Talking football at the FA’S centenary celebrations

THE centenary dinner of the Burton and District Football Association was attended in June 1972 by almost 800 people.

Held at the Pirelli restaurant, the event was a chance to celebrate past decades, while also providing an opportunity to voice concerns about the game’s future.

One key issue of concern was the change from Purchase Tax to VAT, which came in the following year after Britain joined the European Economic Community at the beginning of 1973.

Dennis Follows, secretary of the FA, warned that it would put teams such as Burton Albion out of business, adding: “I declare myself to be the militant leader of the anti-vat campaign.”

Mr Fellows also referred to the new disciplinary system which was due to come into operation in 1973 and hoped that players and clubs would put an end to criticism of the FA about disciplinary inconsistencies.

Congratulating the work of the FA, Walter Goodman, chairman of the Birmingham County Football Association, proposed a toast.

He said: “I must congratulate the association on attaining its centenary. A tremendous amount of work has been put into these celebrations and I am proud to think that for 96 of these 100 years the Burton FA has been connected with the Birmingham association.”

In his reply, Mr Fairbrother said they should remember the many people who had been connected with the association since its beginnings.

He said: “These people freely devote many hours of their own time to the Burton FA as they try to ensure that as many people as possible gain the maximum enjoy