{"id":138,"date":"2020-03-20T18:01:02","date_gmt":"2020-03-20T18:01:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/57hattersyears.co.uk\/?p=138"},"modified":"2025-06-10T16:38:36","modified_gmt":"2025-06-10T15:38:36","slug":"old-trafford-manchester-united","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/57hattersyears.co.uk\/index.php\/1970s\/old-trafford-manchester-united\/","title":{"rendered":"OLD TRAFFORD &#8211; MANCHESTER UNITED"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"is-style-stripes wp-block-table\"><table><tbody><tr><td>Only County Visit:<\/td><td>Wednesday 30th August 1978<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><\/td><td><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Competition:<\/td><td>Football League Cup &#8211; (Round 2)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><\/td><td><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Result:<\/td><td>Manchester United 3 &#8211; 2 Stockport County<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><\/td><td><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Attendance:<\/td><td>41,761<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><\/td><td><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Away Trip:<\/td><td>4<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><\/td><td><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Away Day:<\/td><td>4<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><\/td><td><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>County Line-up<\/td><td>1 Mike Rogan; 2 Andy Thorpe; 3 John Rutter; 4 Alan Thompson; 5 Terry Park; 6 Paul Edwards; 7 Mike Summerbee; 8 Carl Halford; 9 Les Bradd; 10 Derek Loadwick; 11 Stuart Lee<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><\/td><td><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Scorers:<\/td><td>Alan Thompson (pen); Terry Park<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><\/td><td><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Manager:<\/td><td>Mike Summerbee<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><\/td><td><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>County Visits:<\/td><td>1<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-white-color has-text-color\">..<\/p>\n\n\n<a class=\"maxbutton-11 maxbutton maxbutton-subtitle\" href=\"javascript:void(0);\"><span class='mb-text'>THE CRIME OF THE DURHAM POLICEMAN<\/span><\/a>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-white-color has-text-color\">..<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"alignwide has-background wp-block-media-text has-very-light-gray-background-color\" style=\"grid-template-columns:17% auto\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"205\" height=\"300\" src=\"http:\/\/57hattersyears.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/4-Old-Trafford-Manchester-United-205x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-141 size-full\" srcset=\"https:\/\/57hattersyears.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/4-Old-Trafford-Manchester-United-205x300.jpg 205w, https:\/\/57hattersyears.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/4-Old-Trafford-Manchester-United-699x1024.jpg 699w, https:\/\/57hattersyears.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/4-Old-Trafford-Manchester-United-102x150.jpg 102w, https:\/\/57hattersyears.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/4-Old-Trafford-Manchester-United-768x1125.jpg 768w, https:\/\/57hattersyears.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/4-Old-Trafford-Manchester-United-1048x1536.jpg 1048w, https:\/\/57hattersyears.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/4-Old-Trafford-Manchester-United-1398x2048.jpg 1398w, https:\/\/57hattersyears.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/4-Old-Trafford-Manchester-United-scaled.jpg 1747w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 205px) 100vw, 205px\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<p class=\"has-small-font-size\">I made a conscious decision to write this website chronologically, working my way through the journey and being able to reflect on how things developed; the ups, (not many) and the downs, (plenty).&nbsp; <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-white-color has-text-color\">..<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-small-font-size\">You may think that the passage of 38 years would dim the recollections, and maybe dull the hurt that Away Day 4 caused.&nbsp;Not a bit of it.&nbsp; The promise and excitement of stepping onto one of the world\u2019s leading football stages, as it was even then well before the commercial monolith that the name of Manchester United morphed into, was cruelly dashed.&nbsp; Leaving the ground that wrenching emotion of feeling cheated still lives with me right now.&nbsp; There\u2019s been hundreds of games since then, many being key to promotion or survival, and a fair few of those have left me with different emotions.&nbsp; But this was something different.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-white-color has-text-color\">..<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"alignwide is-stacked-on-mobile has-background wp-block-media-text has-very-light-gray-background-color\" style=\"grid-template-columns:38% auto\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"721\" height=\"433\" src=\"http:\/\/57hattersyears.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Manchester-United-Old-Trafford-aerial.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6586 size-full\" srcset=\"https:\/\/57hattersyears.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Manchester-United-Old-Trafford-aerial.jpg 721w, https:\/\/57hattersyears.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Manchester-United-Old-Trafford-aerial-300x180.jpg 300w, https:\/\/57hattersyears.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Manchester-United-Old-Trafford-aerial-150x90.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 721px) 100vw, 721px\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<p class=\"has-small-font-size\"><strong>Old Trafford from the air around the time of Willis&#8217; appalling performance<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-white-color has-text-color\">..<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-small-font-size\">The name Peter Willis is written loud and clear in the County annals.&nbsp; A bogeyman who robbed us of one of the biggest upsets of all time, the Durham policeman\u2019s refereeing performance that evening was nothing short of desperate.   Turning to the bare facts.&nbsp; A tie which paired County and United at EP was switched to Old Trafford for financial reasons.&nbsp; The crowd of nearly 42,000 will have brought solace to the bank balance, but was highly unpopular with a lot of fans.&nbsp; The game looked to be going to form.&nbsp; After all the home team, lying in 7<sup>th<\/sup> spot in the top division were pitched against  a County side 6<sup>th<\/sup> in Division 4, and when Jordan nodded them in front on 10 minutes the crowd sat back and waited for the inevitable.&nbsp; Let the text from <strong><em>Stockport County : A Complete Record <\/em><\/strong> take up the story:     <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-white-color has-text-color\">..<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-very-light-gray-background-color has-background has-small-font-size\"><em><strong>\u201cAlthough County were to have yet another poor season, they did have a number of skilful players, and before half-time they created a number of opportunities.&nbsp; The Reds were less than impressive and, with Lou Macari and County\u2019s player-manager Mike Summerbee seemingly intent on re-enacting past Manchester \u2018derby\u2019 battles, United\u2019s most dangerous forward was playing himself out of the game. With the supporters uplifted by their team\u2019s performance, the second half saw County go close on a number of occasions before, in the 59<sup>th<\/sup> minute, United goalkeeper Paddy Roche felled Stuart Lee and Alan Thompson confidently equalised from the resultant penalty.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-very-light-gray-background-color has-background has-small-font-size\"><em><strong>20 minutes later, with United still unable to impose their authority on the game, County\u2019s Terry Park picked up possession on the left wing, went round Brian Greenhoff, and curled the ball delightfully round Roche and inside the far post.&nbsp; Unadulterated joy! County did not fall back on defence but pressed for another goal with the result that, in the 85<sup>th<\/sup> minute, United\u2019s Scottish international defender, Gordon McQueen, brought down Derek Loadwick with a scything tackle.&nbsp; Referee Peter Willis of County Durham had little option but to send off McQueen, who departed with a considerable degree of petulance.\u201d<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-white-color has-text-color\">..<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-small-font-size\">There remained 5 minutes, plus anything that Willis added \u2013 a drop in the oceans of time, but a brief interlude which lived and continues to live long in the memory of those who witnessed it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-white-color has-text-color\">..<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-very-light-gray-background-color has-background has-small-font-size\"><strong><em>\u201cThree minutes later Mr Willis awarded the Reds a free-kick, seemingly given against County goalkeeper, Mike Rogan, and with no United player near, possibly for time wasting.&nbsp; Sammy McIlroy took the free-kick which, after a deflection, rolled agonising past Rogan to equalise.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-white-color has-text-color\">..<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"alignwide is-stacked-on-mobile has-background wp-block-media-text has-very-light-gray-background-color\" style=\"grid-template-columns:38% auto\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"300\" src=\"http:\/\/57hattersyears.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Mike-Summerbee-and-Willis.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6589 size-full\" srcset=\"https:\/\/57hattersyears.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Mike-Summerbee-and-Willis.jpg 600w, https:\/\/57hattersyears.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Mike-Summerbee-and-Willis-300x150.jpg 300w, https:\/\/57hattersyears.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Mike-Summerbee-and-Willis-150x75.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<p class=\"has-small-font-size\"><strong>Mike Summerbee in earnest discussion with the Durham policeman&#8230;.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-white-color has-text-color\">..<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-very-light-gray-background-color has-background has-small-font-size\"><em><strong>In the 90th minute Peter Willis guaranteed himself a place in the memories of Stockport supporters by awarding United a penalty for a foul by Thompson on Jordan.&nbsp; It would be churlish to dispute the validity of the decision, but it was certainly a rare event to see a penalty awarded in front of the Stretford End with virtually no appeal from the crowd nor from the players.&nbsp; Jimmy Greenhoff scored and United had won\u201d<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-white-color has-text-color\">..<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"alignwide has-background wp-block-media-text has-very-light-gray-background-color\" style=\"grid-template-columns:38% auto\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"557\" height=\"327\" src=\"http:\/\/57hattersyears.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Manchester-United-Old-Trafford-Stretford-End-2-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6585 size-full\" srcset=\"https:\/\/57hattersyears.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Manchester-United-Old-Trafford-Stretford-End-2-1.jpg 557w, https:\/\/57hattersyears.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Manchester-United-Old-Trafford-Stretford-End-2-1-300x176.jpg 300w, https:\/\/57hattersyears.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Manchester-United-Old-Trafford-Stretford-End-2-1-150x88.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 557px) 100vw, 557px\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<p class=\"has-small-font-size\"><strong>The Stretford End back in 1978<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-white-color has-text-color\">..<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-small-font-size\"> 38 years later and those last 5 minutes still rank as a gross injustice \u2026 no more and no less.&nbsp; Controversy and Willis were never strangers.&nbsp; Unlike the best officials who are barely noticed he was always at the forefront of the action.&nbsp; It was hardly recompense, but he incurred the United followers wrath around 7 years later when Kevin Moran became the first player ever sent off in an FA Cup Final.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-white-color has-text-color\">..<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"alignwide has-background wp-block-media-text has-very-light-gray-background-color\" style=\"grid-template-columns:39% auto\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"595\" height=\"343\" src=\"http:\/\/57hattersyears.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Manchester-United-Old-Trafford-scoreboard-end.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6587 size-full\" srcset=\"https:\/\/57hattersyears.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Manchester-United-Old-Trafford-scoreboard-end.jpg 595w, https:\/\/57hattersyears.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Manchester-United-Old-Trafford-scoreboard-end-300x173.jpg 300w, https:\/\/57hattersyears.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Manchester-United-Old-Trafford-scoreboard-end-150x86.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 595px) 100vw, 595px\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<p class=\"has-small-font-size\"><strong>The Scoreboard End &#8230; from where the County fans witnessed the unfolding iniquity<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-white-color has-text-color\">..<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-small-font-size\"> It was the only visit to Old Trafford with County, but not the first I had made, nor indeed the last.&nbsp; The time has come to confess I fear. Back in 1962 my godfather took me to see a Manchester derby.&nbsp; City won it 3-2 but I was transfixed by the United no.10. Flaxen haired and quick as a flash, it was the first time I had heard of, never mind seen, Denis Law.&nbsp; He scored twice in the game \u2013 and entertained.&nbsp; To this day, and whilst all this kind of stuff is naturally subjective, \u201cThe King\u201d is still the greatest player I have ever seen. (<a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/BTBMmd7mqc4?si=efMYo_Oo4Qelrx1J\"><strong>Check out this video<\/strong><\/a> for just why I, nearly 60 years later, am still of this view).&nbsp; I wanted more of it and through the late 60\u2019s and early 70\u2019s I was a regular at the self-styled Theatre of Dreams.&nbsp; It helped at the time that County were a Friday night team which meant I could catch both clubs most weekends.&nbsp; As Law\u2019s time at Old Trafford finished so I became less of a regular, and I believe that it was the County game that really determined things.&nbsp; <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-small-font-size\">Increasingly it felt to me that there was a superior attitude amongst the support at United \u2013 a divine right to win if you want to put it that way, and it didn\u2019t feel right.&nbsp; There was a brief renaissance for me in the mid 70\u2019s when Tommy Docherty created a really entertaining side but it increasingly felt like a chore.&nbsp; It came to end at the first game of the 1979\/80 season.&nbsp; After a truly dull; soporific and mind numbing display against West Brom, I went away knowing that I wanted no more of it. &nbsp;In the intervening years I\u2019ve been back once, as a guest of a business contact.&nbsp; I\u2019ve never missed it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-small-font-size\">Indeed, I have come to despise all that the monied Clubs stand for \u2013 they are no more than commercial enterprises rather than community based football clubs. The heart has gone out of the game at the top level.&nbsp; A League, grandiosely calling itself a Premiership, is populated by over-paid; over-rated mercenaries from foreign shores, whilst all the time the cancer of the agents who get them these deals eats away at the game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-white-color has-text-color\">..<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"alignwide has-background wp-block-media-text has-very-light-gray-background-color\" style=\"grid-template-columns:38% auto\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"354\" src=\"http:\/\/57hattersyears.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Manchester-United-Old-Trafford-from-the-scoreboard-end.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-146 size-full\" srcset=\"https:\/\/57hattersyears.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Manchester-United-Old-Trafford-from-the-scoreboard-end.jpg 600w, https:\/\/57hattersyears.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Manchester-United-Old-Trafford-from-the-scoreboard-end-300x177.jpg 300w, https:\/\/57hattersyears.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Manchester-United-Old-Trafford-from-the-scoreboard-end-150x89.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<p class=\"has-small-font-size\"><strong>The Stretford End goal where Willis did his worst.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-white-color has-text-color\">..<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-small-font-size\"> I imagine I will return to this theme when Manchester City crossed County\u2019s path in the late 1990\u2019s \u2013 simply because they exhibit all this superiority attitude more than any other Club.&nbsp; I really wish those Abu Dhabi characters hadn\u2019t turned up at Eastlands \u2013 they\u2019d still be the music hall turn they always were.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-white-color has-text-color\">..<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-vivid-cyan-blue-background-color has-text-color has-background\" style=\"color:#ffffff\"><strong>OLD TRAFFORD IN 1979<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-white-color has-text-color\">..<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-small-font-size\">Taken shortly after our visit there is a video of Old Trafford available on the Football Ground Guide You Tube Channel.  <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=Sjp2s7x_gmc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"Take a look (opens in a new tab)\">Take a look<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-white-color has-text-color\">..<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-vivid-cyan-blue-background-color has-text-color has-background\" style=\"color:#ffffff\"><strong>WATCH THINGS UNFOLD<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-white-color has-text-color\">..<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-small-font-size\">Even with the passage of time things still hurt.  Here&#8217;s a chance to see how things happened at OT that night.  There&#8217;s press cuttings; grainy footage of the game and Willis&#8217; disgraceful exhibition.  It looks like Dave Espley, (of Tea Party and SN&amp;TM fame) has compiled it and put it on You Tube. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-small-font-size\" style=\"color:#383bef\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=tpcVyl-dCrI\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"Manchester United 3-2 Stockport County (opens in a new tab)\"><strong>Manchester United 3-2 Stockport County<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-white-color has-text-color\">..<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-small-font-size\">September 2016<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-white-color has-text-color\">..<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"color:#ffffff\" class=\"has-text-color has-background has-medium-font-size has-vivid-cyan-blue-background-color\"><strong>VISITS<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-white-color has-text-color\">..<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"is-style-stripes wp-block-table\"><table><tbody><tr><td><strong>Day<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Date<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Competition<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Tier \/ Round<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Opponents<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\"><strong>Res<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>F<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>A<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Crowd<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-right\" data-align=\"right\"><strong>Away Day<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Wednesday<br><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=tpcVyl-dCrI\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"(Highlights) (opens in a new tab)\">(Highlights)<\/a><\/strong><\/td><td>30\/08\/78<\/td><td>Football League Cup<\/td><td>Round 2<\/td><td>Manchester United<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-center\" data-align=\"center\">L<\/td><td>2<\/td><td>3<\/td><td>41,761<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-right\" data-align=\"right\">4<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-white-color has-text-color\">..<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"color:#ffffff\" class=\"has-text-color has-background has-medium-font-size has-vivid-cyan-blue-background-color\"><strong>ON MY JOURNEY WITH COUNTY AROUND 180 GROUNDS<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-white-color has-text-color\">..<\/p>\n\n\n<a class=\"maxbutton-9 maxbutton maxbutton-previous-away\" href=\"http:\/\/spotland-rochdale\"><span class='mb-text'>Previously &#8211; SPOTLAND<\/span><\/a>\n\n<a class=\"maxbutton-10 maxbutton maxbutton-next-away\" href=\"https:\/\/57hattersyears.co.uk\/index.php\/1970s\/gresty-road-crewe-alexandra\/\"><span class='mb-text'>Next stop &#8211; GRESTY ROAD<\/span><\/a>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Only County Visit: Wednesday 30th August 1978 Competition: Football League Cup &#8211; (Round 2) Result: Manchester United 3 &#8211; 2 Stockport County Attendance: 41,761 Away Trip: 4 Away Day: 4 County Line-up 1 Mike Rogan; 2 Andy Thorpe; 3 John Rutter; 4 Alan Thompson; 5 Terry Park; 6 Paul Edwards; 7 Mike Summerbee; 8 Carl [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-138","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-1970s"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>57 Hatters Years : OLD TRAFFORD - MANCHESTER UNITED<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"A tale of my vist to Old Trafford in 1978 to watch Stockport County. A night of infamy as Referee Willis &#039;did&#039; for County. With a video link.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/57hattersyears.co.uk\/index.php\/1970s\/old-trafford-manchester-united\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"57 Hatters Years : OLD TRAFFORD - MANCHESTER UNITED\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"A tale of my vist to Old Trafford in 1978 to watch Stockport County. A night of infamy as Referee Willis &#039;did&#039; for County. With a video link.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/57hattersyears.co.uk\/index.php\/1970s\/old-trafford-manchester-united\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"57 Hatters Years\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2020-03-20T18:01:02+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-06-10T15:38:36+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/57hattersyears.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/4-Old-Trafford-Manchester-United-scaled.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1747\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"2560\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"admin\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"admin\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/57hattersyears.co.uk\\\/index.php\\\/1970s\\\/old-trafford-manchester-united\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/57hattersyears.co.uk\\\/index.php\\\/1970s\\\/old-trafford-manchester-united\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"admin\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/57hattersyears.co.uk\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/aa26248e8f6fd6e38e85ac0b95fb3f23\"},\"headline\":\"OLD TRAFFORD &#8211; MANCHESTER UNITED\",\"datePublished\":\"2020-03-20T18:01:02+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-06-10T15:38:36+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/57hattersyears.co.uk\\\/index.php\\\/1970s\\\/old-trafford-manchester-united\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":1407,\"commentCount\":3,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/57hattersyears.co.uk\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/aa26248e8f6fd6e38e85ac0b95fb3f23\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/57hattersyears.co.uk\\\/index.php\\\/1970s\\\/old-trafford-manchester-united\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"http:\\\/\\\/57hattersyears.co.uk\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2020\\\/03\\\/4-Old-Trafford-Manchester-United-205x300.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"1970's\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/57hattersyears.co.uk\\\/index.php\\\/1970s\\\/old-trafford-manchester-united\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/57hattersyears.co.uk\\\/index.php\\\/1970s\\\/old-trafford-manchester-united\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/57hattersyears.co.uk\\\/index.php\\\/1970s\\\/old-trafford-manchester-united\\\/\",\"name\":\"57 Hatters Years : OLD TRAFFORD - MANCHESTER UNITED\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/57hattersyears.co.uk\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/57hattersyears.co.uk\\\/index.php\\\/1970s\\\/old-trafford-manchester-united\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/57hattersyears.co.uk\\\/index.php\\\/1970s\\\/old-trafford-manchester-united\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"http:\\\/\\\/57hattersyears.co.uk\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2020\\\/03\\\/4-Old-Trafford-Manchester-United-205x300.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2020-03-20T18:01:02+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-06-10T15:38:36+00:00\",\"description\":\"A tale of my vist to Old Trafford in 1978 to watch Stockport County. A night of infamy as Referee Willis 'did' for County. With a video link.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/57hattersyears.co.uk\\\/index.php\\\/1970s\\\/old-trafford-manchester-united\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/57hattersyears.co.uk\\\/index.php\\\/1970s\\\/old-trafford-manchester-united\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/57hattersyears.co.uk\\\/index.php\\\/1970s\\\/old-trafford-manchester-united\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"http:\\\/\\\/57hattersyears.co.uk\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2020\\\/03\\\/4-Old-Trafford-Manchester-United-205x300.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"http:\\\/\\\/57hattersyears.co.uk\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2020\\\/03\\\/4-Old-Trafford-Manchester-United-205x300.jpg\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/57hattersyears.co.uk\\\/index.php\\\/1970s\\\/old-trafford-manchester-united\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/57hattersyears.co.uk\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"OLD TRAFFORD &#8211; MANCHESTER UNITED\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/57hattersyears.co.uk\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/57hattersyears.co.uk\\\/\",\"name\":\"57 Hatters Years\",\"description\":\"Supporting Stockport County: From Carlisle to Brighton and Plymouth to Blyth\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/57hattersyears.co.uk\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/aa26248e8f6fd6e38e85ac0b95fb3f23\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/57hattersyears.co.uk\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\"},{\"@type\":[\"Person\",\"Organization\"],\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/57hattersyears.co.uk\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/aa26248e8f6fd6e38e85ac0b95fb3f23\",\"name\":\"admin\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/14db0a34ee8176cbbfe296cfea245ccd54871bf8a13c3bf219070eca58b87631?s=96&d=blank&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/14db0a34ee8176cbbfe296cfea245ccd54871bf8a13c3bf219070eca58b87631?s=96&d=blank&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/14db0a34ee8176cbbfe296cfea245ccd54871bf8a13c3bf219070eca58b87631?s=96&d=blank&r=g\",\"caption\":\"admin\"},\"logo\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/14db0a34ee8176cbbfe296cfea245ccd54871bf8a13c3bf219070eca58b87631?s=96&d=blank&r=g\"}}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"57 Hatters Years : OLD TRAFFORD - MANCHESTER UNITED","description":"A tale of my vist to Old Trafford in 1978 to watch Stockport County. A night of infamy as Referee Willis 'did' for County. With a video link.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/57hattersyears.co.uk\/index.php\/1970s\/old-trafford-manchester-united\/","og_locale":"en_GB","og_type":"article","og_title":"57 Hatters Years : OLD TRAFFORD - MANCHESTER UNITED","og_description":"A tale of my vist to Old Trafford in 1978 to watch Stockport County. A night of infamy as Referee Willis 'did' for County. With a video link.","og_url":"https:\/\/57hattersyears.co.uk\/index.php\/1970s\/old-trafford-manchester-united\/","og_site_name":"57 Hatters Years","article_published_time":"2020-03-20T18:01:02+00:00","article_modified_time":"2025-06-10T15:38:36+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1747,"height":2560,"url":"https:\/\/57hattersyears.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/4-Old-Trafford-Manchester-United-scaled.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"admin","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"admin"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/57hattersyears.co.uk\/index.php\/1970s\/old-trafford-manchester-united\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/57hattersyears.co.uk\/index.php\/1970s\/old-trafford-manchester-united\/"},"author":{"name":"admin","@id":"https:\/\/57hattersyears.co.uk\/#\/schema\/person\/aa26248e8f6fd6e38e85ac0b95fb3f23"},"headline":"OLD TRAFFORD &#8211; MANCHESTER UNITED","datePublished":"2020-03-20T18:01:02+00:00","dateModified":"2025-06-10T15:38:36+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/57hattersyears.co.uk\/index.php\/1970s\/old-trafford-manchester-united\/"},"wordCount":1407,"commentCount":3,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/57hattersyears.co.uk\/#\/schema\/person\/aa26248e8f6fd6e38e85ac0b95fb3f23"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/57hattersyears.co.uk\/index.php\/1970s\/old-trafford-manchester-united\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"http:\/\/57hattersyears.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/4-Old-Trafford-Manchester-United-205x300.jpg","articleSection":["1970's"],"inLanguage":"en-GB","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/57hattersyears.co.uk\/index.php\/1970s\/old-trafford-manchester-united\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/57hattersyears.co.uk\/index.php\/1970s\/old-trafford-manchester-united\/","url":"https:\/\/57hattersyears.co.uk\/index.php\/1970s\/old-trafford-manchester-united\/","name":"57 Hatters Years : OLD TRAFFORD - MANCHESTER UNITED","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/57hattersyears.co.uk\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/57hattersyears.co.uk\/index.php\/1970s\/old-trafford-manchester-united\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/57hattersyears.co.uk\/index.php\/1970s\/old-trafford-manchester-united\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"http:\/\/57hattersyears.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/4-Old-Trafford-Manchester-United-205x300.jpg","datePublished":"2020-03-20T18:01:02+00:00","dateModified":"2025-06-10T15:38:36+00:00","description":"A tale of my vist to Old Trafford in 1978 to watch Stockport County. A night of infamy as Referee Willis 'did' for County. With a video link.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/57hattersyears.co.uk\/index.php\/1970s\/old-trafford-manchester-united\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-GB","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/57hattersyears.co.uk\/index.php\/1970s\/old-trafford-manchester-united\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-GB","@id":"https:\/\/57hattersyears.co.uk\/index.php\/1970s\/old-trafford-manchester-united\/#primaryimage","url":"http:\/\/57hattersyears.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/4-Old-Trafford-Manchester-United-205x300.jpg","contentUrl":"http:\/\/57hattersyears.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/4-Old-Trafford-Manchester-United-205x300.jpg"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/57hattersyears.co.uk\/index.php\/1970s\/old-trafford-manchester-united\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/57hattersyears.co.uk\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"OLD TRAFFORD &#8211; MANCHESTER UNITED"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/57hattersyears.co.uk\/#website","url":"https:\/\/57hattersyears.co.uk\/","name":"57 Hatters Years","description":"Supporting Stockport County: From Carlisle to Brighton and Plymouth to Blyth","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/57hattersyears.co.uk\/#\/schema\/person\/aa26248e8f6fd6e38e85ac0b95fb3f23"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/57hattersyears.co.uk\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-GB"},{"@type":["Person","Organization"],"@id":"https:\/\/57hattersyears.co.uk\/#\/schema\/person\/aa26248e8f6fd6e38e85ac0b95fb3f23","name":"admin","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-GB","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/14db0a34ee8176cbbfe296cfea245ccd54871bf8a13c3bf219070eca58b87631?s=96&d=blank&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/14db0a34ee8176cbbfe296cfea245ccd54871bf8a13c3bf219070eca58b87631?s=96&d=blank&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/14db0a34ee8176cbbfe296cfea245ccd54871bf8a13c3bf219070eca58b87631?s=96&d=blank&r=g","caption":"admin"},"logo":{"@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/14db0a34ee8176cbbfe296cfea245ccd54871bf8a13c3bf219070eca58b87631?s=96&d=blank&r=g"}}]}},"featured_image_src":null,"featured_image_src_square":null,"author_info":{"display_name":"admin","author_link":"https:\/\/57hattersyears.co.uk\/index.php\/author\/admin\/"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/57hattersyears.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/138","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/57hattersyears.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/57hattersyears.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/57hattersyears.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/57hattersyears.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=138"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/57hattersyears.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/138\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11491,"href":"https:\/\/57hattersyears.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/138\/revisions\/11491"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/57hattersyears.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=138"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/57hattersyears.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=138"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/57hattersyears.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=138"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}