Club Topics
By DAVtD MEEK
o' the Manchester Evening News
Tonight's gate receipts could be a
record for Manchester United as the
Reds return to Europe in the U.E.F.A.
Cup.
But the fans at Old Trafford tonight are
paying only half the price of the tickets for
the first leg in Amsterdam.
The best seats cost up to £10 in Holland
and the bulk of the ordinary seating was
priced at £4. The top charge this evening
is £2, showing just a slight increase on
normal League prices, with £1.50 the
average admission for a covered seat
and remember there were few areas in the
Amsterdam Olympic Stadium that had a
roof!
So compared with Holland, and probably
most of Europe, we are still getting our
football very cheaply!
PRESSURE
United are now beginning to feel the
pressure of English football with its tightly
compressed fixture list. Everything goes
smooth provided you don't draw a Cup tie.
United drew 2-2 with Sunderland in the
third round of the League Cup at Old
Trafford, which means a replay at Roker
Park next Monday.
This in turn means that the re-arranged
League fixture against Liverpool on the
Tuesday must now be postponed. It's bad
news for the organisers of Alex Stepney's
testimonial match who are waiting for the
first free date to become available.
The Reds only have themselves to
blame for the extra trip to Roker! They
dominated the second half, but failed to
find the net and only scrambled an
equaliser three minutes from the end with
the help of an own-goal.
At least there will be a break after the
Sunderland replay with Saturday week a
blank date to help Don Revie prepare for
England's World Cup qualifier against
Finland the following week.
This won't mean much rest for the
United players, though, many of whom
will find themselves heavily involved in a
full programme of international fixtures.
PROGRESS
There is better news of Tony Grimshaw,
the Manchester youngster who broke his
leg playing for the reserves last season.
Tony has had a plate removed from his
leg, which although put him back with
walking sticks for a spell, is nevertheless an
encouraging step forward in his recovery.
He is back in training and still very
cheerfulthough impatient to be playing
again.
LOAN
Another former Manchester schools
player, Ray Botham, has joined Sheffield
Wednesday on a month's loan with a view
to a permanent transfer at the end of his
trial period.
Tony Young, who once held the Man
chester schoolboy scoring record, and
moved from Old Trafford to Charlton last
year, has now teamed up with a former
boss, Wilf McGuinness, at York City.
Tony will be playing with another ex-
Red, Steve James, in a team going through
a tough time after relegation to the Third
Division.
HOME
Bill Foulkes, former United skipper, was
at Old Trafford the other day on a trip
back home after completing the summer
season in American football.
Manager of Chicago Sting, his team
won their division, and he speaks highly
of the progress made by Jim Kelly, the
midfield player who joined his club on loan
from Old Trafford.
