ECFC not fulfilling a fixture

[Sexton Blake]

Taking inflation into account, that fine would be similar to a 70,000 GBP penalty today.

Copied and pasted from internet:

UK Inflation Rate, £5,000 in 1974 to 2019
According to the Office for National Statistics composite price index, today's prices in 2019 are 933.57% higher than average prices throughout 1974. £5,000 in 1974 is equivalent in purchasing power to about £51,678.43 in 2019, a difference of £46,678.43 over 45 years.

Still a lot of money and to say the action taken by the football authorities at that time was draconian would be putting in mildly.

 

[Stelios]

Thanks for all the info everyone

I knew you wouldn't let me down. Strange to see Workington in the Division 4 table that year. Not a side I ever associated with league football

 

[denzel]

Middlesbough refused to play at Blackburn in 1996 https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/middlesbrough-rocked-by-three-point-penalty-1283330.html similar reasons to City, but game was eventually replayed.

In Football League history (inc. Premiership) Exeter & Scunthorpe in 1973-4 are the only teams to have played a odd number of games according to the Final (official) tables.

What about Bradford v Lincoln in 1985? Tragic circumstances but not completed nonetheless

 

[haka]

What about Bradford v Lincoln in 1985? Tragic circumstances but not completed nonetheless

True, but the game took place and it was decided to let the (incomplete) result stand. Other fixtures were abandoned and played later, but Scunny v City was the only time no game took place at all, and was never re-arranged.

"If you hate the football league clap your hands" was the Cowshed's song (I was in primary school at the time).

 

[Oldsmobile-88]

Scunthorpe were also awarded the points(2 in those days) easy for the Management Committee to do because it was near to the end of the season & both clubs were not involved in promotion or re election issues.

I saw a programme for the non fixture on eBay a few years ago..It sold for a fair bit of money.

1973/74 was a odd season in many ways for the Football League.The energy crisis which led to restrictions on electricity use,led to floodlights being banned,2pm kickoffs inc midweek games which was a huge hit to clubs.
The 3 day working week led to a drop in crowds at many clubs & the first time Sunday football was allowed.

 

[Andy Holloway]

Thanks for all the info everyone

I knew you wouldn't let me down. Strange to see Workington in the Division 4 table that year. Not a side I ever associated with league football

Excuse me!

I used to go and watch Workington when i worked on my uncle's farm about 5/6 miles from the ground during the summer & Easter holidays many, many years ago.
I think i was possibly the ONLY Grecian at one match but can't find out which one, possibly could have been a League Cup Match around 1962/63/64, but not sure!

 

[Sexton Blake]

Thanks for all the info everyone

I knew you wouldn't let me down. Strange to see Workington in the Division 4 table that year. Not a side I ever associated with league football

They were not such a bad side and a little like Gateshead were unfortunate on one of the few times they applied for re-election to fail to get sufficient votes from the other clubs. Not sure but I think they might have been replaced by Peterborough.

 

[Colesman Ballz]

They were not such a bad side and a little like Gateshead were unfortunate on one of the few times they applied for re-election to fail to get sufficient votes from the other clubs. Not sure but I think they might have been replaced by Peterborough.

Workington failed to be re-elected in the summer of 1977 and were replaced by Wimbledon. The following year Southport were the last team not to get re-elected, and the process was dropped in 1986.

 

[AlanDevlin]

They were not such a bad side and a little like Gateshead were unfortunate on one of the few times they applied for re-election to fail to get sufficient votes from the other clubs. Not sure but I think they might have been replaced by Peterborough.

IIRC, the two near neighbours Barrow and Workington failed to be re-elected in successive seasons and were replaced by Hereford Utd and Cambridge United.... Peterborough had been in the league several seasons by then.... 1962 sits in the back of my mind for them.

Edit.... bit of scurf in the grey matter.... Wikipedia has:

Of those, five failed to gain re-election: Gateshead (1960), Bradford Park Avenue (1970), Barrow (1972), Workington (1977) and Southport (1978). Elected in their stead were Peterborough United, Cambridge United, Hereford United, Wimbledon and Wigan Athletic.

 

[Grecian2K]

And Oxford United gained FL status thanks to Accrington Stanley's demise in 1962.