How it all started

 Promotion from the Midland Combination, Division 2

Holleran's game plan to win

Paul Holleran told the Non-League Paper that Leamington will go to Telford tomorrow with a game plan to win.  The team are 'full of verve'.  He aims to 'upset the odds against an expectant home crowd.'

Holleran said: Telford have been the best team in the second half of the season by far, and going into the season we'd have been second best to them in terms of squad balance and depth.'

'There was a lot of upheaval and rebuilding over the summer,  It's difficult with so many teams in the area. We kept a few of the players on pro deals, and added four or five youth to the suqad, but after the second game in which we conceded five at Coalville, I knew it was going to be a difficult task this season.'

Recalling the victory over Redditch, Holleran admits: 'Redditch were on top in the second half.  At first we tried to go through them, then around them, then evenrually we brought on Tyrone Barnett and went over them.  He did a great job at that.'

Knox;s quiet revolution

Leamington’s 1973/4 season was reviewed by Ken Widdowes in April 1974.  ‘They savoured the champagne times by following that semi-final win over Borough to clinch the League Cup.  They did it by a comparatively easy win over Bromsgrove at the Windmill Ground after slipping a goal behind on the first leg.  Now promotion is the aim.

 Knox and his trainer Bob Ward have worked a quiet revolution at AP in one season.   There is no reason why they cannot improve on that.  For after a steady start to the League campaign last August, they had a mid-season slump before making a determined bid to catch leaders Stourbridge and Burton.  

A seasoned observer of Leamington’s fortunes over the past years told me: “Knox has made incredible progress for the club, and though they dropped some simple points, the team spirit remained fabulous.  Jimmy Goodfellow was a revelation and Norman Foster, who started the season virtually as third choice striker, netted 38 goals in all competitions.”

AP were dealt a blow this week with the news that Goodfellow has now retired.  He feels the travelling from his Leicester home is getting too much and wants to spend more time with his family.  That leaves a yawning gap in AP’s set up, but it also gives Mickey Boot the chance to show his true potential.  Boot has missed much of the season with a broken leg, but Goodfellow’s retirement blow will be softened if Boot strikes forn.’

‘If they win tonight’s clash with Tamworth, AP will finish in third spot in the table - and that wlll crown a memorable season.’   Brakes had already had an unfortunate 2-1 defeat at Banbury where they conceded two penalties ‘to give Banbury a win they hardly deserved on the run of play  Leamington had the edge in skill and ideas for most of the game.’

Sadly, ‘A typical end-of-season game saw Tamworth snatch victory against highly-placed AP at Knaresbrook on Saturday night.  The goal was one of the few bright moments in a game of wasted energy by players who were unable to produce any kind of possession football.  Neither side showed any flair or interest in a game watched by one of Tamworth’s lowest gates of the season – 223.   Dennis Walker secured the match winner after 33 minutes when he outpaced gioalkeeper Dave Jones in a chase along the bye-line.  Walker turned quickly and screwed the ball into the far corner of the net before Jones could recover possession.

 There were remarkably few direct shots at goal and neither goalkeeper was tested in a game of small entertainment value.   Leamington displayed a surprising amount of energy, but very little thrust or finish.   Though there was a great deal of midfield activity, there was remarkably very little positive attacking play.   Leamington can feel upset with a performance that was far from impressive.’

Brakes did win the Leamington Charity Invitation Cup with a 4-0 victory over Bermuda WMC, goals from Ivor Talbot, Neil Armstrong, Adrian Stewart and Keith Shrimpston. Stourbridge topped the Division One North table with 69 points, followed by Burton Albion 63, Cheltenham Town 56 and Brakes 54.

Tough-talking Knox delighted with his players

‘Jimmy Knox, tough-talking Scot with the knack of producing football teams from nothing, relaxed after leading AP  Leamington to a Southern League Cup triumph and said “This is only the start.”  And he added., “After this success, there is no reason why we should not get even better next season – and win promotion to the Premier Division.” 

 Knox’s bubbling side completed the execution of Bromsgrove last week to record a comfortable 3-0 win and take the coveted trophy on a 3-1 aggregate.  Knox said: ‘I was mentally shattered after that game. There’s no doubt that when the game was over, it was the best moment since I became a manager.’  And with that behind him – in his first season as manager of the Windmill side- Knox believes his side can go further still.   He told [Ken Widdows]  ‘”We have made great strides this season and we are not going to let it slip back. There is a stack of ability in our side, the players work hard and they have lots of guts.’

‘”We were only 1-0 up at half time on Saturday, I told the lads not to get frustrated, to work at their game and it would come right.  It did – and we finished worthy winners.”  There’s no doubting that judgment.  AP were the better side throughout and limited Bromsgrove to one clear cut chance.   But for the most part AP were in control.    And I doubt if James Goodfellow has had a finer game outside the Football League.  

Goodfellow was my man of the match with his deft flicks and the way he made himself available in both defence and attack. But there were other stars in this startling triumph.  Steve Lee, the skipper, ran and fought and saw off the challenge offered in midfield. Ernie Wilkinson and Tom Bowden held together the back four like a vice.  Ivor Talbot gave his opposite number a gruelling time on the left flank and Keith Shrimpton. In his benefit year, picked up anything loose in front of the defence.’

‘But while the end product did not have the glamour expected of a final it was, for AP, a successful exercise in working together.  There was, of course, disappointment even in success, for less than 1,000 fans turned up to watch the club sail to its greatest hour. It is a problem which has frustrated AP all season. 

But Knoc says: ‘It is something the players are conscious of, but it does not affect them.  They get on with the job of playing football.”   It is a pity AP did not get the support last week.  For the team won a competition which saw the “big” names like Chelmsford, Kettering, Dartford and the like fall by the wayside. 

 Now they have added their name to a trophy that has illustrious past winners.   And It is not an achievement to be taken lightly.  Now it is behind them and the team have the more mundane task of finishing as high as they can in the First Division North. ‘  Knox concluded: ‘” I was appointed to do a job   I told the players I was the judge of ability and they had to work on the pitch.  They gave me that work – and I have been delighted

Brakes win Southern League Cup for first time

Brakes were in the Southern League cup final for the first time in April 1974.   The first leg was away to Bromsgrove Rovers.  ‘After losing 1-0 in the first leg of the Southern League Cup final at Bromsgrove on Saturday, AP Leamington now look to have a good chance in the return leg this weekend.   Despite being away from home, Leamington were unlucky not to score, particularly in the last minute of the match when they had the home defence in a terrible tangle.  Two shots were cleared off the line, but the ball just would not go into the net.

 Steve Lee was always prominent midfield for the visitors, and after a shaky first half Ernie Wilkinson came to the fore in their defence.  Bromsgrove’s goal came at a critical time, five minutes before the interval, and no one could argue with the quality of it.   Bromsgrove’s top scorer Alan Craddock scored with a perfect volley.  However, this was the only goal the home side could muster, giving Leamington, who beat them 3-0 earlier in the season, a good chance next Saturday.’

‘AP Leamington lifted the Southern League Cup for the first time with an impressive display against Bromsgrove at the Windmill Ground today.   Steve Lee brought the scores level on aggregate after 18 minutes – but In the second half AP dictated matters and went in front with an own goal from Bromsgrove full back Tombs before Neil Armstrong settled the matter with a third goal. 

Brakes went close in the first minute.  Brady swung over a centre from a free kick, goalkeeper Hooper could only push the ball out, and Shrimpton hit a cracking drive which Hooper did well to save.   Bromsgrove forced four corners in quick succession before Bowden cleared the danger.   Craddock wasted a good chance when the AP defence was caught out by a long ball and then Horne fired over when AP hit back.

AP were neater in their build up and after 18 minutes they grabbed a fine goal to put the score level on aggregate.   Goodfellow took a corner on the right and Lee rose high to bullet a header past Hooper.   Bromsgrove were using the wind with long balls deep into the AP half and, after Jones had palmed away a cross, Talbot and Goodfellow combined to clear AP lines.

Play was mainly confined to midfield where Goodfellow, Shrimpton and Lee were doing an effective job for AP but Bromsgrove went close when Craddock flashed a left foot drive wide of the post.  Then Jones dived to save from Selby.   It took a fine save from Jones minutes after the restart to keep the score sheet blank.  From Forrest’s free kick Ball send in a powerful header which Jones flicked away.   

AP hit back, but Hooper brought off a magnificent save when Horne hammered a great shot from 20 yards.  But a minute later, AP went ahead on aggregate.   The ball was cleared out of defence by AP and Tombs, attempting to find his own goalkeeper, lobbed the ball into his own net when there was no danger.  Armstrong scored a third for AP after 70 minutes.’

Brakes: Jones, Taylor, Bowden, Brady, Bowden, Wilkinson, Shrimpton, Goodfellow, Lee, Armstrong, Horne, Talbot.   Sub: Foster.

When Harbury Lane was lit up

 Getting the floodlights installed were an important step in the story of the born again Brakes:

Brakes unbeaten in two games 50 years ago

In March 1974 ‘AP Leamington’s defeat of bottom-of-the-table Dunstable was one of the less impressive of their 14 Southern League victories this season.   Enjoying overwhelming midfield mastery, Brakes spent the greater part of the game in their opponents’ half, but on a lively pitch their forwards seemed strangely out of touch.     Few really testing shots were directed at the Dunstable goal and in the end it took goals from a couple of defenders to settle the issue. 

Brakes’ centre half Tony Bowden opened the scoring with a header from an opener in the 43^rd minute, but five minutes into the second half Dunstable broke away  to equalise through Alan Davies who was unmarked in the penalty area.   AP kept pushing forward but they were condemned to a frustrating 20 minutes as they sought to break through a packed Dunstable defence, whose spoiling tactics included the frequent exploitation of the offside trap.

Adrian Stewart finally broke the deadlock in the 72^nd minute when he sprinted away on the left and centred the ball to Norman Foster, who back-headed into the net.  Five minutes from the end, Stewart was again in the picture when he slipped the Dunstable defence and passed inside to Ernie Wilkinson, a back four defender who had raced upfield.  Wilkinson found himself with no one to beat but the goalkeeper and took full advantage of the opportunity to score with a well-placed 15-yard drive.

Brakes were next away to Bury Town: AP were fifth in the table and their opponent s fifth from bottom.  ‘King’s Road on Saturday was no place for goalkeepers.  Right from the start, Bury’s Davies – so impressive for most of the season – showed that, for him, it was going to be one of those days.  He jumped about like a cat on hot bricks, scarcely gathered a shot cleanly, mistimed numerous dashes from his goal line, and altogether conveyed an air of impending disaster. 

 Leamington almost grabbed the lead after nine minutes.   Davies came out from a cross to Lee and completely missed his punch.  Luckily for him, Turner was on hand to charge down a shot from Talbot.   Generally Leamington looked the more impressive side.  Stewart was the live wire in the Leamington attack and he had a number of intriguing tussles with Bury’s big centre half Tony Smith.   It was no surprise when Leamington finally went ahead after 30 minutes.   From a right wing cross by Goodfellow, centre half Bowden headed the ball to the far post and Talbot pushed it home from close range.’

‘Strangely enough it was Davies’ opposite number Dave Jones who made the most serious error of the afternoon.   With 20 minutes left, Jones advanced from his goal to cut off David Smith’s cross from the right, missed the ball completely, and Barry Gray coolly took advantage to score.   Until then Leamington had been the more impressive of two ordinary looking sides. 

Now it was Bury’s turn to pile on the pressure and they had a couple of chances to record their first win since January 5^th.   But overall a draw was a fair result.   Leamington surprisingly relegated 27-goal striker Norman Foster to substitute.   Lee missed three good chances and had his name taken for a foul on Tony Smith.’