I remember him virtually beating Telford by his self in a Trophy game, replay I think.
2-0 FA Trophy Replay after we scored twice in the last 15 minutes at the Bucks Head to earn a 2-2 draw in the first game.
Eric Shreeve scored a fine header at the Golf Road End, from a left wing cross, which I am guessing was provided by Billy Morrey.
Splendid powers of recall, Mister Flynn.....
Extract from an article that I wrote for the
Robins Review in February 2014:
"Following on from a 1-1 NPL stalemate at Stafford Rangers on the preceding Saturday and a 7-3 trouncing of Runcorn at Canal Street in the North West Floodlit League two days later, Roy Rees selected the following team for the Telford United clash: (1) Peter Schofield (2) Stan Allan (3) Dave Mobley (4) Alan Wolfe (5) Brian Taylor (6) John Owens (7) John Cooke (
Eric Shreeve (9) Andy Windsor (10) Bobby Todd (11) Phil Smith and (12/Sub) John Unsworth.
Alty’s captain, the towering Brian Taylor, had recovered from an injury consisting of a cut leg, which had prevented him from playing in the previous two fixtures. Meanwhile, the rather erratic ex-Skelmersdale United goalkeeper Peter Frankish was replaced by Dundee University student Peter Schofield. Indeed, the Robins’ line-up contained a high proportion of erstwhile Skem and/or British Universities players in the shape of Schofield; Allan; Wolfe; Owens; Windsor; Smith and Unsworth.
Other Alty squad members at that juncture included John Davison (then in his first full season at the club); one-time Wigan Athletic skipper Doug Coutts; the former Marine winger (and later uncle of Wayne Rooney) Billy Morrey; Tony Broadhead (the Robins’ leading goalscorer in the 1971/72 season, who had sustained a broken leg during a 3-0 NPL win at home to Morecambe on 30th September 1972) and a certain Graham Heathcote.
After some combative opening skirmishes, Alty settled and began to test the home defence. However, the 17th minute of the contest saw the Bucks draw first blood. Dave Mobley, who endured a trying first half at left full back, failed to halt Telford’s progress down the right flank and the ball was switched to the centre. Jack Bentley’s shot hit Stan Allan and was then diverted over the hapless Peter Schofield, much to the delight of the majority in the attendance of 1,835.
The Robins duly responded well to this setback. Two Alan Wolfe shots produced good saves from Bobby Irvine and then on the half hour, Andy Windsor hammered an angled drive past the advancing Irvine only to see the ball strike the post.
Alty kept pressing for an equaliser during the opening stages of the second half, however, the hosts promptly broke away to double their lead. A hoisted clearance to relieve more pressure landed at the feet of Thompson, who ran 50 yards down the left and cut inside the penalty box before unleashing a shot which was initially parried superbly by Schofield. The follow-up effort from Joey Owen was half-blocked but Dave Mobley couldn’t get enough weight behind his clearance and Allan Harris pounced to rush in and sidefoot the ball into the net.
The 75th minute saw John Unsworth replace John Cooke, who had dislocated his shoulder, and Roy Rees promptly opted to push John Owens up front, a move which would reap handsome dividends with merely 13 minutes of the tie remaining. The Telford defence made a poor clearance to the left that was immediately headed back by John Owens, only for the ball then to be spooned back out in his direction. Owens allowed the ball to drop and then lashed a splendid volley from the edge of the box past the clawing Bobby Irvine.
The Robins now laid siege to the Shropshire outfit’s goal and Irvine reacted well to save a glancing header from that man Owens again. With just one minute left on the clock, Bobby Todd arched a left wing corner towards the penalty spot. The bustling Andy Windsor, who had made his run from well outside the penalty area, lanced right through the heart of the Telford defence to clinch a deserved replay for Roy Rees’ men via a remarkable header of power and control.
Alty diehard Bill Waterson submits the following recollections of that afternoon over 41 years ago: “1972/73 was my first season watching Alty away and Telford United comprised my second away game on the coach, following on from the FA Cup First Qualifying Round tie at Buxton earlier that season. The thought of playing a Southern League club was exciting (this may even have been the first time that we had done so), however, there were many pointing out that it wasn't a real Southern League club - it was just Wellington Town from the old Cheshire League rebranded (although rebranded wasn’t a word in circulation in 1972)!
“Because of their stellar record in the Trophy and our comparatively feeble one, there was not too much surprise from the assembled Alty masses when we went first 1-0 and then 2-0 behind. Yet, as against Leek Town in the previous round, we began to create chances.
“So, 2-0 down to the team with the best Trophy history at that time, there was little else for the Alty fans behind the goal (of which I was one) to do other than increase the barracking of their bęte noire, one Bobby Irvine. My memory recalls (but this may be faulty!) that he responded to some such jeering by turning around to aim a foul-mouthed tirade at those persistent hecklers amongst us who were standing behind his goal and, thus, was out of position as John Owens got us back into the match. If this is not true, well then, it certainly ought to be!
“One goal back transformed the Robins, who dominated the remainder of the game with wave after wave of attacking fervour. And when Andy Windsor equalised, we were in seventh heaven. The taunting of Irvine intensified and he was not shy in giving some abuse back at the final whistle. It was a great away day and, as my first memory of Alty fans being raucous (and all gathered together behind the goal), it will take some beating.”
As a footnote, 1,997 spectators gathered at Moss Lane for the replay on the following Monday evening to witness Alty triumph 2-0 through goals from Eric Shreeve (a far post downward header set up by Billy Morrey after 53 minutes) and Andy Windsor (a low shot beyond Irvine in the last minute of ordinary time). This duly secured a trip to Buxton in the uncharted territory of the Second Round. However, The Silverlands proved to be the end of the line for Alty’s FA Trophy odyssey for that particular season. The original tie scheduled for Saturday, 20th January 1973 was postponed and then nine days later the Robins suffered a 2-0 defeat in front of a crowd of 2,257. BARRY PIKESLEY (with thanks to Bill Waterson; Brian Birtles; Mike Garnett and Terry Surridge)."
www.altyfans.co.uk » General Category » Altrincham FC First Team
Billy Morrey: Wayne Rooney's uncle and former Alty winger
Author
Topic: Billy Morrey: Wayne Rooney's uncle and former Alty winger (Read 5687 times)