There was Johan Cruyff but Newcastle United had Jim Iley | OneFootball

Since I wrote last week on The Mag about the best club side ever, a number of fans have asked me: “Who was Jim Iley, and what was so special about his first long throw?”

Jim Iley joined Newcastle United from Nottingham Forest in 1962.

The first my friends and I (from Swalwell) knew about him, was a photograph in the Chronicle as he and his wife descended from an old steam train (second class) at the Central Station; the headline was: “Jim Iley and his wife Lily.”

For some reason known only to himself, this stuck in one of my friend’s heads, and whenever we mentioned “Jim Iley” he would chirp up: “and his wife, Lily.”

Iley looked like your least favourite sports teacher: tall, thin, sour-faced, and over 50, balding, and he had your number, hard lad. But, my lord, could he play; tough, but so so stylish. This man was in charge.

And soon he was joined by an equally elegant Stan Anderson from, of all places, Sunderland, and they were each as good as the other. We soon came to love them both, Completing the best half back line I ever saw was John McGrath, and they saw us promoted in 1965 (We don’t have half back lines any more, of course, so don’t tell me today’s three are better!)

Incidentally, Stan was one of the few players I can recall who played for all three north east clubs, although there are plenty wo played for two. I remember Alan Foggon and, I think, Ron Guthrie. Any others?

Anyway, about Iley’s long throw.

My pals and I used to queue to get into the West Paddock, as it was. The gate man, who operated an old-style iron turnstile, would let two of us in for the price of one: by us squeezing into the space. We paid one shilling and three pence each – about 8p.

We then ran down to the bottom of the high metal fence which separated the West Paddock from the Centre Paddock (where it was more expensive to get in) and sneaked round while the nearest steward wasn’t watching. I think he knew, really, but let us go, anyway.

On the day of Iley’s first match he lined up to take his first throw-in level with the edge of the Leazes end penalty area, towards which we were kicking. We though nothing off it, expecting the usual doddle towards left winger Jimmy Fell, who was standing near him.

Instead, he spat on his hands, picked up the ball, and threw it onto the penalty spot. Cue chaos and confusion among the opposition players, who had never seen anything like it.

Neither had we, or most of the crowd, and collective jaws dropped.

Today, of course, everyone can take a long throw, even some ball boys, but this was a heavy leather, lace-up, ball, rubber bladder and all. Nobody did this – not that we knew, anyway.

Presumably Nottingham Forest fans were used to it, but communication between different clubs was sparse then, and nobody told us.

I’ve seen other great innovations and marvelled – the (Johan) Cruyff turn comes to mind – but Jim Iley’s first long throw has a special place in my memory.