Western Mail

When Newport took on Spurs in the FA Cup – 58 years ago

With a major clash ahead of them this weekend, Will Hayward tells the story of Newport County’s last game against Tottenham 58 years ago that nearly never happened...

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ON Saturday Newport County will be taking on Premier League giants Tottenham in the fourth round of the FA Cup.

Fans have queued up through the night to bag tickets to the big game.

However those with long memories will know this is not the first time Exiles supporters have caught cup fever ahead of a game against Spurs.

The last time Newport played Tottenham was in the FA Cup third round at Somerton Park on January 9, 1960.

A lot has changed in football in 58 years and one thing is for certain – County’s players will not be giving up every afternoon this week to get the pitch ready. The 1960 team were not as lucky. Keith Fry was a 19-year-old right winger when he played against the great Spurs team.

Keith, born and bred in the Cardiff suburb of Canton, described the players in the Spurs team that day as his “heroes”.

Now 76, and living in Fairwater, he recalls the game vividly.

“I remember when we found out we had drawn them,” he said. “We were sat in the dressing room after training with the radio. Of course we had drawn them the year before at White Hart Lane – it was unbelievab­le to get them two years running.

“That team was the best in Europe – they were all internatio­nals. They were the first team to win the league and cup double.

“I idolised them. I went in the dressing room as a 19-year-old and got seven of their autographs after the match.”

On the day Newport lost 4-0 but the game very nearly didn’t happen at all.

“The week of the game the pitch was not well drained and was flooded,” remembered Keith. “All the players had to train every morning and go back in the afternoon.

“There they would get lorry-loads of sand delivered and we had to wheelbarro­w it over planks and spread it over the pitch – we were spreading it with shovels. We called it the beach!

“On the black and white TV I can remember them saying that there were six seagulls on the beach and they must have thought the tide had gone out.”

Before the game the thenmanage­r of Newport gave an “interestin­g” motivation­al talk.

Keith said: “The manager at the time was Billy Lucas and the famous Bill Nicholson was manager at Tottenham.

“About 10 minutes before we were due to go out I was sitting in the dressing room. “I was a 19-year-old about to go out against the best team in Europe and had butterflie­s.

“Then Billy Lucas came in and he was a bit of hard man. Tommy Harmer was the playmaker for Spurs and everything came through him.

“Billy said: ‘Right lads, we know where the trouble is going to come from, little Tommy Harmer’.

“He turned to one of our players and said ‘First chance you get, break his left leg’. Then he clapped his hands and said ‘Now they are down to 10 men, and now we have a chance!’

“I was sat there – I can remember as though it was yesterday.

“He then spoke about Cliff Jones who played 50 or 60 games for Wales and played for Tottenham.

“His brother Bryn had signed for us from Swansea and he was playing for us. That meant he was marking his brother.

“Billy Lucas said to him: ‘Bryn, no f ****** brotherly love outside there today. The first chance you get make sure you clatter him’.

“Two minutes into the game he took him out and put him into the crowd.

“In those days you had to shoot the referee or slap him to be booked let alone sent off. There was not much protection.”

A lot has changed in over half a century. The beautiful game has moved a long way both in terms of the money and the rules.

“There were no subs in those days,” said Keith. “If anyone was injured you were down to 10 players. It didn’t happen very often. The trainer would run on and you would have a bad injury and he would just rub some Vaseline on it.

“If you were inured very badly you would come off but you would have to carry on if it was a knock.

“In those days it was different game all together in terms of pay. The first contract I had at Notts County you got that you got a pound extra for each position in the league above 10th. You also got a pound for every 1,000 over 10,000 spectators at matches.

“At Newport I got a £20 signing-on fee to turn profession­al. My first wages were £16 in the first team, £14 in the summer, and £14 in the reserves. You would also get £4 for a win and £2 for a draw. Every division was the same.”

Keith had a successful career playing for Welsh Schoolboys, Notts County, Merthyr Town and in Australia. Unfortunat­ely for the current Exiles side he does not give them much of a chance this weekend.

He said: “I have been watching Tottenham a lot lately. That’s how I build up a sweat now by watching it on television. I honestly can’t see Newport beating them.

“I really can’t even see them even getting a draw – if they do good luck to them. I would say minimum of 3-0 to Tottenham the way Harry Kane is scoring goals.

“I would say they have just got to enjoy it. They may never play at this level again. Enjoy it and just play.

“When you have possession they have not and you can’t play without the ball. Just take in the moment.”

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 ??  ?? > From left: The 1960 match programme; Keith, circled, as a Wales schoolboy internatio­nal in 1956 and playing for Notts County in 1962
> From left: The 1960 match programme; Keith, circled, as a Wales schoolboy internatio­nal in 1956 and playing for Notts County in 1962
 ??  ?? > Keith Fry played for Newport County in 1960 when they last played Tottenham Hotspur in an FA cup match
> Keith Fry played for Newport County in 1960 when they last played Tottenham Hotspur in an FA cup match

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