NATIONAL PAA WINNERS
25 Feb 2009

The City and County Forces amalgamated on 1 st April 1968 and, for a few years, became known as the Notts Combined Constabulary. The two force football teams also amalgamated and the 1968/69 season was one of the best in history, with the team winning the Swiss Shield, the Thursday Cup, the National Police Athletic Association Cup and the Mid Week Alliance League. The photograph shows the team at the Forest ground and was taken on Wednesday 14th May 1969, just before kick off, in the P AA final Replay. (Note the old scoreboard and terracing at the Bridgford End.)

The team was, from left to right, back row: Maurice Galley (Captain), John Stapleford, GeoffPearce, John Towlson, Bob Litchfield, Graham Compton, John Bladen(Sub) Front Row: Paul Jackson, Stan Ball, Dave Ecob, Dave Beaumont, Bob Fawcett

How the Team Reached the Final

Round 1 V. Norfolk (Home) 8-2 (Not Known)

Round 2 V. Mid Anglia (Home) 4-0 (Ball 3, Ecob )

Regional final V. Leicester (Away) 4-1 (Fawcett 2, Ecob, Beaumont)

Quarter Final V. Metropolitan (Home) 3-2 (Ecob 2, Fawcett)

Semi Final V Gloucester (Home) 4-2 (Ecob 2, Beaumont, Fawcett )

Final V Staffs and Stoke (Away) 0-0

ReplayV Staffs and Stoke (Home) 1-0 (Ball)l

The Final was played on Port Vale's ground on the 2nd May 1969 and a local reporter said, " After 120 minutes of tough uncompromising soccer the Notts Combined Police and Stoke on Trent Police will have to meet again" He continued," Notts were held to a goalless draw at Vale Park, last night, despite their obvious extra skill and ability. In Dave Beaumont and Bob Fawcett, Notts had the most dangerous forwards on the field and if these two had received proper service a replay would not have been necessary"

The Final replay was played on Nottingham Forests Ground on Wednesday 14 th May 1969 and despite the barren looking crowd on the photograph, the official attendance was record as 1634

Albert Stapleton, The Post Reporter at the time, recorded that "Notts Police opened the scoring after six minutes, after some slackness in the visitor's rearguard. They failed to clear a Jackson corner and when the ball was put back into the goalmouth by Galley, Stan Ball, from close in, found the net. But instead of being an incentive to Notts, the goal raised the standard of the visitors, and it was due to the vigilance of Towlson, who played soundly throughout, and his defensive colleagues, particularly Stapleford, that Staffordshire were not on equal terms at the interval. "

He reported in the second half that " Notts were forced on the defensive but Staffordshire were often forced to shoot at long range. Two acrobatic saves by Towlson kept Notts police out of trouble and some slack marking might have been fatal but for the quick tackling of Stapleford, Litchfield and Compton."

With just over I 0 minutes left for play, Bladon replaced Jackson in the home ranks and twice Fawcett was able to break through but eachtime he was off target.

The trophy was presented to Notts Police by Mr S.E.Peck, HM Inspector of Constabulary.

For the first time since its inception in 1947/8, The Nottinghamshire Combined Police, in their first season of entry as a combined unit, had won the National P AA Cup, and added this to the Notts FA Thursday Cup and Swiss Shield already gained that season.

The Notts Combined Constabulary also appeared in the National P AA Final against Birmingham Police in 1974. The game was played on the 21 st March 1974 at the City Ground and the combined side lost 3-2 after extra time.

The team that day was, Thorpe, Litchfield, Black, Storer, Bladen, Shepherd, Payne, Ecob, Howard, Briggs, Beaumont. Sub Greasley. Notts took the lead through skipper Briggs in the 29 th minute. With the last kick of the first half Birmingham equalised through Ellis. Birmingham stormed ahead after 58 minutes through Delderfield, after Thorpe had pulled off a fine save from Ellis. Notts found extra energy to draw level in the 70 th minute when Ray Storer headed a superb goal from a corner. The winner came from Birmingham six minutes from the end of extra time.

In 1975 both teams again contested the PAA Final but this time under different names. The combined title was dropped and we were now called Nottinghamshire Constabulary, and Birmingham Police became part of West Midlands Police. This time the fixture was at Fellows Park, Walsall on Wednesday 2 nd April 1975. The team that day was, Grattan, Compton, Smith, Willis, Bladen, Shepherd, Payne, Ecob, Hallam, Hooley, Black. Sub, Galpin.

West Midlands had eight of the successful Birmingham side in the eleven. Though a goal up at halftime, Notts Police were beaten 2-1 in the final. Dave Hallam was the Notts scorer but quick goals in 55 and 57 minutes by Dave Ellis gave West Midlands the trophy.

Interesting facts.

The Manager of the 68/69 team was Dave Grainger and he pulled off a considerable coup when the team was given permission by the Derby County Assistant Manager, Peter Taylor, to train with the second division team at the baseball ground on Tuesdays. The training was of great value to the side, and the lessons they learned from the professionals, which included a match against Derby reserves, contributed greatly to the successful season.

Derby County Manager Brian Clough and his Assistant Peter Taylor were amongst the large crowd at the police Training Ground, Carrington, for the Semi Final against Gloucester Constabulary. That match was played on 27th February 1969, after a three week layoff due to the adverse weather. A local reporter David Lowe stated," The team had been training with weight exercises and stiff training stints at the Calverton Colliery Ground and Hyson Green boys club, "

The final of the Swiss Shield was played on the Forest Ground against Nottingham Forest Colts, and it looked as though a replay would be necessary until Ecob headed Fawcett's corner home in the 89th minute. Earlier in the game Fawcett had missed a penalty.

The team were the first winners of the new Swiss Shield for the original trophy was destroyed in the disastrous fire at the City Ground in August 1968

It was only after a conversation in December 2008 that John Robertson mentioned he had played in that match, which was his first cup final, as a 15 year old. He still disputes the corner conceded that led to the goal. He did though have the consolation of playing in, and winning, two European cup finals with Forest.

Most of the facts were obtained from scrapbooks kept by Dave Ecob's father, Richard Ecob. He attended most matches with John Stapleford's father George, and was known to prowl the touch line, shouting obscure and often obscene remarks to both competing teams. This was a trait that Dave unfortunately admits to have inherited on the pitch. Both are sadly missed.