I've been watching The Big Match Revisited

On BT Sports 2 these past few weeks. It's been showing the highlights from all divisions of the Football League from the 1976/77 season. The ITV London based programme obviously showed a capital based team in their main match, but would also gave a glimpse of other matches from around the country.
Although Barnsley have not been shown, players with a Barnsley connection have certainly featured.
Anton Otulakowski playing for West Ham United, Allan Clarke scoring a penalty for Leeds United in their FA Cup Semi Final against Manchester United (a year before he became Barnsley player/manager), Gwyn Thomas scoring on his Leeds United debut against Bristol City, Norman Hunter for Bristol City, Ian Evans for the then Third Division Crystal Palace, Gary Pierce for Second Division Champions elect Wolves, Billy Ronson for Blackpool (and scoring!), Paul Futcher for Luton Town. In fact, the match showing Paul (against Chelsea), twin brother Ron was missing through injury. His replacement at centre forward was a young lad they had on loan from Ipswich, a certain David Geddis!

 

Some great names on there

 

Certain things have stood out for me in football from that time. For example, terraces, the poor quality of the pitches from the Winter onwards, tackling from behind being allowed, goalkeepers picking up pass backs.

 

Just tackling in general - don't see those crunching tackles that used to get the crowd going. One I always rememebr is Gerry clattering Vinnie Jones in a game at Oakwell - never saw Jones for the rest of the game

 

I don't remember Gerry ever playing for Barnsley against Vinny Jones at Oakwell. I DO remember Gerry clattering Jones and, a few seconds later, Mel Sterland at Elland Road when we beat Leeds United 2-1 in 1990.

 

1-0 win at Oakwell - clattered him early on

 

It always looks like a more pedestrian style of football as well. Modern players seem to be quicker, at least they are when allowed to run with the ball. As I've pointed out often in my reports of our games it seems to be a regular thing that the opposition find sneaky, petulant ways to stop our progress.

Perhaps in the "old days" it was more honest to kick a player into the wall bottom. Refs and players knew where they stood then. You make a bad foul and off you go. Nowadays it is all con tricks and cheating. I'm generalising, obviously, but that is the impression I get when comparing football from the seventies to the modern game. Obviously there were Class A villains playing for teams like Leeds but they weren't alone.

 

Gerry hadn't signed for us at that point. He signed a week or so later and then proceeded to score on his debut away at Brighton.
I remember Steve Lowndes clattering into Vinny Jones in that 1-0 victory.

 

Thought he had - my mistake

 

It could be worse, old mate. You could've gone to Elland Road to watch Leeds United and worn a Leeds scarf whilst doing so.

 

Shhhhhhhhhhh