Latest update January 2009 (see foot of page for details)
Click on your region for lists of the games they covered

    

    

   

Other Bits & Bobs

Thanks to John Bourn, Julian Clark, Alan Buchanan, Daniel Mann, Paul Johnson, Robert Pedley, Rodney George, Michael Whalley, Mark Bunn, Robin Carmody, Duncan Cavanagh, Brian Mullowney, Stuart Croucher, Peter Gillatt, Mark Eden and Steve Westby.

See also ITV football highlights 1955-1968

Email
upthemaggies@hotmail.com

Recent updates

8th January 2009:- This week's edition of "Revisited" was an LWT Big Match, it featured Sheffield Wednesday v Arsenal with Martin Tyler commentating on Pat Jennings being pelted with snowballs which held up the start of the 2nd half, Owls manager Jack Charlton went over to the home fans to appeal for them to stop but further ice missiles then came raining down in his direction! The 2nd match was the only other game ITV cameras caught that weekend - Stoke v Oldham - albeit abandoned half way through with not a blade of grass in sight. With no 3rd match available, LWT decided to show an Australian TV clip of Elton John performing a song with the Watford squad on backing vocals. Next week's edition will feature Arsenal v Nottingham Forest and (assuming it is LWT's show) Leeds v Man City. Now some updates... A list of omissions/errors in John Motson's book "Match of the Day - The Complete Record" has been added to the 'Bits & Bobs' page (Thanks to Mark Bunn!!!), I've also had another list of missing ITV games sent in which includes live coverage of Roma v Blackpool in the Anglo-Italian Cup on "World of Sport" on 24/Jun/1973, I'm still in the process of adding the others (Thanks to Mark Eden!!!). A sad farewell to Ian Greaves, manager of Bolton in the 1970's,  it was announced last Saturday that the former 'Busby babe' has passed away at the age of 76  - only a day or two after that strange clip of him sat alone after Bolton's promotion to the top flight had been repeated on last week's "Revisted" (Had it not been for an injury, Greaves would have probably been on the ill-fated flight from Munich with Manchester United in 1958).

1st January 2009:- Happy New Year! Lots of blanks filled on the HTV page, all currently highlighted in green (Thanks Julian!!!). Missing scorers for recent additions and a few '60s games also filled in (Thanks to Alan & Mark Eden!!!). The return of "The Big Match Revisited" this afternoon treated viewers to a Granada "Kick Off Match" from 30/Dec/1978 complete with the demented Francis Monkman theme tune and Gerald Sinstadt presenting in a studio looking as though he'd failed to adjust the seat in one of those photo booths, Man Utd v WBA took up most of the programme (including Elton Welsby interviews with the managers and both goalkeepers), there were also brief clips from Arsenal v Birmingham City - The original 1978 broadcast did not include a 3rd match because there was a round up of North West highlights from the past year including Bob Hatton netting four times for Blackpool (v Blackburn on 04/Feb/1978), a bit of Wrexham with Bob Symonds commentating (I think this was v Rotherham 22/Apr/1978 covered by HTV) and the bizarre sight of Bolton manager Ian Greaves alone in the dressing room looking totally drained of all emotion whilst everybody else was on the pitch celebrating his team's promotion (v Fulham 29/Apr/1978) - A repeat screening of this show is on ITV4 on Saturday at 12:05pm (There's also ITV4+1 if you have satellite). Next week's 'Revisited' features Sheffield Wednesday v Arsenal but, despite the Yorkshire venue, expect this to be an LWT "Big Match" as most games were postponed on that 3rd Round weekend of 06/Jan/1979 (This one is scheduled for the earlier Thursday start time of 11:25am and, as well as a Thursday afternoon repeat at 4pm, it's shown again on Friday *not Saturday* at 9:35am).

18th December 2008:- Thanks to Mark Eden who has come up with several missing games; 04/Nov/1970 Everton 1 B. Moenchengladbach 1 [European Cup] was networked (clips have turned up on youtube with foreign commentary but graphics are Granada's, it was the first Euro match to be decided on pens), 25/Apr/1973 Derby 0 Juventus 0 [European Cup SF] was ITV, 23/Jan/1974 Norwich 1 Wolves 1 [League Cup SF 1L]  was on a shortened programme at the earlier time of 9:30-10pm because of the "3 day week", same for Aston Villa 2 Arsenal 0 [FA Cup Replay] the following week, 15/Feb/1975 ATV were down as postponed Derby v Leeds but they apparently showed Birmingham 2 Walsall 1 instead, 09/Apr/1975 FA Cup SF replay Fulham v Birmingham was *NOT* shown - Moore did an off tube commentary on the goals which was probably for "On the Ball" or Cup final day coverage, 01/Oct/1975 Derby 3 Slovan Bratislava 0 [European Cup] was probably the game ITV showed that night, Mark thinks 30/Sep/1978 was Blackpool 2 Ipswich 0 and not Stockport 2 Man Utd 3 - perhaps both were shown?, 19/Jan/1983 Spurs 1 Burnley 4 [League Cup QF] was probably shown alongside other night's QF Man Utd v Forest (ITV had a 1 hour 10 minute slot with only football billed). Numerous ATV "Star Soccer" screenings of other region's fixtures as the main game have also been confirmed/added (Thanks again to Mark Eden!!!). The missing co-commentator for ITV coverage of the 1983 FA Cup final was Graeme Souness (Thanks Phil!!!). Author Robert Endeacott has just completed a novel called "Dirty Leeds" which is based on the Don Revie era, see here. And finally - it's back!!!!! "The Big Match Revisited" is confirmed for ITV4 on 01/Jan/2009 at 12 noon-1pm featuring Man Utd v West Brom from 30/Dec/1978.

4th December 2008:- The Cup finals page now covers all season's from 1968/69-1982/83. The TVS match for 15/May/1982 was Bournemouth 1 Hereford United 1 (The Cherries were promoted that season). The questionable HTV entry for Bristol Rovers 3 Doncaster 0 from 1981/82 WAS shown, but it was played on the weekend of 20/Mar and not 13/Mar.

26th November 2008:- Clips of 30/Sep/1981 Aberdeen 3 Ipswich 1 [UEFA Cup R1 L2] has Brian Moore commentating and this would have been networked on "Midweek Sports Special" (Thanks Mark!!!). A large bunch of midweek 1990's games have been added to the Anglia bonus page, these are all highlighted in green for now (Thanks Michael!!!) also added details for season 1996/97 (Thanks Mark!!!).

20th November 2008:- We finally have titles and composers for the 2nd and 3rd "Big Match" themes, the short-lived 2nd theme was by Don Harper and simply titled "Big Match", the 3rd (and most fondly remembered) theme circa 1974-1980 was "La Soiree" by David Ordini. Goal clips from 15/Sep/1973 Birmingham 1 Liverpool 1 survive with Hugh Johns commentating, yet Walsall 1 Bournemouth 2 is listed by the BFI as being one of the three matches shown on that weekend's edition of "The Big Match" - could Walsall/Bournemouth have been Southern coverage? A clip of Latchford's goal from Birmingham v Liverpool was previously thought to have been from the fixture played on the same day as the FA Cup Semi-finals in 1972/73, but the recent spotting of Hall's equaliser proves it was from 1973/74 (Thanks Alan!!!). Commentator for the 1977 Charity Shield was John Motson (Thanks Robin!!!).

17th November 2008:- "The Big Match Revisited" will apparently return to ITV4 on Thursday 1st January 2009 and will feature Manchester United v West Bromwich Albion. The Cup finals page is now up to 1978/79. The bonus Anglia page that covers the 1980's and 1990's has been updated to include season's 1988/89 and 1997/98 (Thanks Mark!!!).

12th November 2008:- ITV Central's "Glory Days" series concluded on Monday 10th November with a look back at Aston Villa's 1982 European Cup success. Looking through the early 1980's TV listings has not shed much further light on HTV activity, "Soccer Hour" is scheduled for 20/Nov/1982 but curiously only for the Welsh part of the HTV region.

28th October 2008:- Season footnotes (and a few other minor details) have been added to the HTV page. The next edition of "Glory Days" (3rd Nov, 11:10pm) looks back on Wolves League Cup wins of 1974 and 1980 - The whole series is also being repeated in blocks of two starting on Wednesday 11th Nov (from 10:40pm).

22nd October 2008:- ITV1 Central's "Glory Days" series has now switched to a Monday night slot (11:10-11:40pm), the next edition features Derby County's league championship triumphs of 1972 and 1975. Missing scorers have been added to the TVS page (Thanks Alan!!!).
6th October 2008:- A number of blanks have been filled on the new TVS page (Thanks Mark, Rob and Michael!!!). Coverage of the 1970 FA Cup 3rd/4th place play off is now thought to be BBC - there were two top flight league fixtures played on the same night but the play-off must be the most likely reason "Association Football" was scheduled for BBC1 on Friday 10/Apr/1970 at 11:10-11:55pm (Thanks Robin!!!). 06/Dec/1978 West Brom 2 Valencia 0 [UEFA Cup] (commentator Hugh Johns) was shown on Midweek Sports Special. Two more football specials have been added; In 1979 LWT comissioned "Carrott Gets Rowdie" for which comedian Jasper Carrott visited Tampa Bay Rowdies to explore the soccer boom in the USA, George Best and Rodney Marsh also contributed, it was shown on Friday 02/Nov/1979, and Granada broadcast a programme called "City!" on 09/Feb/1981 - this was a fly on the wall documentary on the going's on at Manchester City during the first half of the 1980/81 season (which included the sacking of Malcom Allison). I've also added a few details of some post 1983 ITV football retrospective series (including Best & Marsh, Soccer in the 70s, The Rock & Goal Years etc.) to the Odds and Ends page.

2nd October 2008:- The TVS page is finally up, see here, note that (unlike their predecessors Southern TV) TVS produced their own show every weekend, but they don't appear to have covered a local match as regularly, the blanks most likely reveal that they only screened other region's games on that given date (Thanks to Dan, Alan, Robin and Mark!!!). Highlights of the 1977 Super Cup Final 1st Leg between Hamburg and Liverpool could only have been shown on BBC1, ITV only showed the 2nd leg (Thanks Robin!!!). Tyne Tees produced a documentary "Meanwhile, back in Sunderland" in 1973 which caught the mood of the town whilst the FA Cup final was being played, the programme was eventually shown on 30/Dec/1973, Tyne Tees also dropped scheduled programmes in favour of a live ob "The Heroes return" which dominated the night's viewing. "A Captain's Tale", the Tyne Tees drama which told the story of non-league West Auckland winning a proto World Cup in 1910, was first networked on 06/Jun/1982. A Granada documentary on retiring Liverpool manager Bob Paisley "A Champion's Farewell" was networked on 07/May/1983 (it was presented by Brian Clough). Finally, ITV1 Central are currently showing "Glory Days" on Thursday nights, the eight part series looks back at some of the Midlands club's most memorable victories - the 02/Oct/2008 edition is episode 3 and focusses on West Brom's 1968 FA Cup win and the late 70's era under Ron Atkinson (Forest and Coventry have apparently already been featured in shows 1 & 2), Stoke's 1972 League Cup win is on next week (Those of you who live outside the Midlands but have satellite can tune into the ITV1 Central channel at 10.758V - VPID 2363 - APID 2364).

27th September 2008:- Added a bunch of tentative 'possibles' to the Southern page whilst the Tyne Tees mid-week entry for Newcastle v Everton on 24/Nov/1976 has been removed - footage exists of the Newcastle game but it's now thought to be newsreel (Thanks Robin!!!). ATV match for 01/Sep/1973 was Birmingham 0 Derby 0, this was previously thought to be Leicester 1 Liverpool 1 because footage from the Filbert Sreet match is said to be archived, but - with Granada taking YTV's Sheff Wed 0 Blackpool 0 as their main match that weekend - a newspaper billing for Birmingham v Derby as the Star Soccer match looks more feasible. Jimmy Sirrel, Notts County's greatest ever manager who took them all the way from the 4th tier to the top flight in the 1970's/80's, died on Thursday 25th September aged 86, RIP Jimmy.

21st September 2008:- A series of screen grabs depicting the changing face of "The Big Match" studio over the years has been included on the LWT page (Thanks Rod!!!). Season by season details of FA Cup final, League Cup final & Charity Shield TV coverage are being added to this page (note that the four major ITV regions all produced their own cup final highlights packages in the early days). Southern covered a Bournemouth v York City fixture in the early 1970's, but this could have been on any one of three dates; 01/May/1971, 04/Dec/1971 or 27/Jan/1973 (Southern showed an unknown local match on all three of those weekends), it also looks as though "Southern Soccer" was dropped altogether for 1973/74 with the odd local match being shown on "The Big Match" instead.

16th September 2008:- Tyne Tees match for 11/Nov/1978 (according to the YEP) was Newcastle 1 Millwall 0 and the 05/Dec/1981 LWT 'Big match' at Southampton should also be included on the SOUTHERN page (Thanks Brian!!!). The Belmont (Lincolnshire) transmitter switchover from Anglia to Yorkshire Television actually occurred on 30th July 1974 (not 01/Jan/1974 as is generally cited), that would explain why Anglia showed two Hull home games during the latter half of 1973/74.

13th September 2008:- There's a splendid new scan from the 1979 Sun Soccer annual on a new 'Bits & Bobs' page here  (Thanks Peter!!!), details of the 1996 "Big Match Replayed" series are also being added to that page (Thanks Stuart!!!) and I've moved the programmes/commentators list and external links there too. The European Finals page is now up to 1971/72. BBC footage of the drawn 1971 ECWC final appears to have been lost, but there is newsreel footage that can viewed on youtube here (Thanks Rod!!!).
8th September 2008:- Some ATV blanks filled; 02/Oct/1971 Stoke 0 Liverpool 0, 17/Nov/1973 Leicester 2 Burnley 0 and 29/Dec/1973 Stoke 4 QPR 1. Granada match for 26/Jan/1974 was Liverpool 0 Carlisle 0.

4th September 2008:- The confusion surrounding the 1978 Scotland v Peru commentary problems has been sorted out - Both ITV *and* BBC lost one of their commentary lines that night, ITV lost High Johns (who - according to Ian St.John's autobiography - stormed out of the commentary box in disgust, leaving Saint to do a commentary on his own which included some 'choice language', and although none of this commentary was heard by viewers back home (the whole of the UK heard the Scottish commentary team) St John later received a severe dressing down for it. Over on BBC1 it was the Scottish commentary line that was lost, which meant BBC viewers North of the Border heard David Coleman. The goals from Chelsea's drawn 1971 ECWC final v Real Madrid had an off-tube commentary by Alan Weeks (watching a monitor back home) when they were shown prior to the replay kicking off on the Friday night, but it's not known if Weeks merely voiced the goals for that particular broadcast, or if he had voiced it 'live' for the purpose of Wednesday night highlights on the night of the original match (which could have been shown after highlights of the England game). The live broadcast of the Chelsea/Madrid replay was presented by Barry Davies in London, Ken Wolstenholme was on site commentating alongside John Hollins. Arsenal TV recently broadcast a brief clip from Arsenal's 1970 Fairs Cup 2nd leg and this had Brian Moore commentary on it (sadly it was very poor quality), no programme was scheduled on the night of the match, but it looks as though the footage was saved for that Sunday's 02/May/1970 edition of "The Big Match". (Thanks Dan!!!).

Regarding the unscreened 12/Sep/1981 Derby v Leicester match (not Derby v Chelsea as previously stated) - Duncan Cavanagh writes; "I have come across a Derby programme for the 1981/82 season which has a lot of infomation about the Derby v Leicester game played a few weeks earlier - The reason the game could not be shown was that Derby breached Football League Regulation 61, because their goalkeeper, Roger Jones wore a shirt with the Derby sponsors name 'Patrick' on it. Patrick were also the shirt manufacturers. The headline in the programme was "Are We The Only Ones In The Sin Bin?". The programme says that Derby were told on August 6th that the game would be televised, and booked extra advertising space. The kit man was told not to put out the sponsored shirts, and he did so, but the goalkeeper's shirt had the sponsors name on it, none of the outfield shirts did. Roger Jones said he never put his shirt on until the team went onto the pitch. "Call it superstition or habit. That's what i do." The Derby secretary missed the kick off, but noticed after 6 minutes that the keepers shirt had a sponsors logo on it and asked the trainer to swap the shirt, but no opportunities occurred, and the shirt could not be swapped until half time. Derby were winning 3-0 at half time! Derby's argument was that there was one rule for them, and another for Liverpool, whose game v Ipswich was shown the same day, and whilst none of the Liverpool shirts had 'Hitachi' on them, the trainers tracksuit did, and this was given screen time. They also asked why it was not possible to avoid showing the Derby keeper in the first half highlights, when Derby were winning 3-0. The programme called the game a wonderful advert for English football! The game was recorded by ATV, but minutes after the full time whistle, ITV sports boss Gerry Loftus decided that the game could not be shown that night. It cost ATV £15,000. There are some conspiracy theories in the article. One was - "Is it that Patrick Sports are English and Hitachi are not? ", another was that Derby were being made an example of, a further one involved a suggested take over by Doug Ellis at the time had affected the decision."

2nd September 2008:- I'm now putting together a 1968-83 European Finals page which will include TV details of all European/Cup-Winners/UEFA finals (including BBC coverage), British TV coverage of the earlier European rounds was, of course, purely focussed on ties involving British clubs and these will continue to be dealt with on the relevant regional pages. I'm also adding a dedicated FA Cup final/League Cup final/Charity Shield page which will eventually detail schedule times, Sunday afternoon highlights and deal with those matches not covered by ITV. Finally, the missing scorers on the HTV page have now been added (Thanks Alan!!!).