 1965, a move that was to prove hugely beneficial to both club and player. He made his debut, aged 17, at the end of the next season in a 5-2 win against Wolves and began the 1966/67 campaign in the first team. However, although he made a number of appearances in an Ipswich side that was pushing for, and eventually achieved, promotion, he did not fully establish himself in the team until Ipswich returned to the First Division in 1968/69. Breaking into the side for the match against Liverpool in September, he kept his place for the remainder of the season and scored his first goal in a 2-0 home win against Burnley in January 1969. Better known as a hard-tackling full-back, Mills was also effective in midfield, and in 1969/70 his more advanced role brought him four goals as he became a fixture in the team. Ever present in the following campaign, Mills took over the captaincy in January 1971 after previous skipper Billy Baxter fell out with manager Bobby Robson. This was a role Mills was to keep for more than ten years. Ipswich enjoyed their most successful season since promotion under Mills' leadership in 1971/72, finishing 13th, before truly flourishing the following year. Once more playing in every game, Mills led the side to fourth place and European qualification. At the end of the campaign, he lifted his first trophy after Ipswich overcame local rivals Norwich City to claim the Anglo-Scottish Texaco Cup. It was also during this season that Mills made his England debut, in a 1-1 draw with Yugoslavia at Wembley.
Mick Mills captained Ipswich Town throughout the mid 1970s, a very successful period for the club. He rarely missed a game and was ever present in four consecutive league campaigns up to 1975/76. Consistently among the leading teams in the First Division, Ipswich also began to make their mark on Europe. In 1973/74, a deflected shot from Mills defeated Real Madrid in the UEFA Cup. Ipswich, though, were beaten in the quarter-finals by Lokomotiv Leipzig, Mills having been dismissed for an uncharacteristic loss of temper after being pushed in the face. The following season, the club finished third in the league and enjoyed a thrilling run in the FA Cup. Mick scored a dramatic late winner in the 4th Round against Liverpool, but Ipswich lost controversially to West Ham United in a semi-final replay. His dismissal in Leipzig meant Mills missed Ipswich's first round UEFA Cup defeat. Ever present again in 1975/76, Mills demonstrated his versatility by moving from full-back into midfield, allowing youngsters like Kevin Beattie to make their mark at the back. His impressive form earned him an England recall three years after his first cap. An injury ruled him out of his first league match for almost five years against Sunderland in November 1976, and he also missed the start of the 1977/78 campaign, before returning to enjoy a tremendous season. Ipswich's league form was poor - they finished in 18th place - but a successful FA Cup campaign began at Cardiff, when Mills set a new appearance record, playing his 494th game for the club. Having scored the crucial second goal in a 3-1 semi-final victory against West Bromwich Albion, Mills led Ipswich out at Wembley for their first FA Cup Final and collected the trophy after the comfortable 1-0 win over Arsenal.

Having captained Ipswich Town to FA Cup victory in 1978, Mick Mills led them out at Wembley again at the start of the 1978-79 season, but Nottingham Forest secured the Charity Shield with an emphatic 5-0 win. However, the league campaign that followed saw Ipswich finish in a much-improved sixth position, good enough to qualify for the UEFA Cup. Mills was ever-present and chalked up a club record 429th league appearance at home to Liverpool in August 1978. He missed just a handful of games the following season, when a remarkable run of 23 unbeaten league matches and a final position of third signalled that Mills was overseeing the emergence of an extremely talented Ipswich team. This team went close to fulfilling its potential in 1980-81 but was pipped to the league championship by Aston Villa. Considerable consolation came in the form of a magnificent UEFA Cup triumph. A mid-season injury had ruled Mills out of two European matches, but he was in Amsterdam to collect the trophy after the defeat of AZ 67 Alkmaar in the final. In 1981-82, Mills played in every match as the team once again challenged strongly, but unsuccessfully, for the title. The honest and inspirational Mills then received the ultimate accolade, captaining England throughout the World Cup finals in Spain, in which they remained unbeaten. Bobby Robson had been keen to sell him to Sunderland towards the end of the 81-82 campaign, and it was clear that no new contract would be forthcoming as Ipswich were beset by financial problems. Mills began 1982-83 as captain but soon bowed to the inevitable and reluctantly moved on. His transfer to Southampton in November 1982 for £40, 000 brought to an end an Ipswich career spanning 17 years and 741 appearances, a record unlikely to be beaten in a hurry.

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Kerry Dixon

by Kelvin Barker 

During negotiations for the sale of Kerry Dixon from Reading to Chelsea the chairmen of the two respective clubs reached stalemate. Having agreed to pay a fee of £150, 000 for the prolific centre-forward, Chelsea's Ken Bates baulked at the request from his Reading counterpart Roger Smee that there should be a clause inserted into the deal whereby The Blues would pay a further £25, 000 if Dixon was capped twice by England whilst with the club. After a sleepless night deliberating, and with other clubs ready to pounce, Bates agreed. He eventually had to pay the money but he might just consider it to be the best £25, 000 he ever spent. The job ahead of the new man was huge. With Chelsea having almost suffered the ignominy of relegation to Division Three the previous season, Kerry was charged with the task of scoring the goals which would help transform their under-achieving team into one which would be promoted within three years. In the event, Chelsea achieved that aim at the end of his first season and by the time he left the club nine years later Kerry was the second highest goal scorer in Chelsea's history, behind only Bobby Tambling. Blessed with the natural attributes which make a top striker; two good feet, outstanding aerial ability and blistering pace, Dixon's impact on his new team was simply stunning. Two goals on his debut in a 5-0 opening day thrashing of Derby County set a high standard which he managed to maintain throughout the season. Given exceptional assistance by his hard-working strike partner David Speedie, with whom he had an almost telepathic understanding, and a steady supply of accurate crosses from the creative Pat Nevin, Kerry went on to score 34 goals in a sensational first season at Stamford Bridge which included four in a Milk Cup match against Gillingham, a stunning hat-trick as promotion was clinched with a five-goal demolition of Leeds and the final day goal at Grimsby which won the title for The Blues. Almost a decade after he left the club, Chelsea had finally found a worthy successor to Peter Osgood in the number nine shirt.

As Kerry Dixon prepared for his first season of top flight football he would have been aware of the speculation regarding his ability to perform at the highest level. It took him precisely 39 minutes to give his answer to the cynics, crashing a spectacular volley past Pat Jennings in the Arsenal goal to earn Chelsea an opening day point at Highbury. After scoring that goal he didn't find the net again for a month but once he did, there was simply no stopping him. A run of 19 goals in 15 league and Milk Cup games included hat-tricks against both Coventry and Manchester City but perhaps the most significant of Kerry's performances appeared to be his demolition of England's best centre-half Terry Butcher when Ipswich travelled to Stamford Bridge for a league match. Dixon's two-goal, match-winning performance looked to have assured him of a place in the England squad for the forthcoming World Cup qualifier in Turkey but he was surprisingly overlooked in favour of Aston Villa's veteran striker Peter Withe, who subsequently failed to register in an 8-0 victory. Undeterred, Kerry's impressive strike-rate continued with crucial goals at Tottenham and in Chelsea's home win over European champions Liverpool. However, it was while he was in the process of tormenting Liverpool's usually unflappable centre-halves Alan Hansen and Mark Lawrenson that he picked up an injury which slowed his progress. Once his fitness returned he was quickly back in the groove, finding the net four times in an FA Cup tie at Wigan before eventually finishing the season with a total of 36 goals in all competitions. At the end of his second season with the club, Kerry Dixon had scored 70 goals in just 101 games. His exploits finally earned him a spot in the England squad that travelled to Mexico that summer for a tournament designed to help the players acclimatise for the following year's World Cup finals. Kerry was given a start against West Germany and responded by creating a goal for Bryan Robson before scoring two of his own as England beat the Germans for the first time in over a decade.

With the Mexico World Cup now firmly in his sights, Dixon carried over his fine form from the previous term into the 1985-86 season. Continuing his love affair with the Milk Cup, he scored the goals which took Chelsea within sight of a place at Wembley for the second consecutive season and a run of spectacular league goals such as the two classy headers he scored at home to Everton and Tottenham, saw The Blues heavily involved in the race for the title. Kerry had already scored 22 goals by the time Liverpool visited Chelsea for an FA Cup tie at the end of January but a stomach muscle injury picked up in the opening minutes of that game had a major impact on the rest of his campaign. In his absence Chelsea suffered badly, losing the Liverpool match before being beaten in a Milk Cup quarter-final three days later. Kerry made a recovery of sorts and with The Blues continuing to struggle without him he was rushed back into action. Clearly unfit however, he scored just twice in his last fifteen games that season, both goals coming in a 2-1 win at Old Trafford. The goals against Manchester United sealed his place in the World Cup squad but the effective Beardsley/Lineker partnership restricted Dixon to just a six minute cameo performance against Poland. Fully recovered in time for the start of the new season, Kerry returned to a club who were about to be thrown into turmoil, the hard work of the previous three seasons swiftly coming undone as a procession of senior players requested transfers after falling out with the management team. With Chelsea floundering around the relegation zone, Kerry's form suffered and eventually he was dropped. He soon became the latest player to ask for a move but was eventually returned to the team and a somewhat tenuous peace was restored. However, intense media speculation about his future prevailed over a period of some months and it seemed in January 1988 that he would be moving to either Arsenal or West Ham. In the event, the deals fell through at the eleventh hour and when Bobby Campbell replaced John Hollins in the hot seat he persuaded Kerry to pledge his long-term future to the club. The arrival of the new manager could not stop Chelsea's slide into the Second Division however, The Blues remarkably winning just one of their last twenty-six league fixtures of the campaign.

The inevitable consequence of two consecutive poor seasons for the club was that Chelsea returned to Division Two in 1988. However, it was a revitalised Kerry Dixon who scored the goals which immediately led The Blues back to the top flight, his four-goal demolition of Barnsley during the run-in to promotion being as spectacular as anything he had produced in the previous five years. His tally of 28 goals for the season was all the more notable considering he had missed the first month of the season through injury. Bringing back memories of 1984-85, Chelsea made another impressive return to the big time, Kerry's 25 goals helping The Blues to a highly creditable fifth placed finish in May 1989. His final day treble at Millwall (he also scored twice against the Lions at Stamford Bridge) even led to futile press speculation that he might be recalled to the England squad for that summer's World Cup. Dixon scored 15 goals the following season, including a brace in a remarkable 6-4 win at Derby County and further league doubles against Everton (drew 2-2) and Liverpool (won 4-2). The following season Kerry scored just six goals including, in March 1992, his 193rd, and final, goal in a Chelsea shirt when he fired home a spectacular shot from the edge of the box to beat Norwich City. That summer he was sold for £575, 000 to Southampton, where he briefly resumed his partnership with his old pal David Speedie. However, football is, as they say, a funny old game and fate was to bring Kerry Dixon and Chelsea together one last time. On April 9th 1994 Chelsea met Luton Town at Wembley in the semi-final of the FA Cup and lining up at centre-forward for Luton that day was a certain Kerry Dixon. The Blues won 2-0 and as the players made their way off the pitch at the end of the game, the Chelsea supporters massed at the tunnel end broke off from their celebrations to pay a final tribute to one of the club's favourite sons, 40, 000 voices letting it be known that there really was 'only one Kerry Dixon'. It was a fitting tribute to a true Chelsea legend.

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