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Author Topic: Barry Breuilly (Jersey referee)  (Read 110 times)

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John Treleven

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Barry Breuilly (Jersey referee)
« on: Thu 11 May 2023 12:43 »
Barry "The Cat" Breuilly aged 75

Goalkeeper with 20 Muratti caps 1966-81, the first whilst still U18

A brief spell at Fulham before homesickness brought him back to the Island

A policeman later noted for removing an unruly spectator from a Muratti

Also a referee he played for St. Ouen when they entertained Manchester United (Best, Law, Charlton et al)
at Springfield in front of 11,112 on 30th November 1971


11,112 would gather at Springfield Stadium when the Red Devils, one of the world’s biggest football clubs, played an exhibition match against St. Ouen. They brought their stars, including the holy trinity of Charlton, Law and Best, while Jersey brought fans and onlookers in their droves. The attendance has never been close to being bettered. More than one in seven of Jersey’s population was there.

The match had been arranged by the president of St. Ouen, Charlie Bechelet, through his friendship with the Southampton manager Ted Bates, who, in turn, was good friends with United manager Frank O’Farrell. It was not uncommon back then for top football teams to bring their first team squad over for a friendly against one of the local sides. Just the week before, Hull City played First Tower United at Grouville in front of 300 fans.

But this was different. This was Manchester United. They carried the aura of being the biggest club in the land and had won the European Cup just three years previously. A squad containing three of the greatest players in the world. It just would not happen today. Nor will the Island ever expect to hold another sporting event of its kind that would attract so many. True, the Muratti Vase used to attract crowds of 5,000-6,000 but this was off the charts.

Playing that day, for some of the second half at least, was Jersey goalkeeper Barry Breuilly. The winner of what was then a record 20 Muratti caps for a goalkeeper and a former Fulham "A" player, Breuilly was a more than capable stopper, but the first thing he did after coming onto the field was to pick the ball out of the net, following a thunderbolt strike from Brian Kidd for his hat-trick which put United 4-0 up. Breuilly admitted that the score could well have been 40-0 if the United players wanted it to be, such was their overwhelming class.

Most of the fans were enthralled by George Best, who played the first half and got the biggest cheer of the night when he scored a header from close range. Covering the game that evening was the venerable Bill Custard, who reported: ‘It was all there, indelibly etched into the bright green turf, the artistry of the incomparable George Best, the dynamism of Denis Law, the cool control of Bobby Charlton and the thrusting power of Brian Kidd … all this was woven into a pattern of slick efficiency in which combination and fluid movement were supreme.’

Not that they had it all their own way, with St Ouen excited with a couple of early raids that led to Pat McLaughlin’s ‘splendid shot’ being well saved by Alex Stepney. United, meanwhile, were content to provide an exhibition of the talents, much to the excitement of the crowd. ‘The atmosphere was incredible. It was electric,’ remembers Breuilly. ‘They had temporary stands that enclosed the pitch and it made for one hell of an atmosphere. None of us expected that many people to be there.’

What is also hard to understand through modern eyes is that United made the trip in the middle of the season. On the Saturday prior to their appearance at Springfield, United registered a 5-2 win away at Southampton and the week would be bookended by a 3-2 home win over Nottingham Forest. United would then go on an 11 match run without a win, after being top of the table at Christmas.

Maybe the trip away was not the wisest choice for United’s title ambitions but Breuilly remembers that the St. Ouen players were asked to mind their tackles – a request not fully taken on board by Breuilly. ‘The players were hinted at not to do anything too reckless, and that did prevail during the game but I do remember tackling Charlton just outside the box and him glaring back down at me. But he’d been clattered by better people than me. ‘The St. Ouen players couldn’t believe it that they’d arranged for Manchester United to come. You won’t see that again. It’s still resonant in my mind.’

Naturally, the United players also made an impression on young Breuilly, who was 23 years old at the time. ‘Best showed real class while Charlton was an absolute gentleman, as always,’ he said. The players stayed at the Mermaid Hotel during their time in the Island and Breuilly even picked up Denis Law in his car from there to go to a party the night before the game. ‘He never drank. He wouldn’t have any alcohol. He just stood in the kitchen and had orange juice. I think Mr. Best may have imbibed a little bit more.’

The drinking would continue after the game, too, at a ‘buffet supper’ at the Mermaid for all the players and officials, giving the St. Ouen players and other lucky Islanders a chance to get to know their heroes a bit better. The great Sir Matt Busby, the architect of modern Manchester United, was in attendance. ‘They all mingled. We had photographs taken with them. I had one taken with Alex Stepney. It was an amazing experience. Obviously everyone flocked around George Best.’

The night before the match, more merriment could be found at the Hotel de France at a special function to welcome Manchester United as part of St. Ouen’s banquet that Custard described it as a ‘glittering occasion.’ Highlighting the differences in attitudes to today’s professionalism, he reported that after presentations and a cabaret, ‘the company adjourned to the ballroom to spend the remainder of the time – until 2 o’clock this morning – dancing.’

A copy of the menu, signed by all the players at the function, made its way to an eight year old Glenn Springate – sold to him for ten pence by his Leeds United-supporting cousin, who had inadvertently acquired the treasured artefact. Young Springate was at the game too and, while he does not remember too much of the game, he does remember it was the night he ‘fell in love with football’. ‘I was in awe,’ Springate says, five decades on. ‘George Best’s name was read on the tannoy and the whole place just erupted. ‘I remember I watched the game in the dark, standing in the back of my uncle’s pick up van. They allowed all these vans in around the back of the goal so people could get a better view of the game. As you can imagine, the match was a big talking point at school the next day.’

And it would still be a big talking point, 50 years later, about the time Manchester United – Best, Charlton, Law et al – came to Jersey to take on the not so mighty St. Ouen.

President Bechelet must have had quite a few friends in high places. The following season St. Ouen hosted Jock Stein’s Celtic side, which included Kenny Dalglish, Jimmy Johnstone and Bobby Murdoch, in front of a crowd of a mere 2,000 at Springfield. Another coup for the parish club’s players to be involved in, this time they were ruthlessly gunned down 11-1, despite the hosts boasting Southampton and England stars Terry Paine and Mick Channon as guests. But nothing would be more memorable than sharing the pitch with United’s illustrious stars.

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Leggy

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Re: Barry Breuilly (Jersey referee)
« Reply #1 on: Fri 12 May 2023 17:12 »
The very definition of a "character" who made refereeing in Jersey more entertaining and fun.  His only gripe was not always being able to plug in his hair-dryer in some of the Island's more "basic" referee changing facilities.