BLACKPOOL WHITEWASH AUSTRALIA!
Gerry Wolstenholme
It is 50 years since Blackpool went on a groundbreaking tour of Australia courtesy of Jack Skolnik, a Russian émigré to Australia and successful sports promoter, who decided to invite an English team to tour down under. And Blackpool, being a charismatic and successful First Division team with the added benefit of a certain Stanley Matthews, was his choice.
Blackpool responded in the affirmative and a tour was arranged with the party being Jimmy Armfield, Ray Charnley, George Farm, Ewan Fenton, Tommy Garrett, Roy Gratrix, Peter Hauser, Hughie Kelly, Jimmy Kelly, Barrie Martin, Stanley Matthews, Bill Perry, Bryan Snowdon, Malcolm Starkey and Jackie Wright. Also in the party was Sheffield United player Jimmy Hagan who had been given special permission to play for another League club by The Football Association. In addition there was director in charge Albert Hindley, Eric Hayward, as team manager, secretary Fred Jones and trainer Alex Wilson.
On 26 April Blackpool had played and lost 2‑1 against Spurs at White Hart Lane and this meant a seventh place finish in Division One, the club's lowest placing for four seasons. After the game they departed for London Airport [now Heathrow] and the tour was underway. After a short stay and a warm-up game in Los Angeles the party arrived at Sydney on 2 May. There was a great deal of interest in the tour and when the party arrived, it was Matthews who the large press presence focused upon. One local headline read "Mr Soccer, 43, Arrives Fit, Well And Young"!
The opening fixture the following day was the first of the 'Test' matches. Joe Marston, once of Preston North End, captained the Australian side and the Blackpool side was a strong one with Farm, Garrett, Wright, Kelly J, Gratrix, Kelly H (captain), Matthews, Hagan, Charnley, Starkey and Perry. In front of a crowd of 24,000, Charnley headed home a Perry cross after 17 minutes, Perry himself headed home goal number two from a Matthews' centre and at half-time it was 2-0.
A mazy Jimmy Hagan dribble ended with him firing goal number three past Australia's man-of-the-match Jim McCabe and then Perry and Malcolm Starkey completed the Blackpool scoring. Australia replied with two consolation goals that had the Sydney Herald commenting, "Highly rated Blackpool goalkeeper, George Farm, played a lackadaisical game, and made no effort to prevent Australia's two goals." However, a 5‑2 win was a more than satisfactory start to the tour.
The second Test was on 10 May again at the Sydney Sports Ground where Blackpool were unchanged. There were 17,879 spectators in the ground to see a sensational opening with Australia taking a surprise two-goal lead within the first 16 minutes, newcomer 'Bunny' Nunn scoring both the goals. Australia must have rued missing a number of other chances, because, by half-time Blackpool had scored three times to lead 3-2. In the second half Australia were completely outclassed and the match developed into a crowd‑pleasing exhibition.
In particular, Perry, Hagan, Jimmy Kelly and Matthews thrilled the crowd with "all the dribbling tricks in the book — and invented a few more". With one minute remaining goals from Charnley, three, Perry, two, Hagan and Starkey had Blackpool holding a commanding 7‑2 lead with five of the goals being set up by Matthews who had, himself, twice hit the crossbar in rare attempts on goal. And then came the moment for that enchanted everyone. Matthews gathered the ball in his own half and, in a weaving 45-yard run, he burst free of the chasing Australian defence and side-footed the ball home to cap a fine performance and earn Blackpool an impressive 8‑2 win.
The third 'Test' was at the Brisbane Cricket Ground on 17 May. Blackpool again named an unchanged side. However, Australian hopes were high and Joe Marston's pre-match comment was "If we don't miss early goals as we did last Saturday, today's game could be much closer than those in Sydney."
A crowd of 16,600 saw the first half shaded by Australia who were disappointed to go in at the break a goal down. They had looked the better side and it came as something of a surprise when, after 23 minutes, Hagan had opened the scoring for Blackpool. The second half was a delightful exhibition of attacking football as both sides went out to score goals. Blackpool conceded a penalty after eight minutes and up stepped Marston to slam the ball past Farm for a deserved equaliser.
Stung by being pulled level, Blackpool stepped up the pace and Matthews, now constantly fed by a string of telling passes by Jimmy and Hughie Kelly, laid on a number of chances. From one of his crosses a diving Hagan headed a second goal and the relief at going 2‑1 in front was obvious to the rest of the team. A deflected Hughie Kelly shot put them 3-1 up before Vogler pulled one back for the Aussies. Tommy Garrett and Jackie Wright in particular had to play at their best to keep the Australians out before Blackpool clinched the game 4-2 when Perry took a Hughie Kelly pass, cut into the penalty area and crashed home the final goal.
It was then on to Adelaide for the fourth 'Test' match where, on arrival, there was a reunion for Blackpool trainer Alex Wilson and Australian Bob Telfer. The pair had played together for Scottish junior side Wishaw more than 30 years earlier before goalkeeper Wilson went on to play for the powerful 1930s Arsenal side while Telfer emigrated to Australia and represented his state and the national side on many occasions.
The Adelaide Advertiser promoted the game with Stan Matthews receiving top billing. In addition, Jimmy Hagan, who had captained the 1951 FA side in Adelaide, was said to have "not lost his skill or goalscoring ability" and it was noted "he has scored in every game for Blackpool during the present tour". As for Bill Perry, "reports from the eastern States say he is the fastest and most deadly left winger ever seen in Australia," wrote 'Pivot'.
Sadly Perry was an absentee as he was on crutches having suffered an ankle injury in the previous game so Peter Hauser was in the side at inside left with Starkey moving to outside left. There was a crowd of 18,000 present to see Blackpool create a couple of chances in the opening minutes but, on a heavy ground, they did not make the most of them. Charnley shot over the bar, McCabe had to fling himself at the centre forward's feet to block a close‑range effort and then Hauser latched on to a misplaced pass by Marston only for McCabe to show excellent judgement in blocking the shot. But after 30 minutes, Blackpool's pressure paid off. Matthews once again bewildered his full back, took the ball to the goal‑line and pulled it back for Charnley to volley first time into the net, giving McCabe no chance.
That was the only goal of the first half and it turned out to be the only goal of the game. The second half was a very different proposition with Australia looking far the more dangerous of the two sides. A multitude of chances came their way but their forwards were unable to put any of them away, Morrow, twice, and Vogler being the guiltiest. In reply Hauser's shot hit the crossbar after McCabe had finger‑tipped it upwards. And then in the last quarter of an hour it was all Australia as the crowd, sensing that a shock could be on the cards, roared their side on. However, the Blackpool defence, with Jackie Wright particularly outstanding, held firm and at the final whistle the winning record had been maintained.
Olympic Park, Melbourne on 31 May was the venue for the final 'Test' and Morrie Buckner in the Melbourne Sun confidently expected Blackpool's impressive and undefeated record to be undone. He advised the Australian full backs that they should not "spare the manpower to stop the 'Wizard' [Matthews]''. In addition he commented, "if it is left to half backs Tony Bella and left winger 'Bunny' Nunn to harass Matthews, then Marston and full backs O'Neill and Pagani will be free to support goalkeeper Joe Ruyters by marking Blackpool's dangerous inside forwards Hagan, Charnley and Starkey".
A crowd of 22,000 paid record receipts of £8,000 to see a game that saw Australia match all but the incomparable Stanley Matthews for 70 minutes. Once again Australia had the better of the opening half-hour and their aggressive play saw them win three corners before Blackpool won their first on 30 minutes. But defenders at both ends were on top of their game and it was still 0‑0 approaching half‑time. Then after 40 minutes Matthews raced into the penalty area, feinted to pass to his supporting forwards before deftly left‑footing the ball past Ruyters to open the scoring. It remained 1‑0 up to half‑time.
Blackpool opened the second half much the sharper. It was no surprise when, after 50 minutes, Jimmy Hagan made it 2‑0 but for the following 20 minutes the Australians used up every ounce of their stamina in desperate efforts to score and also to keep Blackpool from increasing their lead. But the effort told on them and the superior fitness of the Blackpool players began to take its toll of the weary Australians. The final 15 minutes saw further goals from Starkey, two, Hagan, Fenton and even Jackie Wright as Blackpool ended up victorious by seven goals to nil. The crowd were magnanimous in their applause for Blackpool and particularly for Matthews who, in addition to what was seen as his "astonishing footwork and ball‑control" amazed them by being "the fastest man on the field, off the mark and in a sustained run".
So Blackpool had triumphed 5-0 in the 'Test' series with wins of 5‑2, 8-2, 4‑2, 1‑0 and 7-0. It had proved a hugely successful tour for the First Division side and financially, while Blackpool did not make much money, they came out with an even balance sheet.
