FA Cup Semi v Chelsea 1965

 I hope you posters dont mind but I would like to tell you a true story about the 1965 F.A.Cup semi final against Chelsea.At the L.F.C were running raffles with the profits going to ground development and the tickets cost a shilling each.

There were 10 winners and each was allowed to take someone with them to the semi final at Villa Park. Well I was lucky enough to win and what a day out we had. Rreported to Anfield on the Saturday morning and there was 2 coaches in the car park one for the players wives and one one for us.

When we were on the coach Sid Reakes the director came on the coach and shook hands with us which was a nice gesture,WE set off and stopped for dinner and a few pints,when we got to Villa Park we were given a 2 pound stand ticket each for the main stand.

After the match we set off and they took us to a Country pub (cant remember where ) and they put on a big meal with beer and cigars thrown in.They dropped us off at the Rocket pub just in time for last orders, a truly mighty end to a great day out which I will never forget.

Tommy Docherty was manager of Chelsea at the time and he said if we beat Chelsea it will be the miracle of the century--He now believes in miracles.

In case you are wandering I took my brother in law with me who was a good red for a perfect day out.

Nice post Billy, those were the days eh?  Sounds like you had a brilliant time, and a nice memory to keep forever     

Great story.  Couldn't imagine the tight arses doing anything like that nowadays.  If only they had digital cameras and all that back then. 

I remember seeing a copy of the programme notes for the Inter Milan game a couple of weeks after your trip back in 1965 and it really seemed like it actually WAS 'the peoples club'.  The club is in real danger of losing a unique bond with the supporters and becoming just like every other club IMO.

The re-introduction of these raffles should be high on Rick Parry's list - alas he is probably out in the January sales hunting down some awful tie/shirt combos.

The raffles were initially brought out for the away European games and they had 2 winners,i was not lucky enough to win any of them.I could be wrong but I am sure it was a Colin Addison who ran the raffles,ie he was the organiser for L.F.C.

Great story Billy sounds like you had a great time, its a shame they dont do anything like that now, but with everything being so money orientated now I doubt they would even contemplate doing something like that, which is a shame. I suspect you have watched the way in which football has been taken away from the working class and is such a big money thing now as its become less personal. You are lucky you saw times like that as it brings everything back to earth for the rest of us when you share those stories.

Great story Billy sounds like you had a great time, its a shame they dont do anything like that now, but with everything being so money orientated now I doubt they would even contemplate doing something like that, which is a shame. I suspect you have watched the way in which football has been taken away from the working class and is such a big money thing now as its become less personal. You are lucky you saw times like that as it brings everything back to earth for the rest of us when you share those stories.

I agree with you regarding football being taken away from the working classes, in the years after the war most men worked to 1 o clock on the Saturday had a pint then into the match,I think thats why the crowds were so big in those days it was a big wind down for everybody.Also no floodlights so in the winter it was an early kick off-no SKY T.V either. The raffles the club ran were to raise funds for ground improvements so the club did make money but iI could not tell you how much.I first heard that I won the semi final prize by reading it in the Liverpool Echo then I got an official letter from the club.I did have a 3 shilling ground ticket for the semi which I gave to one of the lads at work when I won.I would like to thank posters for their interest in this,it is nice to receive positive feed back.THANK YOU.