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The Matthews final… the Jules Rimet to Sir Bobby… and a penchant for Arsenal?

The Matthews final… the Jules Rimet to Sir Bobby… and a penchant for Arsenal?

12th September 2022 By Martin Penney 35 Comments

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When the news of Queen Elizabeth II’s death reached us all on Thursday afternoon I’m sure it triggered an unwelcome but inevitable acceptance from all of us that our monarch was no longer with us.

Very few MFW readers and writers can recall the death of a head of state from personal experience. I will be 65 in November and the Queen had already been on the throne for over five years before I was born – in the most non-disrespectful of ways she was like part of the furniture to my generation, and certainly by the turn of the millennium, many people were beginning to realise that we would never see her like again as the scandals tumbled down regarding other senior members of the Royal family.

Don’t worry, I’m going no further down that line. I’m not even a Royalist in the true sense of the word, although I’m pleased to be able to avoid yet another potentially corrupt politician in the role of President.

As the news sunk in to varying degrees amongst us all, many of our thoughts turned to the possible postponements of sporting events, particularly football of course. I think the PL and EFL had no choice but to halt our match at Burnley and Stockport’s visit to Tranmere on Friday night and still think they were quite right to have done so.

As Gary and Kathy discussed over the weekend the rest of the Saturday, Sunday and Monday fixtures being curtailed was not quite as clear-cut a decision and opinions vastly differed as to what should have been done.

For what it’s worth I agree with Darren Huckerby, who posted on social media early doors: “What’s people’s thoughts on sporting events going ahead? Might get shot down for this but in my opinion I think they should go ahead – national anthem and armbands and crack on. Normal folk don’t get time off and it unites the country.”

The weekend’s mass postponement of sporting fixtures [including all grassroots football] was not enforced by the government as was ably proven elsewhere.

A fantastic display of respect from England and South African players and supporters at The Oval unsurprisingly ensued, Rugby of both codes went ahead in similar fashion and yesterday the St Leger meeting at Doncaster provided more of the same in the Queen’s favourite sport – the one where the bookies get richer and the punters play the counterweight role. The Great North Run went ahead too.

I won’t consider whether Trevor Sinclair’s words on social media influenced anything [they certainly had an effect on me], but it can only seem the outcome was that football simply couldn’t be trusted – and that means you and I folks.

Moving swiftly on, I did a bit of research yesterday around some lulls in the Test – and there weren’t many of those!

Unequivocally, the Queen did enjoy football. She presented the FA Cup at the old Wembley 11 times, beginning with the Matthews Final in 1953 and ending with Southampton’s unforgettable 1-0 win over Man Utd in 1976. She knew how to pick a match!

She also unforgettably presented Bobby Moore with the World Cup in 1966, with the fashionistas of the day marvelling at her “stylish courage” in wearing a mustard coat against the red change shirts of the England team.

She personally knighted Sir Stanley and Sir Bobby as well as Bobby Robson, Alf Ramsey, Geoff Hurst and Alex Ferguson amongst others. It is widely acknowledged that one of her most important cultural roles was recognising the contributions of various footballing figures in the New Year’s Honours and Queen’s Birthday Honours lists.

Rumour always had it that privately she was an Arsenal fan, although some say her team was West Ham as she once ticked off an employee for supporting Millwall. All apocryphal of course as she never made her preference public.

Her father, King George VI, actually went to a game at Carrow Road – a 2-0 defeat to Millwall in the dark days of 1938. Blaming a hectic schedule, the then king departed after just 15 minutes. Good job he never got to see a Glenn Roeder side, I guess.

Would the Queen have wanted football to go ahead over the weekend? I rather suspect that she would!


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Filed Under: Column, Martin Penney

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Roger Brierley says

    12th September 2022 at 8:09 am

    she didn’t Knight Bubby Moore he was Knighted after his death postumously

    Reply
    • Jim+Davies says

      12th September 2022 at 9:01 am

      You can’t be knighted after you’re dead, and the title dies with you, so after death you’re no longer a knight. That’s why they couldn’t take Jimmy Saville’s knighthood away.

      Reply
      • Jim+Davies says

        12th September 2022 at 9:18 am

        I think the “Bobby” Martin was referring to was Sir Bobby Charlton. Moore only got an OBE.

        Reply
        • martin penney says

          12th September 2022 at 9:31 am

          Yep!

          Reply
      • martin penney says

        12th September 2022 at 9:32 am

        Thanks Jim – I didn’t know that!

        Reply
    • martin penney says

      12th September 2022 at 9:30 am

      Hi Roger

      I was totally wrong on that one – it was his OBE [quite unusual for a footballer to receive one of those in the 1960s] that I was thinking of.

      Thanks!

      Reply
      • Gerry says

        12th September 2022 at 12:29 pm

        As I remember (not always 100%) the reason gongs were not handed out to the 1966 team/squad in the manner of today, Olympic gold medallists world champions etc was it was felt that England would win further cups and it would not be appropriate to set such a precedent – oh how we have waited! You may well remember the furore over all the Beatles being awarded MBEs.

        Reply
        • martin penney says

          12th September 2022 at 1:17 pm

          Hi Gerry

          Yes I remember the Beatles episode – John Winston Lennon at his trenchant best as I recall!

          I’d not heard that about the World Cup squad gongs not being given for the reason you suggest but it sounds totally plausible to me.

          Cheers

          Reply
  2. canarylad says

    12th September 2022 at 9:10 am

    I agreed with Hucks also, citing the West Ham game on Thursday night as a way football could show respect. .Sure there would be a minority who would try to spoil it but I believe the vast majority of Supporters would drown them out. I am no Royalist but cannot help but note her as a remarkable lady, a Mother, Grand-Mother & Great Grand-Mother. She did not ask to be born in such a life-restricting organisation as the Crown.

    Just wish the TV companies would see it that way and drop the blanket coverage of every small thing

    Timm Klose will be hopefully running out for Bristol, hope he gets a warm friendly welcome

    1
    Reply
    • martin penney says

      12th September 2022 at 9:37 am

      Morning Lad

      I think you speak for many of us there – the local and national news are just the same as the TV in the blanket coverage respect.

      I’m sure Klose wil get a cracking welcome – unless he goes awol on Winterton beach or something typically crazy like that!

      Cheers

      Reply
  3. Jim+Davies says

    12th September 2022 at 9:15 am

    Morning Martin. I’m with you and Hucks on this one. Postponing the Friday games was inevitable, but the weekend games could have been played, as were the cricket and rugby. West Ham, whose game was too far advanced on Thursday to postpone, showed how football could be respectful.

    Like you, I’m no monarchist, but not sure if I’d want the alternative. I can remember (just) the death of the previous king, but I was too young to realise how much attention the BBC gave it – we didn’t have TV, so it would have been just the radio, but I do remember them playing solemn music for a day, at least.

    Reply
    • martin penney says

      12th September 2022 at 9:45 am

      Hi Jim

      All I can remember in comparison to that is 1967 when Charles [yes, that one] was invested as Prince of Wales at, I think, Caernarfon Castle.

      We had the day off school and I know some families didn’t have TV even then so there was some kind of little party at the school in front of a couple of tellies.

      Not bravado just truth – my little crew had a great morning in Chadwell Heath Park and played football all afternoon on Little Heath.

      Thanks for the earlier tips on protocol – I really didn’t have a clue.

      Cheers

      Reply
  4. Mystic+kev says

    12th September 2022 at 9:48 am

    As Tommy Cooper said to the Queen do you like football mam she replied not much he said can I have your cup final tickets please true .

    Reply
    • martin penney says

      12th September 2022 at 1:20 pm

      Hi Kev

      Nice to hear that gem from the man with the Fez 🙂

      Cheers

      Reply
  5. Herr+Cutz says

    12th September 2022 at 9:58 am

    Marty, like Jim I took your Sir Bobby to be Charlton not Moore. I also agree that having a Monarch is preferable to having a President, a modern Monarchy not the old style despot off with their heads variety. Hopefully Charlie will be our darling, no doubt he’ll put his stamp on things (sorry). Maybe this pause in games will give our walking wounded more time to recover, would have preferred a minute’s silence and players with black armbands, it gives ordinary people a chance to show their respect. I remember Liz’s coronation, a special box of toffees, a book which I still have, and our school taken to the cinema to watch it all in glorious technicolour. A different world.

    Reply
    • martin penney says

      12th September 2022 at 1:27 pm

      Hi Cutty

      I think it was actually you who said to me first that a monarch is preferential to a president so apologies if I robbed it from you. It’s still true though!

      Anybody who grew up in the 50s and 60s can recall a different world and I’ll take a lot of persuading that many aspects of it were not far superior to the standardsof today.

      Toffees and the cinema indeed 🙂

      Reply
  6. AlexB says

    12th September 2022 at 10:07 am

    Hi Martin.

    William as a Villa supporter and Charles has said a few times he is a Burnley supporters both a strange choice for a pair London boys

    The Queen is Dead long live the King and as he said himself he will try and be as good as her until he gets the call to say his time is up.

    The Boss was a great sports fan and had her last win on the track last Tuesday I hope that she cheered watching on TV.

    We are all living through history and I was 2years old when King George died so I can’t say I remember that in all honesty, but the TV coverage has been over the top.

    As everyone has said Cricket, Rugby have show the way and the question is could football be trusted in general I think it could but they would be the ones that wouldn’t show respect as shown by the Ultras in Glasgow and Loserpool.

    Onwards to mid-week games and await the decision on this weekend’s fixtures let’s hope commonsense prevails and Sunday’s games are moved for a full Saturday program and life slowly gets back to normal.

    Reply
    • martin penney says

      12th September 2022 at 1:32 pm

      Hi alex

      There’s a picture out there of Charles holding a Burnley shirt – maybe he knew one of the family that owned the club back in the day?

      William and Villa remains a bit of a mystery but he goes to quite a few games so the best of fair play to him.

      I read just now that neither West Midlands or the Norfolk envisage officer shortages for Saturday so hopefully the WBA game will be on.

      The cricket authorities aren’t perfect either – last night and the “bad light” would offer proof of that!

      Cheers

      Reply
  7. Tim Ball says

    12th September 2022 at 10:25 am

    I agree Martin that the weekend fixtures was the tough one. Friday nights game at Burnley was a no brainer and it is only my personal opinion that calling off the Saturday, Sunday, Monday fixtures was just about right.

    As I said on here on Saturday I can see I can see the alternative view put forward now by Hucks among others. But even my mate Ultra Norwich Fan (in the right meaning of the word) Marty says he can’t understand why so many people are moaning about the postponements.

    Our fellow supporter Trev wondered how Marty would possibly fill his time, I am sure he found something🍺 as we all did.

    On the subject of Trevor Sinclair, he has a total right to his opinion as I have mine and I feel the monarchy through The Princes Trust, Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme and other royal charities have done more for, his words not mine…Black and brown people than one Trevor Sinclair.

    There is much work to be done on racism in the game and in the country for sure but I thought that comment was ill judged and ill timed.

    I am concerned however we still have no announcement regarding this weeks planned fixtures. And it is nearly 10.30am. What the hell are the football authorities doing ?

    I think we all can agree that fixtures should now resume with next Monday being the exception.

    Reply
    • Tim Ball says

      12th September 2022 at 11:05 am

      As if by magic, the EFL announce all matches to be played on Tuesday and Wednesday.

      Reply
      • martin penney says

        12th September 2022 at 1:34 pm

        With the possibility of individual decisions at the weekend – early signs are looking positive for the visit of WBA to go ahead.

        1
        Reply
    • AlexB says

      12th September 2022 at 12:31 pm

      Hi Tim

      Colour doesn’t define you as a person – if the colour of your skin does, then can you include the colour of your hair and eyes?

      Sport is all-inclusive – colour, sex doesn’t matter and we all have varied opinions on most things and the discussions should be all-inclusive. Airing opinions on Twitter and then removing them when the backlash starts is cowardly and from a man that abused a policeman that arrested him for being drunk behind the wheel of his Ferrari.

      1
      Reply
      • martin penney says

        12th September 2022 at 1:57 pm

        Sinclair doesn’t have the cleanest of backstories, does he?

        Reply
      • Tim Ball says

        12th September 2022 at 3:06 pm

        Agreed Alex.

        I had forgotten about Sinclair’s arrest.

        Reply
    • martin penney says

      12th September 2022 at 1:42 pm

      Hi Tim

      It was one of those situations where nobody can be right and nobody can be wrong – any response is an individual one that should be respected.

      Sinclair made me more annoyed than I was prepared to reference in the original article. Comments like that are divisive and should not be made, particulary at this time.

      Racism can be a two-way street although I’m delighted to say it’s never reared its ugly head at Carrow Road this millennium. Not in my sight or hearing anyway.

      Cheers

      1
      Reply
      • Tim Ball says

        12th September 2022 at 3:16 pm

        Sadly it did for me back in 2018 Martin, a Chelsea FA Cup tie in the disabled stand of all places. Aimed at one of the black Chelsea players.

        I called it out but couldn’t identify the culprit.

        I made it quite clear that that kind of language would not be tolerated, and that I was sure the black Norwich players wouldn’t appreciate it either.

        Happily I have never heard any such language since and it must be said I cannot remember the last time before that.

        Reply
        • martin penney says

          12th September 2022 at 4:22 pm

          That’s sad to hear, especially in that immediate environment.

          1
          Reply
  8. Keith B says

    12th September 2022 at 10:44 am

    “football simply couldn’t be trusted – and that means you and I folks.”

    It doesn’t mean you and I Martin, or anybody sufficiently erudite to contribute here.

    But there is a minority of idiots who certainly cannot be trusted, although given many are right-wing nationalists I suspect even they would have kept their mouths shut at the appropriate moment. I do think it was the wrong decision but I can understand that nobody dared risk associating them with football in general and the majority of its perfectly well-behaved supporters.

    What’s annoying me more is next Monday. Bank Holiday should not mean total shut down. If you want to watch proceedings, fine, but if not and would prefer to go for a swim, visit an NT property, even go to the shops – just like any other Bank Holiday – I don’t see why people shouldn’t. Effectively we’re being told that doing pretty well anything other than gawping at the funeral for several hours is “disrespectful”.

    Reply
    • Jim+Davies says

      12th September 2022 at 1:30 pm

      To respond to your last point, Netflix and/or a good book spring to mind, maybe a spot of gardening? Better not use the lawnmower, though, or someone may report you to the protocol police!

      Reply
      • martin penney says

        12th September 2022 at 3:07 pm

        The Test match was fine by me.

        Reply
    • martin penney says

      12th September 2022 at 1:55 pm

      Hi Keith

      Of course there are a minority of eejits who still do their pathetic best to give the sport a bad name but you cannot remove an innate thought from a thick skull by magic.

      Like you I can certainly understand the risk involved and repeat that everybody’s individual view should be respected regarding the decision that was made.

      I will cheerfully predict that Carrow Road will be perfectly respectful tomorrow night – and I very much include the Bristolian visitors in that.

      As for the BH I agree on that as well but what’s been did’s been did and I never saw any other decision being made on that one.

      There’s nothing disrespectful whatsoever in not watching the funeral on television – I know I shan’t be.

      Cheers

      Reply
      • Jim Davies says

        12th September 2022 at 2:47 pm

        I think Carrow Road will be very quiet tomorrow night, Martin. We play Brizzle on Wednesday!

        Reply
        • martin penney says

          12th September 2022 at 3:08 pm

          Oh bugger!

          Reply
  9. Bernard+Owen says

    12th September 2022 at 3:34 pm

    Just to say that when George VI went football carried on with a respectful silence and the national anthem prior to kick off.
    When GeorgeV died some games were cancelled , but not all. Maybe it was left to the club’s to decide.
    When Edward VII passed it shut down, even West End theatres. But the new King GeorgeV asked that they restart as he didn’t want poor people to lose wages.

    Reply
    • martin penney says

      12th September 2022 at 4:32 pm

      Hi Bernie

      George V’s point about the lower paid workers was echoed by the Guardian OBO this very morning when Adam Collins said exactly the same thing as in *at least the casual workers got an albeit shortened shift out of the third/fifth day’s play*.

      I can only speak for the Upper Barclay but the concourse is heaving at half time and I for one wouldn’t want to work there. Respect to those who do.

      Cheers

      .

      Reply

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