1973 FA Charity Shield

The 1973 FA Charity Shield was the 51st FA Charity Shield, an annual English association football match. The game took place on 18 August 1973 at Maine Road in Manchester, and was played between Manchester City, reigning holders of the shield, and Football League Second Division champions Burnley. It was the third consecutive year neither the Football League First Division winners nor the FA Cup champions chose to compete; the Football Association (FA) invited City and Burnley instead. This was City's seventh Charity Shield appearance to Burnley's third. Watched by a crowd of 23,988, the match ended in a 1–0 victory for Burnley.

1973 FA Charity Shield
The match took place at Maine Road (2003 photograph).
Event51st FA Charity Shield
Manchester City Burnley
0 1
Date18 August 1973
VenueMaine Road, Manchester
RefereeGordon Hill (Leicester)
Attendance23,988
WeatherSunny

In an entertaining game, the first half ended goalless, although City dominated and hit the Burnley crossbar through Alan Oakes. Burnley began to dominate the game from the 60th minute. In the 66th minute, they scored via a free-kick routine: Doug Collins dummied to take the free-kick, left it for Frank Casper whose cross was headed powerfully in by defender Colin Waldron. Burnley held on to their 1–0 lead to win their second Charity Shield, following a shared title in 1960. Martin Dobson, the Burnley captain, received the trophy from Andrew Stephen, the chairman of the FA. As of 2023, Burnley have not played in a Charity Shield match since 1973. City's next appearance in the competition—renamed FA Community Shield in 2002—was in 2011.

Pre-match

The FA Charity Shield was founded in 1908 as a successor to the Sheriff of London Charity Shield.[1] It was a contest between the respective champions of the Football League and Southern League, and then by 1913 teams of amateur and professional players. In 1921, it was played by the Football League champions and FA Cup winners for the first time. In 1971, double winners Arsenal withdrew from the competition due to previously arranged pre-season friendlies. The following year Football League champions Derby County and FA Cup winners Leeds United both declined to play in the Charity Shield.[2]

1973 was the third consecutive year neither the Football League First Division winners (Liverpool) nor the FA Cup champions (Sunderland) chose to compete.[3] Bill Shankly, the Liverpool manager, explained that his preparation was geared to have his squad ready for the first league match, not for the Charity Shield held the week before. Shankly also feared possible injuries to his players.[4] On 25 May 1973, the Football Association (FA) announced that next season's FA Charity Shield game would take place on 18 August at 3 pm, contested by Manchester City, reigning holders of the shield, and Football League Second Division champions Burnley.[5] The venue was Maine Road,[3] home ground of Manchester City.[6]

Manchester City finished the 1972–73 First Division in 11th place and reached the fifth round of the FA Cup;[7] they won the 1972 FA Charity Shield after defeating Aston Villa by one goal to nil.[8] Burnley won the 1972–73 Second Division title, losing only four times in 42 matches. They won the championship in the last match of the season, away at local rivals Preston North End. Burnley drew 1–1 with a goal from Colin Waldron.[9]

This was Manchester City's seventh Charity Shield appearance; before the game they had won three shields (1937, 1968 and 1972) and lost three (1934, 1956 and 1969). Burnley were appearing in their third Charity Shield match. They lost in 1921 and shared the 1960 FA Charity Shield after a draw with Wolverhampton Wanderers.[8][lower-alpha 1]

Previewing the match, Burnley manager Jimmy Adamson stated: "We are treating this as part of our pre-season build up, but there is no doubt that we want to win". Adamson added: "We shall be the underdogs, but I think we could surprise them".[11] Denis Law returned to Manchester City having left the club in 1961; he was named in City's starting lineup. Burnley fielded the same team which had won the Second Division title the previous season.[12]

Match

Summary

The match kicked off in sunny conditions at Maine Road in front of a crowd of 23,988 and was refereed by Gordon Hill of Leicester.[3][13] Manchester City were in charge early on in the match and had two corners and a free-kick before Burnley cleared the ball. Shortly afterwards a timely tackle from Mick Docherty prevented City from taking the lead when Law had a goalscoring chance at close range. City kept up the pressure and almost went in front when a powerful shot from Alan Oakes hit the Burnley crossbar. Shortly afterwards Mike Doyle shot wide with the Burnley goal at his mercy.[12] During the opening 30 minutes Burnley regularly lost possession and found it difficult to adapt to the high tempo of the match; towards the end of the first half the pace slowed and Burnley grew into the game. The first half ended goalless.[13]

City started the second half well and again pressed their opponents. Alan Stevenson, the Burnley goalkeeper, made a string of saves to keep the score level. Around the 60th minute, Burnley began to dominate the match. Geoff Nulty headed over the City goal from a dangerous position and Martin Dobson saw his shot saved by the leg of Joe Corrigan, the City goalkeeper. Corrigan also saved from a Nulty header and a powerful shot from 20 yards (18 m) from Frank Casper. In the 66th minute, Burnley received a free-kick after Rodney Marsh fouled Doug Collins on the right-hand edge of the penalty box. Collins dummied to take the free-kick, left it for Casper whose cross was headed powerfully in by defender Waldron to put Burnley 1–0 in front. Waldron ran in unmarked from the edge of the box.[13]

Peter Higgs, writing in the Burnley Express, labelled it an "excellently worked goal", but was also slightly unhappy as it would be more difficult for Burnley to successfully use that free-kick routine again due to the goal being shown on television. Paul Fletcher almost doubled the lead for Burnley when he hit the post. Shortly afterwards Collins played a one-two with Dobson, hit a powerful shot from an angle but it was saved by Corrigan. Burnley held on to their lead to win the match by one goal to nil. Dobson, the Burnley captain, received the trophy from Andrew Stephen, the chairman of the FA.[13]

Details
Manchester City0–1Burnley
Waldron 66'
Attendance: 23,988
Manchester City[13]
Burnley[13]
GK1England Joe Corrigan
DF2England Tony Book (c)
DF3Scotland Willie Donachie
DF4England Mike Doyle
DF5England Tommy Booth
MF6England Alan Oakes
MF7England Mike Summerbee
MF8England Colin Bell
FW9Scotland Denis Law
FW10England Francis Lee
FW11England Rodney Marsh
Substitute:
FW12England Frank Carrodus (unused)
Manager:
England Johnny Hart
GK1England Alan Stevenson
DF2England Mick Docherty
DF3England Keith Newton
MF4England Martin Dobson (c)
DF5England Colin Waldron
DF6Scotland Jim Thomson
MF7England Geoff Nulty
FW8England Frank Casper
FW9England Paul Fletcher
MF10England Doug Collins
FW11Wales Leighton James
Substitute:
MF12England Billy Ingham (unused)
Manager:
England Jimmy Adamson

Post-match

It was Burnley's second win in the competition, following a shared title in 1960.[8] Higgs of the Burnley Express described it as a "fine match full of end-to-end play, plenty of goal-mouth action and very little of the uglier aspects of football". Higgs suggested midfielder Collins was the best player on Burnley's side, praising his work rate and ball control.[13] Eric Todd, writing in The Guardian, labelled it a "thoroughly entertaining game". Previewing the upcoming 1973–74 First Division, Todd claimed Burnley would "enliven the First Division" as they "have a young side, several really outstanding players, notably Dobson, Collins and James, and an overall discipline". Todd criticised City's ineffective style of play, to add: "City nevertheless have the potential to be one of the most exciting and entertaining sides of the season".[14]

Burnley manager Adamson was pleased with the performance of his players in an entertaining match. He stated that City were the better team in the first half but that Burnley matched them after half-time. Adamson also noted that Docherty helped Burnley back into the game during the second half by making overlapping runs down the right wing. Johnny Hart, the Manchester City manager, was furious: "I have given the players a rollicking because we had 80 per cent of the play and were murdering them and then gave away a goal like that".[13] Mike Summerbee, the City winger, was more praiseful of Burnley: "This could be one of the greatest teams. The big name First Division sides are going to get some shocks this season. Once Burnley have settled in the top flight they could easily become the team of the 1970s". Summerbee became a Burnley player in 1975.[15]

City went on to finish 14th in the 1973–74 season while Burnley finished sixth on their return to the top flight.[16] City reached the fourth round of the 1973–74 FA Cup and were beaten in the final of the Football League Cup.[17] Burnley were eliminated in the third round of the League Cup and finished third in the FA Cup.[16][lower-alpha 2] As of 2023, Burnley have not played in a Charity Shield match since 1973. City's next appearance in the competition—renamed FA Community Shield in 2002—was in 2011, when they lost 3–2 against Manchester United. City won the trophy the following year after they defeated Chelsea by three goals to two.[8]

In 1974, Ted Croker, secretary of the FA, proposed that the Charity Shield should be played at Wembley Stadium between the reigning league champions and the FA Cup holders.[10]

Notes
  1. Until 1993, in the event of a draw, the FA Charity Shield would be shared between the two competing teams, with each team having possession of the trophy for six months.[8][10]
  2. Between 1969–70 and 1973–74, the losing FA Cup semi-finalists took part in a third-place play-off. Burnley defeated Leicester City 1–0 at Filbert Street, Leicester.[18]

References

Specific

  1. "Abandonment of the Sheriff Shield". The Observer. 19 April 1908. p. 11.
  2. Ferguson, Peter (4 August 2011). "The Shield: From the beginning". Manchester City F.C. Archived from the original on 27 July 2014. Retrieved 21 April 2014.
  3. "Manchester City v Burnley, 18 August 1973". 11v11. AFS Enterprises. Archived from the original on 25 December 2022. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
  4. James, Chris (7 May 1973). "Shankly: Why we won't play". Liverpool Echo. p. 26.
  5. "Burnley in the Charity Shield". Evening Post. 25 May 1973. p. 48.
  6. "On this day: City bid farewell to Maine Road". Manchester City F.C. 11 May 2023. Archived from the original on 8 September 2023. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
  7. Goble & Ward (1993), p. 294
  8. Ross, James (6 August 2023). "England – List of FA Charity/Community Shield Matches". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 17 August 2023. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
  9. Simpson (2007), p. 345
  10. "The FA Community Shield history". The Football Association. Archived from the original on 9 June 2013. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  11. Higgs, Peter (17 August 1973). "Adamson faces dilemma". Burnley Express. p. 29.
  12. "Man. City 0, Burnley 1". Ireland's Saturday Night. 18 August 1973. p. 3.
  13. Higgs, Peter (21 August 1973). "Yes, Clarets have what it takes". Burnley Express. p. 16.
  14. Todd, Eric (20 August 1973). "Burnley are soon at home". The Guardian. p. 16.
  15. Simpson (2007), p. 348
  16. Simpson (2007), pp. 349–350
  17. Goble & Ward (1993), p. 296
  18. "Semi-Final Factfile". The Football Association. 13 April 2005. Archived from the original on 15 April 2005. Retrieved 17 September 2020.

Works cited

  • Goble, Ray; Ward, Andrew (1993). Manchester City: A Complete Record. Breedon Books. ISBN 978-1873626412.
  • Simpson, Ray (2007). The Clarets Chronicles: The Definitive History of Burnley Football Club 1882–2007. Burnley F.C. ISBN 978-0955746802.
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