Many thanks to the Glentoran Supporters Committee (1923) for use of this article by Roy Downes on Glentoran's famous cup ties with Arsenal in September 1969.
FORTRESS OVAL:
GLENTORAN v ARSENAL 1969
Tommy Morrow in action at Highbury
Fifty years ago this month, and long before UEFA's coefficient rankings, Glentoran not only maintained but surpassed a remarkable home record against top class competition in European Football; six consecutive years of unbeaten home ties in Europe.
It all started with a 2-2 home draw against Panathanaikos in 1964. This was followed by four more; 3-3 with Royal Antwerp in 1965, 1-1 with Glasgow Rangers in 1966, 1-1 with Benfica in 1967 and 2-2 with Anderlecht in 1968.
Each July Glentoran supporters would wait with anticipation to see if their luck would hold in drawing a 'big name' and 1969 proved to be no different.
Playing that year in the European Fairs Cup, teams didn't come much bigger than the mighty Arsenal. With Arsenal unwilling to switch the first game to the Oval, the Glens, now managed by Peter McParland, made their way to London on the 8th September 1969.
Three of the Glentoran team required treatment for injuries incurred the previous Saturday at Portadown; Walter Bruce, John Hill and Billy McCullough. Billy Sinclair however was a definite non-starter. Unfortunately Bobby McGregor was on duty with the Northern Ireland team and so they were treated at White Hart Lane by the Spurs physio. In addition to injury worries, Ian Henderson was to fly from Glasgow and Tommy Morrow from Belfast after finishing work! Glentoran were forced to do their training on the Monday afternoon at Finsbury Park across the road from their hotel.
Not the best of preparations then, but Glentoran were not disgraced on Tuesday evening 9th September, going down 3-0 at Highbury before a gate of 24,292. Credit must go to the defensive tactics employed by manager McParland. All of Arsenal's goals came in the first half; two from George Graham and centre forward Bobby Gould scoring three minutes before the half-time whistle.
Arsenal arrived in Belfast for the return leg on Monday 29th September 1969 and set up headquarters at the Conway Hotel, Dunmurry. However they weren't the only ones to arrive in Belfast that Monday. As it happened, the start of the 1969/70 season coincided with the beginning of 'The Troubles' in Northern Ireland. Over the weekend there had been serious disturbances in the city and the army had been forced to use CS gas on both Loyalist and Republican rioters. Barricades had sprung up in the Falls and Grosvenor areas. Six hundred Royal Marine commandos were flown in, with a further 500 to follow on Monday night.
However, despite the tensions in the city 13,000 football fans turned up at the Oval, with one of the big attractions being Arsenal's teenage inside forward Charlie George, who had been receiving rave reviews since bursting onto the London football scene at the beginning of the season.
Arsenal manager Bertie Mee opted for a 4-2-4 formation, recalling Pat Rice and Terry Neill into defence, both of whom were unavailable for the Highbury game as they were on duty for Northern Ireland in their World Cup qualifying tie against Russia during the first leg. A surprise however was to leave out first leg goal scorer George Graham.
The Glentoran team that lined up was: Finlay, Hill, McKeag, Coyle, McCullough, Macken, Weatherup, Stewart, Henderson, Bruce, Morrow.
Subs: Patterson, Lemon.
Manager McParland had put together a formidable pool of players over the summer months. He had secured the services of Roy Coyle from Ballymena, Ian Henderson, a 24 year old former Queen of the South and Morton centre forward, signed on the recommendation of Billy Sinclair, and Sinclair himself had returned to the Oval after a spell at Kilmarnock.
Glentoran couldn't have wished for a better start. McParland's plans were to hit Arsenal with an early goal and they don't come much earlier than the second minute. A stupid hand ball by Terry Neill resulted in a penalty being slotted home by centre forward Henderson. Neill was rattled and appeared uncomfortable for the rest of the match. Frustration showed in the actions of some of the Arsenal players. Unable to put Glentoran in their place, indiscipline ran rife throughout the ranks of the Arsenal team. Before half time Scottish international Jimmy Robertson was booked for a bad tackle on Billy McKeag and centre forward John Radford had to be spoken to by Scottish referee Davidson. Indeed Robertson was fortunate not to get his marching orders when Davidson had to speak to him again in the second half following a second altercation with McKeag. It was all Glentoran and Arsenal were glad to hear the half -time whistle. This was not the easy task they had expected.
The second half continued where the first left off, with Glentoran attacking but unable to get that second goal which they so richly deserved.
Then in the 67th minute an incident involving Charlie George not only made the local papers but those in England as well. Local linesman Malcolm Wright drew referee Davidson's attention to something George had said to him. George's first taste of European football was to be cut short. Davidson called George over, spoke to him and then pointed firmly to the dressing rooms. A cluster of Arsenal players surrounded Davidson, protesting furiously. Assistant manager Don Howe went to the touchline and walked with his stunned and dejected starlet to the tunnel. When it was all over manager Mee, clearly upset, said, “He was sent off for swearing at a linesman”.
Charlie George
There was no further scoring and so the match finished with a 1-0 victory for the Glens, unbeaten again but this time with their first home victory in Europe. McParland would go on to take the Glens to their third League title in four years.
As for Arsenal, they would go on to win the European Fairs Cup final, losing 3-1 away to Anderlecht, who had beaten Coleraine 13-4 on aggregate in the second round, but winning 3-0 in the return leg at Highbury on the 28th April 1970.
Arsenal parade the Fairs Cup
