Post by Macmoish on Feb 1, 2016 8:48:42 GMT
On This Day in 1977: The (Delayed) First leg of the League Cup Semi Final (went to a 3rd game. Thanks Brian Little!)
First Game - Feb 1 - Second Game - Feb 16 - Third Game Highbury Feb 22
Third game Parkes Clement McLintock Webb Gillard Francis Masson Bowles Givens Eastoe Thomas
From Bushman's Archive..
(For more from QPR's 1976/77 -European March, see Bushman Archive - qprreport.proboards.com/thread/27643/division-1-1976-77-season ]
Rangers drew 0-0 in the League Cup Semi-Final 1st Leg.
Rangers drew 2-2 aet, in the 2nd Leg. Scorers Francis, Eastoe.
Rangers lost the replay at Highbury 3-0.
That third game...
BIRMINGHAM MAIL
Great Games: Aston Villa 3 QPR 0: February 22, 1977
13:38, 14 Mar 2012
Updated 21:42, 14 Oct 2012
By Birmingham Mail
WHEN it comes to landmarks at English football grounds there are few more famous and evocative than the huge clock that gave its name to the ‘Clock End’ at Highbury.
WHEN it comes to landmarks at English football grounds there are few more famous and evocative than the huge clock that gave its name to the ‘Clock End’ at Highbury.
Many supporters and players remember it fondly.
And Frank Carrodus took his own personal memory of it from the pulsating night at Arsenal’s old home which saw Aston Villa roundly beat Queens Park Rangers in a League Cup semi-final replay to book a Wembley final appointment with Everton.
QPR – Stan Bowles, Gerrry Francis, Don Givens, Dave Thomas and all – were seen off 3-0 by a Brian Little hat-trick.
Two of those goals arrived in the first half-hour, from which point that prestigious timepiece loomed even larger then usual, admitted winger Carrodus as the champagne started to flow after the match.
“All I can remember was that dirty great clock,” he said.
“There semed such a long way to go and I tried not to think about it but couldn’t keep my eyes off that clock.
“Once I actually saw the finger move and thought ‘great, a bit more time has gone!’”
In truth, Villa were more comfortable than Carrodus felt at the time after Ron Saunders’ team seized control having withstood an initial onslaught from a Rangers. The match was a spicy affair all round.
The west Londoners had irritated Villa by celebrating in over-the-top fashion after drawing 2-2 at Villa Park (the first game had been a drab, goalless affair at Loftus Road) while Rangers harboured some ill-feeling from a crude challenge by Alex Cropley on veteran defender Frank McLintock.
From the opening minutes of the third game Cropley was clearly a marked man – marked quite literally after being clattered by McLintock and scythed down by Dave Clement.
Villa weathered the early storm to score twice midway through the half. On 22 minutes Dennis Mortimer fed Little who shot clinically past Walsall-born Phil Parkes to supply the lead.
Then came a terrific second goal. Cropley’s corner drew an unconvincing punch from Parkes and Little fired home with his left foot.
“That’s the one I usually use for standing on,” the striker later admitted.
By then he was in possession of the match-ball having completed a hat-trick in the closing seconds after a slick move between Andy Gray and the impressive Mortimer.
Villa were in the final and looking forward to a “phenomenal” payday of up to £200,000.
Rangers, so cock-a-hoop at Villa Park six days earlier, were well and truly chastened.
“Villa didn’t simply beat them on a night when nerve, stamina and ability were under the public microscope,” reported the Mail.
“They outplayed them, outran them and out-thought them and stated quite decisively that Aston Villa are ready for any challenge.
“Just how many fans flooded down the M1 or on the main line to Euston is impossible to estimate but they seemed to be everywhere, swamping Rangers’ support.”
Villa had dealt superbly with the attacking flair of Bowles and Thomas and defensive muscle of David Webb and Don Masson alike.
Bring on Everton...
www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/great-games-aston-villa-3-181049
First Game - Feb 1 - Second Game - Feb 16 - Third Game Highbury Feb 22
Third game Parkes Clement McLintock Webb Gillard Francis Masson Bowles Givens Eastoe Thomas
From Bushman's Archive..
(For more from QPR's 1976/77 -European March, see Bushman Archive - qprreport.proboards.com/thread/27643/division-1-1976-77-season ]
Rangers drew 0-0 in the League Cup Semi-Final 1st Leg.
Rangers drew 2-2 aet, in the 2nd Leg. Scorers Francis, Eastoe.
Rangers lost the replay at Highbury 3-0.
That third game...
BIRMINGHAM MAIL
Great Games: Aston Villa 3 QPR 0: February 22, 1977
13:38, 14 Mar 2012
Updated 21:42, 14 Oct 2012
By Birmingham Mail
WHEN it comes to landmarks at English football grounds there are few more famous and evocative than the huge clock that gave its name to the ‘Clock End’ at Highbury.
WHEN it comes to landmarks at English football grounds there are few more famous and evocative than the huge clock that gave its name to the ‘Clock End’ at Highbury.
Many supporters and players remember it fondly.
And Frank Carrodus took his own personal memory of it from the pulsating night at Arsenal’s old home which saw Aston Villa roundly beat Queens Park Rangers in a League Cup semi-final replay to book a Wembley final appointment with Everton.
QPR – Stan Bowles, Gerrry Francis, Don Givens, Dave Thomas and all – were seen off 3-0 by a Brian Little hat-trick.
Two of those goals arrived in the first half-hour, from which point that prestigious timepiece loomed even larger then usual, admitted winger Carrodus as the champagne started to flow after the match.
“All I can remember was that dirty great clock,” he said.
“There semed such a long way to go and I tried not to think about it but couldn’t keep my eyes off that clock.
“Once I actually saw the finger move and thought ‘great, a bit more time has gone!’”
In truth, Villa were more comfortable than Carrodus felt at the time after Ron Saunders’ team seized control having withstood an initial onslaught from a Rangers. The match was a spicy affair all round.
The west Londoners had irritated Villa by celebrating in over-the-top fashion after drawing 2-2 at Villa Park (the first game had been a drab, goalless affair at Loftus Road) while Rangers harboured some ill-feeling from a crude challenge by Alex Cropley on veteran defender Frank McLintock.
From the opening minutes of the third game Cropley was clearly a marked man – marked quite literally after being clattered by McLintock and scythed down by Dave Clement.
Villa weathered the early storm to score twice midway through the half. On 22 minutes Dennis Mortimer fed Little who shot clinically past Walsall-born Phil Parkes to supply the lead.
Then came a terrific second goal. Cropley’s corner drew an unconvincing punch from Parkes and Little fired home with his left foot.
“That’s the one I usually use for standing on,” the striker later admitted.
By then he was in possession of the match-ball having completed a hat-trick in the closing seconds after a slick move between Andy Gray and the impressive Mortimer.
Villa were in the final and looking forward to a “phenomenal” payday of up to £200,000.
Rangers, so cock-a-hoop at Villa Park six days earlier, were well and truly chastened.
“Villa didn’t simply beat them on a night when nerve, stamina and ability were under the public microscope,” reported the Mail.
“They outplayed them, outran them and out-thought them and stated quite decisively that Aston Villa are ready for any challenge.
“Just how many fans flooded down the M1 or on the main line to Euston is impossible to estimate but they seemed to be everywhere, swamping Rangers’ support.”
Villa had dealt superbly with the attacking flair of Bowles and Thomas and defensive muscle of David Webb and Don Masson alike.
Bring on Everton...
www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/great-games-aston-villa-3-181049
