League Cup Third Round
Team: Parkes, Clement, Hazell, Venables, Mancini, McLintock, Thomas, Francis, Leach, Bowles, Givens
Sub: Busby
Attendance: 16,043
On 6th November 1973, Rangers took on Sheffield Wednesday at Loftus Road in the League Cup third round. John Parsons’ report appeared in the Daily Mail the following day:
‘Incredible Rangers equalled the highest score by any club this season in this ten-goal League Cup extravaganza.
On the day Sir Alf Ramsey had-acknowledged the quality of their magnificent young forwards by naming Gerry Francis and Dave Thomas in next week’s Under-23 squad, Rangers celebrated in style.
Poor Wednesday without top defenders Coyle and Rodrigues, were bemused.
Two goals down early on, they fought back with character to draw level. But in the second-half London’s leading First Division men produced a five-goal fiesta.
Rangers were ahead after only four minutes with an extraordinary goal – the first of four in the first-half, zany enough to leave defenders embarrassed.
A Bowles centre dropped on Wednesday defender Danny Cameron’s head, and the crowd roared in astonished delight as the ball went off Cameron into the net.
Ten minutes later came a spectacular second. A quick throw-in by Hazell saw Bowles nipping away eagerly on the left.
Francis came up in support to drive the short, square pass firmly past Springett, from 20 yards.
For a side who had scored only four goals in previous away games this season, Wednesday recovered splendidly.
Twice Parkes was thoroughly tested before Knighton, totally unmarked and unchallenged, drove in Prendergast’s pass with a fine angled shot in the 31st minute.
That was a bad goal for Rangers to concede – but the equaliser four minutes before half-time was worse.
McLintock fell over the ball as he trapped Knighton’s pass and as it ran loose, Prendergast potted it gratefully.
Yet two minutes later, Wednesday wounded themselves again. No one spotted Leach as he ran in on the blind side when Venables lifted a free kick over the wall, and the centre-forward leapt to score with a glancing header.
Three goals in six colourful minutes in the second-half made it certain that Plymouth will visit Loftus Road in the next round.
Givens began the flurry when he converted Hazell’s through-pass. A Francis corner was nodded on by Givens for Bowles to chip in from two yards, then a fine cross from Thomas was hooked home by Leach, made it 6-2.
Wednesday still launched attacks, but they must have wondered why they even bothered when nine minutes from the end, Mullen gave away the second own-goal as he deflected in Clement’s cross.
Givens rounded up with the eighth two minutes from time.’
‘The Verdict is Yours’ was the headline in the ‘Bush Telegraph’ section of the match programme:
‘In the last issue of this programme we asked you to vote on whether you would like us to retain the 10p colour programme for the remainder of the season or revert to our 16-page 7p black and white format.
Your response was absolutely overwhelming: as we go to press, not a single vote has been cast for the 7p programme, and we have had a 100% request for the 10p programme to continue.
Mr. B. Gowan of Bedfont even organised a petition of 28 names in its favour! Your editor thanks you all for this…’
As for Plymouth in the next round, Rangers went out 0-3.
Steve Russell