Premier League: 1963 – the most legendary of all Boxing Days in England

Football is traditionally played on the island on Boxing Day. Also in the winter of 1963, when England won the “Big Freeze” experienced. To this day, the “Boxing Day” that year as legendary. In ten first division games, 66 goals were scored.

“It was just one of those days”Alan told Mullery years later, “ESPN“. The former midfielder of the Fulham FC sums up what may be the craziest day in England’s football history with this sentence. He himself was right in the middle of it on December 26, 1963. “I scored the ninth goal”, Mullery said. His team defeated that day Ipswich Town with 10:1.

In order to stand out on this day, it definitely needed such a double-digit result. Because the eleven hits from Craven Cottage were just part of the most legendary of all Boxing Days on the island. Every year, when the ball traditionally rolls in England on Boxing Day, the English TV channels show the graphic showing the results from back then. The record: ten games, 66 goals.

“Always crazy results around Christmas”

“There were always crazy results around Christmas”, said Mullery: “Often you won big or lost brutally.” That day was brutal for Fulham’s opponent Ipswich. The club had been champions a year and a half earlier, but after a change of coach they were no longer able to build on this form. The 1:10 was the low point. Club boss John Cobbold took it with humor. “The game could have gone either way. Until it was kicked off.”

Bobby Howfield (3 goals) and Graham Leggat (4 goals) almost single-handedly demolished Ipswich, the visitors ended the season bottom of the table with a total of 121 goals conceded. But the game resonates to this day: Not only has Fulham never been able to win more in its club history, a supposed record for all eternity by Leggat – a hat-trick within just under three and a half minutes – was only broken a few years ago. Sadio Mané scored in 2015 in the jersey of the Southampton F.C three times within 2:56 minutes AstonVilla.

Victory for Liverpool, humiliation for Man United

At the top at the end of the 1963/64 season was the Liverpool FC, who also made an impression on Boxing Day. Club legend Roger Hunt, who won the 1966 World Cup with England, scored four after the break in the 6-1 win over Stoke City at the Anfield Rd.

Manchester United, always Liverpool’s greatest rival and runners-up that season suffered a debacle on Boxing Day. The team coached by Sir Matt Busby lost 6-1 to outsiders Burnley. Burnley forward Andy Lochhead, 18, was also among the quadruple goalscorers that day. Of the “Guardians” was then full of praise: “It was one of the best performances that such a young player has ever had.” Just as curious as the result: Two days later, the second leg took place in Old Trafford instead, Man United won 5-1.

Ten goals at Upton Park and the ‘massacre’ at Blackpool

in the Upton Park in London there was a game that would have been the highlight on any “normal” match day: The Blackburn Rovers won 8-2 thanks to two hat-tricks from Fred Pickering and Andy McEvoy West Ham United. “Everything West Ham did was miserable. Everything Blackburn did seemed coldly calculated and right.”reported the “Guardian”.

The tabloids, specifically the “DailyMirror“, went into more merciless framing of the headline in Blackpool’s 5-1 home loss to Chelsea. “It was a massacre”the newspaper wrote: “Everyone could have gone home for the break.”

“There is no explanation for this”

Celebrated a very special success West Bromwich Albion. The team came from a 2:4 deficit against the Tottenham Hotspur up and fought their way to a 4:4 draw in the end. A few days earlier there had been violent disputes, including a players’ strike – because coach Jimmy Hagan had ordered his players to wear shorts in training.

In view of the time of year, this is already an unusual measure. But England also experienced the so-called “Big Freeze” in 1963, one of the coldest winters in history. The year before, the traditional Boxing Day had to be canceled due to heavy snowfall, but in 1963 there was largely no snow.

Lucky for the football fans. Lucky for football. Because he experienced a historic day on that second Christmas day. Not only Fulham goalscorer Mullery knows: “There is no explanation for this.”