Stoke City Into Their First FA Cup Semi-Final Since 1899 Could Not Have Gone to a More Deserving Player Than Big John Ritchie
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STOHE CITY u ARSEnAL FA Cup Semi-Final Replay Wednesday, 31st March _1971 K.O. 7.45 p.m. Price 10p thearsenalhistory.com thearsenalhistory.com The honour of scoring the goal that put Stoke City into their first FA Cup semi-final since 1899 could not have gone to a more deserving player than big John Ritchie. For the brave, hard-shooting centre forward had spent half of the season battling against a cartilage injury which needed surgery. He returned to the team just before the quarter-final against Hull City . .• and scored two goals as The Potters came from two down to eliminate the Second Division side. Our picture shows John's RITCHIE WINS IT reaction to the winner. Picture: Ed d ie Fuller (Newcastle Times). 2 3 J the Eaptain STONE STONE the manager Perhaps the First Division clubs of the Midlands have for a I think it is a measure of Banks' greatness that after long time cast envious eyes towards the North and the the 1966 World Cup in England, Walter Winterbottom South when it has come to the matter of chasing league was moved to say: "If Gordon had been in the Hun THE MAN WHO titles. But over recent years the Midlands can take great garian goal they would have won the World Cup". And pride in possessing some of the finest goalkeepers in the certainly England would never have reached the final country and Gordon Banks would assuredly still top a but for his magnificent saves in the semi final with Portu best of the world poll. gal. In Mexico last year his absence from the quarter GAMBLED It seems somehow ironic that this year Gordon and final with West Germany was a cruel blow and again it his old Leicester pal Frank McLintock should not only is a measure of his value that most people felt that had be opposing semi final skippers but also well in the he have played, England would have won. Banks himself AND WON running for "Footballer of the Year". felt that this view was unfair on Peter Bonetti, who was No player has been a greater credit to British soccer pitched into the Mexico game without any previous over the last ten years than the placid, but still so dedi experience in the competition. Waddington, whose own playing career with Crewe cated 33-year-old Banks, but he remains just as friendly But Banks has an uncanny knack of making saves that was halted by a knee injury, has always believed in foot and as modest as he was in his early days with Leicester few other goalkeepers would even think of attempting and balling principles. His beliefs have kept Stoke in the F~t City. his incredible reflex action to save from Pele last summer Division and given them time to catch up with the big must go down as one of the finest ever pieces of soccer boys, even if the success-starved Potteries supporters action. have not been so patient. Again this season Banks has, after an uncertain start But gradually, after a couple of basement scares, when he was still suffering some reaction from his Mexico Waddington has moulded a side of harder temperament illness, played a wonderful part in steering Stoke to the and character but still maintaining his pure Soccer semi final for the first time in this century, and he is outlook. certain to add to his record of 63 England caps. Waddington had deserved his moments of luck, like One example of Gordon's dedication springs to mind. the casual chat with a Dublin cattle buyer in a Crewe hotel It was a cold day at Leicester oddly enough against his that led to the £12,000 signing of Terry Conroy. An present club, Stoke. Gordon made a stream of positively injury in a practice game saw Mike Pejic, a raw left brilliant saves and I commented to him afterwards that winger, switched in an emergency to left-back. he must have made a really good impression on the But Waddington was shrewd enough to buy two of watching England boss Sir Alf Ramsey. Gordon mused: his biggest-ever bargains-England goalkeeper Gordon "Well maybe he liked my saves, but I don't think he Banks for £52,000 from Leicester and £30,000 for hot would be very pleased with my goalkicking. I hardly shot Aston Villa winger Harry Burrows. put one in the direction I wanted." TONY WADDINGTON ... man who rebuilt Stoke The development of determined young defenders like It is this attention to detail that has set Gordon apart Denis Smith, Pejic and Mike Bernard saw Waddington from the rest of the leading goalkeepers although Bob Big John Ritchie trotted happily off Boothferry Park after plunging everything in the 'kitty' two years ago on Wilson of Arsenal has in the last couple of years followed steering Stoke City into the semi-final as a two-goal Birmingham City striker Jimmy Greenhoff apd finding a a similar pattern. hero and commented: "I had to do well for the boss. little extra to sign big John Ritchie back to the Potteries Born in Sheffield, Gordon failed to attract the atten He took a chance on me after my cartilage operation. from Hillsborougb. tion of the local clubs, but signed for Chesterfield and IT we had failed he would have been made the scapegoat." The double deal cost £125,000 but Waddington reckoned helped the club reach the FA Youth Cup final where the missing parts in his blueprint for success were finally they nearly beat Manchester United. But, then, Stoke Manager Tony Waddington has had to gamble to some extent during his ten-year spell at in place. Stoke just missed out on Europe /(lsf season. Now In 1960 he moved to Leicester for a modest £6,000. the Victoria Ground. On Stoke's gates he has had little they are one step away from Wembley. He recalls that when he joined the staff, Leicester had option. He is not surprised by Stoke's appearance in tonight's four other goalkeepers and be thought it would be a semi-final. He said: "I thought this summer that we had tough battle getting through. But within a few weeks His biggest gamble was to sign Stan Matthews in 1961. one of our strongest-ever squads. But it has been a he had demonstrated his ability and by the end of his Matthews was then 46 on his hero's return from Black tremendous achievement by the players, many of whom first season he had played 32 games. He played in the pool to his native Potteries and, two years later, the have willingly played, and played well, even though they 1961 and 1962 cup finals and gained his first England maestro scored the goal that clinched the Second Division have not been 100 per cent fit. cap in May 1963 against Brazil at Wembley. Championship. Waddington is a sincere man, dedicated to his foot Peter Shilton learned much under the tutorship of It began an era of star buying for Waddington, who balling principles, always ready to back up his players. Banks, but it was a surprise when Leicester decided to admits: "I exploited the transfer market. We were As Willie Stevenson said last week: "Here I am with a sell the England keeper to Stoke for £52,000 in April getting experienced performers at reasonable prices who broken leg. But if I had to break a leg I am glad it is with But it's worked out well for all concerned and when could still give us good service. I never regarded players Stoke rather than any other club." eventually, Gordon finishes playing for England nothing of 27 as old. We seemed to have this veteran image but TONY WADDINGTON HAS WAITED A LONG would give him greater pleasure than to see Peter take only Matthews was in this category. Look at the service over on a long term basis. But Sir Alf will still be saying we bad from Denis Viollet, while George Eastham did a TIME FOR SUCCESS. PERHAPS HIS PATIENCE "A Gordon for me" for quite a time yet. tremendous job for us this season when he took over WILL BE REWARDED TONIGHT. thearsenalhistory.com from Peter Dobing. ALAN WILLIAMS "But we could not afford to take chances by buying GORDON BANKS ... would be one of the most popular younger players who might not make it. Now, of course, PETER HEWITT Wembley Cup Finalists this type of transfer deal is out and we have to concen Daily Express trate on development of our younger players." Stoke Evening Sentinel 5 STOKE STILL SEEKING THAT Fatethan tocan rob be a noteam more of a tantalisingWembley place in the last minute of an WEMBLEY PASS PO RT FA Cup Semi Final-especially when the equaliser condemning them to a replay is from the penalty spot. But the agony of Stoke's players when Peter adversity and upsets. How many of the crowd Even worse the Third D ivision again loomed close, Storey placed that penalty past Gordon Banks here tonight know that the pride of the Potteries bu t the promotion of Tony Waddington to manager was perhaps nothing to that shared by life-long are the second oldest Football League cl ub? They in 1960 set the Victoria Ground alive. supporters of the club. were fo unded in 1862 by a group of railway workers only a year after the formation of Notts County. Like their Trent-side neighbours from Nottingham, Stoke were original members of the League in 1888, Down to basement level Closest ever but after only two years they failed to gain re-election.