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February 2002

Roger Lintern wrote last year with this request about a non-1970-71 player. If I can find out about players from an earlier era, I'm happy to do so.

Bob,
Hi
I am trying to find something on Jock Rutherford who played for Arsenal in the beginning of the last century.
Somebody told me I could find it on this web-site but I cannot find it.
Any ideas?
Thanks

Roger Lintern

John 'Jock' Rutherford (from 'Arsenal: a Complete Record' Fred Oller)
5ft 8 1/2 in. 11 stone 6 lbs
Born : Percy Main, Northumberland, 12 October 1884. Died:Neasden 21 April, 1963.

Clubs: January 1902: Newcastle United;
13 October 1913 Arsenal;
April 1923 Stoke City (as manager);
4 September1923 Arsenal (as player);
17 August 1926 Leyton Orient.

Arsenal games League 222 (25 goals), FA Cup 10 (2gls), Other senior 5 (2).

Jock also played for England whist at Newcastle United 11 games between 1904-1908.

After football he ran an off-licence in Neasden. His eldest son, John James Rutherford played for Arsenal, too.

Flanagan, McKinnon, Jock Rutherford
8 November 1913, the day Arsenal lost 1-6 to Fulham !

Phil Soar and Martyn Tyler's 'Official Illustrated History of Arsenal' says Jock was a scorer in 7-0 victory against Nottingham Forest the last day of the 14-15 season, Arsenal's last game in Division Two to this day ! It seems Arsenal returned after the War in Division One even though they were only 6th in Division 2 the season before the War - I didn't know that !

It then occured to me to look in an old book written by Bernard Joy (1952) called 'Forward Arsenal !'   This has two pictures of Jock and the following write up about him:

Later in the season Arsenal obtained from Newcastle United Jock Rutherford, who had been outside-right in the 1906 Semi-Final against them. Now twenty-nine, and already losing most of his fair hair, Rutherford had a reputation as high as that of men like Billy Meredith and Steve Bloomer. The eldest of twelve children of a Durham coal trimmer, he became a professional for Newcastle in 1902 at a wage of 2 pounds 10 shillings a week.

The first Football League match he saw was the one in which he made his debut-against West Bromwich Albion-and scored two goals. He was then an inside or centre-forward, and he did not settle down until three years later to outside-right, in which position he gained seven international caps. Before arriving at Highbury he had already played in five Cup Finals, scoring the winning goal against Barnsley in 1918

Jock Rutherford distinctive bald pate is in the centre of this Arsenal
squad picture from 1920-21

Few could have foreseen that he would still be a power with Arsenal twelve years later and with a son a member of the club as well.In 1923, he went to Stoke City as manager, but the lure of playing was too strong and he returned to Arsenal after a few months.

Rutherford had a superstition which caused a lot of fun. He liked to be last on the field-he even refused the captaincy-and his colleagues used to tease him before going out by pretending to have forgotten something and doubling back into the dressing-room.

Ken Middleton wrote

1968. My brother (somehow) got seat tickets for Manchester Utd. at the Hawthorns. A Monday night game. Best, Charlton, Law - you name them - they were on the park. And West Brom played them out of there. What a great game. Attacking play from end to end. None of the horse sh*t you see now on the TV over here in Canada. Jeff Astle scoring a hat trick. And scoring more goals on the Wednesday night against West Ham. Well, West Brom won the FA Cup and Utd. won the European Cup.  Happy days.

Thanks Ken.

Gill asks

Bob - do you know who was named man of the match in the final and it's replay?   would be really grateful if you could help solve a little problem here !!   ta   Gill

I've spent a bitof time reading books about the final written in recent years and written soon after the final, but there's no Official Man of the Match award that I know of. I've always rather thought that the award was the invention of television broadcasters or sponsors. Unlike cricket I don't think the award has any credance or status. I don't think it had anything to do with the FA back in 1970.  

Matt Dixon questions a previous answer (See January 2002 Emails).

Dear Bob,   Steve Phillips was wrong when he said that Sammy Chapman ended Forest's 32 year run of not having a player sent off when he was dismissed against Leeds in 1971, because Frank Wignall was sent off in the away leg of Forest's first round Fairs Cup tie against Eintracht Frankfurt in 1967.   All the best,   Matt Dixon

Perhaps it was the League record ??? Anyone able to add to the debate ?

Ray wrote

Hi Bob   Just like to say how much I enjoyed your site. Spent two hours or more looking through. I only entered Charles Buchan in Yahoo to find out about Football Books. I am a collector and was just browsing for books/magazines for sale and wanted.

When I saw info on Charles Buchan, Topical Times, Football Monthly and Football Champions I was thankful to you for giving me dates they started and finished. I have many of these books and Football Monthly/Goal magazines.

Soccer the International Way 1971

Over the years since I was a kid I've saved Football Books. I still buy them at Boot Fairs and Charity Shops and just this morning I bought three which cost me the grand sum of £1.20. They were Soccer, The International Way, 1971 (above), Goal Annual 1976 and Book of Soccer No 11, 1968.

I particularly liked the page with all the Soccer Gift Book covers on one page. Have many of these but not all.   Looked on sites you recommended for Books and found some I need. Once again, thanks very much and will continue to look at your site.   Kind regards Ray

Thanks for the picture Ray.
To see more front covers try:
Charles Buchan Monthly
Topical Times Football Book
Football Champions Album
Charles Buchan's Soccer Gift Book

Graham Lowry writes

Bob

• Just found your web site for 70/71
• What a fantastic site!
• Spent ages scrolling thru all the pages etc.
• Im  a lifelong Spurs fan (Dad was born in Tottenham - he first took me to see Spurs in 1967/68. We saw Leeds beat Spurs 1-0 Lorimer PEN)
• Especialy sad to hear in your "Where are they now" page that Ian Moores has passed away. Centre forward we bought from Stoke (Keith Burkinshaws first - I think - signing).
•  I remember he scored the winning goal at Old Trafford in 76/77 on his debut for Spours! The last player to do that for years!!!!!

Keep up the good work! Graham Lowry

Thanks Graham.

Neil Kaufman asks

Hi Bob   Neil Kaufman from South Africa, hope you are well.   I am trying to establish any detail about the death of former L.Orient and Colchester player TOMMY HARRIS ON 11th  OCT 2001   Any news your side   Neil Kaufman

I don't have any details. Does anyone else ?

Lynne Riniker-Jackson

Hi,   Would you be able to tell me whether Alan Mullery was involved in the 1966 England World Cup Squad?  Many thanks for your help. Lynne Riniker-Jackson

Although Alan had been tried in the England team as early as 1964, he did not make the final squad for '66, losing out to Nobby Stiles. He was in the 1970 squad, though. See  http://www.englandfanzine.co.uk/history/worldcupsquads.html

Jackie wrote to me a couple of times

Hi, my name is Jackie
Can I ask you a question please?
Who scored the winning goal for Chelsea in 1970, and what was unusual/unique about that game?
Hope you can help me.
Thank you

I answered...

David Webb got the winning goal.   The match was an FA Cup replay that went to extra time. The replay was played at Old Trafford rathee than Wembly, which was the venue for every final match from 1923 to 2000. Allof which wasn't unique, though, just unusual ! So I'm not sure if that is your answer. See http://rgplayers.tripod.com/1970sFACupFinals/id1.html  

But Jackie wrote back ...

Hi,
sorry to be bothering you again, but to enlarge on my previous question.
Can I ask, David won the winning goal, but he did it from a throw in, can you tell me who threw the ball which gave David the winning goal.
Thank you for your time on this.
Jackie

Well, from memory he headed it in from an Ian Hutchinson throw in. Ian was a specialist in delivering very long throws ... I guess that's something else that makes the goal unusual !

JFY wrote

Hello, I am a West Ham supporter. I just wanted to know the three West Ham players who played in the World Cup of 1966. Please tell me the answers.

The three legendary players are Bobby Moore, Geoff Hurst and Martin Peters, who were the Captain and two goalscorers on the day itself !  

Andy Lockett wrote his memories of the 70-71 season, and Wolves.

Bob,

I remember that season well.......I too possess a (mostly full) copy of the FKS Soccer Stars album, (also 68/69 to mid 70s editions).  My team Wolves finished fourth in the First Division - our best position in the last 40 years !!!

We also won the Texaco Cup (3 - 2 aggregate win over Hearts in the
Final).
I recall a 5 - 1 FA Cup win over Norwich (both teams played in their change kits, another Cup tradition that has disappeared) - this was on the same day as the Ibrox disaster.

We had Dave Wagstaffe (Waggy) a wonderfully gifted left-winger whocriminally never got to play for England. There was The Doog - Wolves fans' definitive terrace hero till Bully came along.

The old gold and black shone with pride under the glowing Molineux floodlights in those days. My most vivid memories are of a terrific 5 -1 victory over the then Double winners Arsenal in November '71. The match was played in a snowstorm and was featured on Match of the Day.We then beat Leeds 2 - 1 in that famous Monday night match after they'dwon the Cup two days before - it deprived Leeds of the Double, therewere over 53 000 packed in - half fromYorkshire - Golden Days, indeed !

Andy Lockett

Thanks Andy.

Dave Brown wanted me to settle an argument

Bob. I wonder of you can settle a argument.

Was Keith Kettleborough; a Newcastle United player in the 60's; ever in the
1966 England World Cup squad ?.

I've been searching the web for the answer but all I can find is  reference to the England Team and not the full squad. If you could come up with the full squad it would be appreciated.

Regards, Dave Brown

See Emails February 2000 you'll see the final 1966 squad, it doesn't include Keith Kettleborough.

I have to admit to never having heard of him ! I see from my records that he didn't actually play for England at any level - which isn't to say that he didn't get a squad call up at some stage, though.

Ray Smith needed more information

We were posed a question a couple of days ago, of which I gave the correct answer.   The question was: Which Scotish captain was banned for life from playing for his country.   I knew the answer was Billy Bremner, but I can't remember why....   Cheers Ray Smith

Well I don't remember this being in the papers at the time, but 'Four Four Two' described it in the way that appears on the page 'Scandals!' on this site. Click ...  Scandals (see no.14)  

Gwyn Jones asks

Hello Bob. could you settle an argument, who was the first £100.000, football player, I thought it was Alan Ball, am I right or wrong ? Cheers Gwyn.

Anyway, I thought this would be a really easy one to answer, I'm not sure now.   Denis Law was actually the first British player to be involved in a 100,000 pound deal when he moved from Man City to Torino in 1962.   In August '66 Alan Ball moved from Blackpool to Everton for 110,00 pounds, which was a record, and as far as I can tell the first 100,000 pound deal between 2 English clubs.

See more February 2002 news at the following ...

Click to see the latest Soccer headlines www.bobdunning.net