Nastiest/roughest/dirtiest match ever.

[VeritasVincit]

Carcinogen has started a ‘best goal ever’ thread’.
I ‘ll start a nastiest/roughest/dirtiest match ever thread.

To begin, one which few on here will remember.
‘The Battle of Santiago’ in the 1962 World Cup

[carcinogen]

The FA Cup final when Vinnie took-out McMahon was funny. I'm sure Wimbledon games will feature and obviously some South American bullshit. haha. Those animals are fucking nasty bastards.

[Basualdo]

Northern Ireland vs Italy 1957.



Two footed tackle into the small of McAdams back at 3.50 into vid.
Another two footed waist high tackle from the Italians seconds later.
Northern Ireland players object to such treatment rather vociferously with fists. Ref abandons game. Windsor Park crowd objects rather vociferously with fists upon Italian team.

Battle of Belfast was far from a golden moment

Fifty years ago this week - Wednesday December 4 1957 to be exact - the Battle of Belfast between Northern Ireland and Italy - a 2-2 draw raged at Windsor Park on one of the most bizarre and shameful afternoons in Irish football history.

Two months earlier on a cold bleak night in Lisbon, Northern Ireland had drawn 1-1 with Portugal in their opening Group 1 qualifier to launch the first real excursion into the colourful and explosive combat of the 1958 World Cup.

A flash in the pan? Not at all, but the emergence of a new Irish International football concept inspired by Peter Doherty the manager and former prince of inside forwards and skipper Danny Blanchflower.

Moves of fascinating beauty both in creation and execution came from players who had benefited from being kept together for prolonged periods. They possessed flair, inventiveness and repeated tactical experiments were carried out.

The away match against Italy was played in April 25 at the Olympic Stadium, Rome, where the defender Sergio Cervatto's pierced the wall with a free-kick which went past keeper Harry Gregg. It seemed Italy 1934 and '38 winners were on their way again.

Northern Ireland's 3-0 Windsor Park victory over Portugal meant Italy's qualifications for the final was not a foregone conclusion. Eyebrows were raised too when Northern Ireland defeated England 3-2 for the first time at Wembley in a British Championship fixture. Italy wondered who were these upstarts who had also held Scotland to a 1-1 draw.

The Italians therefore did not relish the visit to Windsor Park on December 4 1957; Northern Ireland needed a win to go through, Italy a draw - and they ensured they would achieve this by selecting a powerful side which included Juan Schiaffino, who when with Milan had won a World Cup winners medal with Uruguay 1950 and the Argentinians forward Chico Ghiggia. There was a 50,000 crowd assured for a mid-week fixture - what a contrast from today.

Then, on the eve of the game a-behind-the-scenes drama unfolded.

Hungarian referee Istvan Zolt, manager of the Budapest Opera House was fog-bound in London and as alarm bells rang, Irish FA general secretary Billy Drennan arranged for English referee Arthur Ellis to travel by ship via Stranraer as a stand-by should the circumstances be unchanged.

Italian president Ottorino Barassi would not agree and preferred to leave it until the morning but the fog never lifted. Zolt never made it and they wouldn't agree to any refereeing change. Abandon the match? That was impossible for they had already let thousands of fans through the turnstiles.

Behind closed doors at the Old Midland Hotel a compromise was reached when the match was reduced from a World Cup-tie to a friendly and re-arranged again for January. The document was signed by Dr Barassi, Irish FA president Joseph McBride and Belfast Lord Mayor Sir Cecil McKee.

What a furore arose when fans, most of them taking a half day from work, were informed of the changed status over the public address system. They felt they had been conned and as the teams appeared howls of protest greeted them. It stopped during the playing of the National Anthem but resumed with the Italian one which could not be heard although many did not realise what it was. There was an atmosphere of distrust, anger and antagonism which affected the players.

Italian right-half Guiseppe Chiapella caught Blanchflower with a lightning hook which would have been applauded at Madison Square Garden; Schiaffino, contrary to his normal cultured play, brutally hit Wilbur Cush and Blanchflower, realising the danger, told him to forget it and get on with the game.

Cush nodded but shortly afterwards tackled the Uruguayan with a ferocity which made even those who knew the toughness of the little iron man from Lurgan wince.

In the midst of the mayhem was the giant centre-half Rino Ferrario who pleaded with Blanchflower to keep the peace, then became engaged in acts of fury and during a corner kicked all around him with the ball nowhere in the vicinity.

Italian keeper Ottavio Bugatti lay prostrate after diving at Peter McParland's feet, Chiapella went berserk jumping with his feet into the small of Billy McAdam's back and at the end of the 2-2 draw - Cush got both Northern Ireland goals - the crowd invaded the pitch attacking the Italians including Ferrario, the villain of the piece.

Police had to baton-charge the crowd on the pitch to restore order.

Questions were raised in the Italian Parliament as football relations between the two countries dipped to zero.

So it was back to Belfast this time on January 15 1958, a match in which Ghiggia was ordered off for no apparent reason and Northern Ireland triumphed 2-1 with goals from Jimmy McIlroy and Cush.

They had at last reached the World Cup finals and the Italians were out. A new era had dawned.

[Zambo]

Bulgaria v Brazil at Goodison 1966 WC when Pele was fucked over time and time again.

[kancutlawns]

The Battle of Bramall Lane.

[JimmyDee]

I don't know about EVER, but I remember this one. Celtic-Atletico Madrid, 1974.

[Reg]

I don't know about EVER, but I remember this one. Celtic-Atletico Madrid, 1974.

That was a classic, but b'all accounts both Celtic's and Manchester United's Intercontinental Cup matches in South America in the late Sixties were much worse.

There are some documentaries about them - no doubt available online.

[Hillman avenger]

Wasn't there a notorious Leeds-Chelsea cup final replay?

[Zambo]

Wasn't there a notorious Leeds-Chelsea cup final replay?

1970. Webb and Harris kicked Leeds off the park. It was a change for them to be on the receiving end.

[Jonathan]

Wasn't there a notorious Leeds-Chelsea cup final replay?

1970. Webb and Harris kicked Leeds off the park. It was a change for them to be on the receiving end.

What happened was in the first game Eddie Gray ran rings round David Webb so in the replay Chopper switched so he was marking Gray. He didn’t have a chance after that.

Peter Bonetti was injured in a nasty challenge with Mick Jones and had to hobble on.

Those were the days

[Reg]

Wasn't there a notorious Leeds-Chelsea cup final replay?

1970. Webb and Harris kicked Leeds off the park. It was a change for them to be on the receiving end.

I think the first match was the one that was re-reffed years later (was it by Ellery?) and he doled out somthing like four reds and thirteen yellows. That figure would be a lot higher now.

I remember Charlton hacking Osgood, and Chelsea were brutal too.

[VeritasVincit]

Wasn't there a notorious Leeds-Chelsea cup final replay?

1970. Webb and Harris kicked Leeds off the park. It was a change for them to be on the receiving end.

I think the first match was the one that was re-reffed years later (was it by Ellery?) and he doled out somthing like four reds and thirteen yellows. That figure would be a lot higher now.

I remember Charlton hacking Osgood, and Chelsea were brutal too.

I've just checked. 6 reds 20 yellows !!!
In the actual matches, only one yellow was given; to Hutchinson, by referee Jennings.

Hugh McIlvanney wrote that "at times it appeared that Mr Jennings would give a free kick only on production of a death certificate."

[joec52]

By the way it was Hungary v Brazil.... just saying

[chelseachelsea]

Wasn't there a notorious Leeds-Chelsea cup final replay?

1970. Webb and Harris kicked Leeds off the park. It was a change for them to be on the receiving end.

I think the first match was the one that was re-reffed years later (was it by Ellery?) and he doled out somthing like four reds and thirteen yellows. That figure would be a lot higher now.

I remember Charlton hacking Osgood, and Chelsea were brutal too.

I've just checked. 6 reds 20 yellows !!!
In the actual matches, only one yellow was given; to Hutchinson, by referee Jennings.

Hugh McIlvanney wrote that "at times it appeared that Mr Jennings would give a free kick only on production of a death certificate."

Both games were horrific by modern day standards.

[Holden Mcgroyne]

Bulgaria v Brazil at Goodison 1966 WC when Pele was fucked over time and time again.

Wonder how many times Bob's started a reply and then deleted today.