Rovers v Liverpool - FA Cup Replay 1974

[POD]

For sale on eBay at the moment there is a copy of the programme from this match.  With one day left to go in the auction, it is already up at £62.

Why is it such a rare programme?  I know that there was a large crowd, but was it a low programme print run? 

Does anyone have a copy?

[Tiddysdad]

I remember this game I was queuing to get in when a member my school walked down the line pulling out all school pupils.

Am I correct in thinking that it was played Tuesday 1:30 because of the power cuts?

[idler]

That's right Tiddysdad. We were on nights at Rockware so up early to go in. Pay on the day then and no advance tickets.
We nearly beat them on the Saturday but Shankley switched his team around and we were never really in the replay.
If only Peter Kitchen's chip had gone in instead of hitting the bar late on in the first game.

[The Red Baron]

For sale on eBay at the moment there is a copy of the programme from this match.  With one day left to go in the auction, it is already up at £62.

Why is it such a rare programme?  I know that there was a large crowd, but was it a low programme print run? 

Does anyone have a copy?

I do have a copy. I couldn't go to the game but my dad did and got me a programme. I believe they sold out, so there probably was a low print run.

[RoversDave]

I think they are quite rare because  it was peeing down and a lot were ruined . Barry Watson said a good copy was worth about £25, so someone must really want it.

[idler]

I'm up into the loft later then. 😄

[Donnywolf]

That's right Tiddysdad. We were on nights at Rockware so up early to go in. Pay on the day then and no advance tickets.
We nearly beat them on the Saturday but Shankley switched his team around and we were never really in the replay.
If only Peter Kitchen's chip had gone in instead of hitting the bar late on in the first game.

What Crew @ Rockware ? ... and what end Hot or Cold or Mould Shop / other ?

Can you remember Harry Tomlinson (I think it was) and did he sell any from his Car in the Factory ? I bought the Leeds v Arsenal Prog from him I think it was a few days before the game

[Donnywolf]

If only Peter Kitchen's chip had gone in instead of hitting the bar late on in the first game.

I HAVE to say that imo had that chip gone in it would have been (and would still remain) THE biggest Cup shock of the modern ers

To put it in context for the younger fans Liverpool were winning almost everything and were top of the "Premiership" and Rovers were on a depressing run and were 92nd in the League a la York City

Rovers were obviously spurred on totally by their African Violet Shirts !

By a quirk of fate Doncaster Players scored all 4 goals (2 from Kevin Keegan who amazingly will be due his Old Age Pension on Valentines Day this year !!)

[sheffield exile1]

I remember this game I was queuing to get in when a member my school walked down the line pulling out all school pupils.

Am I correct in thinking that it was played Tuesday 1:30 because of the power cuts?

We were told that teachers would be at the game so couldn't attend. However I figured they wouldn't spot me in the big crowd, and was right.

What year was the Barnet game we played at 2pm on Tuesday? That was a flodlight issue I believe, and I think the crowd that day was only around 900-1000, mid 90's? It was around the same time the roof was completely taken off the pop side.....I was at that. Taken in context (and given it was pre- conference days), I often have that sobering thought of how far we have come even since then. Especially when sat at Newcastle and West Ham !

[idler]

If only Peter Kitchen's chip had gone in instead of hitting the bar late on in the first game.

I HAVE to say that imo had that chip gone in it would have been (and would still remain) THE biggest Cup shock of the modern ers

To put it in context for the younger fans Liverpool were winning almost everything and were top of the "Premiership" and Rovers were on a depressing run and were 92nd in the League a la York City

Rovers were obviously spurred on totally by their African Violet Shirts !

By a quirk of fate Doncaster Players scored all 4 goals (2 from Kevin Keegan who amazingly will be due his Old Age Pension on Valentines Day this year !!)

I was a sorter (cold end) on B crew between March 71 and August 74.
It was a great place to work, loads of laughs and great money.
I could earn over £100 a week then with overtime.
Wouldn't fancy double shifts now though. My record was five 16 hour shifts on the trot followed by a twelve hour.
Harry did indeed sell papers and things on the shop floor. He was always good for a Rovers story. I think I bought the FA cup finals 72, 73 and 74 programmes from him.
There were a lot of good lads from Thorne, Stainy, Dunscroft and Dunsville worked there.

[tommy toes]

I was on the hot end on B crew with Donnywolf. Left in 1980.
I hated the job but the money was good.
I bet I held the record for 'Lehr fulls'
I was bloody hopeless.

[tommy toes]

Reg Massey let us true Rovers fans have the day off. God Rest his soul.

[bobjimwilly]

Rovers were obviously spurred on totally by their African Violet Shirts !

You voting for the purple-ish one in the kit vote then DW?

[idler]

I was on the hot end on B crew with Donnywolf. Left in 1980.
I hated the job but the money was good.
I bet I held the record for 'Lehr fulls'
I was bloody hopeless.

I remember Monty the union man at the hot end. Andy who went to work for the Pru and Dennis Clark who moved from the cold end to hot end.
They were there early to late 70s if not longer.

[hoolahoop]

Me and most of my mates  from Thorne Grammar tagged that day . There were going to be severe repercussions for those missing if I recall but it didn't bother us just encouraged us.

My memory might be failing but I don't remember the replay being that one- sided. The game at An field which I also managed to get to definitely was ....In our favour. Lol

[Donnywolf]

Rovers were obviously spurred on totally by their African Violet Shirts !

You voting for the purple-ish one in the kit vote then DW?

100% yes. Its an "era" thing for those at a certain age. It was such an evocative kit and no more evocative day than that at Anfield imo.

Peter Kitchen is already on the Legends Flag in the Line up in Black Bank - and how we would have remembered him if the Anfield lob had been half an inch lower I cant imagine ?

Also Mike Elwiss I think it was could have been a "god" if he had nodded the rebounding ball back in but the ball went straight up (ish) and by the time it came down Emlyn Hughes I think it was got a hand on each of MW's shoulders and nodded it out for a corner and the dream had gone

Long live the Anfield memories and bring back African Violet and Black I say !

[Donnywolf]

I was on the hot end on B crew with Donnywolf. Left in 1980.
I hated the job but the money was good.
I bet I held the record for 'Lehr fulls'
I was bloody hopeless.

Yes I started in Office in 72 on round about £21 - and really enjoyed the job - but when I noticed the average pay for the 4 week cycle was around £66 to £70 at the Hot End I applied to go there and went on B Crew with a host of great characters including Monty Chapman and Andy (Kowalski?)

The Shifts were horrible and the nearest to jet lag you could experience but the Lads and the craic were great.

I did not last too long though and my "career path" took me elsewhere. I started as an Accountant and worked my way down I always say !

[hoolahoop]

African violet for me too though I doubt it will ever get the nod sadly. Those days at Anfield, Goodison Park and White Hart Lane were the highlights of what was generally a threadbare existence for a Rovers supporter in those days. Yes we had the odd cup games against the likes of Derby County and the usual run-ins with local rivals but that was very much it to show for 3 decades.
There were no other "stand out" games that I can remember.
Those games were big very big for us but the African Violet kit is symbolic of a great set of players and opportunities lost . Kitch , big Bren and Mike Elwiss (just mentioned) are players forever burned in the memories of us older supporters.
My personal favourite was big Brendan O' Callaghan an awesome player who would be a favourite amongst today's players.
There was a difference however in that we were given the chance to get to know our players as well.

[Filo]

If only Peter Kitchen's chip had gone in instead of hitting the bar late on in the first game.

I HAVE to say that imo had that chip gone in it would have been (and would still remain) THE biggest Cup shock of the modern ers

To put it in context for the younger fans Liverpool were winning almost everything and were top of the "Premiership" and Rovers were on a depressing run and were 92nd in the League a la York City

Rovers were obviously spurred on totally by their African Violet Shirts !

By a quirk of fate Doncaster Players scored all 4 goals (2 from Kevin Keegan who amazingly will be due his Old Age Pension on Valentines Day this year !!)

I was a sorter (cold end) on B crew between March 71 and August 74.
It was a great place to work, loads of laughs and great money.
I could earn over £100 a week then with overtime.
Wouldn't fancy double shifts now though. My record was five 16 hour shifts on the trot followed by a twelve hour.
Harry did indeed sell papers and things on the shop floor. He was always good for a Rovers story. I think I bought the FA cup finals 72, 73 and 74 programmes from him.
There were a lot of good lads from Thorne, Stainy, Dunscroft and Dunsville worked there.

My Father in law ended up as a supervisor there before he retired

[RedRover45]

I've got the programme. Very small print run, and like someone said earlier, I'm led to believe weather was raining.

[RoversDave]

I've got the programme. Very small print run, and like someone said earlier, I'm led to believe weather was raining.

I got there quite early and they had all gone. Stood on the pop side out of the rain, usually stood behind the goals. Hoola, don't remember getting the warning from P T Griffiths if he was still there then, you just had to go.

[DRFC-Hanksie]

I've got a Rovers vs Liverpool one, not sure if it was this one though.

[drfchound]

I remember this game I was queuing to get in when a member my school walked down the line pulling out all school pupils.

Am I correct in thinking that it was played Tuesday 1:30 because of the power cuts?

I was a sales rep in those days so it was an easy thing to sneak off and watch that game.
Around the same time i also remember being in Scunny one morning and Scunny were replaying against Newcastle in the afternoon so me and a customer went to that game too.
I remember Malcolm MacDonald scoring for Newcastle and i think they won 3-0.

[POD]

I've got a Rovers vs Liverpool one, not sure if it was this one though.

Have a look on eBay.  Just search under Doncaster Liverpool and it will come up.  The match at Anfield sells for only a couple of pounds, but the home replay is rare - it's up to £66 now with 5 hours to go.

[hamiltonrover]

It normally goes for about £20-25. If anyone wants to pay £60+ for a copy let me know as I have 2.

[BobG]

I loved, still love tbh, that African Violet and Black kit. It was awesome. And yes. It evokes all kinds of good memories. I was at Anfield too that day. My grandmother lived in Ormskirk so I went there after. The Liverpool Echo was full of Rovers that night.  I was at BV for the replay too. Funny thing though. I really have no memory at all of any rain.

BobG

[hoolahoop]

I've got the programme. Very small print run, and like someone said earlier, I'm led to believe weather was raining.

I got there quite early and they had all gone. Stood on the pop side out of the rain, usually stood behind the goals. Hoola, don't remember getting the warning from P T Griffiths if he was still there then, you just had to go.

Well we certainly got a warning more in class than in one of Potty's assemblies.
 Perhaps i took the warning more seriously than the less studious amongst us but had to be there nonetheless.

For the record , I wasn't one of the many Binkickers that we still have until this day. From memory the pecking order round our way went to Leeds contrary to the belief that it was ever Man U .

Times change of course and we still have our full complement of Binkickers , Bindippers and of course Man U fans knocking around the town.  Thorne changes little but is still better than Stainy Filo

[BillyStubbsTears]

My earliest decent memory of the Rovers. Had the day off school. Spent the morning at my grandparents, then my dad came from work at mid day to pick me and my granddad up.

It felt like the most enormous event imaginable.

And then the crowd! f*** me, the crowd. I'd never imagined there could be so many people in the world.

Funny, but when I take my bairns of a similar age to matches these days, I think carefully about making sure they've got other stuff to keep them occupied if they get bored with the football. But THAT day. The football and the event were everything.

We were at the Town end of the Pop Side (which, years later, became my adult place of choice - memories of that day?). It was f***ing rammed. My dad and granddad were 6-8 steps back from the front. I could see nothing. So I got passed over heads to the front wall. And I stayed there, on my Todd, engrossed in the match for 90 minutes.

Ad that is how I ended up wasting my life watching this bunch of useless Kitsons.

[jonnydog]

Currently at £62!?!!

... It obviously belongs to a Liverpool fan, selling his memorabilia to pay for his next home ticket!!

[Donnywolf]

I loved, still love tbh, that African Violet and Black kit. It was awesome. And yes. It evokes all kinds of good memories. I was at Anfield too that day. My grandmother lived in Ormskirk so I went there after. The Liverpool Echo was full of Rovers that night.  I was at BV for the replay too. Funny thing though. I really have no memory at all of any rain.

BobG

Yes I too have struggled to remember the rain - although to be fair the game itself does not spring readily to mind either - so I am happy to believe the host of others on that score.

I was still coming to terms with the last minute at Anfield and suspected correctly that we had had our chance !

Being in the midst of the 3 day week meant no skiving off work - the lights may have been scheduled for being off that day anyway