MAGAZINE ARCHIVE : SHOOT – 21.5.1977

David O’Leary is one of the cover stars as the 1976-1977 nears it’s finale.

Jack Charlton (Middlesbrough) and Johnny Giles (West Bromwich Albion) get a double page feature, as the two former Leeds players have left managerial positions in recent weeks.

Ray Kennedy gets a full page profile, as he aims to make English football history, aiming to become the first player to win the double twice, having been a part of Arsenal’s 1971 double winning team.

With Liverpool losing to Manchester United in that year’s FA Cup Final, the feat wasn’t achieve until various Manchester United players did it in 1996, with some more doing it in 1999 (Peter Schmeichel, Denis Irwin, Roy Keane and Ryan Giggs winning it three times)

Ashley Cole and Nicholas Anelka are the only players to win the double with two different clubs, after Kennedy was denied this achievement.

Shoot does a double page spread, offering Martin Peters, Pat Rice and Howard Kendall an opportunity to reflect on the season, and why their respective sides didn’t win a trophy.

Gerry Francis uses his column to suggest that anybody wanting to be a manager in England should get the relevant coaching and management qualifications, similar to the structure in West Germany.

In news, Arsenal manager Terry Neill has denied a story in Shoot that Frank Stapleton and Liam Brady are on their way to Liverpool. Middlesbrough midfielder Graeme Souness is unsettled at Ayresome Park

St Mirren manager Alex Ferguson has been fined £25 for comments to the referee after his side were eliminated from the Scottish Cup by Motherwell.

Aston Villa goalkeeper John Burridge gets a full page profile about facing penalties.

In the centre pages, there is a poster of the Aston Villa team, including the League Cup, which they won in 1977.

John Greig uses his column to explain why Rangers didn’t win the league.

Sheffield Wednesday’s teenage goalkeeper Chris Turner gets interviewed, having broke into the team and become a regular of the team he supported growing up.

In world news, Idi Amin is described as “The Generous General”, having rewarded the national team with a free holiday in Libya as a reward for winning the East African Challenge Cup.

MAGAZINE ARCHIVE : SHOOT – 20.5.1978

Frank Worthington is one of the cover stars, as Shoot looks forward to the British Championship, while looking back at he 1977-1978 season.

Shoot did a double page spread previewing all six games in the British Championship, accompanied by facts and figures of all the teams.

England, who didn’t qualify for that year’s World Cup, took the title, winning all three of their games.

In adverts, there was a full page advert for the following week’s edition, which had a free World Cup wallchart.

Ray Clemence uses his column to state that England are desperate to beat Wales, having suffered their first ever Wembley defeat to them in 1977.

England beat Wales 3-1 at Ninian Park in their opening game of the competition.

In news, a thousand fans signed a petition to the IFA for the lifetime bans from international football imposed on Bobby Campbell and Bertie McMinn, for an off-field incident at an underage tournament in 1975.

Bobby Campbell was a non appearing squad member at the 1982 World Cup, so obviously, the petition was successful.

17 year old Craig Johnston has broke into the Middlesbrough team, after borrowing £632 from his dad in order to get to England.

Coventry City are in danger of being known as “The Curly Kids”, with seven players all having perms.

Elton John got a full page feature. Yes, the nephew of 1959 FA Cup Final goalscorer Roy Dwight. In 1979, he was the chairman of Watford, just promoted from Division 4. As ever, he wanted a Number 1 – Watford to be in Division 1.

He was full of praise for the management team of Graham Taylor and Bertie Mee, and stated he was nervous watching games, even more than when he is on stage.

Elton had big plans for Watford, wanting to build a 30-40,000 capacity stadium, and a pitch with synthetic turf.

Elton was looking to other clubs for inspiration “I would like us to achieve the professionalism of Liverpool, the facilities of Aston Villa, and the organisation of Coventry”

There is a further double page spread on the Home Internationals, with a player from each side giving their thoughts ahead of the games.

Andy Gray uses his column to express his disappointment at only being a stand-by player for the World Cup, but he was hoping to make up for it by helping Scotland to a third successive Home Nations title.

Shoot does a double page spread on Birmingham’s two clubs, with new City manager Jim Smith hoping to wake up what he describes as “A sleeping giant”, while Ron Saunders blames injuries for Aston Villa’s failure to build on their 4th place finish and League Cup win in 1977.

There is a poster of John Greig’s Testimonial, where Rangers beat a Scotland XI 5-0.

Trevor Francis poses in an NFL uniform, as he is about to head off on a short-term loan to Detroit Express during the pre-season.

Little did he know it then, Francis would make English football history less than a year later with his next move.

In world news, Sepp Maier has signed an Amnesty International petition for the release of political prisoners in Argentina. Talking of Argentina, Alberto Tarantini is being paid by his country’s FA as he is without a club. That year, he signed for Birmingham City. Spain defender Jose Camacho was ruled out of the World cup through injury, while priests in West Germany have been sent a schedule of World Cup games, in order to avoid clashing services with matches.

Daniel Passarella gets a double page interview ahead of the World Cup. When asked about Peru, he said he wasn’t impressed with them. That didn’t come back to bite them, as Argentina beat Peru 6-0 in the 2nd Round group stage.

In adverts, you could get four World Cup posters (of the four groups) in Wimpy. All you had to do was buy a burger and milkshake.

Martin Peters gets a profile, where he states his favourite band is Bread, and he would most like to meet Miss Piggy.

Shoot dedicates a page to a new trend in football – perms, with a photo collage of footballers who have perms. Meanwhile, John Greig says fans have been telling that Rangers should replace Scotland in the World Cup, after they beat a Scotland XI 5-0 in his Testimonial.

Gordon Hill uses his column to state that, following his departure from Manchester United, if he didn’t rejoin his former United boss Tommy Docherty at Derby County, he would have gone to America to play.

To finish, getting people in the mood for the World Cup, is a double page spread on the club form of Scotland’s squad, as the tournament in Argentina approaches.

MAGAZINE ARCHIVE : SHOOT : 12.2.1977

England’s upcoming friendly against Holland dominates the cover of this edition of Shoot, with Ruud Krol and Trevor Brooking occupying the page.

In news, Republic Of Ireland have arranged a friendly against Poland, but may have to field locally based players due to the club commitments of players based in England. Dundee United were invited on a pre-season tour of Bangladesh.

Alex Stepney has been awarded a testimonial by Manchester United, with Benfica, United’s opponents in the 1968 European Cup Final, visiting Old Trafford. It’s part of a series of events, including a concert by Brotherhood Of Man at Fagin’s Club in Manchester.

The big boys joined the Irish Cup this week, with Linfield hoping to win the trophy for the 31st time. They would have to wait until 1978 to reach that milestone.

Birmingham City manager Willie Bell wanted 1977 British Championship postponed in order to avoid player burnout, due to backlog of club games due to postponements, and England and Scotland going on tour to South America.

England’s friendly with Holland gets a double page spread. The match was the first between the sides since a friendly seven years earlier, a 0-0 draw at Wembley with England months away from heading to Mexico to defend their World Cup title. Shoot focused on the change in fortunes for both countries since then, with Holland reaching the 1974 World Cup Final, a tournament which England failed to qualify for.

Kevin Keegan uses his column to comment that England must deliver a good performance in order to ensure fans keep returning to Wembley to watch them.

Shoot gives a full page to a bit of statistical fun, that Millwall have the best goals conceded ratio in the history of the Football League from 1888 to 1977.

Gerry Francis also uses his column to preview the England v Holland game, suggesting that Holland are a better team without their star players.

Alan Sunderland told Shoot that he was glad to be settled in a striker role at Wolves, while Graham Wilkins of Chelsea was talking about emerging from the shadow of his younger brother Ray.

In world news, West German clubs are raking in money from shirt sponsorship, which is still banned in England.

Cesar Luis Menotti, manager of World Cup hosts Argentina, is interviewed, where he revealed that the fear of disappointing Argentina’s fans is giving him sleepless nights.

John Greig uses his column to reveal that Rangers might be making a sensational new signing – former Brentford trialist Rod Stewart, who has approached him about playing for Rangers in his testimonial.