Spartacus Educational

In the progress of the game Dick of Everton, struck A. E. Moore in the back, a piece of ruffianism which produced a lively verbal encounter. One or two of the Everton team played very hard on their opponents, and hoots and groans were frequent during the match. When the teams left the field a rush was made for the Everton men, who had raised the ire of the spectators, and sticks were used. Dick was singled out, and was struck over the head with a heavy stick, the cowardly fellow was dealt the blow inflicting a severe wound on the side of the Everton man's head. The footballers got separated in the excited crowd, but sturdy Holland and Frank Sugg forced their way to the rescue, and Sugg succeeded in gripping the man who struck Dick. He, however, escaped, though constables arrived quickly. Sugg, Holland, and one or two others protected Dick to the pavilion, where his injuries were attended to. This drastic aspect of football is new to Nottingham, and it is a great pity the perpetrators of this cowardly outrage were not secured and handed over to the police. This we are sure will be the feeling of all respectable people who have the interests of football, of the Notts club, and of the reputation of the town at heart.

Our own correspondent adds that Dick played anything but a gentlemanly game, while his language was coarse; but even these defects did not merit such cowardly and condign punishment as was administered at Trent Bridge by Nottingham "lambs" under mob law.

Many of the fiascos I have seen have been caused by sheer pressure of numbers. Those who are well placed are only anxious to see the game go on, but those who cannot command a good view are apt to push and struggle in the hope that possibly their situation may be improved thereby. Realising that they cannot see where they are, the reason that any change in position cannot be for the worse. That has been the cause of practically all the fiascos I have noted in connection with football. There has always been a keen desire to see, and it was because they could not see that those who were responsible for the trouble got out of hand.

For myself, I would take no objection to hooting or groaning by the spectators at decisions with which they disagree. The referee should remember that football is a game that warms the blood of player and looker-on alike, and that unless they can give free vent to their delight or anger, as the case may be, the great crowds we now witness will dwindle rapidly away.

Having seen nearly 200 Association Cup-ties spread over many years, it is evident that only odd games which stand out in memory can be recalled. Another Tottenham match must, however, be mentioned, for that also took place in February, when Aston Villa were called to White Hart-lane twenty years ago.

The crowd was very large, and at half-time they took possession of the arena. There were seats inside the fence, within a few yards of the touch-lines, and the people who were thus accommodated abused their position and privilege by swarming on to the turf at the interval.

Of course, other folk followed, and as it was impossible to remove them the referee, John T. Howcroft, of Bolton, had no option. He declared the match abandoned.

Then commenced such a hurly-burly that many people, self included, remained prisoners on the old stand-for there were the spectators on the ground and a mob which was said to be violent in front of the stand. The turbulent section was subdued by the police.

It was impossible to get out of the place by the customary exits, but a good friend-I think it was John Over, the venerable groundsman, who used to prepare The Oval for The Wanderers, the classic team of the early "seventies"- led me across the pitch, opened a private gate, and put me on the road to Park Station, on the Great Eastern line, as White Hart-lane, Bruce Grove, and even South Tottenham would have been impossible.

Tottenham had to give their "gate" to charitable institutions, to pay a fine of £200 or £300, and to enclose their playing pitch with iron rails so that no spectators could be accommodated inside and none could gain access by climbing over. This was a severe punishment.

As the teams made their way from the pitch, a Southampton fan decided to vent his frustration on Needham, hitting the Sheffielder in the face. Perhaps he chose Needham because of the half-back's small stature. If it were so, it were a grievous fault. Nobody present - with the single obvious exception - could have been a more redoubtable opponent in such a confrontation than hard-as-nails Needham. Normally the soul of diplomacy, the United captain retaliated with a left-right combination that wouldn't have disgraced Bob Fitzsimmons. At this point the spectator, concluding it might be a good idea to make himself scarce, turned and ran - into the arms of a couple of policemen. The next day back in Sheffield there was a rumour that it was Foulke who had hit back. But as the Monday's Sheffield Telegraph wryly connnented: "The assailant may be glad it was only Needham."