Jimmy Greaves debut for West Ham - check out the playing surface at Maine Road!

[exeterbear]

Best thing about football then was that the players stayed on their feet, not diving to the ground theatrically every two minutes whenever they expected contact.

 

[Simply a Bear]

The football played in those conditions was absolutely tremendous and some outstanding goals.

City's strip in the correct shade of sky blue and West Ham wearing a proper 'Ammers shirt too.

Those were the days!

The football played in those conditions was absolutely tremendous and some outstanding goals.

I was quite surprised at the standard of football being played due to the pitch.

 

[Saki]

The good old days really werent all that great

 

[Alex Venters]

Enjoyed watching that clip.
Question for the older bears; How good was Greaves? Have read articles about him before and he seemed highly regarded.

The best British striker, just ahead of Denis Law.

 

[struth 1872]

He was the best around at the time.

He was a terrific player, an old fashioned penalty box striker who knew where the back of the net was in an era where bloodthirsty tackling was going on.

 

[Wazza]

Thought City were only created about 14 year ago according to some on here!

 

[Tormusk1872]

Talking about poor pitches, Parkhead wasn’t called the Piggery for fxck all.

 

[bud_light]

You might lose staunch points but try and watch clips of Liam Brady on those kind of pitches.
Incredible how he managed to play the way he did on the mudbaths.
Before any accusations are made remember we all sang his name at the piggery and there was even a flag with his name in Bochum

 

[giogaddi]

And we're led to believe the sport was better then

 

[gazzgg]

Enjoyed watching that clip.
Question for the older bears; How good was Greaves? Have read articles about him before and he seemed highly regarded.

fkn brilliant

 

[Otis Blue]

Was that a football pitch or was it quick sand ?

 

[Tommy48]

Notice no one has mentioned Boghead.

 

[AlohaBear]

Imagine watching a game with all the greats from yesteryear playing on the surfaces we have today?

Also the protection players get nowadays.

 

[senefelder]

You might lose staunch points but try and watch clips of Liam Brady on those kind of pitches.
Incredible how he managed to play the way he did on the mudbaths.
Before any accusations are made remember we all sang his name at the piggery and there was even a flag with his name in Bochum

I have zero problem in saying Brady's performance for Inter Milan against us at Ibrox in 1984? was one of the finest I've seen by an opposition player.

 

[Nizzy72]

When most folk liked Man City or had a 'soft spot' for them.

Now everybody hates them because they've got money.

 

[lutonloyal]

Remember watching this on MOTD, obviously not in colour though - around 1970-71 I knew only ONE person to own a Colour TV! A school history teacher who used to live in the street behind our house. He invited us pupils around to watch the 1970 FA Cup Final Replay Chelsea 2 Leeds 1 at Old Trafford - the first game I saw on tv in colour.

A match that with todays rules would probably have ended up about six a side - no 'tackles' held back whatsoever!

 

[irvine96]

Either there's been a lot of rain or Stevie Wonder is the groundsman!!!

 

[savus]

Enjoyed watching that clip.
Question for the older bears; How good was Greaves? Have read articles about him before and he seemed highly regarded.

At the time he when he signed for West Ham he was generally rated as being “over the hill”.
In some of the older clips YouTube clips from the early ‘60s you’ll see Greaves at the top of his game. He really was very special.
So was Law at that time .

Regardless of footballers today being better technically, fitter and better athletes Britain hasn’t produced footballers of that calibre in a long long time.

 

[jf1960]

Nothing beats games at The Baseball Ground Derby

 

[Yoniboy]

I remember many pitches like that playing for the school on Saturday mornings in the 70s, even worse was when the ref would come into your changing room saying "you're gonna have to play with a mouldmaster today lads as a caser will just soak up the water" I'm sure many of the older Bears will remember getting whacked on the thighs with a mouldmaster ,you used to have the mirror image of the name Mitre imprinted on your thighs

 

[jimcornette]

The passing though. Incredible.

That’s what I thought too mate. The pitch is an absolute bog and yet they seem to keep their balance and hit some sweet passes.