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Quiz about 1960s English Football
Quiz about 1960s English Football

1960s English Football Trivia Quiz


The 1960s has often been called the golden age of English football. So how much do you know about it? Back then it was the the First Division, not the Premier League (which commenced in 1992).

A multiple-choice quiz by jeffa. Estimated time: 6 mins.
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Author
jeffa
Time
6 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
173,369
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
15
Difficulty
Average
Avg Score
10 / 15
Plays
2644
Awards
Top 5% quiz!
Last 3 plays: Guest 31 (0/15), Guest 86 (14/15), Guest 86 (15/15).
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Question 1 of 15
1. At the start of the 1966 World Cup finals, few people agreed with England Manager Alf Ramsey's boast that, "England will win the World Cup". England's first match, a dull 0-0 draw with Uruguay, did little to sway the doubters. But in England's second game against Mexico, the first English goal, a gem, did much to convince the skeptics that maybe England would not be disgraced in the tournment. Who scored this first English goal of the World Cup? Hint


Question 2 of 15
2. Alf Ramsey, a former Tottenham Hotspur player known in his playing days as "the general", was appointed manager of England in 1962, possibly because of his record in taking an unfashionable club from the Second Division to the First Division championship in successive seasons. Which club was it? Hint


Question 3 of 15
3. England's unbeaten run as World Champions lasted just four matches. Which country was the first team to defeat England after 1966? Hint


Question 4 of 15
4. "Match of the Day" first graced the television screens in August 1964, and featured Liverpool beating Arsenal. Who scored the first-ever goal shown on "Match of the Day"? Hint


Question 5 of 15
5. In 1961, the great Tottenham Hotspur team of the early 1960s did what many people thought was impossible, and became the first team in the 20th century to win the League and Cup double. They then became the first British team to win what was then called the European Cup.


Question 6 of 15
6. In 1965, Stanley Matthews brought a magnificent career to a close when he played his last League game for Stoke City in the First Division. How old was "the wizard of dribble"? Hint


Question 7 of 15
7. At his peak in the 60s - and even afterwards - Jimmy Greaves was rightly hailed as England's best goal scorer. But had he not had to retire prematurely because of injury, another player, later to become better known as a manager, may have given Greaves a run for his money in the goal scoring stakes. Who? Hint


Question 8 of 15
8. For much of the 1960s, Leeds United were known as "the nearly team", since they had a habit of finishing runners-up (League runners-up in 1965 and 1966, FA Cup runners-up in 1965). But at least they won some silverware during the decade.
The "nearly men" title is more suited to another team, which managed to reach three FA Cup finals in the decade, and lost them all. Who?
Hint


Question 9 of 15
9. Manchester City's glory days came at the end of the decade, when, under the joint managership of Joe Mercer and Malcolm Allison, they (briefly) replaced United as the city's premier team, winning three trophies in three successive years. Which three? Hint


Question 10 of 15
10. Generally, it's the FA Cup which provides the headline-making giant-killers. But in the 1967 and 1969 League Cup finals, two teams then in the Third Division outplayed First Division rivals to capture the trophy. Which two? Hint


Question 11 of 15
11. I'm not saying it was a more democratic league back then, but four teams which won promotion during the decade also managed to capture the First Division championship. Which four? Hint


Question 12 of 15
12. Some of the nicknames for players were more than just a corruption of their surname. Colin Bell was known as "Nijinksy", Alex Young had the lovely name of "the golden vision", Jack Charlton was known as "the giraffe" and Liverpool goalkeeper Tommy Lawrence was known as "the flying pig" (for my money the best nickname of all). Which player was known as "bite yer legs"? Hint


Question 13 of 15
13. What unfortunate record did Alan Mullery set in the England-Yugoslavia European Championship semi-final on June 5, 1968? Hint


Question 14 of 15
14. One of English football's worst-ever scandals broke on April 12, 1964, when the "Sunday People" newspaper revealed that three First Division players - Peter Swan, David Layne and Tony Kay - had "fixed" a match to stage a betting coup. For which club were they playing at the time the match was fixed? Hint


Question 15 of 15
15. Which great player, for many a symbol of the swinging '60s, made his league debut for Manchester United against West Bromwich Albion on September 14, 1963?

Answer: ( Two words, or just surname)

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Score Distribution

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. At the start of the 1966 World Cup finals, few people agreed with England Manager Alf Ramsey's boast that, "England will win the World Cup". England's first match, a dull 0-0 draw with Uruguay, did little to sway the doubters. But in England's second game against Mexico, the first English goal, a gem, did much to convince the skeptics that maybe England would not be disgraced in the tournment. Who scored this first English goal of the World Cup?

Answer: Bobby Charlton

Writer David Miller described the goal, with which Charlton capped a surging run as, "the catalyst for later confidence".
Charlton, possibly the best-loved English footballer of his generation, certainly the most respected, played 106 times for England between 1959 and 1970, and scored 49 goals. His Manchester United career, which saw him win three League Championship medals, the FA Cup and the European Cup, lasted from 1956 to 1973.
England won the game against Mexico 2-0, with Roger Hunt getting the second goal.
2. Alf Ramsey, a former Tottenham Hotspur player known in his playing days as "the general", was appointed manager of England in 1962, possibly because of his record in taking an unfashionable club from the Second Division to the First Division championship in successive seasons. Which club was it?

Answer: Ipswich Town

Ipswich Town became the first team to win promotion to the First Division, and win the League Championship at their first attempt. Ramsey lasted as England manager until 1974 and is still the one all other managers have to emulate. His sour public personality and barely-concealed discomfort with the media did not win him many friends among non-footballers, but his players all had the highest respect for him, with one describing his sacking in April 1974 as "administrative vandalism".
3. England's unbeaten run as World Champions lasted just four matches. Which country was the first team to defeat England after 1966?

Answer: Scotland

Scotland won 3-2 (at Wembley) and so claimed the title of "unofficial world champions". Scotland never qualified for the 1966 tournament, which for the Scots was bad enough; England winning the trophy was even worse. Denis Law, for example, pointedly spent the afternoon of the World Cup final playing golf. Well, he says he did, anyway.
4. "Match of the Day" first graced the television screens in August 1964, and featured Liverpool beating Arsenal. Who scored the first-ever goal shown on "Match of the Day"?

Answer: Roger Hunt

The forgotten man of England's 1966 triumph, Hunt, "Sir Roger" to the adoring Anfield faithful, set the standard for Liverpool goal-scorers, and set a record for the most League goals scored for the club (245 from 1959 to 1969). Described as a player's player, he appeared 34 times for England and scored 18 goals, but was not always appreciated by the fans, especially those from London, who saw him as a rival to the great Jimmy Greaves, who himself says they had enormous respect for each other and never let their rivalry spill over into bitterness.
5. In 1961, the great Tottenham Hotspur team of the early 1960s did what many people thought was impossible, and became the first team in the 20th century to win the League and Cup double. They then became the first British team to win what was then called the European Cup.

Answer: False

It was what then the European Cup-Winner's Cup, which Spurs won in 1963, beating Atletico Madrid 5-1 in the final, thanks in part to a virtuso performance by winger Terry Dyson. After the game, striker Bobby Smith advised Dyson to retire immediately, "since you'll never play a better game in your life."
6. In 1965, Stanley Matthews brought a magnificent career to a close when he played his last League game for Stoke City in the First Division. How old was "the wizard of dribble"?

Answer: 50 years

Matthews, who shortly after his retirement became the first soccer player to be knighted, made his league debut for Stoke in 1932 aged 17. He was transferred to Blackpool in 1947, where he won an FA Cup medal in 1953, in the game which has become known as "The Matthews Final".

He returned to Stoke in 1962, and immediately helped them win promotion to the First Division, his presence doubling their gate as well.
7. At his peak in the 60s - and even afterwards - Jimmy Greaves was rightly hailed as England's best goal scorer. But had he not had to retire prematurely because of injury, another player, later to become better known as a manager, may have given Greaves a run for his money in the goal scoring stakes. Who?

Answer: Brian Clough

Clough made 213 league apearances for Middlesborough between 1953 and 1961 and scored an astonishing 197 goals. His record for Sunderland, for whom he played from 1961 to 1965, was 54 goals in 61 league appearances. He is also the player who scored 100 league goals in fewer games than anyone else.

He was forced to retire through injury at age 27 and the world of football management would never be the same.
8. For much of the 1960s, Leeds United were known as "the nearly team", since they had a habit of finishing runners-up (League runners-up in 1965 and 1966, FA Cup runners-up in 1965). But at least they won some silverware during the decade. The "nearly men" title is more suited to another team, which managed to reach three FA Cup finals in the decade, and lost them all. Who?

Answer: Leicester City

Poor Leicester lost the 1961 final to Spurs (0-2), the 1963 final to Manchester United (1-3) and the 1969 final to Manchester City (0-1). They had also lost the 1949 final to Wolves, 1-3 (as Monty Python helpfully pointed out in their Communist Quiz sketch).
9. Manchester City's glory days came at the end of the decade, when, under the joint managership of Joe Mercer and Malcolm Allison, they (briefly) replaced United as the city's premier team, winning three trophies in three successive years. Which three?

Answer: League Champions, FA Cup, Cup-Winner's Cup

City had a pretty good team back then, with players of the calibre of Colin Bell, Mike Summerbee, Francis Lee, Tony Book and - no relation - Neil Young.
10. Generally, it's the FA Cup which provides the headline-making giant-killers. But in the 1967 and 1969 League Cup finals, two teams then in the Third Division outplayed First Division rivals to capture the trophy. Which two?

Answer: Queens Park Rangers, Swindon Town

QPR beat West Bromwich Albion 3-2 in the first League Cup final to be played at Wembley. Two years later Swindon Town outgunned Arsenal 3-1 on a mudheap of a pitch.
11. I'm not saying it was a more democratic league back then, but four teams which won promotion during the decade also managed to capture the First Division championship. Which four?

Answer: Ipswich Town, Liverpool, Manchester City, Leeds United

Ispwich won in 1962 (a year after winning the Second Division), Liverpool in 1964 and 1966, Manchester City in 1968 and Leeds (finally) in 1969. And yes, Liverpool were once in the second division.
12. Some of the nicknames for players were more than just a corruption of their surname. Colin Bell was known as "Nijinksy", Alex Young had the lovely name of "the golden vision", Jack Charlton was known as "the giraffe" and Liverpool goalkeeper Tommy Lawrence was known as "the flying pig" (for my money the best nickname of all). Which player was known as "bite yer legs"?

Answer: Norman Hunter

Leeds United defender Hunter was so called because of his power in the tackle. George Best, once asked to name the dirtiest player he ever faced, said, unhesitatingly, "Leeds United".
13. What unfortunate record did Alan Mullery set in the England-Yugoslavia European Championship semi-final on June 5, 1968?

Answer: first England player ever to be sent off

Mullery was sent off after a retaliatory kick at Yugoslav player Trivic, who had just downed him with a late tackle. (Arsene Wenger said he did not see the incident which led to the sending off and Alex Ferguson said the referee was biased. Whoops, sorry, wrong decade there.) Yugoslavia won the match 1-0, and went on to lose a dreary final to Italy.
14. One of English football's worst-ever scandals broke on April 12, 1964, when the "Sunday People" newspaper revealed that three First Division players - Peter Swan, David Layne and Tony Kay - had "fixed" a match to stage a betting coup. For which club were they playing at the time the match was fixed?

Answer: Sheffield Wednesday

All three were later found guity of making sure Wednesday lost to Ipswich in December 1962. They were banned from football for life, and, along with seven other players in the betting ring, were also jailed. Both Swan and Kay (who had meanwhile been transferred to Everton) had been capped by England, and would probably have figured in the 1966 World Cup squad.
15. Which great player, for many a symbol of the swinging '60s, made his league debut for Manchester United against West Bromwich Albion on September 14, 1963?

Answer: George Best

Manchester United won 1-0. Best gave West Brom full back, Welsh international Graham Williams, a torrid time. Oddly enough, Best also made his international debut for Northern Ireland against a Wales team containing Williams. The story goes (as told by Best in "Bestie" by Joe Lovejoy) that whenever they meet, Williams asks to have a good look at Best's face "since all he ever saw when we were playing was my [backside], disappearing away from him up the touchline".
Source: Author jeffa

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor gtho4 before going online.
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