URI:
   DIR Return Create A Forum - Home
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       RateTheRef
  HTML https://ratetheref.createaforum.com
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       *****************************************************
   DIR Return to: I Spy Old Refs!
       *****************************************************
       #Post#: 6856--------------------------------------------------
       Final Games
       By: Acme Thunderer Date: April 15, 2019, 8:13 am
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       I am minded that we have not had any activity on ISOR for over a
       month. I am also minded that 'tis the time of year when - in
       days of old - we would be looking to see where refs were
       officiating in their final games before retirement. I've had a
       go at devising a list of final games. It starts with the period
       1946-79, as per Upton's, and covers domestic competitions as
       referees. Later internationals (eg Jack Taylor) have not been
       included nor non-competitive matches following retirement.
       Source - mainly from memory but but other sources, including
       ISOR, have also been used. As the list is mainly from memory, it
       is open to correction, amendment and addition which I welcome.
       Refs who died in service have been omitted. Period from 1980
       onwards to follow shortly.
       K Aston – Man Utd v Leicester (at Wembley), May 1963
       C Barrick, Man Utd v Blackpool (at Wembley), Apr 1948
       F Bassett – Cardiff v QPR, Apr 1973
       J Bent – Wolves v Aston Villa, May 1978 (lined the FA Cup Final
       later the same week)
       N Burtenshaw – Derby v Everton, Apr 1973
       R Capey – Blackpool, 1977
       J Carr – WBA v Liverpool (6th round 2nd replay at Maine Road,
       Manchester), Apr 1968
       J Clarke – Man Utd v Sunderland, May 1968
       W Clements – Liverpool v Leeds (at Wembley), May 1965
       J Clough – Nottingham Forest v Luton (at Wembley), May 1959
       A Dimond – Leeds, 1970
       E Garner – Chesterfield, 1977
       A Holland – West Ham v Preston (at Wembley), May 1964
       K Howley – Tottenham v Arsenal, May 1971
       E Jennings – Chelsea v Leeds (at Old Trafford), Apr 1970
       R Johnson – Spurs v Newcastle, Aug 1971
       W Johnson, Liverpool v Man City, May 1978
       A W Jones – York, Apr / May 1977
       R Kirkpatrick – Bolton v Spurs, May 1979
       A Lees – Arsenal v Man Utd, Apr 1978
       K Markham – Watford v Plymouth, Apr 1969
       R Matthewson – Man Utd v Liverpool (at Wembley), May 1977
       G McCabe – Man City v Leicester (at Wembley), Apr 1969
       D Nippard – Ipswich v Arsenal (at Wembley), May 1978
       D W Smith – Man Utd v Man City, Apr 1974
       J Taylor – Arsenal v Middlesbrough, May 1977
       D Turner – Ipswich, March / Apr 1979
       
       #Post#: 6909--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Final Games
       By: Whistleblower Date: April 16, 2019, 2:59 am
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       Thank you AT, most interesting. In those days, ending one's
       career with a Wembley appearance at a Cup Final was not that
       uncommon. The FA Cup Final was sometimes seen as a retirement
       present.
       All the big hitters get suitably big matches. Alex Lees, who I
       recall as a good toiler never hitting the heights, did well to
       finish with Arsenal v Manchester United. Don't know if there was
       much riding on that particular game but it's always a big
       fixture.
       #Post#: 6917--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Final Games
       By: Hendo Date: April 16, 2019, 7:36 am
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       Walter Johnson’s last game was Liverpool v Man City in May 1978.
       I recall him telling me that Liverpool gave him a nice memorial
       plaque to mark his retirement, after the game
       Gary Aplin’s last match was Aston Villa v Chelsea in May 1991
       #Post#: 6923--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Final Games
       By: nemesis Date: April 16, 2019, 4:42 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       [quote author=Whistleblower link=topic=718.msg6909#msg6909
       date=1555401591]
       Thank you AT, most interesting. In those days, ending one's
       career with a Wembley appearance at a Cup Final was not that
       uncommon. The FA Cup Final was sometimes seen as a retirement
       present.
       All the big hitters get suitably big matches. Alex Lees, who I
       recall as a good toiler never hitting the heights, did well to
       finish with Arsenal v Manchester United. Don't know if there was
       much riding on that particular game but it's always a big
       fixture.
       [/quote]
       Not especially. Man United were mid-table and Arsenal were one
       of the clubs trailling in the wake of Nottingham Forest.
       Exactly 7 days after that match, I was at Highbury watching
       Ipswich beat West Brom to earn their place in that final,
       mentioned twice elsewhere in that list !!  Happy days.
       #Post#: 6928--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Final Games
       By: Whistleblower Date: April 17, 2019, 2:51 am
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       m'learned friend, I too was at Highbury that evening. Sadly I
       was unable to be at Wembley for the Final against Arsenal at
       which,as the list states, Derek Nippard and Jim Bent made their
       swansong. I did watch the Final on TV though. Nippard had been a
       somewhat surprising choice for the Final but I recall he did
       well enough in a match which had an air of friendliness about
       it.
       And now we return to 1957 and the third tier. Sic transit gloria
       mundi; and will gloria ever return or has she left us for a
       long, long time ?
       #Post#: 6940--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Final Games
       By: Acme Thunderer Date: April 17, 2019, 10:34 am
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       Thanks for these. I have included Walter in the above list and
       will include Gary Aplin in my burgeoning list from 1980 to the
       present.
       I remember Alex Lees from Arsenal v Man Utd in 1978 because he
       apparently failed to send off a player for a clear DOGSO foul
       and was in danger of being summoned to the Head's office to
       explain himself. As it was his last game, I imagine Alex was not
       too concerned. There is a 5 minute YouTube clip of the game,
       with the dark haired Alex blowing the final whistle at the end,
       however the DOGSO incident is not included. The game was played
       on 1st April 1978 which was a few weeks before the end of the
       season and quite early to retire. However Easter was v early
       that year and, as Alex was a school Head (like his Bridgwater
       colleague Peter Walters), he may have decided to call it a day
       early to prepare for the summer exam season at his school.
       #Post#: 6942--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Final Games
       By: Ref Watcher Date: April 17, 2019, 11:33 am
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       [quote author=Acme Thunderer link=topic=718.msg6940#msg6940
       date=1555515292]
       Thanks for these. I have included Walter in the above list and
       will include Gary Aplin in my burgeoning list from 1980 to the
       present.
       I remember Alex Lees from Arsenal v Man Utd in 1978 because he
       apparently failed to send off a player for a clear DOGSO foul
       and was in danger of being summoned to the Head's office to
       explain himself. As it was his last game, I imagine Alex was not
       too concerned. There is a 5 minute YouTube clip of the game,
       with the dark haired Alex blowing the final whistle at the end,
       however the DOGSO incident is not included. The game was played
       on 1st April 1978 which was a few weeks before the end of the
       season and quite early to retire. However Easter was v early
       that year and, as Alex was a school Head (like his Bridgwater
       colleague Peter Walters), he may have decided to call it a day
       early to prepare for the summer exam season at his school.
       [/quote]
       A red card for DOGSO wasn't introduced until later than 1978 -
       Willie Young's cynical one on Paul Allen in an FA Cup Final that
       caused such consternation was in 1980.  If memory serves me
       correctly it came in around 1990.
       #Post#: 6944--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Final Games
       By: nemesis Date: April 17, 2019, 11:42 am
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       [quote author=Whistleblower link=topic=718.msg6928#msg6928
       date=1555487513]
       m'learned friend, I too was at Highbury that evening. Sadly I
       was unable to be at Wembley for the Final against Arsenal at
       which,as the list states, Derek Nippard and Jim Bent made their
       swansong. I did watch the Final on TV though. Nippard had been a
       somewhat surprising choice for the Final but I recall he did
       well enough in a match which had an air of friendliness about
       it.
       And now we return to 1957 and the third tier. Sic transit gloria
       mundi; and will gloria ever return or has she left us for a
       long, long time ?
       [/quote]
       Nearest we've had to glory of late is the underwhelming London
       Glory bitter on sale in the Fanzone !
       I think Gloria has indeed done with Ipswich for the foreseeable
       (and beyond) future. What will happen is that the bar will be
       set lower for what constitutes glory.
       Most seem to be commending Marcus Evans for dropping season
       ticket prices by around 15%. Anyone who has seen as much League
       One football as I have would be aware that a 25% drop to reflect
       the much lower standard should be a minimum !
       PS  My memory places that excellent semi-final as in the
       afternoon. The evening was spent celebrating and wondering where
       my Final ticket would come from. In the event it came from
       Southend United - and was in the Arsenal end !!!
       #Post#: 6948--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Final Games
       By: Left Field Date: April 17, 2019, 3:03 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       [quote author=Acme Thunderer link=topic=718.msg6856#msg6856
       date=1555334017]
       I am minded that we have not had any activity on ISOR for over a
       month. I am also minded that 'tis the time of year when - in
       days of old - we would be looking to see where refs were
       officiating in their final games before retirement. I've had a
       go at devising a list of final games. It starts with the period
       1946-79, as per Upton's, and covers domestic competitions as
       referees. Later internationals (eg Jack Taylor) have not been
       included nor non-competitive matches following retirement.
       Source - mainly from memory but but other sources, including
       ISOR, have also been used. As the list is mainly from memory, it
       is open to correction, amendment and addition which I welcome.
       Refs who died in service have been omitted. Period from 1980
       onwards to follow shortly.
       K Aston – Man Utd v Leicester (at Wembley), May 1963
       C Barrick, Man Utd v Blackpool (at Wembley), Apr 1948
       F Bassett – Cardiff v QPR, Apr 1973
       J Bent – Wolves v Aston Villa, May 1978 (lined the FA Cup
       Final later the same week)
       N Burtenshaw – Derby v Everton, Apr 1973
       R Capey – Blackpool, 1977
       J Carr – WBA v Liverpool (6th round 2nd replay at Maine
       Road, Manchester), Apr 1968
       J Clarke – Man Utd v Sunderland, May 1968
       W Clements – Liverpool v Leeds (at Wembley), May 1965
       J Clough – Nottingham Forest v Luton (at Wembley), May
       1959
       A Dimond – Leeds, 1970
       E Garner – Chesterfield, 1977
       A Holland – West Ham v Preston (at Wembley), May 1964
       K Howley – Tottenham v Arsenal, May 1971
       E Jennings – Chelsea v Leeds (at Old Trafford), Apr 1970
       R Johnson – Spurs v Newcastle, Aug 1971
       W Johnson, Liverpool v Man City, May 1978
       A W Jones – York, Apr / May 1977
       R Kirkpatrick – Bolton v Spurs, May 1979
       A Lees – Arsenal v Man Utd, Apr 1978
       K Markham – Watford v Plymouth, Apr 1969
       R Matthewson – Man Utd v Liverpool (at Wembley), May 1977
       G McCabe – Man City v Leicester (at Wembley), Apr 1969
       D Nippard – Ipswich v Arsenal (at Wembley), May 1978
       D W Smith – Man Utd v Man City, Apr 1974
       J Taylor – Arsenal v Middlesbrough, May 1977
       D Turner – Ipswich, March / Apr 1979
       [/quote]
       Good list and topic AT. Here are a few confirmed updates:
       Frank Bassett - Walsall 0 Halifax 1 (1.5.1973) - rerranged
       match, Halifax escaped relegation at Rotherham's expense;
       Roy Capey - Preston 0 Portsmouth 0 (7.5.1977);
       Bill Clements - unclear what was his final match but he refereed
       throughout the 1965-1966 season;
       Eric Garner - York 1 Reading 1 (7.5.1977);
       Ray Johnson - Leeds 3 Leicester 0 (6.11.1971);
       Alex Lees - refereed Aston Villa-Chelsea (15.4.1978) two weeks
       after the Arsenal game but may have refereed again before the
       end of that season.
       The match programme also suggests John Homewood refereed the
       Wolves-Villa game credited to Jim Bent but the latter may have
       been a late replacement. Arthur Jones was scheduled to sign off
       at Chesterfield-Brighton on 14.5.1977, the same day that Harold
       Hackney took charge of the vital promotion match between Wrexham
       and Mansfield.
       Vince James's final League game was Walsall v Port Vale
       (30.4.1974). Although Eric Jennings's final match was the Cup
       Final replay his final League match was somewhat more humble -
       Oldham 2 Crewe 1 in Division 4 (21.4.1970). He was given a guard
       of honour by the players before the game to mark his departure.
       Another final match was the Aston Villa-Reading game on 4.5.1971
       refereed by Leo Callaghan. Villa won 2-1 with the help of an own
       goal which Reading claimed had resulted from an undetected foul
       - as a result of the defeat Reading were relegated to Division 4
       for the first time.
       #Post#: 6953--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Final Games
       By: TVOS Date: April 17, 2019, 4:34 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       Jim Rushton - Huddersfield v Portsmouth - 5/5/96
       *****************************************************
   DIR Next Page