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For old 'uns: the Iron Curtain side


robf

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Hi,

 

I've been asked a question by Debbie McAndrew who has written a Vale-related play. (There are more details on that here)

 

She wants to know if the phrases "Iron Curtain" and/or "Steele Curtain" were contemporary and used in 1954 or whether they were phrases that were used later. She will then amend her script accordingly.

 

I would presume that they were contemporary but I cannot find anything that confirms that despite having a few pieces of 1954 memorabilia.

 

Would someone who watched that side be able to confirm that the phrase "Iron Curtain" was used at the time?

 

Thanks,

 

Rob

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Hi,

 

I've been asked a question by Debbie McAndrew who has written a Vale-related play. (There are more details on that here)

 

She wants to know if the phrases "Iron Curtain" and/or "Steele Curtain" were contemporary and used in 1954 or whether they were phrases that were used later. She will then amend her script accordingly.

 

I would presume that they were contemporary but I cannot find anything that confirms that despite having a few pieces of 1954 memorabilia.

 

Would someone who watched that side be able to confirm that the phrase "Iron Curtain" was used at the time?

 

Thanks,

 

Rob

 

I was first taken to VP in 1953 just after the new ground was opened. My grandfather, father & brothers were all fanatical (home & away) fans and that's where my love affair with Port Vale began. I even still have the original (although a little dog-eared now) programme from the semi-final tie against WBA at Villa Park Saturday 27th March 1954--price sixpence or 2.5p in new money!

 

Although I can't find any specific article to quote from, I distinctly remember the term "Steele Curtain" being used on many occasions after their all-conquering league campaign when they topped the old Third division (north) and won promotion to Division 2 (What is now The Championship)

 

My dad's youngest brother, although not physically able to attend games these days, is still very much a fan and at the age of 82 has confirmed my recollection of the term "Steele Curtain" being used back then. Incidentally I also have in my possession a booklet entitled "The Pride of the Potteries" that was published just before the semi-final took place--I think by the club--at a price of 1 shilling & sixpence (7.5p for younger readers!) to commemorate the club's achievement in reaching the semi-final.

 

In this booklet, Freddie Steele makes a number of what I believe to be telling and quite poignant comments about the team that give a good understanding of his management ethos; "After 17 years as a player and three as a manager I thought I had very little to learn about team spirit. I was wrong. Never in my experience, have I met 11 men who play so wholeheartedly--not for themselves, but for each other. They are ever-willing to place the team before self." He also goes on to say; "The word "star" is a word that they do not understand, so devotedly do they believe that football is a team game. The mere fact of victory, when achieved, is the greatest prize they can receive."

 

Perhaps a bit schmaltzy by today's standards, but what a team ethic he obviously built! He even goes on to say in the same vein; "As a player I won International caps. But I was never fortunate enough to be a member of a side that won promotion or reached a semi-final of the F.A. Cup. That is why my great ambition is to see PV in the 2nd Division and to be within reach of the greatest of all football prizes, the F.A. Cup. No eleven men better deserve to do so. If this ambition is realised, whatever fortune holds for me as a manager, I will say thank you to Tommy Cheadle and his men for making season 1953-54 a season that I can never forget." Freddie Steele and his 11 men did of course achieve one of those ambitions, but sadly in disputed circumstances, did not make it to the Cup Final!

 

In researching this post, I did also come across a little-known fact about Tommy Cheadle; namely that Tommy after joining the Staffordshire Regiment in October 1939 came across a certain Mr. Matt Busby was the regimental PT Instructor and was also the unit's football team's centre half. Tommy is quoted as saying; "Playing at left back behind this cultured Scot, I was able to study the art of centre-half play" and when he finally moved up into that position himself, went on to say; "I owe a great debt to Matt. His was the first really expert coaching I had received. It was he who gave me faith in myself as a player." Move now to 1944 and a battlefield in Holland--In an attack on the German lines, private Cheadle throws a grenade, it goes off almost in his hand and Tommy wakes up in hospital. Enter now another PT Instructor--the legendary Ken Fish, trainer of Port vale and the rest, as they say, is history......Demob, a social call on Ken...a trial with the Vale....and at 26 years of age the immediate signing of professional forms. Thus began a career that became synonymous with the history of Port Vale!

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I saw my first game at the Hanley ground in 1949 aged 8.In 1950 I was taken to the first game at Vale Park and stood on a mound of earth that is now the Railway Paddock.Vale won the game 1-0 and I was hooked.At 73 I now have 65years as a supporter and of course I went to most of the cup games in 1953/1954 including the Leyton Orient and West Brom games.I was quite young but I cannot recall the Steel Curtain but do remember our magnificent defence being called the Iron Curtain but I cannot remember when it was first coined.It may have been well after the events of 1954.Perhaps someone older than me will remember more.

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I saw my first game at the Hanley ground in 1949 aged 8.In 1950 I was taken to the first game at Vale Park and stood on a mound of earth that is now the Railway Paddock.Vale won the game 1-0 and I was hooked.At 73 I now have 65years as a supporter and of course I went to most of the cup games in 1953/1954 including the Leyton Orient and West Brom games.I was quite young but I cannot recall the Steel Curtain but do remember our magnificent defence being called the Iron Curtain but I cannot remember when it was first coined.It may have been well after the events of 1954.Perhaps someone older than me will remember more.

 

I concur the phrase of 'iron curtain' being quoted by many supporters. A request to the Evening Sentinel may bring forth more information as I feel sure that it would have been written in at least one issue.

My first game was at the old Hanley stadium where the Vale beat Swansea 2 - 0. That would have been just after when my father came home from the war, probably 1946/7.

The iron curtain team was made up from almost all local lads, quite a few of them from Bucknal/Abbey Hulton area.

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Hello Rob. My first game as a toddler was the friendly when I think we played West Brom and the new floodlights were unveiled. You will probably know the date for this as I think these floodlights were new and we had not had them at the new Vale Park. I remember a member of the opposition came out and gave an exhibition of keep e uppy that was a bit unusual at the time.

 

I reckon I must have been 4/5 but may be wrong. I remember watching the remnants of that side with the great Dickie Cunliffe on the left wing.

 

My Dad always referred to that team as having the Iron Curtain defence and how they were robbed in the cup semi against West Brom and how brilliant they had been knocking Blackpool out who were the legendary Cup holders. That would make it 1955 I think so I know it was mentioned then as the Iron Curtain.

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From memory I think both "curtain" terms were used, Steele and Iron having similar meanings, firstly the manager and secondly topical with Berlin at the time. Will try to find a reference in print, but my memory is better than most rumours, in this case.

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Hello Rob. My first game as a toddler was the friendly when I think we played West Brom and the new floodlights were unveiled. You will probably know the date for this as I think these floodlights were new and we had not had them at the new Vale Park. I remember a member of the opposition came out and gave an exhibition of keep e uppy that was a bit unusual at the time.

 

I reckon I must have been 4/5 but may be wrong. I remember watching the remnants of that side with the great Dickie Cunliffe on the left wing.

 

My Dad always referred to that team as having the Iron Curtain defence and how they were robbed in the cup semi against West Brom and how brilliant they had been knocking Blackpool out who were the legendary Cup holders. That would make it 1955 I think so I know it was mentioned then as the Iron Curtain.

Burnside, David I think, would have been the Albion player. I can still remember the Railway roar from that night, when Dickie raced towards the Bycars against Don Howe, the England full back at the time.
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After the opening games with the new floodlights the night games were special and the teams evolved and we had some great players replacing the 1954 legends. I'm thinking of Harry Poole, Stan Steele, Tug Wilson, Bert Llewelyn.

My particular favourites were Ken Hancock and John Rowland's. The pitch was a shocking mud heap and one tactic was to chip the ball over the centre half and it would plug in the mud and Rowland's would hit a rocket shot and nearly burst the net. I think Rowland's was a sprinter of some note.

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After the opening games with the new floodlights the night games were special and the teams evolved and we had some great players replacing the 1954 legends. I'm thinking of Harry Poole, Stan Steele, Tug Wilson, Bert Llewelyn.

My particular favourites were Ken Hancock and John Rowland's. The pitch was a shocking mud heap and one tactic was to chip the ball over the centre half and it would plug in the mud and Rowland's would hit a rocket shot and nearly burst the net. I think Rowland's was a sprinter of some note.

Amazing really in those days, but mid-week games apart from the mammoth re-plays, drew larger gates than Saturdays. I always thought it was due to Saturday`s local minor league players swelling the gates.
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Hi,

 

I've been asked a question by Debbie McAndrew who has written a Vale-related play. (There are more details on that here)

 

She wants to know if the phrases "Iron Curtain" and/or "Steele Curtain" were contemporary and used in 1954 or whether they were phrases that were used later. She will then amend her script accordingly.

 

I would presume that they were contemporary but I cannot find anything that confirms that despite having a few pieces of 1954 memorabilia.

 

Would someone who watched that side be able to confirm that the phrase "Iron Curtain" was used at the time?

 

Thanks,

 

Rob

 

Most definitely contemporary Rob. Both were used in and outside the media.

 

There was anecdotal stuff saying Iron derived from Steele, or Iron was a reference to the cold war Russian hegemony of the USSR i.e. impenetrable.

 

One thing's for sure, this little vegemite remembers using both expressions :yes:

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