The Liverpool FC Forum > Opinion
The Quiet Man Speaks At Last
So… Howard Philips:
--- Quote from: Stubbins on January 20, 2024, 03:33:39 pm ---When I first started watching football they were definitely called half backs. And every team had two inside forwards (one of whom had to be Scottish!) and every team played with two wingers. I'm guessing the changes came about largely with Ramsay and the 66 world cup win. Suddenly everyone was playing two up front and a 442 formation. I think it was on the back of that that the term 'midfielder' came to the fore.
--- End quote ---
There also had to be a hard as nails Scottish defender like Yeats or Ian Ure. And some teams employed a bow legged , Ginger Scottish winger but not us. Both our wingers were English lads,born and bred. ;D
Runehammer:
Slightly before my time but I knew Gordon was a true great tho' I never saw him play sadly. This is a great read, thanks teine.
Thepooloflife:
Great OP - unsung hero is right and a proper legend. Yep, what a time to be alive in the city then - although I was only a youngster so never actually got to see him play or see the Beatles in the Cavern. I know it's been said before, but imagine playing 3 games in 4 days now, as they did that Easter 1964 !
I'll certainly be getting a copy of this.
Timbo's Goals:
Many thanks for this mate. Looking forward to reading this. My last two years in juniors I was right half for school team which just happened to coincide with Gordon's Milnes first two years for the Reds so no surprise that Gordon was my big hero and favourite player back then. Such a cultured player. In those days the two half backs - right half and left half number 4 and 6 respectively - were the equivalent of modern day midfielders both with defensive and attacking roles with the right half usually the most forward thinking and the left half usually the most defence minded. They'd share the midfield duties with one of the two inside forwards - inside right number 8 and inside left number10 - one of whom would normally be the midfield schemer and the other a striker alongside the centre forward. Happy days.
Gordon Milne was fantastic in that right half role. Busy and industrious yet also so cultured on the ball and so intelligent with his feeding and prompting of his attackers whilst also so brilliant at reading the game and nipping opposition attacks in the bud with his amazing anticipation. The fans loved him in a sort of quiet admiring way, always appreciative of the qualities he brought to the table. It was no surprise to us and a source of huge pride back then - contrast these days - when Gordon was picked for England. I think we'd only had two othe England internationals a bit before that in Alan A'Court and Jimmy Melia but Gordon Milne seemed to fit the bill in a way the other two never quite managed to do. Anyway everyone was dead made up to see him in the white shirt. As I say what a contrast to today when none of us could give a shit.
Favourite Gordon Milne moment. For me there's two stand outs. First him and Gerry Byrne walking round Anfield with the FA cup just before we thrashed Inter and the lot of us went crazy, crying and cheering like never before. Second, him somehow getting his head on a shot from Tommy Smith and directing it into the Kop goal to clinch victory against United on our way to winning the league in 65/66 season.
Thanks for memories Gordon lad. You were ace.
;D
smutchin:
Good read, thanks for sharing.
All before my time so very interesting and informative.
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