YOUR SUPPORT
IS CRUCIAL
BOBBY WANTS REVENGE
MOTHERWELL Football Club have frequently involved them
selves in International football at club level. The 1932 Scottish
League Championship side successfully toured South Africa and in
the,1950's we played exhibition matches at home to Winterthur
Aalborg, Djurgardens (from Scandinavia), Atletico Madrid,
Valencia (Spain), Toulouse and Nimes Olympique (France) and
Flamenco (Brazil). Now, we could be on the verge of something even
greater.
A NEW era could be
opening up this after
noon for Motherwell
an era in which
some of the top sides
in Europe could grace
the Fir Park turf.
That's the promise this
May Sunday afternoon
from the club chairman
lan Livingstone and
director Bill Samuel.
And invitations could
soon be going out to
Spanish cracks
Barcelona and West
German's European
Cup-finalists Borussia
Moenchen-Gladbach.
But first the football
fans in Lanarkshire
must prove by their at
tendance that they really
want world class foot
ball on their doorstep.
"The Club have
invested a considerable
amount of cash to bring
Ajax to Lanarkshire,"
said Mr Livingstone.
"We reckon we have
played our part.
"Now it's up to you,
support us and we'll
pursue our plans. Don't
support us and we'll drop
future plans to bring
more top class clubs to
Fir Park.
"The match against
Ajax of Amsterdam is, in
a way, a test case and I
sincerely hope the
response will be
enouraging.
"No club can afford to
BOBBY GRAHAM will today have an edge on his
claret and amber team mates for he has the
extra experience of having faced up to an Ajax side
on the crest of the wave. But the memory is not a
particularly happy one for Bobby.
Bobby was playing with Liverpool at the time.
Ian St John was leading the Anfield attack and the
Merseysiders were drawn against Ajax in the
second round of the European Cup in season
1972-73.
The first leg was in Holland, and was in doubt
right up till the kick-off because a heavy fog
threatened to postponed the game. Then 'Pool boss
Bill Shankly craftily fielded Bobby wearing a No. 3
on his back.
His role in the injury-enforced reshuffled Liver
pool side varied from his normal striking beat but
Ajax emerged 5-1 victory at home and held the
"reds" to a 2-2 draw at Anfield.
splash out money to
secure a top line attrac
tion if the customers are
not going to turn up to
support the venture."
"The moves to invite a
top European club side to
Motherwell were no
sudden impulse," ex
plained Mr Samuel.
"These proposals have
been talked about in the
boardroom at various
stages in the
season.Then we decided
to move for Ajax.
After tentative
arrangements had been
discussed, I flew to
Amsterdam to confirm
the contract."
The motives behind
the club's move into the
European soccer
hierarchy were twofold:
*T0 GIVE the fans a
taste of the best in foot
ball and a bonus for
a disappointing season:
and
*T0 PREPARE the
players tor an entry into
a European competition
in the not-too-distant
future.
"We realise that the
season recently ended
has not been a parti
cularly successful one lor
the club" said Mr Living
ston.
