Brakes seen as one of three title contenders in 1975

In January 1975 Brakes faced ‘a tough task at Alvechurch in the quarter finals of the Birmingham Senior Cup.  The Leamington club have a proud record in the county’s senior cup competition and are again determined to make the final.  But Alvechurch, great cup fighters and current leaders of the West Midlands League, are a match for most non-league sides in the Midlands.’

 In the event Brakes scored ‘a fine win.  In a superb first half performance, AP banged home two goals in the space of five minutes to send the amateur side reeling.   A Roger Brown header in the 22^nd minute from a Micky Boot free kick put AP one ahead and Adrian Stewart hit home a beautiful 25 yarder five minutes later to stamp the visitors’ authority on the game.’   Alvechurch did get one back in the 47^th minute, but ‘Brakes held out with Jones making a couple of fine saves to thwart the home attack.’

In the league ‘the onus is still on Brakes to keep banking the points.  And manager Jimmy Knox – completely happy at his side’s gritty performance in overcoming West Midlands League pacesetters Alvechurch to progress into the semi-finals of the Birmingham Senior Cup – selects the same side for tomorrow’s encounter against Kidderminster. 

“The team that was good enough against Alvechurch will be good enough against Kidderminster,” said a determined Knox.  Once again it is unlikely that he will decide risking striker Ivor Talbot – who is still suffering the after effects of the gashed ankle he received at Enderby on New Year’s Day.  

Despite the defeat of league leaders Bedford by contenders Worcester, Kmox still rates them along with Cheltenham – and of course AP – as real promotion contenders.  “I told the committee a couple of weeks ago that at the end of the day it would be between Bedford, Cheltenham and ourselves.”  

Surprisingly Knox doesn’t believe that Worcester – whom many Windmill fans reckon to be the best outfit they have seen all season – have enough consistency about their game to really push for the top.  “If any side can get any degree of consistency they’ve got to have a shout when it matters.  It took us 12 games to inject some consistency into our play, but now the players are completely confident.   We know we have to win tomorrow at Kidderminster.  And we have to keep winning, especially when we meet Cheltenham at home a week on Tuesday,” said Knox. 

Already Knox is thinking ahead – and evidence of that was provided when he told me: “If I feel we’re in with a shout in the last nine or ten games, then I will approach the powers that be to see about a player just in case of injuries.   I don’t think that would be the time to start blooding youth team players, although John Woodhouse served us well not so long ago.  I can’t get an experienced player because the club can’t afford it.  But if we get a spate of injuries then another man would be handy

‘Playing in a tricky wind, Brakes won 1-0 at Aggborough, their goal coming in the 44^th minute after slack defending enabled ‘Mick Keeley to run in and ram the ball firmly into the net.’   Kidderminster keeper Keith Ball prevented Roger Brown scoring in the closing stages with a fine save.