Who Needs Cup run anyway! Promotion!

1964/65 

Corby team that clinched promotion with victory over Deal Town.

This was my last year at school. Didn’t have a clue where I was heading. Without an inkling of what I wanted to do the steelworks was beckoning at the end of this term but meantime there was still much fun to be had. Football on Studfall Green was still a priority though numbers were dropping with some of the boys having already left school and entered the big bad world. We all had our dreams and Bip Wetherell’s was to be an entertainer. Bip fancied himself up there on stage belting out soul classics, which he achieved when joining a band called The Bent Society. None of us, less so than Bip, would have dreamt that 30 years down the line Bip would become chairman of the Steelmen. As far removed as me dreaming of being a rock singer with Zeppelin or.… the Bent Society! We were intoxicated with the music scene, the Beatles, Stones, Kinks, ‘Ready Steady Go’, which led us astray with the realisation of the attractions of the opposite sex. Our loins were stirring. The girls were hovering, hanging around and eyeing us all up as we kicked a ball around on the Green. Obviously we were aware and some posing would be done. But more about that later…

Fantasising is all part of growing up and if we were imagining what might be in store for us with the ladies we were still fantasising too that the Steelmen might finally achieve their goal of getting promoted out of the Southern League First Division!

On that front the ‘Boot Room’ had been a hive of activity during pre-season with shopkeeper David Yates being promoted to first team trainer with Donald Johnson taking over the affairs of the second string. 

Tony Read v Kettering

As it was, the omens weren’t good. Goalkeeper Alan Alexander was injured in a pre-season friendly which sidelined him for a couple of months, giving Larry Wealthall an opportunity to establish himself, and then Larry was taken off at Tunbridge Wells with an arm injury which effectively ended his Corby career! A temporary goalkeeper in the form of Tony Read from Peterborough came in to cover for Alan and Larry and it has to said, proved to be more than adequate. A superb goalkeeper, top class. He returned to the Posh and later signed for Luton Town, as centre forward - and became a prolific goalscorer!

The bulk of the team from the previous year started the campaign with just a couple of new recruits, one of whom made his debut at full back, Jim Walker from Bradford. Three defeats in the first four games didn’t bode well. Goalscorer Arthur Hukin was dropped and then promptly reminded Tommy Hadden he wasn’t finished by scoring a hat-trick for the reserves against Rothwell. They still lost 8-3 for all Arthur’s efforts. Bobby Laverick was an early departure, swapping places with Dick Whittaker at Kings Lynn. Dick was a former Republic of Ireland international full back with Chelsea and Peterborough. His experience would prove invaluable and he was soon elected club captain. Also added was inside forward Terry Curran from Kettering.

One of the most anticipated fixtures on the calendar was the league game with the Poppies. Although there had been many various cup games with Kettering down the years, the sides had only ever

played each other twice in the league which seemed remarkable. The first game came in September at Rockingham Road and a large contingent of supporters travelled over.

Tony Read making his debut was outstanding, Curran scored against his old team and Jagger rounded the afternoon off with a cracking shot from the edge of the area to send us Steelmen fans delirious. 2-1 to the Steelmen! Apart from that my best memory is a rather disgusting one really. Belching out loud, right into the ear of a Kettering fan, not intentionally I’d like to add but the chap turned round, with a runny egg sandwich dripping out of his mouth and muttered something indecipherable! Couldn’t make it out. He wasn’t happy. Course, everyone cracked up laughing! He moved away, with a less than favourable impression of us Corby fans!

An interesting game this season came with the newly elected to the Southern League, Wimbledon. The Dons were the outstanding amateur team of the era and proved to be too hot for most of their opponents this season. It was no surprise the way they developed and eventually gained league status and all that occurred later. The first game took place at Plough Lane on October 3rd and they were too strong for the Steelmen, defeating us 5-2.  The reporter on hand was in eloquent mood describing Corby as being trounced. Describing Corby’s first goal he expressed; ‘Tommy Crawley, as tenacious as a lone Indian seeking a breech in a well protected wagon train chased hopefully after a ball running loose near the Wimbledon area. The Don’s keeper Kelly missed it completely, (he was probably bored by the sound of things), and Tommy bundled the ball into the net’.

Describing Gerry O’Rourke’s goal for the Dons; ‘O’Rourke jumped joyfully as a surprised election winner as a strong close range header eluded Tony Read’. 

If the game was a reality check regarding the prospects of promotion a cup run was on our minds again after beating Arniold 2-0 in the 4th qualifying round. We were given another ‘plum’ draw, this time against league side Hartlepools United. Given that they were perennial strugglers in the Fourth Division, hopes were high of a giant killing act. They did have some class in their team with goalkeeper Ken Simpkin, a Welsh Under 23 international even if he was carrying a bit of timber. Up front they had a Republic of Ireland international, Ambrose Fogerty, so it wasn’t worth getting too carried away. 

Confidence was high for all the esteemed guests and, checking the report - you cant expect me to remember all the finer details of these games, I’m not that good - Corby should have had a two goal lead inside the first twenty minutes. Tommy Crawley, that renowned goalscorer of all types of goals, ‘miskicked with only Simpkin to beat in the Pools goal’.

Simpkin saves point blank from Tommy Crawley

Oh well. Tommy did score more than he missed..something I do remember. Anyhow, against the run of play, our North Eastern friends took the lead when ‘Thompson prodded the ball home in the 26th minute.’ If heads went down, just before half time we were back in the game when left half Brian Wright smashed home a shot from all of 30 yards to draw us level. Half time it was 1-1 and boy did the Bovril taste good! Even now, when I sup a Bovril from Baxter’s Bistro at Steel Park, served by convivial hosts Mags and Sue, memories of the Hartlepools cup tie come flooding back. Well maybe I’m overstating it there but you can’t beat a bit of corn can you.

Simpkin can only watch as Brian Wright's howitzer flies into the net

The second half began with Corby pulverising the Pool - ‘they had Hartlepools in trouble’. But then, would you believe it, ‘in the visitor’s first dangerous attack of the half, the Steelmen conceded a penalty’. John Rennie was the unfortunate Steelman who gave it away, deemed by the ref to have handled the ball when he couldn’t get out of the way, much to the disgust and outrage of everyone  and Fogerty stepped up to place the ball in the back of the net with minimum fuss. The goal knocked the stuffing out of the Steelmen and ten minutes later ‘Entwistle prodded home number three for the visitors’. Does sound like Hartlepools were hoachy, and I do recall the feeling of abject disappointment that we couldn’t beat this lot but maybe the full time fitness was a factor. Did make me wonder though, is that how they scored their occasional goal? A prod here and there? 4511 was the official attendance and the windfall of cash may have softened the blow of defeat for the Steelmen directors, but apparently, no, it didn’t. In the next game’s programme, the following week against Crawley Town, they revealed; ‘Many of our visitors to last week’ game may think that we make a fortune out of such games. The attendance of 4511 brought in receipts of £470. Match expenses (Police, Advertising, Printing etc) totalled £134 (over which was Hartlepools Travel and Hotel Expenses) leaving a net balance of £336. The F.A. took 4% (£13) giving Corby £161 and Hartlepools the same! Taking into account the loss suffered in playing at Arnold in the previous round where we got little more than our Coach Travel, it can be truly said that the Cup brought little if any financial gain for Corby Town F.C !’

Embittered or not, we had to get our heads down again and go for that promotion to the Holy Grail of the Southern League Premier Division. And things weren’t all bad, there was still the opportunity to once again win a ‘Free Car’  in the ‘Jackpot Competition’ run by the Supporters Club. This time it was a brand new Ford Anglia. Seems to be a theme here, looking back I do remember now and again a car being driven round the pitch during half time at games but funny thing, I’ve failed to come across any report or acknowledgement of any winner. Not in the newspapers, not in the programmes. Did anyone actually win a car? The Anglia wasn’t the first car, there was the Austin A40 or whatever it was a year or so before, not casting aspersions here but.. well, make your own mind up. Or was it simply the winner didn’t wish to have any publicity? Couldn’t drive the thing or something? Or were the cars heaps of shite?

Fresh blood was introduced to the Steelmen ranks with the signing of the cultured wing half George Armour from Kettering, the inclusion of local youngster Maurice Goodall, affectionately known as Mo or Maureen to the fans and the signing of schemer Alex Garden from Ashford into the forward line. Maurice was destined for immortality a year later when scoring the goal that knocked Luton out of the F.A Cup but for this season when he replaced the injured Arthur Hukin, his 12 goals proved to be vital come the end of the campaign. 

The draw for the car took place at the Kettering game in February, which ended 2-2 and had the directors moaning again about the poor turn out, only 2000 supporters. In the match programme the club stated ‘The Car Must Be Won!’ Whoever the lucky, or otherwise recipient was, believe it or not, such was the success of this competition, a month later in March, it was announced that there were TWO cars to be won on the next Steelmen Raffle! 

Makes you think, maybe we could introduce a competition like this today. Who knows what fortunes it could bring to the coffers. Anyone know of any bangers going cheap? Can think of a few possible offers from some friends in the Rockingham Arms, ‘The Rock” but they may only have a month MOT or a couple of good wheels, a bald tyre, dodgy exhaust, cracked headlight, dent in the wing but if nothing else, we can promise you a car going cheap! Just the job for a raffle I’d say. 

Rockingham Arms, residence of a few 'Arthur Daley's'

Anyhow, back to the football. The return fixture with Wimbledon was an obvious special attraction, they were pushing for promotion alongside us and a goal from Mo exacted revenge for the 5-2 stuffing they handed to us previously. 1020 were overjoyed with the result.

There were still a number of ex pros plying their trade in non league which should have been a bonus for football fans and Worcester City seemed to have their share. When we travelled to play them in the Midland Floodlit Cup they boasted former F.A.Cup winners Norman Deeley (Wolves) and Peter McParkland (Aston Villa) in their ranks. They promptly hammered us 7-1!

Maurice Goodall challenging the Burton keeper lines to a cross.

Still, regarded as a ‘tit’ competition it didn’t really matter, the league was the main thing and as we approached the end of the season we were well in the running. A game that sticks out was against Sittingbourne at Occupation Road on Grand National Day. Only 375 turned up to watch the Steelmen race home 5-0. For those who sat at home watching the race on the box, they witnessed a horse called Jay Trump first passed the winning post at 100/6.  14 horses out of 47 completed the course. 

Excitement was increasing by the week, Garden was proving an astute signing, the defence was solid, forgetting the Worcester game that is, the team was responding and won 9 out of 10 games, including a 7-1 demolition of Burton Albion  to seal the coveted promotion spot alongside Hereford, Wimbledon and our old friends from the south coast, Poole Town. Deal Town had to be overcome to clinch the promotion and buoyed on by a crowd of 1650 they had no chance. At the final whistle, the fans were delirious, running onto the pitch to congratulate the heroes. Alexander, Whittaker, Pollard, Armour, Rennie, Jagger, Grassam, Garden, Goodall, Crawley and Stenhouse. Missing from the line up due to injury was the unfortunate Barry Parsons, a stalwart for over ten years at the club. Thus the versatile John Rennie, his best mate, was at centre half the game. 

One slight irritation for three of us on the night, myself, Nigel ‘Pop’ Portman and Dick Dighton was the pestering and interruptions of our ‘night to remember’ by three young ladies who were vying for our attention. We couldn’t believe it when they followed us to the match and stood behind us. Lovely they were but sorry girls, we were more excited by the Steelmen! How sad is, or was, that! We were only 15 though! And no, we didn’t walk them home afterwards. Can’t remember what the hell we did to be honest.