Popular Post Woozie Posted June 10, 2018 Popular Post Share Posted June 10, 2018 The Luzhniki Stadium is very different to when the Owls played there in 1960. When the Luzhniki Stadium hosts the opening game of this year’s World Cup on Thursday, it will bring back memories for Sheffield Wednesday supporters of a certain age. Back in 1960, the Owls visited Eastern Europe as part of a pre-season tour and played in the very stadium that will open and close this year’s World Cup extravaganza. The club took in three matches; two in Russia sandwiching a hop across to Georgia. Their fixtures in Russia took place at the former Lenin Stadium - which was later to be renamed the Luzhniki. Today, the stadium looks pretty different to when Wednesday played there 58 years ago. The Moscow arena has a capacity of 81,000 and has a rich history, previously staging the 1980 Olympic Games and the Champions League Final in 2008. It will host seven games in total, starting with Thursday’s opener between Russia and Saudi Arabia and concluding with the final on Sunday, July 15. When Wednesday visited there, the stadium was only a few years old and a far cry from today’s state-of-the-art setting. Wednesday club historian Jason Dickinson has researched the trip to Russia for his previous books on the club. He says the decision to venture to Georgia whilst out in Russia would have involved a great deal of travelling for the party - who had already gone via Copenhagen to reach Moscow. “Georgia is thousands of miles from Moscow,” he told the Star. “To do such a huge trip there and go all the way back seems chaotic. “Wednesday also travelled to Bulgaria and Poland in the mid-1960s but this would have to go down as one of their longest treks.” It wasn’t all plain sailing during the excursion for Wednesday, as dispatches from the Star show. Before the trip, star striker Johnny Fantham was rushed to hospital after being struck down by illness. He was duly replaced by John Quinn, who then had to hot-foot it to Moscow for an arduous 2,000-mile journey to meet up with his colleagues. The Owls’ first game against CSKA saw torrential rain turn the pitch into a quagmire but that didn’t deter 50,000 spectators from turning up. Despite ending up on the losing side, Wednesday were applauded off the pitch by the Russian fans. They then set off on their trip to Georgia, where they faced off against Dynamo Tbilisi and lost 1-0. Again, Wednesday were struck down by bad luck as Gerry Young was taken to hospital after sustaining an injury during the match. Such was the lack of depth in Wednesday’s ranks that they had to appeal for a Russian player to cover for Young, as reported in the Star. To add insult to injury, a contentious penalty for the hosts saw them seal the win in front of 26,000 fans. Wednesday’s party then headed back to Russia where they rounded off their trip with a 3-2 defeat to Lokomotiv Moscow. The long trek didn’t seem to do too much harm to the Owls in the long run. The following season, 1960-61, would see them finish second in the top flight behind only Bill Nicholson’s Tottenham Hotspur. That remains their best season on record since the halcyon days of the late 1920s when the club won back-to-back First Division titles. Article link 6 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lincs Owl Posted June 10, 2018 Share Posted June 10, 2018 I went to Firth Park Grammar school 1958 to 1963 and was taught Russian. Our teacher, Alan 'Boris' Heywood went as interpreter. I remember him fetching some match programmes back. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ever the pessimist Posted June 10, 2018 Share Posted June 10, 2018 Year prior we were visited by Torpedo Moscow too... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oliver Cromwell Posted June 10, 2018 Share Posted June 10, 2018 The player nearest the camera in the first photo of the team, must be Bobby Craig. One of my all-time favourite players. Had a very good goals to games ratio for a midfielder, could pick a pass and do the unexpected. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cypriot Owl Posted June 10, 2018 Share Posted June 10, 2018 I like the Russian womens team, especially their goalie, Eva Vestoff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David-T Posted June 10, 2018 Share Posted June 10, 2018 Yes, Bobby Craig is nearest. Not sure who is second but after him it’s Keith Ellis, Tom McAnearney, Gerry Young, Peter Johnson, John Quinn, Peter Swan, ?, Ron Springett, Alan Finney. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sue1947owl Posted June 11, 2018 Share Posted June 11, 2018 Second is Jack Martin and there is Alan Finney and Derek Wilkinson at far end. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lincs Owl Posted June 11, 2018 Share Posted June 11, 2018 21 hours ago, Ever the pessimist said: Year prior we were visited by Torpedo Moscow too... We won that 2-1. They played the great Lev Yashin, borrowed from Moscow Dynamo in goal. He was a very tall legend of a bloke, dressed all in black, at a time when English goalies could only wear green tops (unless they were playing Plymouth, then they could changed to red or blue). We also beat Tiflis Dynamo 5-0 about the same time. Everyone called them Russians, but Tbilisi (formerly called Tiflis) is the capital of Georgia. Bet you all knew that already. We also beat Napoli 5-0 the season before, and Juventus 2-1 (I think) the season before that. Great days under Harry Catterick. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mystic Neg Posted June 11, 2018 Share Posted June 11, 2018 Thanks for this, a good read, love articles like this especially when nothing of note is happening right now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lincs Owl Posted June 11, 2018 Share Posted June 11, 2018 20 hours ago, Cypriot Owl said: I like the Russian womens team, especially their goalie, Eva Vestoff The men's side had Ivor Bolokov and Ivan Earov up front. Ex-military men. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lincs Owl Posted June 11, 2018 Share Posted June 11, 2018 (edited) 20 hours ago, David-T said: Yes, Bobby Craig is nearest. Not sure who is second but after him it’s Keith Ellis, Tom McAnearney, Gerry Young, Peter Johnson, John Quinn, Peter Swan, ?, Ron Springett, Alan Finney. What?!? Top row is Peter Johnson, Eric Taylor(Gen sec), Tommy Egglestone(trainer), Harry Catterick, Peter Swan, Jack Martin(I think). Middle row. Tony Kay, Ron Springett, Gerry Young, Don Megson, Billy Griffin, Alan Finney, Derek Wilkinson, Bobby Craig. Front Johnny Quinn, Roy McLaren(reserve keeper). Keith Ellis and Tom McAnearney are not there. Edited June 11, 2018 by Lincs Owl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lincs Owl Posted June 11, 2018 Share Posted June 11, 2018 Ah, I was looking at the second picture David-T. Yes, Keith Ellis and Tommy Mac are in the playing line up. Apologies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lincs Owl Posted June 11, 2018 Share Posted June 11, 2018 Bobby Craig, Jack Martin, Keith Ellis, Tom McAnearney, Gerry Young, Peter Johnson, Johnny Quinn, Peter Swan, can't see, Ron Springett, Alan Finney. Didn't Ralph O'Donnell go on that tour and get sacked from his full time job as a school teacher? Nope- checked- 'Wednesday Boys' book tells us it was the Nigeria tour of 1961 where he lost his job for playing for us! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OhForAnotherShez Posted June 11, 2018 Share Posted June 11, 2018 (edited) Good shouts Lincs Owl! It was probably 60 years ago so I could be wrong, but I seem to remember my dad telling me that RO'D lived in that house almost under the 5 arches. Edited June 11, 2018 by OhForAnotherShez Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ever the pessimist Posted June 11, 2018 Share Posted June 11, 2018 4 hours ago, Lincs Owl said: We won that 2-1. They played the great Lev Yashin, borrowed from Moscow Dynamo in goal. He was a very tall legend of a bloke, dressed all in black, at a time when English goalies could only wear green tops (unless they were playing Plymouth, then they could changed to red or blue). We also beat Tiflis Dynamo 5-0 about the same time. Everyone called them Russians, but Tbilisi (formerly called Tiflis) is the capital of Georgia. Bet you all knew that already. Much like we refer to the ‘Russian linesman’ in 1966 who was actually Azeri. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lichfield alien Posted June 11, 2018 Share Posted June 11, 2018 4 hours ago, Lincs Owl said: The men's side had Ivor Bolokov and Ivan Earov up front. Ex-military men. They also had a lepracy survivor amongst their ranks..handdropoff...and who can forget that unusual right winger with 3 testacles..whoderyernickabolokoff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David-T Posted June 11, 2018 Share Posted June 11, 2018 4 hours ago, Lincs Owl said: Bobby Craig, Jack Martin, Keith Ellis, Tom McAnearney, Gerry Young, Peter Johnson, Johnny Quinn, Peter Swan, can't see, Ron Springett, Alan Finney. Didn't Ralph O'Donnell go on that tour and get sacked from his full time job as a school teacher? Nope- checked- 'Wednesday Boys' book tells us it was the Nigeria tour of 1961 where he lost his job for playing for us! My recollection is that he gave up football to concentrate on teaching. Probably more money in it then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ever the pessimist Posted June 11, 2018 Share Posted June 11, 2018 18 minutes ago, David-T said: My recollection is that he gave up football to concentrate on teaching. Probably more money in it then. That’s why I chose teaching over a promising football career.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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