Modern day football has been marred in controversy regarding goal-line technology and money involved in the game. However, a Northampton Town player from the famous FA Cup run of 1957/58 believes that ‘the football was better then.’
Local-boy Bobby Tebbutt, now 76, was an unknown to many before his exploits at the County Ground. He was signed by Cobblers manager Dave Smith for just £10 from Irchester United at the age of 21, following a number of successful trials.
The Cobblers had earned themselves an attractive third round draw with First Division side Arsenal in the FA Cup. On paper, they were a far superior side than the Northampton team, which Tebbutt was lurking on the fringes of - on the pitch, however, it was a totally different story.
Just three days prior to the clash with the Gunners, Alan Woan was struck down with food poisoning, resulting in the call up for Tebbutt.
“It was a chance I never expected,” said Tebbutt whilst reminiscing through an old scrapbook he had kept of his injury-interrupted playing days. “I was nervous.”
It took Tebbutt just six minutes to open the scoring, in what was expected to be the biggest game he would ever play in.
“I don’t remember much about it. Everyone was around me and patting me on the back and my head,” Tebbutt said regarding ‘that goal’ in just his second game for the Cobblers first team.
Tebbutt admits that the celebrations after a goal doesn’t compare to that of the multi-million earning Premier League stars of today.
“We didn’t have all 11 players in a pile or sliding across on your knees. One of these days, somebody’s going to slide across the grass on their knees, there’s going to be something sticking out that ground and they’re going to do themselves a terrible injury. It will probably end their career. It will happen.”
Tebbutt, himself, knows full well the damage a career ending injury can have. At the age of 24, in a Division Four fixture against Walsall, an unfortunate challenge led to Tebbutt spending 16 months out of action with a broken leg. “It ended my professional career,” said Tebbutt, who revealed he has had four new hips, a new right knee, four heart attacks and five stents fitted. Some-what living up to his nickname of ‘Bionic Bob’.
Following his side’s 3-1 triumph against the Gunners, it would be hard to top that. However, Liverpool away was result of the fourth round draw.
Despite losing 3-1 at Anfield, Tebbutt admitted it was ‘one of the highlights of my career.’
“It had been snowing. They tried so hard to get the game on. We travelled to Southsea about a week before the game,” Tebbutt said as he pointed to a picture of the Northampton Team having a snowball fight with the manager. “You wouldn’t see that today.”
After his release from the Cobblers, Tebbutt stayed local and in 1963 was playing for Kettering Town. The Poppies proved to also be the home of another memorable FA Cup season for the Northamptonshire village boy.
“We were against Grantham. I got married at mid-day and then played football at 3 o’clock.”
Tebbutt’s wife of 47 years, Nancy, was sitting nearby and heard the topic in question. “I wasn’t happy,
but I knew he wouldn’t listen to me,” she joked.
”She said I wasn’t going to play, but people talked her round,” Tebbutt said. “Most people that were at the wedding came and watched me in the afternoon.”
Tebbutt continued his exploits in the FA Cup by scoring the opening goal. Some say the FA Cup is losing its magic. With the effect it had on Bobby Tebbutt, it is hard to imagine anyone with a similar story who is a modern-day footballer.
