1961/2-Smith saves the day

In the summer of 1961 Ronnie Rooke had yet another attempt to re-stock his playing resources with, presumably, a little less money to offer than before. The team for the opening match, a goalless draw at Worcester, contained eight new players, the biggest influx since Tim Kelly’s arrival. Vernon Avis, a strong tackling right-back from Brentford, and Gerry King (Luton) were a new full back pairing, Bill Goundry, also from Brentford, a diminutive but terrier-like right-half, and Willie Morrison, from Southend formed a new pair of half-backs, and there were also two new inside forwards, Alex Stenhouse from Southend and Brian Wright from Lincoln. Dennis Heath, a third former Brentford player, started the season on the left wing but did not appear after the opening weeks, and Joe Hooley, a much-travelled centre-forward, did not survive the first week. (Funny how often “much-travelled” turned out to mean “prone to disciplinary trouble”). However, Avis and Goundry were to be features for several years.

The squad photograph for 1961/2, taken at the pre-season trial in August. Ronnie Rooke, who was manager at the time but sacked the following month, has been cut off from the left hand end of the second row, because this version appeared in the programme for the friendly v West Ham on 18 October, marking the official switch-on of the new floodlights, a few weeks after his departure!

Back row: Bill Goundry, Hugh Stinson, David Coney, Malcolm Russell*, Martin McCulley, Tony Hawksworth, John Walsh*, Joe Hooley, Keith Underwood, Alan Thompson

Middle row: Joe Campbell (assistant trainer), John Mills, Alan Grant*, Jim House, George Senior, Charles Gallie and Harry Collins (all directors), Dr Jim Boyde (Medical Officer), Bill Manning (director), Gerry King, Reg Game (trainer), Vernon Avis, Reg Cornelius (secretary), Dougie Gardiner (assistant manager)

Front row: Alex Stenhouse, Arthur Hukin, Brian Wright, Gordon Bruce (director), Ted Ashdown (chairman), Bill Morrison, Dennis Heath, “Joe” Short

Sitting on ground: J W Smith*, Ronnie Southgate.

*These were triallists or reserves who never made a first team appearance.

Below, a fragment from the photo as originally published in August, showing the airbrushed Rooke!

Having failed to score in the first two league matches of 1961/2, Bedford spent the first 45 minutes of the third match, against Hereford at The Eyrie on 26 August, looking unlikely to change this record, but soon after half time Brian Wright, recently signed from Lincoln, scored with this spectacular jackknifed header from a free kick taken by another of the newcomers, Bill Goundry. Two more goals followed to complete a comfortable 3-0 win in the sunshine for a 3,001 crowd. Wright is seen here beating Hereford’s Peter Isaac, with Brian Whitby to his right.

One win and a draw in the first six league matches, plus two draws in the league cup, represented an even poorer start than the previous season. An eight-goal defeat of Letchworth in the FA Cup (Bedford had been relegated to the qualifying rounds for the first time in six years) gave supporters the chance to see “Buck” Ryan, a prolific centre-forward in his day, score the first two goals in what turned out to be a trial too far for an injury-stricken veteran, for some reason preferred to the dependable if unspectacular Hukin, but few at the time noticed the opposing centre-forward, a lanky youngster called John Fahy, who was to become a familiar figure before long.

“Hukin rises to the occasion-which is more than the team as whole did”, was the Bedford Record’s caption to this scene from the second qualifying round FA Cup tie against Hitchin Town at their Top Field ground on 23 September 1961. Here Arthur Hukin soars for a high ball against a home defender, but he was unable to get on the scoresheet. Despite that, goals from Stenhouse and Short should have given the Eagles a comfortable passage into the next round with 15 minutes left, only for Hitchin, then amateurs in the Athenian League, to score three times to send a 4,862 crowd home happy. Their winner was scored by Roger Figg, who was to join Bedford in the late 60s. Defeat in this style by a neighbouring side from a perceived lower level of football, coupled with poor league results, was not acceptable to supporters or the directors and a few weeks later Ronnie Rooke’s second spell in charge came to an end.

A similar foreshadowing occurred on 23 September when the Eagles were knocked out of the Cup at Hitchin, despite being two up with 20 minutes left, by three late goals, the winner coming from another unknown young forward called Roger Figg, who would become an Eyrie favourite nearly ten years later.

Hitchin were a decent amateur club and perfectly respectable members of the Athenian League at the time but in most supporters’ eyes they were regarded, unfairly, as on a par with Biggleswade or Eynesbury, and this defeat, and especially the manner of it on top of the previous two years of disappointments and false starts, proved fatal to Ronnie Rooke’s job. Later he was to accuse some directors of having started to manoeuvre him out of the club even before the Cup defeat. Whatever the truth of that, he was sacked in the first week of October and Dougie Gardiner[1] was placed in temporary charge.

Meanwhile the floodlights, installed at a cost of £12,000 and as usual, largely paid for by the Supporters’ Club, had first been used in a competitive match on 28 September, when just over 4,000, destined to be easily the best gate of the season, turned up to see a 1-0 defeat of Oxford, already looking set for their second title in a row.

This came immediately after the Hitchin defeat and presumably the main reason for the big gate was curiosity, but supporters also saw the odd sight of Avis at centre-forward because both Hukin and Ryan were injured and Hooley had been suspended. Naturally, the demoralised side produced their best result of the season and Avis scored the only goal. The lights were “officially” switched on a month later at a friendly against West Ham, and that meant that Ted Ashdown’s board had achieved all the objectives of their 1956 strategic plan except ground ownership and Football League status. Sadly, that was to remain the case. It was hoped that the lights would be used to attract people to a series of attractive friendlies and the club also joined the Midland Floodlit Competition alongside Kettering, Corby, Worcester and Peterborough . But once the novelty of lights had worn off[2], people were reluctant to turn out for matches that were not meaningful contests-Peterborough only fielded their reserves- and this competition proved short lived.

Vernon Avis, during a brief spell at centre forward (where he had started his career as a junior at Brentford) when most of the regular strikers were injured, tussles with two Oxford United defenders at The Eyrie on 28 September 1961. He scored the only goal in a surprising win against the eventual champions, immediately after the embarrassing FA Cup defeat at Hitchin the previous Saturday which was soon to lead to the sacking of manager Ronnie Rooke. This was the first competitive match under the newly installed lights although they were officially switched on at the friendly against West Ham the following month, having cost £12,000. It would also be Oxford’s last league visit to Bedford, since they were elected to the Football League in place of Accrington Stanley at the end of the season, although they were to return in the last of the old club’s memorable FA Cup ties in 1966/7.

Photograph by kind permission of the Bexley Times

Vernon Avis in his more conventional full-back role in action during Bedford’s first visit to Bexleyheath and Welling (later Bexley United) on 7 October 1961, the first game after Rooke’s departure. In the background are Keith Vickers (left) and John Mills. In the middle of a dismal run, this game ended in a 1-2 defeat, and the following week Bexleyheath won by the same score at The Eyrie.

Just before Reg Smith took charge after the league match against Kettering at The Eyrie on 11 November 1961, the directors appear to have acted on their own initiative by signing Kevin Baron from Cambridge City, and he made his debut in this match, equalizing Kettering’s opening goal and helping the struggling team to a morale-boosting 5-2 victory- against the form book, since the Poppies had just knocked Swindon out of the FA Cup. Here he is foiled as he tries to burst between Kettering defenders Armour (left) and Lawson. The much traveled Baron had won a FA Cup finalists’ medal with Liverpool as long ago as 1950 and at 35, had little left in the tank; Smith was to give him only six more appearances before releasing him. As the deserted River End terraces indicate, only 2,827 turned up, including some from Kettering, to see a fixture that had attracted over 10,000 ten years earlier.

Gardiner’s short period in charge didn’t produce any change of fortune, although it did see a certain Norman Cooley, a young forward who had appeared regularly in the reserves for a time after signing from Eynesbury, making his debut against Bexleyheath on 14 October and marking the start of a 17 year career. The club made an offer to Ronnie Allen, the former England and West Bromwich centre-forward, to come as player-manager but he preferred to stay with Crystal Palace. After just a single win in the interregnum the directors appointed Reg Smith, who had been manager of Millwall until the previous season, on 11 November. He refused a contract, at least initially, and although he saw his new team start with a 5-2 success against Kettering at home, there were to be only two more league wins in the next two months and by the latter part of January the Eagles were marooned firmly in the relegation places, after six defeats in a row.

Barely 1500 supporters bothered to see this home match against Worcester on 16 December 1961, possibly preferring Christmas shopping, but they missed a rare 3-1 win in the middle of a dismal run either side of the turn of the year. Here David Coney, one of the youngsters who had started to establish themselves in the side under Reg Smith, shields goalkeeper Tony Hawksworth (left) from the attentions of a Worcester forward.

Another scene from the Worcester match shows Bedford centre-half John Mills (left) about to slide in against Worcester’s right winger Cottrill, who has just beaten David Coney (behind him). The outcome was a penalty which Cottrill hit helpfully over the bar. Mills was a solid defender who had been signed in the summer of 1960 from Rhyl, and his dependability allowed the ageing Bob Craig to retire gracefully the following year. Mills later filled the same role for Wisbech, Stevenage and Cambridge City.

After a brief revival when Reg Smith took over as manager in November 1961, results slumped again in the early weeks of 1962, with six successive league defeats. But starting on 27 January, the team won seven of their next eight matches to remove serious threats of relegation. In the middle of the run was this single goal defeat of Guildford at The Eyrie on 10 March. Here David Sturrock, scorer of the only goal, heads just over, with Guildford keeper Eric Gill (far left) way out of position and defenders Bissett (2), Long (6) and Ellis (3) looking on, and Ronnie Southgate in the distance. Sturrock, one of Smith’s first signings from the soon to be bankrupted Accrington Stanley, had made his first team debut at Oxford on 20 January, the last defeat before this good run began, and his pace and eye for a chance had a lot to do with the revival.

Now, however, a 3-0 win at home to Gravesend on 27 January began a run of seven wins in the next eight games which sent the side towards the middle of the table and relative safety. Key roles in this sequence were played by George Sim, an assured-looking centre-half on loan from East Fife while on RAF service in the area, Southgate, who had settled into the left-wing spot, and Smith’s first signing, David Sturrock, who had played for him at Dundee United and had recently left Accrington Stanley shortly before the latter left the Football League. So started six successful years at the club which saw Sturrock evolve from a right-winger into a deep-lying inside forward or striker and eventually into a midfield ball-winner of some skill and a lot of courage.

Photograph by kind permission of the Lynn News.

The good run continued with a convincing 4-0 win at King’s Lynn on 17 March 1962, featuring two goals from Arthur Hukin and others from David Sturrock and Brian Wright. Here Tony Hawksworth gathers to foil Lynn’s Mick Wright, who is being policed by the dapper figure of Bedford’s centre-half, George Sim, a classy Scottish defender who was doing his national service in the RAF at Henlow and had been assisting Biggleswade when Reg Smith signed him as cover for John Mills. He soon got a first team chance when Mills was injured and figured in most of the matches that took the team back up the table. However, his signing sparked a row between Bedford and Biggleswade, who accused Smith of an improper approach to an amateur player, apparently unaware that Sim was a professional on the books of East Fife. Smith had correctly asked East Fife for permission to sign Sim on loan, an arrangement that was common in the days of national service when players were posted far from home, and friendly relations were soon restored after Sim returned to East Fife that summer.

Bobby Tebbutt gets in a shot for Bedford in his debut against Chelmsford at The Eyrie on 7 April 1962, to no avail as the result was a one-goal defeat. He had been acquired by Reg Smith from Northampton earlier in the week, and had fought his way back from a serious injury; at one stage he had been reckoned unlikely to play again, having hit the headlines very early in his career with one of the goals in the Cobblers’ 3-1 defeat of Arsenal in the FA Cup in 1957/8. His Bedford career failed to blossom but he went on to do useful work as a player-coach at Stamford and with Kettering’s junior teams. About to save his shot is Chelmsford’s Alan Collier, who was to join Bedford three years later. With relegation fears now past, the season ended quietly, although attendances crept back up to the 3,000 mark by Easter. Note the invalid carriages parked in front of the stand-the wide gangway behind the touchline was much appreciated by their owners, who could drive straight on to the ground and watch the match from their vehicles.

Hukin had become Smith’s first choice centre-forward, but before the end of the season he also signed John Fahy[3], who had played for Letchworth at The Eyrie back in September, Jackie Walker, a wing-half from Luton, and Bobby Tebbutt from Northampton. With Thompson released at the year’s end, only Hawksworth now remained of the Championship winners of 1959. Sim, unfortunately, opted to return north when his RAF service ended, but by May Smith had already started to build a more stable side.

The good run of February and March evaporated into an indifferent finish, and a final 15th place, prompting the Bedfordshire Times columnist Mike McNay, later to become Arts page editor of the Guardian, to write his end-of-season review in the style of a Shakespearian drama which featured an assassination (of Rooke) and the crowning of a new Emperor (Smith) before ending "exeunt omnes" [4]. But for most supporters, a new manager with a fresh approach gave more heart for the future.

To continue the story go to 1962/3-bright start frozen solid

For full results and teams go to Results and teams, 1950-67

SOUTHERN LEAGUE TABLES 1961-1962

Premier Division

1. Oxford United 42 28 5 9 118 46 61

2. Bath City 42 25 7 10 102 70 57

3. Guildford City 42 24 8 10 79 49 56

4. Yeovil Town 42 23 8 11 97 59 54

5. Chelmsford City 42 19 2 11 74 60 50

6. Weymouth 42 20 7 15 80 64 47

7. Kettering Town 42 21 5 16 90 84 47

8. Hereford United 42 21 2 19 81 68 44

9. Cambridge City 42 18 6 16 70 71 44

10. Bexleyheath & Welling 42 19 5 18 69 75 43

11. Romford 42 15 9 18 63 70 39

12. Cambridge United 42 13 12 17 76 78 38

13. Wellington Town 42 14 10 18 75 78 38

14. Gravesend & Northfleet 42 17 4 21 59 92 38

15. Bedford Town 42 16 5 21 73 79 37

16. Worcester City 42 15 7 20 51 64 37

17. Merthyr Tydfil 42 13 11 18 62 80 37

18. Clacton Town 42 13 10 19 74 91 36

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19. Tonbridge 42 10 14 18 71 92 34

20. King’s Lynn 42 12 8 22 59 74 32

21. Folkestone Town 42 12 6 24 64 103 30

22. Cheltenham Town 42 9 7 26 48 88 25

First Division

1. Wisbech Town 38 21 11 6 76 42 53

2. Poole Town 38 23 6 9 81 47 52

3. Dartford 38 21 8 9 89 50 50

4. Rugby Town 38 20 9 9 82 49 49

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5. Margate 38 20 6 12 73 55 46

6. Corby Town 38 19 6 13 82 60 44

7. Sittingbourne 38 16 12 10 69 51 44

8. Dover 38 19 6 13 66 55 44

9. Yiewsley 38 18 6 14 64 51 42

10. Barry Town 38 14 11 13 55 51 39

11. Ashford Town 38 14 11 13 66 70 39

12. Hinckley Athletic 38 15 8 15 75 65 38

13. Burton Albion 38 16 5 17 70 79 37

14. Nuneaton Borough 38 12 12 14 63 69 36

15. Tunbridge Wells United 38 12 7 19 64 85 31

16. Canterbury City 38 11 8 19 60 82 30

17. Ramsgate Athletic 38 10 9 19 48 70 29

18. Trowbridge Town 38 9 9 20 45 69 27

19. Gloucester City 38 6 4 28 46 104 16

20. Hastings United 38 5 4 29 45 115 14

Oxford United were elected to the Football League at the end of the season, replacing Accrington Stanley who had resigned in March without completing their fixtures

MIDLAND FLOODLIT LEAGUE TABLE 1961/2

P W D L F A Pts

Peterborough United 8 6 1 1 28 9 13

Worcester City 8 5 1 2 15 11 11

Bedford Town 8 3 1 4 14 22 7

Kettering Town 8 2 1 5 14 20 5

Corby Town 8 1 2 5 13 22 4

[1] Gardiner had been “trainer-coach” until Tim Kelly’s departure and became what would now be called the club’s physio in 1959, but no longer ran on with the “magic sponge” because of back troubles. Tommy Ruff and Joe Campbell, two of Rooke’s old guard, shared the sponge for most of his second spell as manager, until Reg Game succeeded Ruff in the summer of 1961.

[2] Although some older supporters took a while to catch on. I remember an old man stopping in front of a poster advertising an evening match at the time and exclaiming “Half past seven kick off? They’ll never get it finished!”

[3] For some unknown reason the local press referred to him as “Jim” for several months before getting his name right.

[4] Thanks to David Ingham, who joined the paper as a junior sports reporter in 1961, for this recollection.