Football League Review

If, like me, you're a football fan who longs for the days when chest high tackles were admissible; when players carried on after Tommy Smith had shattered both their kneecaps and when comb-overs and sideburns pre-dated girlie perms, then this blog is for you.

Over the years I've accumulated rather a lot of 'Football League Reviews', that little publication that was slipped into programmes in the 60's and 70's. They are great snapshots of football history and, unlike today when only 3 clubs would get any coverage, they feature players and teams throughout the 4 divisions of the football league.

It's interesting to see themes cropping up that still stir debate today. One of those is hooliganism and my first post is taken from the Readers' letters of the 28th of March 1967.

Jim Daly wants to know - Is he a Soccer Hooligan?

Says this 23 years old fitter from Leeds 9.

"I must be. A couple of years ago I was fined £2 for causing a disturbance on a football ground. My name appeared in the papers."

What was his offence?

Says Daly, "At an away match I ran onto the pitch before the start with three white balloons in my hand. All I wanted to do was to plant them in the middle of the pitch as part of the pre-match build up. But I was stopped by the police, taken outside the ground, and charged.

I did not resist being taken into the hands of the constables, I did not resist eviction and I did not use bad language. When I realised that a dim view had been taken of my running onto the pitch I did nothing about which anyone could take exception."

Jim Daly admits now that he was wrong to let his high spirits get the better of him. He doesn't argue that it was right that he should be charged and fined. What he points out is this:

"People might label me a soccer hooligan, but I'm not. How many other so-called hooligans are real hooligans?"

This letter, now over 40 years old raises a number of questions. Not least the one that asks, what would 3 balloons add to the pre-match entertainment? Although, having said that, a single red beach ball at the Sunderland v Liverpool match earlier this season resulted in unprecedented entertainment for millions.

There is obviously a serious point that still stands today. People are labelled as hooligans for less serious offences. This particular case seems to highlight a perceived innocent age when the worst thing someone did when they were in high spirits was to run onto the pitch carrying 3 white balloons.