01/10/1977 - The Big Match

Highlights of Orient v Tottenham Hotspur, Ipswich Town v Newcastle United and Sunderland v Brighton & Hove Albion. Studio guest is Steve Perryman and includes an interview with John Chiedozie. Also included a feature on Pelé's retirement.

[@JfK--OBJECTivE]

I had a trial at Orient a couple of weeks before this match. I was a winger, and same age as Chiedozie, that is where the comparison ends LOL.

[@ralphmorris8169]

Can you imagine Sky Sports having a game from the lower divisions as it’s main match?! Times have changed!

[@mohdazmi10]

They won't do it. Not commercially viable. WTF

[@Darwinion]

@@mohdazmi10 Depends. They recently showed Salford V Leeds live in the Carabou cup. While Fulham V Sprus wasn't. Leeds following generates them more TV revenue that Fulham or Spurs.

[@TimmyTickle]

You must remember that The Big Match only aired in London, and in regions of England where there weren't enough top flight clubs to justify the local ITV company producing their own football programme (such as Westward and Border) Being an all-capital matchup, Orient-Spurs would therefore be far more appealing to their core audience than Ipswich-Newcastle.

[@TimmyTickle]

@@Darwinion As does Salford's ownership. Although the way Spurs are going at the moment, that could change soon...

[@Edgel-in6bs]

Tottenham eventually signed John Chiedoze! You can only imagine the fighting before and after the game tho.

[@andrewc4612]

Must have been quite an occasion for Orient, with once-mighty Spurs as their visitors. I gather there was around 25,000 at the game, surely their best home league of the 1977-78 season, and which I'd guess was more than double their normal home average?

[@the_lost_navigator]

This is Canada calling... Thanks for the matches - especially Sunderland eh ;)

[@Darwinion]

Quality Orient kit that. Their best ever in my opinion. Quite like the Spurs away too, except it was identical to Palace away as well.

[@philwise872]

This is fantastic! Went up to Sunderland on the seagull special Roker Park was always my favourite ground to visit

[@Mute_Nostril_Agony]

The ref was definitely Bent…

[@Ponty30]

"look at the sadness on his face"