For the visit of touring Czechoslovakian First Division side Slavia Prague on Monday December 16, 1968, County issued a 12-page programme.
On the front page was an excellent photo of Mike Milner in the recent cup-tie against Barrow. In the middle pages was a very interesting look at the visitors. It mentioned a goalkeeper who had made over 1,000 appearances for the first-team between 1924 and 1938! The club also, up until 1968, had won their championship on no fewer than 13 occasions.
On another page details of County's forthcoming FA Cup-tie at Blackburn Rovers were advertised. Seats in the Main Stand at Ewood Park were priced 10/- and 7/6d.
On page three Trevor Porteous wrote some notes on football skill and work rate, mentioning how County had three exceptional ball players in Len Allchurch, Alex Young and Jim Mulholland.
The League table on page four showed County in third position in Division Three with a record of Pl 20 W 10 D 6 L 4 F 34 A 25 PTS 26.
County 3 Slavia Prague 2
"Why aren't you in the First Division?" That was the question asked by one of the visiting team after County had beaten the Czech side 3-2.
Having taken the lead after only two minutes with a rasping 35-yarder from Barry Hartle, County looked as though they were going to tear their visitors apart and six minutes later a move involving Johnny Price and Hartle, saw Albert Harley headed in goal number two.
It was quite some time before Slavia got back into the game, and then it was a guest player from Dukla Prague, Knebort, who brought the goal about. His shot from the edge of the area was brilliantly saved by Alan Ogley only for Veseley to follow up and put the ball in the net.
County started the second-half like they had the first. Gordon Low and then Freddie Goodwin both had shots on target. However, it was Alex Young who hit an excellent shot from 30 yards to increase the lead to 3-1 after 55 minutes.
Prague came back at County and reduced the arrears when that man Knebort scored from close range after good work by Linhart.
The Hatters saw out the rest of the game, though, to record an excellent victory.
County: Ogley, Haydock, Hartle (Ledgard), Goodwin, Milner, Low, Allchurch, Kinsella, Young, Harley, Price.
Slavia Prague: Shedktal (Vosta), Tolar, Knesel, Kdpecky, Smolik, Simek, Linhart, Veseley, Knebort, Nepomucky, Herda.
Attendance: 3,629.
"Dusan Herda," says Jon Keighren, "who played for Slavia Prague that night, actually went on to become a Czech international and played in the side that won the European Championships in 1976. I think he was still in his 'teens when he came to EP.
"But Frantisek Vesely was probably the best-known player in that team - he played over 30 times for the Czech national side and also featured in the 1976 campaign, as well as the 1970 World Cup.
"Still, they couldn't beat County…!"
