Ricky George
Encyclopedia
Ricky George is a former English
footballer, businessman and columnist. He is notable for scoring the winning goal for Hereford United
in the famous 1971-72 FA Cup match
against Newcastle United
. He was also part owner of Earth Summit
, which won the 1998 Grand National
.
as an apprentice on leaving school at the age of 15. However he did not make a first team appearance for the Double winning side and moved to Watford
, then in the Third Division, in January 1964. After almost a year he was on the move again, to Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic (later to become A.F.C. Bournemouth
). He later played for Oxford United
before dropping down into the Southern League with Hastings United, Barnet
and Hereford United
.
Ricky had been a supporter of Barnet since a young age, and joined them for the first time in the late 1960s, emulating his elder brother Mike who had played for them previously. He enjoyed three years at Barnet, in what he has stated was the best team he ever played in. Memorably he scored a hat-trick in the FA Cup against Newport County, a team which contained future team mate Ronnie Radford
.
but would soon become involved in arguably the greatest FA Cup shock of all time. Hereford met Newcastle United, of the First Division, in the Third Round at St James' Park
and came away with a remarkable 2-2 draw. Ricky was the substitute that day, played for the last 20 minutes and provided a good cross that Meadows came within inches of coverting. The replay at Edgar Street saw George named as the substitute again. When Malcolm Macdonald
put Newcastle 1-0 up late in the game, Ricky was brought on for the injured Roger Griffiths
and played a key part in Hereford's triumph. He won possession on the left wing which ultimately led to Ronnie Radford's famous equalising goal. The game went into extra time and Ricky's fresh legs paid dividends. Controlling a pass from Dudley Tyler
on the edge of the area, he turned and shot into the bottom left hand corner of the goal, sparking a pitch invasion. Along with Ronnie Radford, Ricky has become part of FA Cup folklore and his achievement is frequently referred to, particularly in the build-up to the FA Cup Third Round.
Ricky started the Fourth Round match against West Ham United
, which went to a replay at Upton Park after a 0-0 draw at Hereford. Unfortunately he missed an open goal which would have put Hereford 1-0 up and the final score ended in a 3-1 defeat. Hereford were elected to the Football League at the end of the season but Ricky went back to Barnet. He wound down his career in non-league football with Cambridge City
, Borehamwood and Corinthian-Casuals
, and started a sportswear business in 1976.
at odds of 7-1. Ricky maintains extremely close ties to the racing industry.
Ricky writes a weekly non-league column for the Daily Telegraph and co-presented 'Matchday with Motty' for BBC
Radio Five Live with the legendary football commentator John Motson
. He has known Motson since the 1960s and even travelled down to Hereford with him for the Newcastle match. Ricky has summarised frequently for BBC Radio
and has appeared as a pundit on several occasions, especially for matches concerning Hereford United. In 2001 his autobiography One Goal, One Horse was published, which covers his two most notable moments as well as his colourful footballing career.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
footballer, businessman and columnist. He is notable for scoring the winning goal for Hereford United
Hereford United F.C.
Hereford United Football Club is an English professional football club based in the city of Hereford. Founded in 1924, they are competing in Football League Two in the 2011–12 season. Hereford have played at Edgar Street for their entire history and are nicknamed 'The Whites' or 'The Lilywhites',...
in the famous 1971-72 FA Cup match
Hereford United v Newcastle United 1972
Hereford United v Newcastle United was a football match played on 5 February 1972 at Edgar Street, Hereford. The match was an FA Cup Third Round Replay after the first match had resulted in a 2–2 draw. The result, a 2–1 extra time victory for Hereford, is notable for being arguably the...
against Newcastle United
Newcastle United F.C.
Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
. He was also part owner of Earth Summit
Earth Summit (horse)
Earth Summit was foaled in 1988, a son of Celtic Cone who was a winning stayer on the flat and over hurdles. Celtic Cone loved soft ground, as did all of his progeny...
, which won the 1998 Grand National
Grand National
The Grand National is a world-famous National Hunt horse race which is held annually at Aintree Racecourse, near Liverpool, England. It is a handicap chase run over a distance of four miles and 856 yards , with horses jumping thirty fences over two circuits of Aintree's National Course...
.
Football career
Ricky signed for Tottenham HotspurTottenham Hotspur F.C.
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
as an apprentice on leaving school at the age of 15. However he did not make a first team appearance for the Double winning side and moved to Watford
Watford F.C.
Watford Football Club is an English professional football club based in Watford, Hertfordshire. It is often referred to as Watford F.C., Watford, or by the team's nickname The Hornets . Watford Rovers, Founded in 1881, entered the FA Cup for the first time in 1886, and the Southern League a decade...
, then in the Third Division, in January 1964. After almost a year he was on the move again, to Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic (later to become A.F.C. Bournemouth
A.F.C. Bournemouth
A.F.C. Bournemouth is an English football club currently playing in Football League One. The club plays at Dean Court in Kings Park, Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset and have been in existence since 1899....
). He later played for Oxford United
Oxford United F.C.
Oxford United Football Club is an English association football club based in Oxford, Oxfordshire. The club play in League Two, following promotion from the Conference National in May 2010. The club had been a non-League side since their relegation from the Football League in the 2005–06 season. The...
before dropping down into the Southern League with Hastings United, Barnet
Barnet F.C.
Barnet Football Club is an English football team from High Barnet, London, England, currently playing in Football League Two. The ground is in the town of Barnet within the London Borough of Barnet....
and Hereford United
Hereford United F.C.
Hereford United Football Club is an English professional football club based in the city of Hereford. Founded in 1924, they are competing in Football League Two in the 2011–12 season. Hereford have played at Edgar Street for their entire history and are nicknamed 'The Whites' or 'The Lilywhites',...
.
Ricky had been a supporter of Barnet since a young age, and joined them for the first time in the late 1960s, emulating his elder brother Mike who had played for them previously. He enjoyed three years at Barnet, in what he has stated was the best team he ever played in. Memorably he scored a hat-trick in the FA Cup against Newport County, a team which contained future team mate Ronnie Radford
Ronnie Radford
Ronnie Radford is a former English footballer who notably scored a memorable goal in the 1971-72 FA Cup for Hereford United during their famous 2-1 giant-killing of Newcastle United.-Career:...
.
The FA Cup
In January 1971 Ricky was sold to Hereford United where he joined his former Hastings and Barnet team mate Billy Meadows. He took a while to find his feet at Edgar Street under manager John CharlesJohn Charles
William John Charles, CBE , commonly known as John Charles, was a Welsh international footballer best remembered for spells with Leeds United and Juventus. Rated by many as the greatest all-round footballer ever to come from Wales, he was equally adept at centre-forward or centre-back...
but would soon become involved in arguably the greatest FA Cup shock of all time. Hereford met Newcastle United, of the First Division, in the Third Round 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'...
and came away with a remarkable 2-2 draw. Ricky was the substitute that day, played for the last 20 minutes and provided a good cross that Meadows came within inches of coverting. The replay at Edgar Street saw George named as the substitute again. When Malcolm Macdonald
Malcolm Macdonald
Malcolm Ian Macdonald is a former English footballer nicknamed Supermac, famed for scoring goals for Luton Town, Newcastle United and Arsenal.-Football career:...
put Newcastle 1-0 up late in the game, Ricky was brought on for the injured Roger Griffiths
Roger Griffiths (footballer)
Roger Griffiths was a professional footballer with Hereford United. Griffiths was the first player to be substituted in Hereford United's then-42 year existence in 1966. Griffiths was a defender who made 250 appearances for the club...
and played a key part in Hereford's triumph. He won possession on the left wing which ultimately led to Ronnie Radford's famous equalising goal. The game went into extra time and Ricky's fresh legs paid dividends. Controlling a pass from Dudley Tyler
Dudley Tyler
Dudley Tyler is an English former footballer, born in Salisbury, who played as a winger in the Football League for West Ham United and Hereford United.-Career:...
on the edge of the area, he turned and shot into the bottom left hand corner of the goal, sparking a pitch invasion. Along with Ronnie Radford, Ricky has become part of FA Cup folklore and his achievement is frequently referred to, particularly in the build-up to the FA Cup Third Round.
Ricky started the Fourth Round match against West Ham United
West Ham United F.C.
West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...
, which went to a replay at Upton Park after a 0-0 draw at Hereford. Unfortunately he missed an open goal which would have put Hereford 1-0 up and the final score ended in a 3-1 defeat. Hereford were elected to the Football League at the end of the season but Ricky went back to Barnet. He wound down his career in non-league football with Cambridge City
Cambridge City F.C.
Cambridge City Football Club is an English football club currently playing in the Southern League Premier Division.-History:The club was founded in 1908 Cambridge Town F.C., as Cambridge had not been granted city status at that point, and were committed to amateur sport...
, Borehamwood and Corinthian-Casuals
Corinthian-Casuals F.C.
Corinthian-Casuals F.C. are a football club based in Tolworth in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames. The club was formed in 1939 by a merger of two amateur clubs: Corinthian, who formed in 1882, and Casuals, who formed in 1878.- History :Corinthian-Casuals were formed in 1939 following the...
, and started a sportswear business in 1976.
After football
In 1992 Ricky, along with five other people, bought a share in a horse called Earth Summit. On 4 April 1998 the horse won the Grand NationalGrand National
The Grand National is a world-famous National Hunt horse race which is held annually at Aintree Racecourse, near Liverpool, England. It is a handicap chase run over a distance of four miles and 856 yards , with horses jumping thirty fences over two circuits of Aintree's National Course...
at odds of 7-1. Ricky maintains extremely close ties to the racing industry.
Ricky writes a weekly non-league column for the Daily Telegraph and co-presented 'Matchday with Motty' for BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
Radio Five Live with the legendary football commentator John Motson
John Motson
John Walker Motson OBE ,AKA Motty, is an English football commentator on both television and radio as well a well known moter. He made his name as 'Moty' after he moted out the entire Huddersfield huddersfield cheerleaders team. writer.-Biography:The son of a Methodist minister, Motson was educated...
. He has known Motson since the 1960s and even travelled down to Hereford with him for the Newcastle match. Ricky has summarised frequently for BBC Radio
BBC Radio
BBC Radio is a service of the British Broadcasting Corporation which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a Royal Charter since 1927. For a history of BBC radio prior to 1927 see British Broadcasting Company...
and has appeared as a pundit on several occasions, especially for matches concerning Hereford United. In 2001 his autobiography One Goal, One Horse was published, which covers his two most notable moments as well as his colourful footballing career.
External links
- http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/index.jhtml
- Journalisted - Articles by Ricky George