The day I saw Pele play…

The debate about the Greatest of All Time will continue as long as the game of football is played and thanks to the internet, footage of those greats from down the years allows us to compare players from different eras. However, there is nothing like being able to say that you saw them play in the flesh. And I can humbly say that I was able to see ‘live’ the player who at the time was probably the most famous and greatest player on the planet – Edson Arantes do Nascimento or as the world knew him – Pele.

Unbelievably his club team, Brazilian side, Santos, played a friendly against my team, Fulham on 12 March 1973 and Pele had even attended the league game on the Saturday before against Carlisle United, meeting old adversary from the 1970 World Cup, Fulham skipper Alan Mullery before kick-off. The excitement I felt at being able to get the chance to see Pele and other World Cup winners such as Carlos Alberto and Edu was mind-blowing for a ten year old only used to a diet of English Second Division fare.

Given that there would be a bumper crowd we got seats in the Stevenage Road Stand rather than our usual spot on the Putney End terrace. Fulham averaged just over 10,000 in the league that season, but for the Santos game it was officially recorded as 21,464 – the biggest attendance I’d seen at the Cottage up till then.

It’s funny what you remember from that night. One thing that sticks in the mind is my dad managing to park the car in what seemed to be an incredibly tight space, moving the car back and forward for what seemed like an eternity. Another is that in order for Santos to wear their famous all white strip, Fulham played in red shirts, with white shorts and red socks on the night. Bizarre minor details but still linked to that night in March.

Of course, the reality in terms of the game itself, was that it was a friendly, an exhibition match, but for those there that night, that didn’t matter. We were there to see Pele and we can all say that we saw him score as well. Even though he was 31 at the time, his genius was there for all to see, and the buzz in the ground whenever he got the ball was palpable. In terms of the action, Fulham had taken a first-half lead through Alan Pinkney but were pegged back in the second half. Pele latched onto a long ball and as he attempted to go round Fulham ‘keeper Peter Mellor, the Brazilian legend was brought down. Up stepped Pele to send Mellor the wrong way and level the score at 1-1. Fulham though would go onto win 2-1 with Steve Earle getting the winner seven minutes from time.

The programme from that game is a prized possession amongst my collection as are my memories of the night I saw Pele play.