The big match revisited



I wonder if Tyne-Tees kept recordings of 'Shoot'. It would be great to revisit the local drama that was shown on a Sunday afternoon - with the dulcet tones of George Taylor, Kenneth Wolstenholme and another gadgee whose name I can't remember.
 
Notice how when forwards charged into the penalty box they hurdled an outstretched leg.
Notice how quickly the ball was moved towards the opposition goal and the number of times teams swapped posession.
And how good the post match interviews were. My personal favourite was the interaction between Alan Durban and Jimmy Frizzel after an abandoned cup tie between Stoke and Oldham.

this is true. You also can’t help notice how shit the players were by and large back then. I’m not saying it was less exciting - far from it - but the standard of some of those games looks about div 2 standard!!
 
v Leeds apparently

shite pitches didn't help
V true. And naturally I guess if you now cherry pick the best talent from all over the globe versus back then the British isles. Stands to reason the quality is going to be a lot better. Plus because of that players need to put more effort and professionalism to succeed. Greater scrutiny (tv and analytics) more protection for ‘flair’ players. All adds up to a lot more skill on show. However I do prefer the possession flip flopping about a bit more rather than the pass it to death for no reason approach these days
 
this is true. You also can’t help notice how shit the players were by and large back then. I’m not saying it was less exciting - far from it - but the standard of some of those games looks about div 2 standard!!
Actually I remember watching on the Big Match a couple of months back the Spurs Sunderland 1 - 1 draw from the 77 season when we were on a great run and almost avoided relegation.
I have fond memories of Arnott and co that season and those big wins over West Ham and WBA.
What an awful game that looked and even more so considering the best half an hour was shown.
Bob Lee for example though decent in the air could not trap a bag of cement.
I don't think either team strung more than 4 passes together !!
 
Actually I remember watching on the Big Match a couple of months back the Spurs Sunderland 1 - 1 draw from the 77 season when we were on a great run and almost avoided relegation.
I have fond memories of Arnott and co that season and those big wins over West Ham and WBA.
What an awful game that looked and even more so considering the best half an hour was shown.
Bob Lee for example though decent in the air could not trap a bag of cement.
I don't think either team strung more than 4 passes together !!
Exactly. Every time I watch one of those things I just shake my head at how shit all the footballers looked. Like I say it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s less enjoyable but by and large the players were garbage
 
True . Joe was more of a shot stopper . Both class though. No gloves and that
Corrigan wasn't in Jennings' class. He became a decent keeper but was very prone to errors earlier in his career.
And he was one of the keepers (such as Bonetti and West) who won England caps as cover to Gordon Banks when Montgomery was shamefully overlooked. in my opinion, Monty was only bettered by Banks.
 
The great thing about the big match is reminiscing about all the old grounds ,
I know we are living in different worlds and we have to move on etc but those old grounds were a thing of beauty and very much missed

It had QPR on a few weeks ago and there was a big terrace behind one goal.
Must of been a 1976 match. Yet when i went there was like a 1960s double decker type there. When did they build that ?
And why didnt they build a fancy one like Norwich did , and Villa iirc.

And that funny mini stand at Stamford Bridge, just on its own to the left of the away end.

I did go to Charlton when they had that massive bank on the side. It was probably a third higher than the Roker End, maybe more.

Beautiful grounds then. Not aesthetically , but in the level of intricacy and you could see how different stands were from different decades.
 
Corrigan wasn't in Jennings' class. He became a decent keeper but was very prone to errors earlier in his career.
And he was one of the keepers (such as Bonetti and West) who won England caps as cover to Gordon Banks when Montgomery was shamefully overlooked. in my opinion, Monty was only bettered by Banks.
My dad used to describe him as a 'knack kneed' plank :lol:
 
So the main match was always a London club ?
Makes sense now as the games after were always " pictures from..."
I still love the program
Yes mate that’s right
Always remember being excited when see the cameras behind south bank when got to a game as knew that meant we would be on tv the following afternoon

(or evening for a short period, seem to recall a time where match of the day and the big match would alternate each season what show was on Saturday night
 
We were on today from 1980 beating Leeds 4 - 1

He put the table on we were top 6 . Ipswich were flying, Villa poised to pounce.
So the main match was always a London club ?
Makes sense now as the games after were always " pictures from..."
I still love the program
They will have had to go to Brentford once a year, like Shoot! had to go to Pools and Darlo. Remember Pools being on v Workington one time, bet that was a ratings puller.
 
Last edited:
I wonder if Tyne-Tees kept recordings of 'Shoot'. It would be great to revisit the local drama that was shown on a Sunday afternoon - with the dulcet tones of George Taylor, Kenneth Wolstenholme and another gadgee whose name I can't remember.
Fraid not, some dipstick skipped virtually all of the tapes during a clear out in the 90s.
 

Back
Top