Dateline: October 1978

THE BIG STORY

The legendary Geoff Boycott was sacked "without a word of explanation" by the Yorkshire cricket committee.

The outspoken player, then 37, protested: "I want to play for Yorkshire and I want to captain Yorkshire."

His dismissal led to the formation of a campaign group called the Reform Group, which lobbied for his re-instatement.

Meanwhile, the debacle did not stop Boycott joining the England team in Australia on October 24, three days after his birthday.

The YEP switchboard was jammed with calls from concerned fans, aghast at the decision to let Boycott go.

Boycott, however, had greater things on his mind. His mother had died on September 15 and Boycott attended her funeral on October 2. His sacking came four days after her death.

When Boycott appeared on the Michael Parkinson Show on Sunday October 8, he let rip, lashing out at the Yorkshire cricket committee and did himself no favours when he urged Yorkshire members to 'get off their backsides' to support him.

One columnist in the following day's paper noted: "Boycott, it seems, has run himself out."

Speaking on October 24, committee chair Arthur Connell was in defiant mood and said: "Captaincy requires playing skill, tactical ability and experience - but it is above a manner of leadership and the ability to persuade other members of the team to play right up to, and on occasion beyond their potential.

"This is the quality which in the honest and sincere opinion of the majority of the committee, Mr Boycott lacks."

He went on to accuse Boycott of being "dedicated to the perfection of his own batting technique" but commended him for being an outstanding player.


HEADLINES

Scotland Yard made a £6m heroin swoop in London, the biggest haul ever found in Britain. Some 32 kilos of Chinese heroin was seized and several arrests were made.

In the shops, a 750g packet of Lyons Ready Brek cost 46p; a 680g packet of Kellogg's All-Bran cost 38p; a tin of HP baked beans cost 13½p; and a large tin of Butch dog food cost 16p, as advertised by Morrisons.

Punk rock bad boy Sid Vicious, 21, was arrested in connection with the death of a go-go dancer in his hotel room in New York. Vicious was bass guitarist for the Sex Pistols. He was arrested over the murder of 20-year-old Nancy Spungen, who died as a result of a stab wound to the stomach. The 21-year-old singer, whose real name was John Simon Ritchie, died of a drugs overdose on February 2 the following year.

M&S rang up a £20m profit in the first quarter of the year, beating City expectations, disclosing pre-tax profits for the half year to September of £72.94m.

The 50-mile long Calder Way footpath was officially opened on October 23.

A £3.8m plan was unveiled to transform Dewsbury town centre by creating a ring-road. The scheme meant building a new bridge over Crackenedge Lane, which almost doubled the cost of the project.

Plans to scrap road tax and stick an extra 20p duty on fuel were slammed by the AA and Shipley Tory MP Marcus Fox, who branded the plan ludicrous.


THE GOSSIP

Stand-up comedian Jasper Carrott appeared at Leeds Town Hall and tickets cost £3.50, £3, £2.50 and £1.50. In Bradford, at the Alhambra, Equus starred John Bentley and Bradford-born Steve Morle. A disclaimer warned the show was not suitable for young people; Revenge of the Pink Panther was on at the Odeon.

TV sports presenter Frank Bough, 45, walked out on his regular Grandstand TV show following a row with new editor Harold Anderson. Anderson had wanted to use another presenter for the football results, but Bough eventually got his way and his old job back.

THE WORLD

On October 16, Pope John Paul II succeeded Pope John Paul I as the 264th pope. He was the first Polish pope in history.

Australia's Ken Warby set the world water speed record of 317.60mph at Blowering Dam, Australia on October 8.


AND FINALLY

Grease fever gripped the nation – and Leeds – as the musical starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John went on general release. It was the film sensation of the year, if not the decade and led to a wave of teenagers and twenty-somethings flocking to their nearest haridressers to get the "Greased" 1950s-style look, to go with their sloppy Joe sweaters, pleated skirts and Fifties-style sports jackets.