CALLING THE SHOTS: Goalkeeper Peter Mellor can only watch in anguish as Chris Jones, watched by Jimmy Seal sees his chip heading to the Fulham net for York City's opener at Bootham Crescent in 1975 World Cup winning captain Bobby Moore (inset) is stood behind Jones

It is almost a quarter of a century to the day when one of England's genuine football legends set foot of the Bootham Crescent turf.

England's 1966 winning World Cup captain Bobby Moore led out Fulham against York City in the old Second Division.

Moore was to return to Wembley later in the season as the men from Craven Cottage contested the FA Cup final with West Ham.

Moore left the Twin Towers on that occasion empty handed as the Hammers won 2-0 and he suffered a similar fate on his first visit to Bootham Crescent in a thrilling encounter.

Paul Williams, of Spalding Avenue, York, recalled: "I was about eight-years-old but I got to see Bobby Moore and it was a corker of a game, with City winning 3-2."

Fulham, who were also bolstered by another ex-England man, Alan Mullery, had already made it through to the FA Cup semi-final against Birmingham when they arrived at York bidding to extend their unbeaten run to 14 games to keep them on the fringes of the promotion race.

The game started in sensational fashion with both sides scoring twice in the opening 20 minutes.

Chris Jones, who had netted twice in City's 2-0 win at Craven Cottage in September, curled the ball over Peter Mellor for the opener, but a couple of minutes later Alan Slough beat a couple of defenders and drove the ball past Graeme Crawford.

Then Viv Busby, later to have a major impact on City with Denis Smith, thumped Fulham ahead with an effort from outside the box.

Straight from the re-start Brian Pollard's centre was glanced in by Jones' head to make it 2-2.

Both defences were struggling to contain free-flowing attacks and it was no surprise when City went ahead on 51 minutes when the ever dangerous Jones was poised to shoot for his hat-trick when he was brought down by Moore in the area. Ian Holmes showed nerves of steel as he comfortably tucked away the penalty kick.

Fulham roared forward in search of the equaliser, but Crawford made a couple of outstanding saves and Butler missed two chances at the other end which would have given City a bit more breathing space.

It was breathless stuff and City hung on to the points as both sides received a standing ovation as they left the field.

Millennium Match Facts

Football League Division Two
Saturday, March 22, 1975
York City 3 (Jones 7 20 Holmes pen 51)
Fulham 2 (Slough 11, Busby 19)
Fulham: Peter Mellor, John Fraser, Les Strong, Alan Mullery, John Lacy, Bobby Moore, John Dowie, John Mitchell, Viv Busby, Jim Conway, Les Barrett.
York City: Graeme Crawford, Chris Calvert, Peter Oliver, Ian Holmes, Barry Swallow, Chris Topping, Brian Pollard, Mickey Cave, Jimmy Seal, Chris Jones, Ian Butler.
Referee: Ken Walmsley (Fleetwood)
Attendance: 7,825