On Sunday, February 8, 1959, thousands of cheering fans gathered at Leicester Stadium for the “Showbiz” charity football match. The event featured comedienne Beryl kicking off the game and two celebrity teams, including stars like Glen Mason, Dave King, and Stan Stennett. The match was refereed by the Earl of Lanesborough, with Sir Geoffrey Barnett, former Lord Mayor of Leicester, and Lord Hazlerigg serving as linesmen. Although the Showbiz team played valiantly, they lost to Stan Stennett’s XI. However, the score was secondary to the spirit of the event.
The match wasn’t without its controversies. The local press extensively debated whether the game should even be permitted. Due to existing Sunday laws and pressure from the Lord’s Day Organisation Society, no admission fee could be charged. The Sunday Observance Act of 1780 strictly prohibited sporting events with paid admission on Sundays, imposing severe penalties for violations. The keeper of any venue faced a £200 fine for each Sunday it was open, organizers forfeited £100, and ticket sellers were fined £50. These hefty fines posed a significant threat to charitable endeavours.
Despite the restrictions, funds were successfully raised through donations and the sale of souvenir programs. Organizers were even advised by lawyers not to include details like the charity’s name or the event’s exact time on the program. According to Mr. A. G. Smith, secretary of the Leicester branch of the National Guide Dog for The Blind Association, an additional £1,000 could have been raised if they had been allowed to charge for admission.
Comedians at play, but no funny stuff for 12,000 City crowd
There were no happier people in Leicester than the officials of the local branch of the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association. Approximately £500 was forwarded to the National Guide Dogs for the Blind.
Their enterprise in bringing the Showbiz team in the city was handsomely rewarded, for a crowd of nearly 12,000 – one of the biggest to watch these football entertainers in the provinces, packed Leicester Stadium.
Mr E A Nichols, the Leicester branch treasurer estimates that there will be a profit of £500 to forward to the Nstion Guide Dogs Association, “We are very, very pleased with the success of the event”, he added.
Accomplished footballers
There may be a fair sprinkling of comedians among the Showbiz XI, but they take their football seriously. They were up against a useful team raised by Stan Stennett and were beaten 6-3 after an entertaining tussle. Some of the entertainers revealed themselves accomplished footballers and the crowd certainly had plenty to make them forget the icy cold wind.
Biggest problem came at the end of the match when the players had more trouble forcing their way through a mass of autograph hunters than they had controlling a lively ball.
Equalised three times
The Showbiz XI were three times in arrears but came back to equalize before being outplayed in the final 15 minutes. The game was started by Beryl Reid, whose husband Derek Franklin, scored a goal for Stan Stennett’s XI. The others came from Brown (3), Jimmy Pato and George Taylor. Former Wales and Arsenal left-back Wally Barnes, Glen Maso and Ronnie Carroll for the Showbiz XI, Ronnie Carroll also hit the crossbar with a penalty kick.
Leicester Daily Mercury – Monday 09 February 1959
In a significant shift driven by the 1973 energy crisis, the Football Association finally gave the green light for Sunday football. The historic day was Sunday, January 6, 1974, when four FA Cup Third Round matches took place. The first game of the day saw Cambridge United face Oldham in a morning kick-off. Just two weeks later, on January 20, a dozen grounds hosted League football on a Sunday for the first time. The inaugural match that morning was Millwall against Fulham in the Second Division.
The introduction of Sunday football wasn’t universally welcomed. As fans arrived at the Millwall game, they were met by irate church groups handing out fliers. One spokesperson told the BBC that “The whole concept is morally wrong, as it violates the Fourth Commandment of God; namely that the Sabbath should be kept holy.” This sentiment echoed earlier protests; two weeks prior at Bradford’s Valley Parade, police had arrested four demonstrators who had handcuffed themselves to a turnstile, holding a placard that warned “Damnation for all ye who enter here.” At Millwall’s Den, around 20 protestors staged a peaceful sit-down protest outside the main stand, observed by bewildered spectators.
A week later, on Sunday, January 27, the first top-flight match was played, with Geoff Hurst’s penalty securing a 1-0 home victory for Stoke City over Chelsea. That same weekend, Darlington notably played two home League matches, drawing with Stockport on Saturday and Torquay on Sunday. Sunday football had officially arrived, though the outdated Sunday Observance Act of 1780, which had long restricted such events, wasn’t repealed until 1991.