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Think this might have been one of the last of the Busby babes.
Curious match, void of any talent by today's standards.
Interesting challenge around 7 mins into the video. Header from Villa's McParland, Wood saves. McParland keeps running through, challenges Wood (who has the ball in his hand) and breaks his cheekbone, rendering him unconscious.
Nowadays a red card and a ban, but then a part of the game.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SuL515DPIJ4&t=426s
It is strange to see but barging the goalkeeper was par for the course in those days but that one seemed particularly violent. Manchester United’s losing cup finals of 1957 and 1958 were both characterised by goalkeeping incidents. The following year one of Nat Lofthouse’s goals was as a result of him physically barging Harry Gregg plus ball over the line. All centre forwards did it but our very own Trevor Ford was probably one of the most famous exploiters of this tactic.
Remember it well, I was 11 at the time a pupil at St Illtyd's in Splott.
One of the De La Salle Bothers there - Bro Thomas was a schoolfriend of McParland - a year or so later he gave me a ticket to see Wales v Ireland.
Wonder if Bro Thomas is still alive?
Kenneth Wolstenhome says there was nothing wrong with the challenge, but McParland was more than ten yards away from Wood when he headed the ball and they still ended up colliding because he kept on running towards the keeper - that can't be right in any era surely?
Watched it for a few minutes before the incident and was surprised by the number of back passes to the keeper. i also noticed that Villa stole about ten yards for a free kick - I didn't think such things used to go on in those days or that's what my older relatives always used to tell me when I was a kid anyway.
If it's the one I'm thinking of, around 5 minutes to go there's an off the ball incident - A Man Ud. player on the ground with players surrounding him. A lot of off-the-ball stuff went on in those days !!Quote:
Originally Posted by Eric the Half a Bee