The 1960 Newport County and Spurs cup tie that nearly never was

The match on January 9, 1960 would be the fourth time that Spurs had visited Somerton Park, with the Argus reporting thousands of away fans invading Newport from the railway station.

Large crowds moved through the town waving rosettes and rattles and shouting “Spurs for the Cup”.

Extra buses also had to be brought into use by Western Welsh and Red and White bus companies to cope with the rush of passengers to Newport from all parts of Gwent.

Tottenham supporters arriving at Newport station at midday pose for the South Wales Argus photographer

Among those first off the train was Phillip Taylor and his 12-year-old son Jeffrey, who were both born in Newbridge and had moved from their home in Bryngwyn Road to London.

“I promised my lad I would take him to the match if I could get tickets,” Mr Taylor told the Argus.

The Taylors had managed to get tickets from a cousin, Leslie Brown, who lived in Newbridge, who met the two fans at Newport station.

When asked who would win the match, Mr Taylor told the Argus reporter: “I hope Newport will win, but don’t tell my son!”

Stuart Priestnall and Alan Whitting by their Newport County rosettes before going to Somerton Park

Both sets of fans could count themselves lucky that the cup match was going ahead at all, as major concerns remained over the state of the Somerton Park pitch – fears echoed in the modern day with Rodney Parade’s playing surface.

County were hosting Southampton in a Division Three match on Monday January 29 and were leading 1-0 before the game was called off at half-time by referee Bob Mann.

The pitch was described as a “quagmire” and following the game, hundreds of angry supporters crowded outside the Somerton Park dressing rooms shouting “We want the referee” and “We want our money back.”

Argus sports reporter Leslie James wrote that missiles were thrown in the direction of the police-guarded door while Mann was smuggled out the ground by three policemen.

Mann was due to officiate the upcoming Spurs match, and told club officials that the cup tie would not go ahead if the pitch was not dealt with.

Workers mobilised to transform the pitch in the week before the match. Mud was scraped from the pitch and carried away in lorries, and up to 140 tonnes of sand was dumped onto the surface.

Workers taking on the challenge of making the Somerton Park pitch playable for the cup fixture

On Thursday, January 7, County manager Billy Lucas said: “We have had a lucky break with the weather his week, and even if Somerton Park does not look like Wembley, I am confident the match will be played.

“It will not be necessary for us to call referee Bob Mann down from Worcester tomorrow and we are not getting in touch with him.”

And Lucas’ confidence was rewarded as the pitch was deemed playable, and 22,750 people packed Somerton Park for the game.

Much was made in the pre-match Argus write-up of the wealth of talent within Spurs’ ranks.

Bill Nicholson had spent £150,000 – more than £3 million in today’s money – strengthening a side that already boasted the likes of skipper Danny Blanchflower, England centre forward Bobby Smith and Welsh wing wizard, Cliff Jones.

Spurs and Northern Ireland stalwart Danny Blanchflower played and scored at Somerton Park in 1960

“They have been widely acclaimed as the most attractive and powerful side to be seen in the British Isles for seasons,” wrote Leslie James.

“On paper Newport should stand no chance at all in this David v. Goliath Contest.”

And as expected, the might of the Lilywhites proved too much for a plucky County side who kept the visitors scoring down to a single Bobby Smith goal until half-time.

In fact County were unlucky not to be level at the interval – a fierce shot by John McSeveney seemed destined for the top corner but for a top save by Scottish international goalkeeper Bill Brown.

Barrie Meyer was also on hand to fire off “several superb shots” at the Spurs goal but was stopped at every chance.

Cliff Jones, facing off against his brother Bryn, showed off his tremendous pace to cause the County backline some grief.

The battle had been highly anticipated before the match and fans were rewarded with a string of firm tackles in a true display of unbrotherly love throughout the match.

County stopper Len Weare jumps high for the ball, with centre half Ollie Burton in support, after an attempt by Tottenham centre-forward, Bobby Smith.

In the second-half, Spurs forward Leslie Allen scored a brace within six minutes of each other before Blanchflower fired the ball into the roof of the net from more than thirty yards.

Despite the loss, the club were looking forward to making a profit of £1,250 – but that would not be the case.

“Because of the waterlogged, churned-up state of the pitch, help had to be called in to get Somerton Park ready for Saturdays’ tie,” wrote Leslie James in the Argus on January 10.

“For a week a squad of workers – at times over twenty of them – toiled hard, turning quagmire into a playable surface.

“Without help the club would never have had the ground ready in time for the match, and the cost of the help may be heavy.”

County director Councillor Syd Jenkins told James that the work would cost the club between £500 and £600.

Such costs left County’s actual net profit as £700 – little more than the club made on an average gate for a Third Division match at Somerton Park.

Fast forward 58 years and County will again host a Spurs side filled with world-class talent, on a pitch that will challenge both sides.

But will the outcome be different? Perhaps fans could find hope in the words of Leslie James: “Cup games do not confirm to form. There is always the possibility of one of the giants of the game falling to one of the humble clubs from the lower divisions, and it is just that chance which gives this clash such an exciting touch of piquancy.”