GB digs into his programme collection.
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Motherwell v. Spurs Texaco Cup 3/11/70
This is one of my prize programmes within my overall collection, as for many well fans of my generation this was one of the greatest nights (pre- Scottish Cup 1991). That night Spurs came to Fir Park with two players who played for England in the Mexico World Cup of 1970 (Peters and Mullery), along with other internationals such as Gilzean, Chivers and Mike England.
28,000 were there to see if Motherwell could overcome a 3-2 deficit from the first leg. This task looked even more impossible when Spurs scored in the first twenty minutes, but a rousing fightback and goals from Heron, Donnelly and Watson clinched the tie, and ensured a night never to be forgotten by the other ten and eleven year olds present.
The programme was a special edition costing 2/-, twice the normal cost for a programme for this season. There were essentially two front covers for this issue, the usual 'Well cover and a special wrap round Texaco cover. Both have the full match details with ordinary cover showing a photo of Motherwell celebrations after a goal at White Hart Lane. There was also a special 4 page insert in the middle of the programme, where colour was used (for the first time in a 'Well programme). This had a picture of promising 'Well keeper Keith Macrae, and a full team picture took up the middle pages. With the final page of four being a full page advert.
The remainder of the programme was along the lines of a normal 'Well programme at this time at 16 pages. This included the manager's message, a welcome to Tottenham Hotspur (with a half page team photo), two pages of photos from the first leg. There is also a message from one of the first leg scorers saying "We can beat Spurs". The final two pages on the inside of the programme are filled with motherwell's fixtures, appearances and scorers. The back page gives the team lines in the old fashioned 2-3-5 format.
This programme, as with many Motherwell issues, is wasted by an excess of advertising - over one third of the programme is taken up by advertising. This partly arises from the two Motherwell Times adverts. On the special cover they wish the 'Well "All the Best" against Tottenham and charge 8D, while in the ordinary programme they are only charging 6D. Could this sudden increase in price be a result of increased advertising expenditure!!
This programme is readily available from Scottish dealers at approximately £1.25 - £l.50.
In the last edition of GLF I mentioned that the programme for the Rangers game at Fir Park last May had gone up in price to £3.00, I have now seen it on offer for £8.00 in a dealer's list in December. So remember don't throw away that useless piece of paper you never know how much it might be worth.
G. Barnstaple
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