The England squad that competed at the 1974 World Lacrosse Championship in Melbourne, Australia has been presented with their official England caps at a commemoration event at Wilmslow Lacrosse Club.
On Sunday 28 July, 16 members of that famous ‘74 squad travelled from all corners of England to Cheshire to celebrate the 50th anniversary of finishing joint second at the 1974 World Lacrosse Championship, the second edition of the event.
Each member of the squad was handed their personalised England cap by the captain of the 1974 squad, Mike Roberts.
The 1974 World Lacrosse Championship (30 June - 4 July) brought together England, Australia, USA, and Canada as they battled to be named the best international lacrosse team in the world.
England’s journey to joint second saw them come up short against USA, losing 24-10, and Australia, suffering a 15-3 loss, before defeating Canada 19-11 in their final match to finish in second place alongside Australia and Canada who also won one and lost two of their three games.
USA were crowned World Champions for the second time after achieving the same result at the inaugural tournament in Toronto, Canada seven years earlier in 1967.
Immediately following the ‘74 World Lacrosse Championship, the USA team travelled back to the States via England as part of a world tour, once again playing England in a friendly on Sunday 28 July at Cheadle Hulme’s Grove Park.
In this match, England came out on top with an impressive 17-15 win, becoming the first international side to beat the USA, and they remain the last England men’s team to defeat the USA to this day.
By finishing joint-second and beating the USA, the 1974 squad remains the most successful England men’s squad to date.
The 16 squad members held their celebration at Wilmslow Lacrosse Club on the exact date, day, and time of the face-off in that famous win over USA 50 years ago (28 July, Sunday, 2:30pm).
England 1974 World Championship Squad (sequential cap number)
Tom Gare (9)
Roy Higson (10)
Mike Roberts (13)
Gerry Paine (28)
Chris Parker (29)
Frank Bedford (34)
John Blake (35)
Eric Broadhurst (36)
Ben Daines (37)
Peter McCulloch (38)
Phil Rice (40)
Graeme Simpson (41)
Steve Weaver (43)
Fred Fletcher (44)
Pete Edmondson (45)
Those not present:
David “Woggy” Walkden*
Frank “Mac” McClinton *
Nigel Wayne *
Graham Lester (24) *
Vaughan Wilcock (25) *
Ian Cundey (26)
Dave Gaskell (27)
John Parker (30)
John Wolfenden (31)
Rick Atkinson (32)*
Clive Beaumont (33)
Mike Newton (39)*
Dale Thomas (42)*
*passed away
Selected newspaper articles:
Manchester Evening News (29/07/1974)
England topple champions
No longer will England be looked upon as a second rate lacrosse nation after their incredible 17-15 win over world champions America at Cheadle Hulme yesterday.
It was just revenge for England after their 24-10 defeat at the hands of the Americans in the World Cup in Australia three weeks ago. They twice fought back to take the lead and were worth every inch of the victory.
The win was mostly due to the skills of skipper Mike Roberts (Urmston) who got five goals. England’s other scorers were Paul Smith (Urmston) three, Dale Thomas (Old Waconians) two, Rick Atkinson (Sheffield University) two, John Blake (Urmston), Eric Broadhurst (Old Hulmeians) Roy Higson, Peter McCulloch (both Old Waconians) and Steve Weaver (South Manchester and Wythenshawe).
American coach Bud Bearmore said: “The England boys were a thousand times better than when we met them in the World Cup. We are looking forward to meeting them again when the World Cup is held in Stockport and Manchester in 1978.”
The Guardian (29/07/1974)
England extract revenge
England 17, United States 15
In a fine exhibition at Cheadle Hulme yesterday, England defeated the United States, the current world champions, by 17-15. The US, now at the end of a strenuous world tour, lacked the sharpness which gave them their 24-10 victory over England in Melbourne earlier this month.
This in no way detracts from the merits of England’s performance. They were the quicker side and handled outstandingly. With more accurate finishing the margin could well have been greater, for England dominated the midfield and in fact won all but five of the 36 face offs.
The visitors led 3-2 at quarter-time but a bright six-minute scoring spell gave England a 6-3 lead. The US then regained the initiative and the sides were level at half-time. England, however, recovered their earlier good form and after leading 12-9 at three-quarter time improved their advantage to 17-12 by late in the final period. A spirited rally gave the US three goals in the last five minutes and kept the game alive until the final whistle.
Stockport Advertiser (29/07/1974)
Super England tan world champions
England blasted their way into the record books when they toppled the United States, the world lacrosse champions, at Grove Park, Cheadle Hulme, last Sunday.
They became the first side to beat the world champions with an unbelievable 17-15 victory.
The England team, 19 are from the Stockport area, took the Americans on at their own game and outclassed them. It was a victory which no one except England team manager thought was possible.
The American super stars were reduced to a bunch of bad-tempered individuals as England skipper Mike Roberts led his side to a fantastic win.
Crushed
The Americans crushed England 24-10 in the World Cup in Australia earlier this month but David Walkden was confident his side could turn the tables - and how right he was.
The Americans tried everything they knew to salvage their pride but failed. The game was only 40 seconds old when England went ahead with a goal by Rick Atkinson and before the cheers had died down the American officials stormed onto the pitch complaining about the colour of the ball.
They argued that the ball being used was illegal under international rules. “We would not have spent 20 minutes warming our goalkeeper up with a white ball if we had known you were going to play with an orange ball,” they yelled at the referees.
The game was restarted with a white ball, but the goal was allowed to stand. Gradually the Americans got on top and took a 3-1 lead, but England stormed back with lacrosse which I thought beyond their capabilities.
Brilliant
Atkinson pulled one back to make it 2-3 at the end of the first quarter, and then goals by Dale Thomas, Mike Roberts (2) and Paul Smith sent England into a 6-3 lead. The Americans made it 6-4, then Roberts, playing the game of his life, scored a brilliant goal.
But world champions are not easily beaten and the Americans drew level at half-time. When Jim Trenz gave them an 8-7 advantage at the start of the third quarter it looked as though England might crumble but Thomas put England back on level terms.
Richard Kowalchuk restored the American lead, then England hit back with some blistering play and ended the quarter 12-9 in the lead with goals by Roy Higson, John Blake and Smith (2).
When Peter McCulloch and Eric Broadhurst extended it to 14-9 early in the final quarter the Americans lost their cool and discredited their nation with some bad sportsmanship.
Now it was England who were the super stars and the Americans knew it.
Somehow coach Bud Bearmore restored some stability to his side and the Americans closed the gap to 14-12.
But then England delivered the killer punch with two goals by Roberts and a gem by Steve Weaver. The Americans scrambled three in the dying seconds as England were beginning to do their victory dance.
No excuses
The Americans had had their feet on the ground for only a few hours after flying in from Bombay, but coach Bearmore said: “We have no excuses. Your boys deserve all the credit. We never expected them to play as well as they did.
“They were a thousand times better than when we played them in the World Cup three weeks ago. The difference between night and day. Even when we were down we thought we would win but England never gave us the chance.
“We are very disappointed at losing but all credit to England they were the better side on the day. That fellow Roberts was tremendous.”
Triumph
Frank Bedford and Higson lost only five of the 38 faces. The game was also a personal triumph for Paul Smith, who was left out of the England World Cup squad.
“I thought I was good enough to go to Australia, now I have proved it.” he said after the game.
