| Giant killing 08:00 - Oct 30 with 7808 views | EllDale |
So it’s cup week. Dale at home to a non-league side.
But which was our worst humiliation at Spotland in this competition against similar opposition?
I personally disregard any defeats in the last ten years because there seemed to be a suspicion at one stage that Hilly didn’t treat the cup 100% as seriously as the league.
There are a couple from further back in time that spring to my mind. There was that horrible 3-5 defeat to Grantham in 1973 which was a replay after a 1-1 draw down there.
And that turgid, bleak 1-0 defeat to Droylsden in 1978.
The one I recall most though is a 2-1 loss to Bangor City at home in 1972. Was this one of the first nails in Dick Connor’s managerial coffin?
Connor doesn’t get many mentions on here compared to the likes of Sutton or Barrow.
He had just over three seasons in charge and we were a Division Three (L1) side throughout that time. He built a team of solid pros as well who knew their way around. Players like Graham Smith, Peter Gowans, Colin Blant, Len Kinsella, Malcolm Darling, Jack Howarth, Dick Renwick, Arthur Marsh, Keith Bebbington and Reg Jenkins in the twilight of his Dale career.
Kinsella was one of my favourites. A great left footed footballer.
That team finished 13th that season but only four points above a relegation place. I seem to remember that we won two out of the last three games 3-2 after Leo Skeete made a gaolscoring debut.
Gates were way down though because the team couldn’t score enough goals.
To my mind though that side losing at home to Bangor was a major upset……
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| Giant killing on 08:53 - Oct 30 with 5701 views | mingthemerciless |
I was at the Bangor game. We got out enthused, simple as that really. They had an ex Middleboro old pro ( Gordon Jones ? ) marshalling their back four. He was immense. That's why you have cup upsets most of the time, they want it more than you do. Getting battered by Altrincham at home 5-2 or 5-3 in the Tony Collins era was another bad one. We got out footballed that time. Another top non league player Jack Swindells ran riot that night
I would have thought losing to FUCM was the worst Cup result ever but I wasn't there.
Len Kinsella was a good steady player but lacked a bit of pace. Like you say, great left foot though. | | | |
| Giant killing on 09:04 - Oct 30 with 5673 views | RAFCBLUE |
What the technical answer to this?
We've been giant-killed a lot of times but what was the biggest distance below us that a victorious opponent has managed?
I'd imagine it was when we were a fourth tier side, so upset by a level six or seven team.
The personal low for me was that FCUM game at home. I can understand upsets happening when the league side is away but when you are at home it is criminal. |  |
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| Giant killing on 09:14 - Oct 30 with 5658 views | DaleFan7 |
Everything about the day, the ground, the weather, the way we played, the result was all horrendous when we lost at Forest Green. | | | |
| Giant killing on 09:28 - Oct 30 with 5638 views | D_Alien |
Good OP
No question for me, it's the 3-5 capitulation to Grantham in '73 although most won't remember it. FCUM was hard-fought and they had a packed stand behind them. Bangor was humiliating in its own way but again, a close game whereas we simply folded against Grantham after taking a 3-1 lead
Good mention of Conner too, who came in as Len Richley's assistant after Stokoe left during our promotion season. He took over from Richley when we were established in the third tier but did a very good job of keeping us competitive against increasingly overwhelming odds (things are rather different these days). As you say, he rarely gets a mention, and was ridiculed at the time for saying that "football is a game of triangles" - meaning his method of having at least two players always available to receive the ball, including the player who's just made the pass - but of course, it was used against him by idiots. A talented but under-rated coach and then manager.
[Post edited 30 Oct 2017 9:44]
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| Giant killing on 11:23 - Oct 30 with 5517 views | pioneer |
| Giant killing on 09:28 - Oct 30 by D_Alien |
Good OP
No question for me, it's the 3-5 capitulation to Grantham in '73 although most won't remember it. FCUM was hard-fought and they had a packed stand behind them. Bangor was humiliating in its own way but again, a close game whereas we simply folded against Grantham after taking a 3-1 lead
Good mention of Conner too, who came in as Len Richley's assistant after Stokoe left during our promotion season. He took over from Richley when we were established in the third tier but did a very good job of keeping us competitive against increasingly overwhelming odds (things are rather different these days). As you say, he rarely gets a mention, and was ridiculed at the time for saying that "football is a game of triangles" - meaning his method of having at least two players always available to receive the ball, including the player who's just made the pass - but of course, it was used against him by idiots. A talented but under-rated coach and then manager.
[Post edited 30 Oct 2017 9:44]
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Agreed. He was no great PR man..never came over great in the press which probably didnt serve him well in the end. He kept us in the third tier, usually fairly comfortable, meaning no last game heroics required. He also ended our long run of cup failures. After that awful Altrincham defeat in 1965 we were knocked out of the league cup and the FA cup in the first round every year until1971 when connors team made the second round of the league cup and drew at a very strong first division crystal palace. then took us on the unforgetable FACup run. Oldham at home, Darlington away Coventry at home and then the infamous Colchester tie with a home game against top of the league Leeds waiting. Nuff said. We also won the Lancs senior cup that year for only the second time in the clubs history.
In 1972 we drew Bangor at home in round 1. Our first non league tie since the Altrincham game 7 years before. It was a great disapointment andprobably contributed to his sacking at the end of the season.. It was all downhill from there ...30 years of hurt as they say. | | | |
| Giant killing on 11:33 - Oct 30 with 5490 views | soulboy |
I was at the Bangor game but dont remember too much about it. They they were in the Northern Premier League, which i think was the equivalent to the National League, so it wasnt quite as bad as the terrible defeats against Grantham and Droylsden. However, as stated in another post, the FCSCUM defeat was the most sickening. [Post edited 30 Oct 2017 11:38]
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| Giant killing on 12:35 - Oct 30 with 5441 views | EllDale |
I forgot to mention that Connor also later became a popular landlord of the Carters Rest on Spotland Road. Got locked in there on many an afternoon listening to his stories - he'd been a player under Bill Shankly at Grimsby I seem to remember. | | | |
| Giant killing on 13:37 - Oct 30 with 5357 views | Yorkshire_Dale |
| Giant killing on 09:04 - Oct 30 by RAFCBLUE |
What the technical answer to this?
We've been giant-killed a lot of times but what was the biggest distance below us that a victorious opponent has managed?
I'd imagine it was when we were a fourth tier side, so upset by a level six or seven team.
The personal low for me was that FCUM game at home. I can understand upsets happening when the league side is away but when you are at home it is criminal. |
Don't forget though..."we was robbed" in the FCUM match........their winner should never ever have been allowed........naive perhaps on our part,but small crumb of comfort. | | | |
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| Giant killing on 13:43 - Oct 30 with 5349 views | Sheffdale |
Going even further back, I remember as a very disappointed schoolboy making a cardboard coffin for the Dale's ashes when we lost 1-3 at home to Altrincham in the second round (Dec 8th 1965). We'd beaten Fleetwood (then a non-league side of course) 5-0 in the replay after a 2-2 draw at theirs. A crowd of over 8,000 for an evening game (the original one was postponed) shows how interest in the FA Cup has changed. | | | |
| Giant killing on 13:47 - Oct 30 with 5344 views | VespaDale |
Telford 4-1 at home... I left the ground at 3-1 & heard a big cheer, ran back inside thinking we might haveclawed 1 back only to find it was 4-1. |  | | |
| Giant killing on 15:35 - Oct 30 with 5241 views | aleanddale |
| Giant killing on 13:47 - Oct 30 by VespaDale |
Telford 4-1 at home... I left the ground at 3-1 & heard a big cheer, ran back inside thinking we might haveclawed 1 back only to find it was 4-1. |
Telford for me too - Horrible horrible day.
3rd round from memory and a real chance to progress but we were second best by a long way all afternoon!
4-1 humiliation.
FC United comes a close second how their "winner" was allowed is a travesty. | | | |
| Giant killing on 16:48 - Oct 30 with 5172 views | mingthemerciless |
| Giant killing on 13:43 - Oct 30 by Sheffdale |
Going even further back, I remember as a very disappointed schoolboy making a cardboard coffin for the Dale's ashes when we lost 1-3 at home to Altrincham in the second round (Dec 8th 1965). We'd beaten Fleetwood (then a non-league side of course) 5-0 in the replay after a 2-2 draw at theirs. A crowd of over 8,000 for an evening game (the original one was postponed) shows how interest in the FA Cup has changed. |
Yeah you're right it was 1-3. I could have sworn it was by more than that, it certainly felt like a bad defeat at the time.
I remember the ground being packed and a good atomosphere by the time we kicked off. Altrincham went for it from the off and the 'Dale just froze on the night.
The team that night for those who are interested -
Ted Burgin
Roy Ridge
Laurie Calloway
George Sievewright
BrianTaylor
Jim Thompson
Barry Ratcliffe
Brian Birch
Bert Lister
Reg Jenkins
Dave Storf
Ratcliffe and Thompson carried the can for the defeat because neither of them ever played for the club again.
'Dale were obviously in a rich vein of form at the time of the cup tie - the game before they lost 4-0 at Southport and the game after they lost 6-2 at Tranmere ! | | | |
| Giant killing on 16:58 - Oct 30 with 5150 views | EllDale |
That team versus Altrincham had quite a forward line. I'm sure that Barrow later signed Storf for a lot of money and both Jenkins and Lister were proven scorers.
I remember Brian Taylor being the butt of the crowd during the 1967/68 season so he must have survived until then. Tall, blond and ungainly best sums him up as far as I'm concerned. | | | |
| Giant killing on 17:50 - Oct 30 with 5096 views | dalenumber2 |
Didn't we get beaten by Droylsden one year at Spotland? I am sure I remember feeling gutted at the end, must have been late 70s. |  | | |
| Giant killing on 17:52 - Oct 30 with 5093 views | EllDale |
1978. It finished 1-0 and I'm not sure that we had a shot on target. | | | |
| Giant killing on 17:58 - Oct 30 with 5081 views | macro |
Admittedly I haven’t seen some of the really poor performances prior to the 20 ish years I’ve been watching
The one for me which I remember is the Luton match, great battling draw at Kenilworth Road and then a dire performance in the replay. FCUM comes a close second. |  | | |
| Giant killing on 18:03 - Oct 30 with 5076 views | mingthemerciless |
| Giant killing on 16:58 - Oct 30 by EllDale |
That team versus Altrincham had quite a forward line. I'm sure that Barrow later signed Storf for a lot of money and both Jenkins and Lister were proven scorers.
I remember Brian Taylor being the butt of the crowd during the 1967/68 season so he must have survived until then. Tall, blond and ungainly best sums him up as far as I'm concerned. |
Ratcliffe and Birch had both played top level football at Blackburn and Bolton not that long before signing for the Dale. Lister was a prolific scorer at lower level and you'd take Big Reg to beat Altrincham on his own on a good day. Storf came from Sheff Wed and did well enough to be sold to Barrow for a good fee.
Spurs were watching Brian Taylor when he first got into the Dale team believe or not. He looked a promising young player at the time but seemed to go backwards pretty quickly. | | | |
| Giant killing on 18:12 - Oct 30 with 5055 views | Shun |
| Giant killing on 17:58 - Oct 30 by macro |
Admittedly I haven’t seen some of the really poor performances prior to the 20 ish years I’ve been watching
The one for me which I remember is the Luton match, great battling draw at Kenilworth Road and then a dire performance in the replay. FCUM comes a close second. |
Didn't we come back from 3-0 down or something similar at Kenilworth Road? The one and only time I've ever been to Luton and I won't be in a rush to go back. |  | | |
| Giant killing on 18:37 - Oct 30 with 5029 views | pioneer |
| Giant killing on 17:52 - Oct 30 by EllDale |
1978. It finished 1-0 and I'm not sure that we had a shot on target. |
The thing about that team was we almost expected to lose - so in that sense it came as no shock and as a result less of a disappointment. I do remember it being a game of little class or entertainment. Wasn't Mike Ferguson the 'manager' (I use the term loosely!)?
I thought about looking up the team we put out but its Halloween tomorrow - scary thought. | | | |
| Giant killing on 18:38 - Oct 30 with 5028 views | DorsetDale |
| Giant killing on 18:12 - Oct 30 by Shun |
Didn't we come back from 3-0 down or something similar at Kenilworth Road? The one and only time I've ever been to Luton and I won't be in a rush to go back. |
We did, and not long after came back from 3-0 to draw at Morecambe also. | |
| YOU do not have the right to give someone else permission to tell me what I can and can't do. |
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| Giant killing on 11:07 - Oct 31 with 4846 views | soulboy |
| Giant killing on 09:28 - Oct 30 by D_Alien |
Good OP
No question for me, it's the 3-5 capitulation to Grantham in '73 although most won't remember it. FCUM was hard-fought and they had a packed stand behind them. Bangor was humiliating in its own way but again, a close game whereas we simply folded against Grantham after taking a 3-1 lead
Good mention of Conner too, who came in as Len Richley's assistant after Stokoe left during our promotion season. He took over from Richley when we were established in the third tier but did a very good job of keeping us competitive against increasingly overwhelming odds (things are rather different these days). As you say, he rarely gets a mention, and was ridiculed at the time for saying that "football is a game of triangles" - meaning his method of having at least two players always available to receive the ball, including the player who's just made the pass - but of course, it was used against him by idiots. A talented but under-rated coach and then manager.
[Post edited 30 Oct 2017 9:44]
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Only recently on seeing a couple of photos that i remembered the Grantham game was played on a snow covered pitch, but that was no excuse. We ought to have won the first game and it seemed, at 3 1 up with 20 minutes left, a place in the 3rd round was guaranteed.
How Walter Joyce kept his job for another 18 months after that shambles and the fact we were rock bottom of the division, is still beyond me.
The people on here who find the slightest reason to moan and slag the team off need to try and imagine how dire the team and club in general really were back then and appreciate the fantastic job KH has done and is continuing to do. [Post edited 31 Oct 2017 12:46]
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| Giant killing on 11:23 - Oct 31 with 4815 views | sandylaner |
The only thing I remember about the Droylsden game is Eric Snookes getting sent off for an awful challenge | | | |
| Giant killing on 11:37 - Oct 31 with 4796 views | Nigeriamark |
| Giant killing on 17:52 - Oct 30 by EllDale |
1978. It finished 1-0 and I'm not sure that we had a shot on target. |
Yep, definitely my lowest point as a Dale fan and I think the only time I have ever left the ground before the end of a game . You knew we wouldn't have scored even if we had played for a week. the badest day of the bad old days !! |  | | |
| Giant killing on 11:52 - Oct 31 with 4780 views | fermin |
| Giant killing on 11:37 - Oct 31 by Nigeriamark |
Yep, definitely my lowest point as a Dale fan and I think the only time I have ever left the ground before the end of a game . You knew we wouldn't have scored even if we had played for a week. the badest day of the bad old days !! |
Droylsden view of the game:
https://mbc1955.wordpress.com/2013/10/13/rochdale-1978/
Atmosphere sounds a bit hairy by today's standards! Interesting that he thought we launched wave after wave of attacks yet we think we wouldn't have scored for a week. Shows how perceptions of the same game can be different depending on your point of view. |  | | |
| Giant killing on 12:22 - Oct 31 with 4736 views | seasidedale |
The Droylesden game was the worst ever, their centre forward looked like a pub team player, overweight and unfit, we were awful, I remember selfishly that we wouldnt draw as the replay would have been tuesday and I had a date with this girl to see Tavares at the atameside theatre, ( the date didnt go that well).
Grantham was almost as bad but they were at least a better side than Droyslden | | | |
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