Leicester Legends of the 60s - Where The Story Began

[kushiro]

There have been some fantastic uploads of old Leicester games to youtube recently. Here's two form 1961that show us just as Matt Gillies and Bert Johnson's forward thinking tactical ideas started to bear fruit. We went on a fantastic unbeaten run throughout the winter, two years before the more famous 'Ice Kings' team did the same.

 

Here we are at White Hart Lane on February 4th. Spurs are eight points clear at the top of the League, but get outplayed and fall to their first home defeat of the season:

 

Spurs v Leicester 1960-1 - YouTube

 

Spurs captain Danny Blanchflower was having a bad time. Two days later he was meant to be on 'This Is Your Life', but Eamonn Andrews had a bit of a surprise himself:

 

As I turned to present him with the book, there was no Danny. He had headed for the door of that studio like a greyhound from a trap. Angus lunged forward to try to stop him, caught hold of his coat and Danny wriggled out of it went through the door in his shirt sleeves and I could hear him pounding down the stone steps, shouting: "Let me out. Let me out."

 

Three weeks later, on February 28th, we went to Highbury, having stretched the unbeaten run to 10 games. Could we make it 11? Well, as Kenneth Wolstenholme says, Arsenal were 'mesmerized':

 

Arsenal v Leicester City 1960-1 - YouTube

 

The run came to an end at West Brom on March 11th, but in the Cup we made it all the way to Wembley. Who knows what would have happened if Gillies had not dropped Ken Leek two days before the final. After that amazing goal at White Hart Lane, Spurs must have been relieved they wouldn't have to face him again.

 

 

 

 

[dynamark]

Enjoying watching this .Puffer Riley doing his stuff. Pity about the cup final but always a chance this time .

[LanguedocFox]

4 hours ago, kushiro said:

There have been some fantastic uploads of old Leicester games to youtube recently. Here's two form 1961that show us just as Matt Gillies and Bert Johnson's forward thinking tactical ideas started to bear fruit. We went on a fantastic unbeaten run throughout the winter, two years before the more famous 'Ice Kings' team did the same.

 

Here we are at White Hart Lane on February 4th. Spurs are eight points clear at the top of the League, but get outplayed and fall to their first home defeat of the season:

 

Spurs v Leicester 1960-1 - YouTube

 

Spurs captain Danny Blanchflower was having a bad time. Two days later he was meant to be on 'This Is Your Life', but Eamonn Andrews had a bit of a surprise himself:

 

As I turned to present him with the book, there was no Danny. He had headed for the door of that studio like a greyhound from a trap. Angus lunged forward to try to stop him, caught hold of his coat and Danny wriggled out of it went through the door in his shirt sleeves and I could hear him pounding down the stone steps, shouting: "Let me out. Let me out."

 

Three weeks later, on February 28th, we went to Highbury, having stretched the unbeaten run to 10 games. Could we make it 11? Well, as Kenneth Wolstenholme says, Arsenal were 'mesmerized':

 

Arsenal v Leicester City 1960-1 - YouTube

 

The run came to an end at West Brom on March 11th, but in the Cup we made it all the way to Wembley. Who knows what would have happened if Gillies had not dropped Ken Leek two days before the final. After that amazing goal at White Hart Lane, Spurs must have been relieved they wouldn't have to face him again.

 

 

 

 

Like most City fans of a certain age, I'd love to know why Ken Leek was dropped. Neither he nor Matt Gillies said what happened, and there were all sorts of itk rumours at the time but none were substantiated. Given that both of them are dead, I doubt we will know the full story.

[LanguedocFox]

PS, thanks for the links - brings back happy memories of an amazing time to be a City fan.

[Webbo]

1 hour ago, LanguedocFox said:

Like most City fans of a certain age, I'd love to know why Ken Leek was dropped. Neither he nor Matt Gillies said what happened, and there were all sorts of itk rumours at the time but none were substantiated. Given that both of them are dead, I doubt we will know the full story.

My dad claimed that he'd been arrested for drink driving the week before and so he couldn't be presented to the Queen. Don't know how true that is, or whether the Queen has even presenting the medals that year. 

[Foxaholic ME]

22 hours ago, LanguedocFox said:

Like most City fans of a certain age, I'd love to know why Ken Leek was dropped. Neither he nor Matt Gillies said what happened, and there were all sorts of itk rumours at the time but none were substantiated. Given that both of them are dead, I doubt we will know the full story.

The 60s were fabulous with all  due respect to recent  successes the league was much harder and I wonder how they would have  coped with the pitches rough tackling and  playing every game  Probablly  my memory is playing tricks  but apart from Stringy nobody seemed to get injured  

[The_77]

On 14/02/2021 at 07:15, kushiro said:

There have been some fantastic uploads of old Leicester games to youtube recently. Here's two form 1961that show us just as Matt Gillies and Bert Johnson's forward thinking tactical ideas started to bear fruit. We went on a fantastic unbeaten run throughout the winter, two years before the more famous 'Ice Kings' team did the same.

 

Here we are at White Hart Lane on February 4th. Spurs are eight points clear at the top of the League, but get outplayed and fall to their first home defeat of the season:

 

Spurs v Leicester 1960-1 - YouTube

 

Spurs captain Danny Blanchflower was having a bad time. Two days later he was meant to be on 'This Is Your Life', but Eamonn Andrews had a bit of a surprise himself:

 

As I turned to present him with the book, there was no Danny. He had headed for the door of that studio like a greyhound from a trap. Angus lunged forward to try to stop him, caught hold of his coat and Danny wriggled out of it went through the door in his shirt sleeves and I could hear him pounding down the stone steps, shouting: "Let me out. Let me out."

 

Three weeks later, on February 28th, we went to Highbury, having stretched the unbeaten run to 10 games. Could we make it 11? Well, as Kenneth Wolstenholme says, Arsenal were 'mesmerized':

 

Arsenal v Leicester City 1960-1 - YouTube

 

The run came to an end at West Brom on March 11th, but in the Cup we made it all the way to Wembley. Who knows what would have happened if Gillies had not dropped Ken Leek two days before the final. After that amazing goal at White Hart Lane, Spurs must have been relieved they wouldn't have to face him again.

 

 

 

 

These are great, thank you for sharing. Some of the passing sequences are beautiful, particularly on that waterlogged pitch against Arsenal. Must have been such a fun time to be a supporter.

[LanguedocFox]

On 14/02/2021 at 19:03, Webbo said:

My dad claimed that he'd been arrested for drink driving the week before and so he couldn't be presented to the Queen. Don't know how true that is, or whether the Queen has even presenting the medals that year. 

With all due respect to your dad, I doubt that was the reason. Although the press was not as nasty as they are today, they did chase one another for exclusives, and Ken Leek being a drink driver would have been big news. It had only recently become an offense, and it was apparently quite difficult to prove. Of course, that changed (for the better) once breathalysers came in, but that didn't happen until 1967..

[Webbo]

25 minutes ago, LanguedocFox said:

With all due respect to your dad, I doubt that was the reason. Although the press was not as nasty as they are today, they did chase one another for exclusives, and Ken Leek being a drink driver would have been big news. It had only recently become an offense, and it was apparently quite difficult to prove. Of course, that changed (for the better) once breathalysers came in, but that didn't happen until 1967..

It wouldn't surprise me, my dad did talk a lot of crap. Its just 1 theory amongst many. 

Edited 15 February 2021 by Webbo

[LanguedocFox]

9 minutes ago, Webbo said:

It wouldn't surprise me, my dad did talk a lot of crap. Its just 1 theory amongst many. 

My son would doubtless say the same thing about me. I am reassured by the fact that my 15-year-old grandson would doubtless say the same about both of us.

 

’Tis the way of the world.

[Webbo]

2 minutes ago, LanguedocFox said:

My son would doubtless say the same thing about me. I am reassured by the fact that my 15-year-old grandson would doubtless say the same about both of us.

 

’Tis the way of the world.

Believe it or not, there are people on this forum who think the same about me. 

[Keyworth63]

Thanks for posting - really enjoyed watching.  They were from a couple of years before I started following, but I recognized all the City players' names though.

[LanguedocFox]

4 minutes ago, Webbo said:

Believe it or not, there are people on this forum who think the same about me. 

I should think most people think it about me. Sadly, they are probably right.

[David Hankey]

On 14/02/2021 at 19:03, Webbo said:

My dad claimed that he'd been arrested for drink driving the week before and so he couldn't be presented to the Queen. Don't know how true that is, or whether the Queen has even presenting the medals that year. 

Perhaps it was "leaked" to the media!!

[David Hankey]

Wilder/Sheff Utd just waiting for confirmation of their demise.

[BoyJones]

On 14/02/2021 at 19:03, Webbo said:

My dad claimed that he'd been arrested for drink driving the week before and so he couldn't be presented to the Queen. Don't know how true that is, or whether the Queen has even presenting the medals that year. 

Ken Leek is quoted around 2001 as saying he was dropped for celebrating too much after the semi final win and “getting into a bit of bother”. Wasn’t even allowed to travel down with the team. He said his greatest regret. Very harsh decision, but different times.
 

The manager, Matt Gillies, who is respected to this day sacrificed any chance of winning, playing an unknown up front, plus we only had 10 fit men for most of the match. A real shame for the fans at the time. (I was just starting to support them, but it wasn’t a matter of life or death to me in those early days, not until about 1966, when I started going to away matches)

[Webbo]

45 minutes ago, BoyJones said:

Ken Leek is quoted around 2001 as saying he was dropped for celebrating too much after the semi final win and “getting into a bit of bother”. Wasn’t even allowed to travel down with the team. He said his greatest regret. Very harsh decision, but different times.
 

The manager, Matt Gillies, who is respected to this day sacrificed any chance of winning, playing an unknown up front, plus we only had 10 fit men for most of the match. A real shame for the fans at the time. (I was just starting to support them, but it wasn’t a matter of life or death to me in those early days, not until about 1966, when I started going to away matches)

Bit of bother through celebrating too much. Probably means drinking and bother could mean the police? I don't suppose we'll ever know?

[jerry]

On 14/02/2021 at 17:04, LanguedocFox said:

PS, thanks for the links - brings back happy memories of an amazing time to be a City fan.

Ditto😊

[enmac]

On 14/02/2021 at 12:15, kushiro said:

There have been some fantastic uploads of old Leicester games to youtube recently. Here's two form 1961that show us just as Matt Gillies and Bert Johnson's forward thinking tactical ideas started to bear fruit. We went on a fantastic unbeaten run throughout the winter, two years before the more famous 'Ice Kings' team did the same.

 

Here we are at White Hart Lane on February 4th. Spurs are eight points clear at the top of the League, but get outplayed and fall to their first home defeat of the season:

 

Spurs v Leicester 1960-1 - YouTube

 

Spurs captain Danny Blanchflower was having a bad time. Two days later he was meant to be on 'This Is Your Life', but Eamonn Andrews had a bit of a surprise himself:

 

As I turned to present him with the book, there was no Danny. He had headed for the door of that studio like a greyhound from a trap. Angus lunged forward to try to stop him, caught hold of his coat and Danny wriggled out of it went through the door in his shirt sleeves and I could hear him pounding down the stone steps, shouting: "Let me out. Let me out."

 

Three weeks later, on February 28th, we went to Highbury, having stretched the unbeaten run to 10 games. Could we make it 11? Well, as Kenneth Wolstenholme says, Arsenal were 'mesmerized':

 

Arsenal v Leicester City 1960-1 - YouTube

 

The run came to an end at West Brom on March 11th, but in the Cup we made it all the way to Wembley. Who knows what would have happened if Gillies had not dropped Ken Leek two days before the final. After that amazing goal at White Hart Lane, Spurs must have been relieved they wouldn't have to face him again.

 

 

 

 

Great stuff. The Arsenal team had Vic Groves, uncle of Perry. Mel Charles, brother of the great John, and David Herd, scorer of 2 goals against City for Man U in the '63 final. 

[kushiro]

The more clips you see of Ken Leek the more you realise just what a sensation it must have been at the time when he was dropped. 

 

Here's another great clip - it's the semi-final replay (somehow it has fewer than 2,000 views nearly 10 years after being uploaded). Look at the classy way Leek rounds the keeper (followed by the worst penalty ever), then a shot for our second goal as good as that one at White Hart Lane. 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9kE4IxYXs-U

 

And here he is getting the winner in the quarter-final replay.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0Die0d3jqE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[enmac]

1 hour ago, kushiro said:

The more clips you see of Ken Leek the more you realise just what a sensation it must have been at the time when he was dropped. 

 

Here's another great clip - it's the semi-final replay (somehow it has fewer than 2,000 views nearly 10 years after being uploaded). Look at the classy way Leek rounds the keeper (followed by the worst penalty ever), then a shot for our second goal as good as that one at White Hart Lane. 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9kE4IxYXs-U

 

And here he is getting the winner in the quarter-final replay.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0Die0d3jqE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Former Leicester teammate Gordon Banks said of Leek: "He was a terrific player – a great centre forward. He was very elusive and caused a lot of problems for centre halves."^[

[trabuch]

I love this thread.

[anstey blueboy]

On 14/02/2021 at 19:03, Webbo said:

My dad claimed that he'd been arrested for drink driving the week before and so he couldn't be presented to the Queen. Don't know how true that is, or whether the Queen has even presenting the medals that year. 

I can remember my school teacher saying, he had got drunk. She was a big fan of Ken Leek and lived in Walnut street near the ground. (moment of fame, I was the only kid in the school, to go to the final, my dad worked for The Shipmans)

[kushiro]

Here's a better version of that semi-final video. Were you one of the kids on the pitch?

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ThusajhTGBM

[enmac]

Ken Wolstenholme commentating and must have been aired on bbc1. Well before MOTD. Wonder if these are archived anywhere. That's if they still exist.