Victoria v Torpedo Moscow 1965

Back in 2014, I asked the question "I wonder if those films still exist somewhere?" It turns out they did, and George Cotsanis (of My World Is Round) found them and now you can watch them here:

The only Soccer News scan from the archive that covers the tour is missing a few pages, but is well worth a look at for some great pictures and features. It covers the first game of Torpedo in Melbourne, against a State League Select XI and previews the upcoming clash of the Victorian state team and Torpedo Moscow.

Soccer News March 12

Some differences to note from the footage of Victoria v Manchester United include the fact that the game was played earlier in the year and in glorious sunshine.While in 1967 there is a roof on the Eastern Stand at Olympic Park, in 1965 there is not. Certainly Victoria are more competitive in 1967, and are comprehensively beaten by the Russians/Soviets. The consolation goal scored by Croatia's Hammy McMeechan is a cracker though, a diving header after his flying volley cannons off the crossbar. Stars like Jim Mantarakis, Attila Abonyi, Mike Mandalis and David Goldie can be seen in action. For a The Pioneers podcast with Mandalis, click here.

Match Details:

Sunday March 14, 1965.
At Olympic Park (Crowd: 16500)
Referee: Roger Lamb

Victoria 1 (McMeechan 84') Torpedo Moscow 4 (Sergeyev 2' 80' Fedotov 23' Brednev 56')

Victoria: Ernie Grosz, Nigel Shepherd, Jim Mantarakis, John Auchie, Dick van Alphen, Frank Micic, Attila Abonyi (Hammy McMeechan 72'), Archie Blue, Mike Mandalis, David Goldie (Mike Jurecki), Kaz Kowalec.
Coach: Vic Janczyk.

Torpedo Moscow: Anzor Kavazashvili, Vyacheslav Andreyuk, Aleksandr Mushkovets, Vladimir Sarayev, Vladimir Brednev, Vladimir Mishcheriakov, Vyacheslav Soloyev, Vladimir Fedetov, Vladimir Shcherbakov, Aleksandr Lenev, Oleg Sergeyev.
Coach: Viktor Marienko.

The first match in Melbourne had seen a State League XI face Torpedo. Soccer News had team photos from that game:

Match Details:

Monday March 8, 1965.

At Olympic Park (Crowd: 25000)

Referee: Geoff Harrison

State League XI 0 Torpedo Moscow 4 (Brednev 15' 70' Mishcheriakov 20' Sarayev 86')

State League XI: Marko Fode, Nigel Shepherd, Billy Rice, Vic Janczyk, Billy Cook, Frank Micic, Archie Campbell (Hammy McMeechan), Archie Blue (Billy McIvor), Jimmy Malloy (Kaz Kowalec), Mike Jurecki, Tommy Stankovic. 

Coach: Vic Janczyk.

Torpedo Moscow: Anzor Kavazashvili, Vyacheslav Andreyuk, Vladimir Mishcheriakov, Vladimir Sarayev, Vladimir Brednev, Vyacheslav Marushko (Anatoly Putinsev), Vyacheslav Soloyev, Aleksandr Leniev, Vladimir Shcherbakov, Boris Batanov, Vladimir Fedotov. 

Coach: Viktor Marienko. 

Footage also exists of a game from earlier in the tour, in February, when a Sydney XI took on Torpedo at the Showgrounds.

Match Details:

Saturday February 27

At the Sydney Showgrounds (Crowd: 30,000)

Referee: Tony Boskovic

Sydney XI: Brian Rhodes, Trevor Edwards, Pat Hughes, Alan Hetherington, Pat Woods, Walter Tamandl, Les Scheinflug, Roy Blitz, Herbert Ninaus, Luis Gauto (Norbella Bischoff), Vic Reynolds (Jim Pearson). 

Coach: Stefan Cambal.

Torpedo Moscow: Anzor Kavazashvili, Vyacheslav Andreyuk, Vyacheslav Marushko, Vladimir Mischeriakov, Vladimir Sarayev (Evgenyi Vasilyev 75'), Aleksandr Leniev, Vladimir Brednev, Vyacheslav Soloyev, Vladimir Shcherbakov, Boris Batanov (Stanislav Kutnetsov), Oleg Sergeyev.

Coach: Viktor Marienko.

Match report from The Age of Victoria v Torpedo Moscow:

                                                    (Click on images to enlarge)

Manchester United in Melbourne and Sydney, 1967

Earlier this year George Cotsanis of My World Is Round made a great find, locating someone selling old film reels, some of which included soccer content. He purchased the film and then set about getting them converted to a more modern media format. This week he was able to share part of his discovery, with his release of a Craven Filter Sports Feature covering the Manchester United tour of Australia in 1967.

Here's the links to the newspapers which covered the build up and the action from the games against Victoria and New South Wales. Some great photos were captured by Uwe Kessner of Soccer News.

Soccer News June 8

Soccer News June 15

Soccer News June 22

Soccer World June 9

Soccer World June 23

The film opens with narration over footage of a junior game. This is to begin a storytelling segment which was a staple of newsreels. Sir Matt Busby is interviewed before footage of a Manchester United training session is shown, before the storytelling segment intensifies. The kid from the story and the Manchester United players are shown at the Park Royal Hotel in Melbourne, standing by a pool it is too cold to swim in given it's the middle of winter.

On to Olympic Park we go, for the match footage. A packed ground awaits and advertising for Craven Filter and Craven A abounds. The direction of the footage is a little disappointing, with the strange use of close ups meaning we don't get a great look of the two goals. Firstly it zooms in on Willy Schroiff as Bobby Charlton dribbles in the box and then shoots past him. Then we get a cutaway to a crowd shot as Victoria equalise. That said, the action captured remains priceless.

We then move on to the Sydney Showgrounds, where New South Wales take on the Red Devils. United are now in white, opposed to the sky blue of NSW. A Johnny Warren flick-on header leads to a disallowed goal. Here the goals are shown in their entirety.

At the time, Manchester United were champions of England. The following year they would go on to become champions of Europe. Denis Law was under an injury cloud for much of the tour, but the legendary George Best, Bobby Charlton and Nobby Stiles featured prominently. Most who recall witnessing one of these games have vivid memories of Best dribbling through mud with ease.

Equally as exciting, though, is this footage gives us brief glimpses of Australian greats we have only really been able to read about, not see. Ron Corry, Frank Micic, Hammy McMeechan, Johnny Warren and Ray Baartz are chief amongst that category.

Also exciting is the prospect that there are still some great historical finds out there to be made. As I mentioned in my last piece a mountain of history has disappeared, but perhaps there can now be a serious campaign to rectify that, spurred on by this glorious find.

Match Details:

Sunday June 11, 1967.
At Olympic Park (Crowd: 31638)
Referee: David Maitland

Victoria 1 (O.G.) Manchester United 1 (Charlton)

Victoria: 1- Willy Schroff 2- George Keith 3-  David High 4- Billy Cook 5-Dick van Alphen 6- Tommy Randles 7- Attila Abonyi 8- Frank Micic 9- Johnny Sanchez 10- Jimmy Armstrong (12- John Anderson 81') 11- Hammy McMeechan.
Coach: Sjel (Mike) de Bruyckere

Manchester United: Alex Stepney, Shay Brennan, Tony Dunne, John Fitzpatrick, David Sadler, Nobby Stiles, George Best, Bobby Charlton, Noel Cantwell, Jimmy Ryan (Brian Kidd 46'), John Aston.
Manager: Matt Busby

Sunday June 18, 1967.
At Sydney Showgrounds (Crowd: 36500)
Referee: Tony Boskovic

New South Wales 1 (Hughes 87') Manchester United 3 (Charlton 35' 75' Foulkes 69')

New South Wales: Ron Corry, Brian Lincoln, Cliff van Blerk, Hughes, Alan Marnoch, John Watkiss, Joe Alagich, Ray Baartz, Johnny Warren, Alan Westwater, Johnny Giacometti.
Coach: Joe Marston

Manchester United: Alex Stepney, Shay Brennan, Tony Dunne, John Fitzpatrick, Bill Foulkes, Nobby Stiles, George Best, David Sadler, Bobby Charlton, Brian Kidd, John Aston.
Manager: Matt Busby

Random Black and White Photos

Since belatedly discovering that Microsoft Paint and Microsoft Photo are a little more advanced on Windows 10 than they were on Microsoft XP over ten years ago, I thought I'd go through some documents and cut, paste, straighten and crop some old photos.

A shot from the famous 1962 VSL game between South Melbourne Hellas and George Cross at Olympic Park. The stands are a mass of humanity, as over 22,000 people crowded the venue.

Another big crowd at Olympic Park watches Torpedo Moscow's Brednev go to ground as he tackles Victorian star Mike Jurecki in their 1965 clash.

On to another lost ground with this great wide shot of Middle Park in 1968.

Only just a star at the time, later to be a South Melbourne Hellas legend, Jimmy Pyrgolios in 1968.

A great Victorian state team from 1967. Willy Schroif, who played in a World Cup Final. Johnny Sanchez, an early Bill Fleming Medal winner. Jimmy Armstrong, goalscoring legend of Hakoah and South Melbourne Hellas who still helps out at Lakeside. Hammy McMeechan, who remained active in the game until his passing. Tommy Stankovic and Frank Micic, who were probably the two greatest ever J.U.S.T. players.

Nino Borsari, Olympic Gold Medalist, Patron of Victorian Football. A great gentleman of Carlton.

The ground remains, the grandstand does not. Action from Jubilee Park in 1963 as Layt of Ringwood Wilhelmina lead's Richmond Alemannia's Zammit to the ball in their VSL game.

Ringwood City 1982. Brooksy of the Music Men in the front row. Coached by Sjel de Bruyckere. Sjel was often referred to as Mike, but since the NCIP scandal I have amended all my records to include his proper name.

Richmond Alemannia player hi-jinx on the front page of Soccer News as Rudi van Altena holds back Peter Erasmus so Billy Copeland can cut his beard.

Prahran City team shot from 1969. Got the nod ahead of other team photographs found in Soccer News from that era simply because the goalkeeper is sporting a flat cap. You can't beat goalkeepers that wear flat caps.

                                                          (Click on images to enlarge)