When he died on Saturday it was just two days from exactly 49 years ago when he played for Preston North End at the Goldstone.
He died on Saturday 21st October
We played Preston North End at the Goldstone on Saturday 19th October 1974.
Bobby played for them that day in his player/manager role. They beat us 0-4.
I can't remember if he was one of the scorers but I remember he made us look like mugs with one particular free kick he took.
It was towards the South Stand goal. I assume it was Peter Grummitt in goal.
Their free kick was on the edge of the box. The Albion had their wall lined up, probably in nervous anticipation of a Bobby pile-driver as he stood over the ball ready to take the free kick. However he took the Albion wall completely by sursprise, and instead of taking a run up and trying to blast it through the wall he just lobbed the ball into the air almost vertically, with just enough angle for it to fall the other side of the wall while the Albion players just remained rooted to the ground in total bewilderment as they watched the ball sail up into the air and over their heads, and as the ball dropped to the ground on the other side of the Albion wall a Preston player snuck round the wall and tucked the ball into the back of the net. It was obviously a well rehearsed free kick.
To my recollection Nobby Stiles was also playing for Preston that day. So I suppose you can excuse our total capitulation as we were after all a Division 3 side playing against one fifth of the England World Cup winning side of just eight years earlier.
He died on Saturday 21st October
We played Preston North End at the Goldstone on Saturday 19th October 1974.
Bobby played for them that day in his player/manager role. They beat us 0-4.
I can't remember if he was one of the scorers but I remember he made us look like mugs with one particular free kick he took.
It was towards the South Stand goal. I assume it was Peter Grummitt in goal.
Their free kick was on the edge of the box. The Albion had their wall lined up, probably in nervous anticipation of a Bobby pile-driver as he stood over the ball ready to take the free kick. However he took the Albion wall completely by sursprise, and instead of taking a run up and trying to blast it through the wall he just lobbed the ball into the air almost vertically, with just enough angle for it to fall the other side of the wall while the Albion players just remained rooted to the ground in total bewilderment as they watched the ball sail up into the air and over their heads, and as the ball dropped to the ground on the other side of the Albion wall a Preston player snuck round the wall and tucked the ball into the back of the net. It was obviously a well rehearsed free kick.
To my recollection Nobby Stiles was also playing for Preston that day. So I suppose you can excuse our total capitulation as we were after all a Division 3 side playing against one fifth of the England World Cup winning side of just eight years earlier.
