Ivor Broadis
Encyclopedia
Ivan Arthur Broadis is a former England international footballer. Broadis' clubs were Carlisle United, Sunderland
, Manchester City, Newcastle United and Queen of the South
. Broadis played at inside forward. After playing Broadis had a long successful career as a football journalist.
Broadis vividly recalled to the Northern Echo how he was in Italy when news of the Japanese surrender arrived. "Next day we flew hundreds of troops back to England, some of whom hadn't had leave for five years. I was navigator, so I kept passing round notes telling them where we were. It was very emotional when we came over the white cliffs of Dover and you could see all the bonfires down below. I have very fond memories of that."
Broadis is the first ever manager to transfer himself to another club when he sold himself to Sunderland in January 1949. As Broadis told the BBC, "Carlisle got £18,000 for me. It was an incredible amount in those days". Broadis was succeeded as manager by Bill Shankly
. Broadis continued to live and train in Carlisle.
One day Broadis arrived late for training. Shankly's version of what he said to Broadis: "What do you think you're doing? Who do you think you are? If you do the training we do you can train with us and we'll play five-a-side and you'll run your guts out as an example to everybody else".
Shankly never said that he made Broadis as a footballer, "but I made him realise what was needed to be a player, and Ivor Broadis was one of the strongest and most dangerous inside forwards that ever played."
Broadis' description of events with Shankly: "Bill always regarded himself as the man who saved me, really - the man who gave me to England. I would maybe be lapping round and I admit I could have put a lot more into it.
"You sort of take the routine from the club you are with and that was not good enough for Bill. I was doing what I thought Sunderland would be doing, the way they were doing it. And that wasn't Bill's way. You had to come off jiggered. So Bill regarded himself as putting me right and I think there's a lot of truth in that. His strength was not Liverpool. It was the strength he could give to anybody."
With Shankly's infectious enthusiasm he would ask Broadis, "Are you doing anything this afternoon? Aye, right then, if you're not, come down to the ground." They would upturn two chimney pots to each be a goal and play one-a-side.
Sunderland's big spending transfer fees on Broadis and others led to the club being known at this time as the "Bank of England" club. Alongside the likes of England internationals Len Shackleton
, Dickie Davis
, Willie Watson
and Wales' Trevor Ford
, Ivor Broadis scored 27 goals in 84 Sunderland appearances.
Broadis remembers his playing days with affection but not entirely without regret. The inside-forward lamented, "The sad thing about that Sunderland side was that we should have won the League in 1950. They played me at centre-forward against a relegated Man City with three or four games to go and we lost. We finished third in the end. We should have won the league that year, it would have made such a difference." In Sunderland's highest post war finish they ended up 1 point behind retaining champions Portsmouth and also runners up Wolves. This is Broadis’ highest ever league finish.
.
, Len White
, Scotsmen Bobby 'Dazzler' Mitchell
and Frank Brennan
and Welshman Ivor Allchurch
. Like at previous clubs Broadis was well received by the fans and is still warmly remembered. With Broadis at the club Newcastle won the F.A. Cup in 1955 - their last time to date. However Broadis didn’t play in the 3-1 final defeat of ex-club Man City after a disagreement with trainer Norman Smith. His days at St James' Park
were numbered.
, scoring 8 goals.
In both Broadis' England games at Hampden Park
he played in front of crowds over 130 000. In his three games against Scotland (twice against future Queen of the South
team-mate George Farm
), Broadis was unbeaten (2 wins, 1 draw). Broadis scored 3 goals against Scotland, all with Farm in goals for the Scots.
On a tour of South America Argentina
v England was abandoned at 0-0 after 22 minutes due to a rain storm.
In a game of eight goals in Budapest
on 23 May 1954 Ivor Broadis was the only England player able to score. In reply the speed, skill and movement of the Hungary `Golden Team´ featuring Ferenc Puskás
, Sándor Kocsis
, Zoltán Czibor
, Nándor Hidegkuti
and József Bozsik
rattled in 7 in giving their opponents a football lesson. After the game bewildered England centre half Syd Owen
said, “It was like playing people from outer space”. Tom Finney
commented of Broadis, "I remember when he had taken his boots off after the Budapest match, he warned everyone, "Don't touch them unless you're wearing gloves, they're red hot". Broadis added, "It's the first time I've ever come off the pitch with a sunburned tongue!"" This is still England's record defeat. Broadis hadn't played when Hungary won 6-3 at Wembley the previous November.
Broadis played at the 1954 FIFA World Cup
. Playing in all 3 England games Broadis scored 2 goals, both against Belgium. Broadis was thus the first Englishman to score twice in a game in the World Cup finals, 30 minutes ahead of Nat Lofthouse
who also scored two in the same 4 - 4 draw. Broadis was thus also part of the 1st ever England team to play in the World Cup quarter finals, a level England have surpassed only once away from home.
until June 1959 after which he was off to play in Scotland. He was selected to play for the Third Division North team
against the South in 1955/56, 1956/57 and 1957/58.
under Jimmy McKinnell Junior
, the now massively experienced Broadis joined the Dumfries
side for the last of his playing days in 1959. With his passing ability and goal threat Broadis clearly enjoyed his fine displays at Queens, later saying, "The two seasons I spent at Palmerston Park
were the best of my career'.
With Jim Patterson
and Bobby Black
already at the club when Broadis arrived, they were joined by George Farm
in February 1960.
In his time at QoS
he hit four goals on Boxing day
1959 in a 7 - 1 home win over Queens Park. The Doonhamers' other goals came from Percy Dunlop (2) and Bobby Black
. The consolation goal for Queens Park was scored by future Aberdeen
and Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson
. Broadis scored 20 goals in his 63 league games for Queens.
Broadis´ performances prompted the offer of a contract from top division Hearts. However Broadis decided that he would end his playing days with Queens before moving on to the next step in his career.
After playing and coaching Ivor Broadis became a football journalist for 45 years.
When Broadis arrived in the Anfield press box, Shankly marched in, gave Broadis a handshake, passed on his good wishes to him and left the scene. If hardness was typical of Shankly, recollection and warmness were also.
Ivor Broadis was stopped outside Hampden Park when heading towards Gretna
's Scottish Cup
semi-final in 2006 for being in possession of an offensive weapon, namely a vacuum flask. He'd four sandwiches, too. "Someone passing told the polis
that I'd played at Hampden, against Scotland. He let me in on condition that I didn't drink the tea."
Now in his late eighties, he is one of the oldest surviving former England internationals.http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2007/sep/12/theknowledge.sport
Sunderland A.F.C.
Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League...
, Manchester City, Newcastle United and Queen of the South
Queen of the South F.C.
Queen of the South Football Club is a Scottish professional football club founded in 1919 and located in Dumfries. The club currently plays in the Scottish First Division, the second tier of Scottish football. They are officially nicknamed The Doonhamers, but usually referred to as Queens or QoS...
. Broadis played at inside forward. After playing Broadis had a long successful career as a football journalist.
Early days
Ivor Broadis in the Second World War completed 500 flying hours on RAF Wellingtons and Lancasters, although he was never on a bombing mission. During the war he'd guested as an amateur for Tottenham Hotspur among other clubs. It was at Tottenham that someone misread his real name (Ivan) as Ivor. And so he inadvertently became known hence forth as Ivor Broadis.Broadis vividly recalled to the Northern Echo how he was in Italy when news of the Japanese surrender arrived. "Next day we flew hundreds of troops back to England, some of whom hadn't had leave for five years. I was navigator, so I kept passing round notes telling them where we were. It was very emotional when we came over the white cliffs of Dover and you could see all the bonfires down below. I have very fond memories of that."
Carlisle United (1st spell)
At the end of the war Broadis was posted to Crosby-on-Eden. "Until after the war I'd never been so far north in my life, I thought I'd need a dog team to get up here," recalled Broadis. When Carlisle United heard how close he was, when he was just 23, they offered him the player/manager's position in August 1946. Broadis is still the youngest man to have been player/manager in the English Football League.Broadis is the first ever manager to transfer himself to another club when he sold himself to Sunderland in January 1949. As Broadis told the BBC, "Carlisle got £18,000 for me. It was an incredible amount in those days". Broadis was succeeded as manager by Bill Shankly
Bill Shankly
William "Bill" Shankly, OBE was a Scottish football player and manager, most noted for managing Liverpool between 1959 and 1974. One of Britain's most successful and respected football managers, Shankly was also a fine player whose career was interrupted by the Second World War...
. Broadis continued to live and train in Carlisle.
One day Broadis arrived late for training. Shankly's version of what he said to Broadis: "What do you think you're doing? Who do you think you are? If you do the training we do you can train with us and we'll play five-a-side and you'll run your guts out as an example to everybody else".
Shankly never said that he made Broadis as a footballer, "but I made him realise what was needed to be a player, and Ivor Broadis was one of the strongest and most dangerous inside forwards that ever played."
Broadis' description of events with Shankly: "Bill always regarded himself as the man who saved me, really - the man who gave me to England. I would maybe be lapping round and I admit I could have put a lot more into it.
"You sort of take the routine from the club you are with and that was not good enough for Bill. I was doing what I thought Sunderland would be doing, the way they were doing it. And that wasn't Bill's way. You had to come off jiggered. So Bill regarded himself as putting me right and I think there's a lot of truth in that. His strength was not Liverpool. It was the strength he could give to anybody."
With Shankly's infectious enthusiasm he would ask Broadis, "Are you doing anything this afternoon? Aye, right then, if you're not, come down to the ground." They would upturn two chimney pots to each be a goal and play one-a-side.
Sunderland
Of his transfer to Sunderland Broadis remarked, "All I did was exercise the right to be transferred. Blackburn, Man City and Preston were interested but only Bill Murray, the Sunderland manager, came to see me. That's why I joined but it was the board who agreed the fee." On his £12 a week Broadis commented, "When I was playing, the only agent was Dick Tracy." Broadis went on to grace England’s top division for the next 6 and half seasons.Sunderland's big spending transfer fees on Broadis and others led to the club being known at this time as the "Bank of England" club. Alongside the likes of England internationals Len Shackleton
Len Shackleton
Leonard Francis Shackleton, was an English footballer of the post-World War II period. Known as the Clown Prince of Football, he is generally regarded as one of English football's finest ever entertainers....
, Dickie Davis
Dickie Davis
Dickie Davis is an English former footballer who played for Sunderland and Darlington as a striker.-Club career:...
, Willie Watson
Willie Watson (England cricketer)
William "Willie" Watson, was an English cricketer, who played for Yorkshire, Leicestershire and England. He was a double international, as Watson was also a footballer who played for England's national team.-Cricket career:...
and Wales' Trevor Ford
Trevor Ford
Trevor Ford was a Welsh international centre forward footballer who played for Aston Villa, Cardiff City, Sunderland and Swansea Town. He was born and died in Swansea.-Football career:...
, Ivor Broadis scored 27 goals in 84 Sunderland appearances.
Broadis remembers his playing days with affection but not entirely without regret. The inside-forward lamented, "The sad thing about that Sunderland side was that we should have won the League in 1950. They played me at centre-forward against a relegated Man City with three or four games to go and we lost. We finished third in the end. We should have won the league that year, it would have made such a difference." In Sunderland's highest post war finish they ended up 1 point behind retaining champions Portsmouth and also runners up Wolves. This is Broadis’ highest ever league finish.
Manchester City
Ivor Broadis moved to recently promoted Manchester City in October 1951, this time for a fee of £25,000. It was there Broadis gained his first England cap and penned his first newspaper column thanks to the Manchester Evening NewsManchester Evening News
The Manchester Evening News is a regional daily newspaper covering Greater Manchester in the United Kingdom. It is published every day except Sunday and is owned by Trinity Mirror plc following its sale by Guardian Media Group in early 2010. It has an average daily circulation of 90,973 copies...
.
Newcastle United
Newcastle United signed Ivor Broadis two years later for £20,000. The team already included players like Jackie MilburnJackie Milburn
John Edward Thompson 'Jackie' Milburn, , also known to fans as Wor Jackie and 'the first World Wor' in reference to his global fame, was a football player for Newcastle United and England...
, Len White
Len White
Leonard Roy "Len" White was a former English professional footballer who played as a centre-forward, most noted for playing at Newcastle United.-Biography:...
, Scotsmen Bobby 'Dazzler' Mitchell
Bobby Mitchell (footballer)
Robert "Bobby" Carmichael Mitchell was a Scottish football player. His position was forward.Mitchell started his career with Third Lanark in 1942, spending seven years with the Hi-Hi before joining Newcastle United for £16,000 in February 1949...
and Frank Brennan
Frank Brennan (footballer)
Frank Brennan was a Scottish football player.Brennan was a tough centre half who moved to Newcastle United from Airdrieonians for £7,500 in 1946...
and Welshman Ivor Allchurch
Ivor Allchurch
Ivor John Allchurch MBE was a Welsh international footballer. His brother was Len Allchurch.Known as 'The Golden Boy' of Welsh football, Allchurch played for Swansea Town, Newcastle United and Cardiff City, where he amassed 691 games scoring 249 goals. His record of 68 caps for Wales stood until...
. Like at previous clubs Broadis was well received by the fans and is still warmly remembered. With Broadis at the club Newcastle won the F.A. Cup in 1955 - their last time to date. However Broadis didn’t play in the 3-1 final defeat of ex-club Man City after a disagreement with trainer Norman Smith. His days at St James' Park
St James' Park
St James' Park, known for sponsorship reasons as the Sports Direct Arena, is an all-seater stadium in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. It is the home of Newcastle United Football Club and is the sixth largest football stadium in the United Kingdom with a capacity of between 52,387 and 52,409.St James'...
were numbered.
International career
Ivor Broadis earned 14 caps for the England national football teamEngland national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
, scoring 8 goals.
In both Broadis' England games at Hampden Park
Hampden Park
Hampden Park is a football stadium in the Mount Florida area of Glasgow, Scotland. The 52,063 capacity venue serves as the national stadium of football in Scotland...
he played in front of crowds over 130 000. In his three games against Scotland (twice against future Queen of the South
Queen of the South F.C.
Queen of the South Football Club is a Scottish professional football club founded in 1919 and located in Dumfries. The club currently plays in the Scottish First Division, the second tier of Scottish football. They are officially nicknamed The Doonhamers, but usually referred to as Queens or QoS...
team-mate George Farm
George Farm
George Neil Farm was a Scottish professional football goalkeeper and manager.Born in Slateford, a suburb of Edinburgh, Farm represented his country on ten occasions, the last three of which occurred after a gap of five years....
), Broadis was unbeaten (2 wins, 1 draw). Broadis scored 3 goals against Scotland, all with Farm in goals for the Scots.
On a tour of South America Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
v England was abandoned at 0-0 after 22 minutes due to a rain storm.
In a game of eight goals in Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
on 23 May 1954 Ivor Broadis was the only England player able to score. In reply the speed, skill and movement of the Hungary `Golden Team´ featuring Ferenc Puskás
Ferenc Puskás
Ferenc Puskás was a Hungarian footballer and manager. He scored 84 goals in 85 international matches for Hungary, and 514 goals in 529 matches in the Hungarian and Spanish leagues. He became Olympic champion in 1952 and was a World Cup finalist in 1954...
, Sándor Kocsis
Sándor Kocsis
Sándor Kocsis Péter was a Hungarian footballer who played for Ferencváros TC, Budapest Honvéd, Young Fellows Zürich, FC Barcelona and Hungary. During the 1950s, along with Ferenc Puskás, Zoltán Czibor, József Bozsik and Nándor Hidegkuti, he was a member of the Mighty Magyars...
, Zoltán Czibor
Zoltán Czibor
Zoltán Czibor Suhai , also referred to as Czibor Zoltán, was a Hungarian footballer who played for several Hungarian clubs, including Ferencváros TC and Honvéd, and Hungary before joining CF Barcelona. Czibor played as a left-winger or striker and was notable for having a powerful shot, good...
, Nándor Hidegkuti
Nándor Hidegkuti
Nándor Hidegkuti was a Hungarian football player and manager. He played as a forward or attacking midfielder and spent the majority of his playing career at MTK Hungária FC. During the 1950s he was also a member of the Hungarian National Team team known as the Golden Team...
and József Bozsik
József Bozsik
József Bozsik was a Hungarian footballer. He represented Hungary in various international tournaments, and is a member of the Mighty Magyars.-Biography:...
rattled in 7 in giving their opponents a football lesson. After the game bewildered England centre half Syd Owen
Syd Owen
Sydney William Owen was an English footballer and football coach.Owen was born in Birmingham. He made 388 first-team appearances for Luton Town. In 1959 he was the Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year and led Luton Town to the FA Cup Final...
said, “It was like playing people from outer space”. Tom Finney
Tom Finney
Sir Thomas Finney, OBE is a former English footballer, famous for his loyalty to his league club, Preston North End, and for his performances in the English national side....
commented of Broadis, "I remember when he had taken his boots off after the Budapest match, he warned everyone, "Don't touch them unless you're wearing gloves, they're red hot". Broadis added, "It's the first time I've ever come off the pitch with a sunburned tongue!"" This is still England's record defeat. Broadis hadn't played when Hungary won 6-3 at Wembley the previous November.
Broadis played at the 1954 FIFA World Cup
1954 FIFA World Cup
The 1954 FIFA World Cup, the fifth staging of the FIFA World Cup, was held in Switzerland from 16 June to 4 July. Switzerland was chosen as hosts in July 1946. The tournament set a number of all-time records for goal-scoring, including the highest average goals scored per game...
. Playing in all 3 England games Broadis scored 2 goals, both against Belgium. Broadis was thus the first Englishman to score twice in a game in the World Cup finals, 30 minutes ahead of Nat Lofthouse
Nat Lofthouse
Nathaniel "Nat" Lofthouse, OBE was an English professional footballer who played for Bolton Wanderers for his whole career...
who also scored two in the same 4 - 4 draw. Broadis was thus also part of the 1st ever England team to play in the World Cup quarter finals, a level England have surpassed only once away from home.
| # | Date | Opponent | Result | Broadis goals | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 28/11/1951 | England 2 - 2 Austria | 0 | Challenge match | |
| 2 | 05/04/1952 | Scotland 1 - 2 England | 0 | UK International Championship | |
| 3 | 18/05/1952 | Italy 1 - 1 England | 1 | Challenge match | |
| 4 | 18/04/1953 | England 2 - 2 Scotland | 2 | UK International Championship | |
| 5 | 17/05/1953 | Argentina 0 - 0 England | 0 | Challenge match | |
| 6 | 24/05/1953 | Chile 1 - 2 England | 0 | Challenge match | |
| 7 | 31/05/1953 | Uruguay 2 - 1 England | 0 | Challenge match | |
| 8 | 08/06/1953 | USA 3 - 6 England | 1 | Challenge match | |
| 9 | 03/04/1954 | Scotland 2 - 4 England | 1 | UK International Championship | |
| 10 | 16/05/1954 | Yugoslavia 1 - 0 England | 0 | Challenge match | |
| 11 | 23/05/1954 | Hungary 7 - 1 England | 1 | Challenge match | |
| 12 | 17/06/1954 | Belgium 4 - 4 England | 2 | World Cup finals | |
| 13 | 29/06/1954 | Switzerland 0 - 2 England | 0 | World Cup finals | |
| 14 | 02/07/1954 | England 2 - 4 Uruguay | 0 | World Cup finals |
Carlisle United (2nd spell)
Ivor Broadis returned to Carlisle in July 1955, when he was signed as player/coach for a fee of £3,500 by manager Fred Emery. Broadis stayed at Brunton ParkBrunton Park
Brunton Park is a football stadium and the home of Carlisle United F.C. It is situated in the city of Carlisle, Cumbria and has a certified capacity for the 2011/2012 season of 18,202. The ground opened in 1909...
until June 1959 after which he was off to play in Scotland. He was selected to play for the Third Division North team
Football League Third Division North vs. South Representative Games
The Third Division North and Third Division South of The Football League was a level in English association football, which ran from 1921 to 1958.From 1954–55 season until 1957–58 season, there was a series of games between teams representing the Third Division North and the Third Division South.-...
against the South in 1955/56, 1956/57 and 1957/58.
Queen of the South
In yet another inspired signing for Queen of the SouthQueen of the South F.C.
Queen of the South Football Club is a Scottish professional football club founded in 1919 and located in Dumfries. The club currently plays in the Scottish First Division, the second tier of Scottish football. They are officially nicknamed The Doonhamers, but usually referred to as Queens or QoS...
under Jimmy McKinnell Junior
Jimmy McKinnell Junior
James "Jimmy" McKinnell, Jr. was long time secretary and manager with Scottish Football League team Queen of the South of Dumfries....
, the now massively experienced Broadis joined the Dumfries
Dumfries
Dumfries is a market town and former royal burgh within the Dumfries and Galloway council area of Scotland. It is near the mouth of the River Nith into the Solway Firth. Dumfries was the county town of the former county of Dumfriesshire. Dumfries is nicknamed Queen of the South...
side for the last of his playing days in 1959. With his passing ability and goal threat Broadis clearly enjoyed his fine displays at Queens, later saying, "The two seasons I spent at Palmerston Park
Palmerston Park
Palmerston Park is a multi-purpose stadium on Terregles Street in Dumfries, south west Scotland. The site of the ground was formerly a farm called Palmers Toun. This is on the Maxwelltown side of the River Nith in Dumfries. It is currently used mostly for football matches and is the home ground of...
were the best of my career'.
With Jim Patterson
Jim Patterson (footballer)
James "Jim" Patterson is a former professional footballer and all-time record goalscorer for Scottish League club Queen of the South.-Early years:...
and Bobby Black
Bobby Black
Bobby Black is a Scottish ex-professional footballer from Thornhill, Dumfries and Galloway perhaps best known for his time at East Fife and Queen of the South and was also capped by the Scottish League. Black later was an all England bowls champion...
already at the club when Broadis arrived, they were joined by George Farm
George Farm
George Neil Farm was a Scottish professional football goalkeeper and manager.Born in Slateford, a suburb of Edinburgh, Farm represented his country on ten occasions, the last three of which occurred after a gap of five years....
in February 1960.
In his time at QoS
Queen of the South F.C.
Queen of the South Football Club is a Scottish professional football club founded in 1919 and located in Dumfries. The club currently plays in the Scottish First Division, the second tier of Scottish football. They are officially nicknamed The Doonhamers, but usually referred to as Queens or QoS...
he hit four goals on Boxing day
Boxing Day
Boxing Day is a bank or public holiday that occurs on 26 December, or the first or second weekday after Christmas Day, depending on national or regional laws. It is observed in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and some other Commonwealth nations. In Ireland, it is recognized as...
1959 in a 7 - 1 home win over Queens Park. The Doonhamers' other goals came from Percy Dunlop (2) and Bobby Black
Bobby Black
Bobby Black is a Scottish ex-professional footballer from Thornhill, Dumfries and Galloway perhaps best known for his time at East Fife and Queen of the South and was also capped by the Scottish League. Black later was an all England bowls champion...
. The consolation goal for Queens Park was scored by future Aberdeen
Aberdeen F.C.
Aberdeen Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Aberdeen...
and Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson
Alex Ferguson
Sir Alexander Chapman "Alex" Ferguson, CBE is a Scottish association football manager and former player, currently managing Manchester United, where he has been in charge since 1986...
. Broadis scored 20 goals in his 63 league games for Queens.
Broadis´ performances prompted the offer of a contract from top division Hearts. However Broadis decided that he would end his playing days with Queens before moving on to the next step in his career.
Later days
Ivor Broadis has lived in the same Carlisle semi since 1955.After playing and coaching Ivor Broadis became a football journalist for 45 years.
When Broadis arrived in the Anfield press box, Shankly marched in, gave Broadis a handshake, passed on his good wishes to him and left the scene. If hardness was typical of Shankly, recollection and warmness were also.
Ivor Broadis was stopped outside Hampden Park when heading towards Gretna
Gretna F.C.
Gretna Football Club was a Scottish football club that represented the town of Gretna, Dumfries and Galloway, close to the border between England and Scotland...
's Scottish Cup
Scottish Cup
The Scottish Football Association Challenge Cup,, commonly known as the Scottish Cup or the William Hill Scottish Cup for sponsorship purposes, is the main national cup competition in Scottish football. It is a knockout cup competition run by and named after the Scottish Football Association.The...
semi-final in 2006 for being in possession of an offensive weapon, namely a vacuum flask. He'd four sandwiches, too. "Someone passing told the polis
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
that I'd played at Hampden, against Scotland. He let me in on condition that I didn't drink the tea."
Now in his late eighties, he is one of the oldest surviving former England internationals.http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2007/sep/12/theknowledge.sport