Tommy McAnearney sadly died on February 14th after a long illness.
As a player Tom’s best years were undoubtedly at Sheffield Wednesday, where he made 352 appearances for the Owls during a period when they were a genuinely ‘big club’. Then after just a brief spell at Peterborough, following his success at Hillsborough, McAnearney travelled south to the Rec. He was 33 when he pulled on the red and blue of Aldershot for the first time, in a depressing home draw with Doncaster Rovers in March 1966. Then less than a year later he played in a game that stands proudly at ‘number 1 in my top 50 memories’……
Aldershot 1 v Reading 0 (FA Cup R2) January 16th 1967 and Jack Howarth scores the greatest goal
I guess the 1966/7 season was like so many others…….excellent home form and pretty dismal ‘on the road’.
The final League Division 4 position - tenth.
Jack Howarth had joined the Shots at the beginning of the previous season, scoring his first goal in only his second outing - the first of 171 League and a further 25 Cup goals.
After disposing of Torquay United on November 26th, in the first round of the FA Cup, Aldershot were paired with arch rivals Reading in round two. The game was set for Saturday January 7th but, as the insert to the match day programme confirmed, the game was eventually played out on Monday 16th.
‘Thank you for purchasing this programme. As you will observe, it was prepared for the original fixture but cancelled because of the unfit state of the ground.’
And only two days before the ‘big’ encounter, Aldershot flattened Newport County 5v0, in a League game at the Rec. The Shots were in form and the pitch was left looking like the Severn Estuary at low tide.
My memories of the FA Cup game are incredibly vivid.
Even within the relative sanctuary of the North Stand the pressure from the crowd was intense. ‘Happy Jack’ – The Who, was played with such volume that it shook the bolts free from every loudspeaker around the ground.
The floodlights tried their best to cut through the gloom that engulfed the Rec and the massive cheer, as the teams came out onto the pitch from the two tunnels in the South Stand, made me shudder with excitement.
And then the goal.
The greatest goal that I have ever experienced in all of my years watching Aldershot.
A goal, that like a fine wine improves with age. The images in my mind enhanced by a power far greater than that found in any modern day computer.
And with just a very tired newspaper photo of the moment when Jack released his thunderbolt to refresh my mind, the status of the goal can never be challenged.
Steve Curry wrote in the Daily Express the following day:
"Howarth was swept off the field at the finish by frenzied fans who had swung from the grandstand roof and climbed floodlight pylons to view this thriller……….
Ernie Yard mis-hit a pass and Peter Kearns whipped in to snap it up and send Howarth away.
Big, bustling Howarth smoothed in on goal and even the defiance of brave goalkeeper Arthur Wilkie could not keep this one out………………."
Tommy played in a period of time that most of our current crop of ‘stars’ would struggle to comprehend. Low wages, poor pitches, overnight travel home from Barrow, respect and integrity, 'proper tackling' and no diving.....
He was without doubt a ‘legend’..... a great player – such poise and control, wonderful positioning sense and consistently accurate passing…..he made the game look so simple.
And then as a manager he left me with the most colourful memories….too many to list, but I bet anyone over the age of 55 will have the same thoughts stored away safely in their mind....just waiting for the fireside chair and the gentle prompt from family and friends.
Thank you Tommy for enriching my life.
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