Inside iconic 1963 Boxing Day with 66 goals, Manchester United thrashed, Liverpool running riot – ‘Our keeper was the only sober player’

The 1963 Boxing Day scores have become an inescapable Christmas meme.

Some 66 goals were scored across 10 matches, with six players claiming hat-tricks and four being sent off.

Blackpool 1-5 Chelsea

Tommy Docherty’s Chelsea spent Christmas Day in a seaside hotel, before ruining the festive season for the 17,000 Blackpool fans packed in Bloomfield Road.

Chelsea were 4-0 up at half-time, while Terry Venables, who would later become England’s manager, claimed a fifth for the Blues.

This was one of the day’s lower-scoring affairs…

Chelsea at the start of the 1963-64 season.

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Burnley 6-1 Man Utd

Sir Matt Busby’s Manchester United were four points off the First Division summit, but recovering from a bruising 4-0 loss to Everton, when they travelled to Burnley.

The Old Trafford club, boasting the likes of Bobby Charlton, Denis Law and Nobby Stiles, were hoping to get their title challenge back on track. But Burnley’s Andy Lochhead had other ideas.

The Scotsman netted four goals – a feat he would later describe as his greatest achievement in football.

“It was absolutely superb for a small town like Burnley and a fantastic day for the fans to do it against Man Utd.

“It was the highlight of my career. My mate Willie Morgan and I have been out a few times over the years doing the question-and-answer sessions. Every time that game comes up, he points out that he got Man of the Match, even though I scored four!”

Andy Lochhead netted four times for Burnley

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Fulham 10-1 Ipswich

Fulham’s Boxing Day dismantling of Ipswich remains their record league win, as Graham Leggat netted the then fastest hat-trick in English Football League history.

Leggat scored a fourth to become one of three players to score four that day.

Ipswich, the 1962 English champions, went on to finish last in the 1963-64 season, conceding some 121 goals.

Leicester 2-0 Everton

While one of the lowest-scoring games of the day, it was still a shock of sorts as defending league champions Everton were defeated at Filbert Street by Leicester City.

The Toffees would ultimately surrender their title to Merseyside rivals Liverpool by a mere five points, with their Boxing Day loss and subsequent 3-0 defeat at Goodison Park in the reverse fixture on December 28, in part, at fault for the concession.

Liverpool 6-1 Stoke City

Ian St John opened the scoring for Liverpool to give the hosts a modest 1-0 half-time lead, before Roger Hunt ran riot in the second half with four goals. Alf Arrowsmith then added a sixth for the Reds, who would later go on to win their first of 19 titles for the season.

After the match, St John claimed that Bill Shankly had banned alcohol over the festive period.

Roger Hunt was one of three players to score four goals on Boxing Day 1963.

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Nottingham Forest 3-3 Sheffield United

While it was a relatively low-scoring encounter, this was one of the games of the day, as Nottingham Forest raced into a 3-0 lead.

But The Blades rallied to claim a point, courtesy of a Mick Jones brace and a Len Allchurch strike.

Sheffield Wednesday 3-0 Bolton Wanderers

Managed by future Barcelona boss Vic Buckingham, Sheffield Wednesday claimed a 3-0 victory over Bolton Wanderers, who were relegated at the end of the season.

Two days later, however, Bolton beat Wednesday by the same scoreline in the reverse fixture.

West Brom 4-4 Tottenham

West Bromwich Albion pulled off a commendable 4-4 draw with UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup holders Tottenham, in front of a 34,000 crowd.

West Ham 2-8 Blackburn

West Ham United were in a golden era, having won the 1963 FA Cup with a squad that boasted future World Cup-winning heroes Bobby Moore, Geoff Hurst and Martin Peters.

But even the star-studded Hammers were no match for then league-leaders Blackburn, who demolished the home side courtesy of a pair of hat-tricks from Fred Pickering and Andy McEvoy.

Fred Pickering was one of two players to score a hat-trick for Blackburn.

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Wolves 3-3 Aston Villa

You know it’s been a great day when a six-goal thriller is among the least interesting results of the day.

Aston Villa’s Tony Hateley, Vic Crowe and Dave Pountney all netted, while a goal from Terry Wharton and a Ray Crawford brace ensured Wolves claimed a point.