Football Programmes of Yesteryear No. 7: FA Amateur Cup Final, Bishop’s Stortford v Ilford, 20th April 1974

1974. The country argues about the European Economic Community, there are two General Elections, the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries is arguing with the US President, economic crises abound, wage restraint is urged, the Scottish National Party is on the rise, and Manchester United are fairly dreadful. Some things seem never to change.

The year did have a few unique events, however. Leeds United were the best team in the country (anyone under the age of twenty eight might need to suspend their disbelief at this point). They later give their managers job to Brian Clough, shortly after he had accused them of cheating their way to the title. As you can imagine, that went well. Bill Shankly resigned from FA Cup holders Liverpool, Lord Lucan went missing, and the FA Amateur Cup saw its last Final, coming to an end to be replaced by the FA Trophy and FA Vase after 71 years of glorious history. This change was because the FA, in its infinite wisdom, had decided that players could no longer be classed as Amateurs, and that no matter which level they played at they would henceforth just be known as “players.”

The participants

Bishop’s Stortford were visiting Wembley for the first time, in their third year as an Isthmian League club. It wasn’t really a surprise, as the previous season had seen them progress as far as the semi-Final, where they had lost one-nil against Slough Town at Watford’s Vicarage Road.

Another reason that their progress was anything but a surprise was the fact that their side contained a number of players who had previously played at Wembley. Full back Tony Gibson had played for Enfield, losing finalists in 1972; midfielder John Payne had played in four finals, twice a winner and twice a runner up, and was another Enfield exile; midfielder Peter Leakey had played in two losing finals with Dagenham, as had forward John Dear and defender Martin Smith, whilst centre-forward Tony Bass had featured for Hendon and Dagenham. The Blues managed to combine their cup run with good form in the league, finishing the season in third place, three points behind the winners, Wycombe Wanderers- although they hadn’t had the distraction of the FA Cup, having departed in the Fourth Qualifying Round against Dagenham.

The number of former Dagenham players wasn’t really a surprise, as they also had a former Dagenham Manager, Ted Hardy, who had been in charge for both of the Daggers recent Wembley finals.

To reach the Final they had defeated Hayes, Hitchin Town, and holders Walton and Hersham- all Isthmian teams- before defeating Northern League opposition in the shape of Blyth Spartans and Ashington in the Quarter Finals and Semi-Finals. The Semi-Final required a replay, the first match taking place at Sunderland’s Roker Park, the second at Brentford’s Griffin Park.

The Bishop’s Stortford team for the match was as follows:

Terry Moore, Tony Gibson, Ray Coombes, Dave Lawrence, John Still (yes, that John Still), John Payne, Peter Leakey, John Dear, Tony Bass, Martin Smith, Dennis Murphy. Substitute: Paul Scott.

Their opponents, Ilford, had a far more successful Amateur Cup history- although most of it had been several decades earlier. They won the cup in both 1929 and 1930, and had been losing finalists in 1936 and 1958, so this was their fifth final.

They’d won the Isthmian League three times, the last occasion coming in 1922, and had started the season looking like relegation candidates as they failed to pick up a victory from their first ten matches, although the later rallied to end the campaign in ninth. They’d been members of the Isthmian League since 1905.

Their manager, John Evans, had been in charge for only six months and had masterminded their improvement in form. A former Hendon player he’d previously played in two Finals, winning one and losing one, and had almost entirely revamped the Ilford squad since his arrival, with only three players surviving the cull. His changes worked, and the club had at one point gone three and a half months without defeat.

Their side didn’t have the Wembley experience of their opponents, but wasn’t entirely inexperienced in that department. Captain Paddy Betson had played in two finals for Enfield, Roger Day had played in five.

To reach the Final they had defeated Kingstonian after a replay, Brockenhurst, Highgate United, Dulwich Hamlet after a replay, at Leatherhead in the Semi-Final at The Den, home of Millwall. And yes, Hamlet, Leatherhead and Kingstonian were all Isthmian rivals- and the first two ended the season much higher up the table.

The Ilford team for the match was as follows:

Paul James, Denis Bowhill, Micky Bennett, Paddy Betson, Peter Anderson, Roger Day, Jeff Bookman, John Butterfield, Peter Drabwell, Andy McDermid, Tony Turley. Substitute: Dave Guiver.

The match:

After twelve minutes Ilford’s England international Roger Day was carried off after a hefty challenge from John Dear, who was booked. Perhaps Dear had a bit of a habit of making such challenges, as he’s pictured in the programme kicking Ashington defender Tommy Dixon in the head during the Semi-Final! Stortford took advantage and took the lead through Dave Lawrence, the only goal of the half. After the interval, despite Ilford pressure, Dennis Murphy made it two-nil, but Peter Drabwell soon cut the lead in half and gave Ilford fans hope. It was soon dashed, as Peter Leakey made it three-one, and when Peter Bass is brought down in the box and referee D. Turner points to the spot, it is game over. Martin Smith made no mistake. Four-one, and Bishop’s Stortford were the last ever winners of the Amateur Cup- in their centenary year.

You can watch a video of the action HERE.

The programme

Sixteen pages, with a colour cover, the programme- which cost 10p- was otherwise in black and white apart from the occasional use of blue and orange for text or highlighting purposes. It contained an article on the history of the competition, an advertisement for the FA Cup Final programme- which was twice the price- and features on both sides, as you might expect. There is a page entitled, ‘SUCCESS- THAT’S THE STORY OF THE ROTHMANS ISTHMIAN LEAGUE (their capitals, we haven’t suddenly got very angry) which particularly looks at the League’s initiative to cut dismissals and cautions by the introduction of a financial ‘Sportsmanship Award.’

Moving on

Bishop’s Stortford went on to win the successor to the FA Amateur Cup, the FA Trophy, in 1981, defeating Sutton United at Wembley. They also reached the Semi-Finals in 2004-05.

Financial issues forced Ilford to merge with Leytonstone in 1979, and a later merger with Walthamstow saw the new club become Redbridge Forest, before that club then merged with Dagenham to form Dagenham and Redbridge. A new Ilford side was formed in 1987 and currently competes in the Essex Senior League.