Looking Back.....Season 1977/78

Recounting an outstanding non-League campaign.

The 1977/78 season was a particularly outstanding one from the non-League point of view.

While the abiding memory is of the FA Cup and then-Northern League side Blyth Spartans, there were many other fine performances also.

With the new Alliance Premier League now only a couple of years away, the results in the various leagues were taking on an even greater significance.

There were bound to be new champions in the Southern League as Wimbledon, winners in the last three seasons, had now been elected to the Football League.

BATH CITY, managed by Brian Godfrey, took their first title since the runaway success in 1959/60.

They were truly outstanding champions, being the division`s top scorers, and also possessing the best defensive record – I covered Bath`s 77/78 season in a more comprehensive fashion here: https://www.betvictorsouthern.co.uk/News/124183/-The-Southern-League%60s-Outstanding-Teams-and8211;-Bath-City-197778-

Weymouth were runners-up in both the league and League Cup, being defeated by Gravesend & Northfleet in the final.

Promoted Worcester City did well to finish fourth and Nobby Clarke`s side would take the title the following season.

The Division One South champions were MARGATE, who finished two points ahead of Dorchester Town.

Margate also won the Merit Cup for being the Southern League`s top scorers with 92.

Dennis Hunt had taken over as Margate`s new manager from Les Riggs in May 1977 and helping the club clinch the title was Folkestone defender Neil Cugley, who was signed for £3,500 in March 1978.

Both Margate and Dorchester were promoted to the Premier Division for the 78/79 season, while Witney Town finished a comfortable six points clear of Bridgend in the North Division and were also promoted.

The 1977/78 FA Trophy campaign saw six different leagues represented at the quarter-final stage.

The four remaining southern teams were Bedford Town and Merthyr Tydfil of the Southern League and Leatherhead and Dagenham from the Isthmian League.

They were joined by Northern Premier League pair Altrincham and Runcorn, Winsford United of the Cheshire League and Spennymoor United of the Northern League.

Both Southern League survivors crashed out. Merthyr`s best ever Trophy run ended in a 3-2 replay defeat at Runcorn.

Bedford, in their third quarter-final in four seasons, were walloped 5-2 in a replay at Leatherhead after the teams had shared a 0-0 draw at The Eyrie.

Altrincham made impressive progress at Winsford`s expense and Spennymoor beat Dagenham 1-0.

Two tight semi-finals guaranteed a north-south final at Wembley. History would be very much against the Isthmian League side as no southern club had been successful in any of the eight previous Trophy finals.

And so it proved, as Altrincham beat Leatherhead 3-1.

The FA Cup put the icing on the cake as far as the non-League season was concerned.

It was to be a tremendous season for the part-timers generally, but for Blyth Spartans in particular, it was to be quite momentous.

There was good Southern League representation in the First Round Proper though.

Champions-elect Bath`s FA Cup run began right back at the Preliminary Round.

Brian Godfrey`s side had to survive three tricky away trips to lower league opponents in Taunton Town, Bridport and Swaythling before finally getting a home draw against Southern League Division One South Dorchester Town at Twerton Park in the Third Qualifying Round.

They won that tie 2-0 and then beat Division One North side Merthyr Tydfil 2-1 at Penydarren Park to earn a First Round tie at home to Third Division Plymouth Argyle.

A 0-0 draw at Twerton Park was followed by a 2-0 defeat at Home Park in the replay.

Weymouth didn`t have to compete until the Fourth Qualifying Round stage when they had a tough test away to league rivals Worcester City.

A 2-2 draw at St George`s Lane was followed by a 2-1 success at the Rec in the replay and a First Round tie away at Third Division Gillingham.

It looked like the Terras had done the hard work in holding the Kent side to a 1-1 draw at the Priestfield Stadium, only to lose 1-0 in front of their own fans in the replay.

It turned out to be a bizarre and rumour-bound FA Cup year for Southern Premier Division club Kettering Town.

Now under Mick Jones after the departure of Derek Dougan the year before, the Poppies did well to hold Isthmian League Premier Division high-flyers Hitchin Town to a 2-2 Top Field draw and then beat the Canaries 2-1 at Rockingham Road in the replay.

That gave Kettering another away trip to another Isthmian Premier outfit, but this time it was against a Tilbury side struggling near the bottom end of the table at the time.

Kettering won 1-0 and all seemed well – until the Dockers appealed – successfully – after saying that former Leicester City star Len Glover played but was ineligible.

It was found that Glover`s registration hadn`t been cleared after he returned from playing in the United States with Tampa Bay Rowdies.

The tie was ordered to be replayed n `angry` Kettering side returned to Chadfields and drew 2-2.

Determined to put the record straight at home, the struggling Dockers, who a couple of seasons earlier had almost folded through a lack of interest from fans, edged a five-goal thriller.

Tilbury`s story continued…..

Kettering`s league rivals Nuneaton Borough edged past West Midlands (Regional) League side Hednesford Town in the Fourth Qualifying Round and were handed a First Round tie at Manor Park against Third Division Oxford United.

And goals from Gavin Lang and a Brendan Phillips penalty caused one of the upsets of the round.

Dreaming of a nice little money-spinning draw in the Second Round – Nuneaton were paired with Tilbury!

The consolation was that it was at home. However, this time it was Boro who were on the wrong end of an upset as the Dockers repeated their success against Kettering by winning 2-1 and enjoy a visit to Second Division Stoke City in the Third Round!

Three other Southern League sides made it through to the Second Round.

AP Leamington, who were not enjoying the best of league seasons, began their FA Cup campaign at the First Qualifying Round stage with a 3-1 win at home to West Midlands (Regional) League side Tividale and a 2-0 success away at Tividale`s league rivals, Dudley Town.

A trip to Aggborough to play Southern Division One North side Kidderminster Harriers was overcome 2-1 and the Brakes also came through a tough Fourth Qualifying Round trip to Northern Premier Leaguers Boston United 2-1.

A slightly disappointing First Round draw paired Leamington with Southern Division One North outfit Enderby Town at home, but an emphatic 6-1 win took them into the hat for the Second Round where they were handed a home game against a Southern United side who would finish runners-up in the Fourth Division later that season.

A goalless draw at the Windmill Ground was followed by a 4-0 defeat at Roots Hall in the replay.

Minehead, who would end up being relegated from the Southern Premier Division, beat Southern Division One South side Salisbury 2-1 at home in a Fourth Qualifying Round replay after a 1-1 draw at Victoria Park.

A useful Wycombe Wanderers side, who were going well in the Isthmian Premier Division, were next for the Somerset side and a 2-0 win at the Recreation Ground earned a `derby` at home again against Third Division Exeter City, who made no mistake, triumphing 3-0.

Another Southern Premier side, Wealdstone, were also exempt until the Fourth Qualifying Round but were given a tough draw at home against high-flying Maidstone United.

However, a George Duck brace edged Wealdstone home 2-1.

The First Round draw paired the Stones at home to Hereford United who, of course, had won a place in the Football League five or so years earlier mainly on the back of their FA Cup exploits.

The Bulls had since gone up as far as the Second Division since winning the vote but were now struggling in the Third Division.

It looked, however, as though they still had some cup magic left as they held Wealdstone to a 0-0 draw at Lower Mead in front of 2,603.

But a Pat Ferry double and one from Bobby Moss saw the Stones give Hereford a taste of their own medicine at Edgar Street in a 3-2 win – Wealdstone`s first Football League scalp.

Fourth Division Reading at home was Wealdstone`s reward and a cracking gate of 4,044 saw Alan Fogarty`s side cause another upset in a 2-1, thanks to Keith Furphy and a George Duck penalty.

The Stones were handed a real treat the following Monday when the velvet bag produced the ball of First Division Queens Park Rangers and then Wealdstone.

In front of 16,158, Wealdstone put up a valiant showing but bowed out to goals from Don Givens, Leighton James, a Stan Bowles penalty and Ernie Howe to end the Southern League`s interest in the FA Cup.