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17 August 2018
 
 

Alan Ball

Blackpool FC, Everton FC, Arsenal FC

 72 appearances, 8 goals, one own goal, 1 penalty

P 72 W 44 D 19 L 9 F 124: A 48
*(actual F 122: A 48)
74% successful
1965-75

disciplined: 1
captain: six
minutes played: 6310

Timeline
  Alan James Ball MBE

(*Actual for and against are the goals scored
while the player was on the field.)
Birth 12 May 1945 at 2 Brookhouse Avenue, Farnworth, Lancashire [registered as Alan J. in Farnworth, June 1945]. To James Alan & Violet (née Duckworth).
 Attended St. Peter's Church of England School, Farnworth, Oswestry Boys High School in Oswestry, and Farnworth Grammar School, Farnworth
Marriage to Janet Lesley Newton [registered as Allan J. in Farnworth, June 1967], died of ovarian cancer, 16 May 2004. They had three children, Mandy, Keeley and Jimmy.
Death 25 April 2007, at his home in Warsash, Hampshire of a heart-attack, aged 61 years 348 days, after trying to extinguish a garden fire.
Funeral 3 May 2007, at Winchester Cathedral.
 Buried in Ramalley Cemetery, Eastleigh
A memorial service was held at Bolton Parish Church in June 2007.

Source

Douglas Lammings' An English Football Internationalist Who's Who [1990], Alan Ball's Playing Extra Time [2004] & FindMyPast.com
Biographies Ball Of Fire - Alan Ball (Pelham, London 1967)*
It's All About a Ball: An Autobiogriaphy - Alan Ball (W.H. Allen, London 1978)#
Alan Ball: Playing Extra Time - Alan Ball and James Messop (Pan Macmillan Ltd, 2004)
 

*Autobiography titles come as easily as playing for one of England's greatest midfielders. This first volume covers his playing career at Blackpool and early days at Everton from 1966, the year in which he helped inspire England to World Cup triumph. - A Football Compendium, Peter J. Seddon (1999).
#Ball's story is updated to include his League Championship days with Everton in 1969/70, six years with Arsenal and two with Southampton. - A Football Compendium, Peter J. Seddon (1999).

Club Career
Club(s) Played schoolboy football in Farnworth and under his father at Ashton United FC of the Lancashire Combination, from there, he was placed on a schoolboy contract with Wolverhampton Wanderers FC, but Wolves did not take him because of his small stature. So he joined Bolton Wanderers FC as an amateur in 1960, and they sited the same reasons a year later. So in September 1961, he signed amateur forms with Blackpool FC, became the apprentice in charge of Stan Matthew's boots, and  becoming a professional in May 1962. He went on to make 116 league appearances, scoring forty goals, prompting Everton FC to break the British transfer record for a fee paid when they paid £112,000 in August 1966. He had turned down the opportunity to join Don Revie's Leeds United AFC. He made 208 league appearances, scoring 66 times. This in turn, prompted Arsenal FC to break the record again when they paid £220,000 on 22 December 1971. Ball replied with 45 goals in 177 league appearances, becoming club captain in 1974. Joined South Africa's Hellenic FC in summer of 1976, making four league appearances. In December 1976, Southampton FC paid £60,000 for Ball. He joined the NASL in the close seasons and assisted/managing Philadelphia Fury on loan in May 1978, making 33 league appearances and scoring five, in total. He returned to The Dell, and after completing 132 league appearances, with a return of nine goals, Ball left for the NASL once more in June 1979, with Vancouver Whitecaps, making 31 league appearances, scoring ten times, before he rejoined Blackpool FC as player-manager in February 1980, a position held until he made thirty league appearances, scoring five, and then rejoined Southampton FC in March 1981. He spent the 1983 summer in Australia, where he scored twice in three league outings with Floreat Athena FC, of Perth. He returned once more to The Dell, completed 63 league appearances, scoring twice, and then went to play in Hong Kong with Eastern Athletic in October 1982, making twelve appearances. He returned and turned out with Bristol Rovers FC from January 1983, scoring twice in seventeen league appearances. Ball played his last league game as acting manager on 14 May 1983.
Club honours FA Cup runners-up 1967-68, 1971-72;
Football League Champions 1969-70, runners-up 1972-73; Division Two runners-up 1977-78;
FA Charity Shield winners 1970;
Football League Cup runners-up 1978-79;
NASL National Conference Western Division winners 1979;
Soccer Bowl winners 1979;
Individual honours Football League (six appearances)
Ballon d'Or eighth 1966, =sixteenth 1967, =eighteenth 1970, =24th 1968;
PFA Division Two Team of the Year 1977-78;
NASL Most Valued Player 1979.
Awarded MBE 2000;
Distinctions Son of James Alan Ball (Southport FC).
Height/Weight 5' 7", 10st. 0lbs [1970].

Source

Douglas Lammings' An English Football Internationalist Who's Who [1990].

Management Career
Club(s)
 When he returned from Hong Kong, Ball took up a coaching position with Bristol Rovers FC from January 1983, he became their caretaker manager on the last match of the 1983-84 season. He joined the Portsmouth FC set up as youth coach in 1983, becoming their manager on 6 June 1984 until July 1988, after which he served as first team coach until his sacking in January 1989. In February 1989, Ball became Jock Wallace's assistant at Colchester United FC, and then assisted Mick Mills at Stoke City FC in October 1989. Two weeks later, Mills was sacked and Ball took over, but guided Stoke into the Third Division for the first time in their history. After failing to get Stoke promoted, Ball was sacked. In July 1991, he was appointed manager of Exeter City FC, a job he held whilst he was assisting Graham Taylor as a coach to the England team in 1992. In January 1994, Ball left Exeter to rejoin Southampton FC as their manager. In May 1995, Ball joined Francis Lee's revolution at Manchester City FC as their new manager, but City were soon relegated from the Premier League and Ball resigned in August 1996. In February 1998, Ball was appointed manager of Portsmouth FC. His contract was terminated on 9 December 1999 after failing to get them out of the bottom half of the table!
Individual honours Premier League Manager of the Month November 1995

England Career
Player number 837th player to appear for England.
Position(s) Inside-left, inside-right, outside-left, outside-right.
First match No. 389, 9 May 1965, Yugoslavia 1 England 1, an end-of-season tour match at Stadion Crvena zvezda, Beograd, aged 19 years 362 days.
Last match No. 493, 24 May 1975, England 5 Scotland 1, a British Championship match at Wembley Stadium, Wembley, London, aged 30 years 12 days.
Major tournaments World Cup Finals 1966, 1970; European Championship Finals 1968;
British Championship 1965-66, 1966-67, 1967-68, 1969-70, 1970-71, 1971-72, 1972-73, 1974-75;
Team honours World Cup winners 1966;
British Championship winners 1965-66, 1967-68, 1968-69, 1970-71, 1972-73, 1974-75, shared 1969-70, 1971-72;
Individual honours England U23 (eight appearances, two goals, sent-off once)
Distinctions Died the same day as Arthur Milton and eighteen days after Brian Miller

Beyond England
After hanging up his player boots, the last of the 1966 World Cup winning team to do so, Ball carved out a management and coaching career, with varying results.

 

Alan Ball - Career Statistics
Squads Apps comp. apps Starts Sub on Sub off Mins. goals ave.min comp. goals Pens Capt. Disc.
81+ 72 45 69 3 1 6310 8 789 min 2 1
1 		six none
minutes are an approximation, due to the fact that many matches rarely stick to exactly ninety minutes long, allowing time for injuries and errors.

 

Alan Ball - Match Record - All Matches
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
Home 30 19 9 2 65 24 +41 2 13 2.167 0.80 78.3 +17
Away 37 23 10 4 55 19 +36 9 22 1.486 0.514 75.7 +19
Neutral 5 2 0 3 4 5 -1 2 2 0.80 1.00 40.0 -1
All 72 44 19 9 124 48 +76 13 37 1.722 0.667 74.3 +35

 

Alan Ball - Match Record - By Colour of Shirt
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
White 59 37 16 6 108 38 +70 9 30 1.831 0.644 76.3 +31
Red 10 6 2 2 14 7 +7 3 6 1.40 0.70 70.0 +4
Blue 1 1 0 0 1 0 +1 0 1 1.00 0.00 100.0 +1
Yellow 2 0 1 1 1 3 -2 1 0 0.50 1.50 25.0 -1
All 72 44 19 9 124 48 +76 13 37 1.722 0.667 74.3 +35

 

Alan Ball - Match Record - By Type of Match
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L

WCP

 4 1 2 1 2 3 -1 2 2 0.50 0.75 50.0 =0
WCF 8 5 1 2 11 7 +4 2 4 1.375 0.875 68.8 +3
World Cup 12 6 3 3 13 10 +3 4 6 1.083 0.83 62.5 +3

ECP

 16 11 3 2 35 10 +25 1 11 2.188 0.625 78.1 +9
ECF 1 0 0 1 0 1 -1 1 0 0.00 1.00 0.00 -1
European Championship 17 11 3 3 35 11 +24 2 11 2.059 0.647 73.5 +8
British Championship 20 14 5 1 45 17 +28 2 8 2.25 0.85 82.5 +13

Note that the 1966-68 records of the European Championship and British Championship are duplicated, and one set is therefore deducted from the grand total.
Friendly 28 16 9 3 44 15 +29 5 10 1.571 0.536 73.2 +13
All 72 44 19 9 124 48 +76 13 37 1.722 0.667 74.3 +35

 

Alan Ball - Match Record - Tournament Matches
World Cup Preliminary Competitions
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
WCP 1972-74 4 1 2 1 2 3 -1 2 2 0.50 0.75 50.0 =0
WCP All 4 1 2 1 2 3 -1 2 2 0.50 0.75 50.0 =0
World Cup Final Tournaments
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
WCF 1966 4 3 1 0 7 3 +4 1 2 1.75 0.75 87.5 +3
WCF 1970 4 2 0 2 4 4 =0 1 2 1.00 1.00 50.0 =0
WCF All 8 5 1 2 11 7 +4 2 4 1.375 0.875 68.8 +3
World Cup
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
WC 1964-66 4 3 1 0 7 3 +4 1 2 1.75 0.75 87.5 +3
WC 1968-70 4 2 0 2 4 4 =0 1 2 1.00 1.00 50.0 =0
WC 1972-74 4 1 2 1 2 3 -1 2 2 0.50 0.75 50.0 =0
WC All 12 6 3 3 13 10 +3 4 6 1.083 0.83 62.5 +3
European Championship Preliminary Competitions
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
ECP/BC 1966-68 7 5 1 1 16 6 +10 0 4 2.289 0.857 78.6 +4
ECP 1970-72 7 4 2 1 13 4 +9 1 5 1.857 0.571 71.4 +3
ECP 1974-76 2 2 0 0 6 0 +6 0 2 3.00 0.00 100.0 +2
ECP All 16 11 3 2 35 10 +25 1 11 2.188 0.625 78.1 +9
European Championship Final Tournaments
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
ECF 1968 1 0 0 1 0 1 -1 1 0 0.00 1.00 0.00 -1
ECF All 1 0 0 1 0 1 -1 1 0 0.00 1.00 0.00 -1
European Championship
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
EC/BC 1966-68 8 5 1 2 16 7 +9 1 4 2.00 0.875 68.8 +3
EC 1970-72 7 4 2 1 13 4 +9 1 5 1.857 0.571 71.4 +3
EC 1974-76 2 2 0 0 6 0 +6 0 2 3.00 0.00 100.0 +2
EC All 17 11 3 3 35 11 +24 2 11 2.059 0.647 73.5 +8
British Championship Competition
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
BC 1965-66 1 1 0 0 4 3 +1 0 0 4.00 3.00 100.0 +1
BC/ECP 1966-67 3 2 0 1 9 4 +5 0 1 3.00 1.333 66.7 +1
BC/ECP 1967-68 2 1 1 0 4 1 +3 0 1 2.00 0.50 75.0 +1
BC 1968-69 3 3 0 0 9 3 +6 0 0 3.00 1.00 100.0 +3
BC 1969-70 2 0 2 0 1 1 =0 1 1 0.50 0.50 50.0 =0
BC 1970-71 2 2 0 0 4 1 +3 0 1 2.00 0.50 100.0 +2
BC 1971-72 1 1 0 0 1 0 +1 0 1 1.00 0.00 100.0 +1
BC 1972-73 3 3 0 0 6 1 +5 0 2 2.00 0.33 100.0 +3
BC 1974-75 3 1 2 0 7 3 +4 1 1 2.333 1.00 66.7 +1
BC All 20 14 5 1 45 17 +28 2 8 2.25 0.85 82.5 +13
All Competition
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
WC 12 6 3 3 13 10 +3 4 6 1.083 0.83 62.5 +3
EC 17 11 3 3 35 11 +24 2 11 2.059 0.647 73.5 +8
BC 20 14 5 1 45 17 +28 2 8 2.25 0.85 82.5 +13
Note that the 1966-68 records of the European Championship and British Championship are duplicated, and one set is therefore deducted from the grand total.
All 44 28 10 6 80 33 +47 8 23 1.818 0.75 75.0 +22

Match History
 
 Club: Blackpool F.C. - 14 full appearances (1290 min), one goal

manager: Alf Ramsey - 66 full appearances (x min), eight goalsx

Age 19
u23 13 May 1964 - Hungary 2 England 1, Népstadion, Budapest tour AL squad member
u23 17 May 1964 - Israel 0 England 4, Gaon Stadium, Tel Aviv AW
u23 20 May 1964 - Turkey 3 England 0, Mithat Paşa Stadyumu, İstanbul AL
1 u23 4 November 1964 - Wales 2 England 3, The Racecourse, Wrexham Fr AW Start 10
2 u23 25 November 1964 - England 5 Romania 0, Highfield Road, Coventry Fr HW Start 61 10
3 u23 24 February 1965 - Scotland 0 England 0, Pittodrie Stadium, Aberdeen Fr AD Start 10
4 u23 7 April 1965 - England 0 Czechoslovakia 0, Elland Road, Leeds Fr HD Start 10
388 5 May 1965 - England 1 Hungary 0, Empire Stadium, Wembley tour HW squad member
1 389 9 May 1965 - Yugoslavia 1 England 1, Stadion Crvena zvezda, Beograd AD Start 10

Age 20
2 390 12 May 1965 - West Germany 0 England 1, Städtisches Stadion, Bayern tour AW Start 8
3 391 16 May 1965 - Sweden 1 England 2, Nya Ullevi Stadion, Göteborg AW Start 19 8
5 u23 25 May 1965 - West Germany 1 England 0, Dreisamstadion, Freiburg tour AL Start 10
6 u23 29 May 1965 - Czechoslavkia 0 England 0, Stadion u Nisy, Liberec AD Start 8
7 u23 2 June 1965 - Austria 0 England 0, Praterstadion, Wien AD Start 60 10
8 u23 3 November 1965 - England 3 France 0, Carrow Road, Norwich Fr HW Start 40 8
4 395 8 December 1965 - Spain 0 England 2, Estadio Santiago Bernabéu, Madrid Fr AW Start 7
5 396 5 January 1966 - England 1 Poland 1, Goodison Park, Liverpool Fr HD Start 7
6 397 23 February 1966 - England 1 West Germany 0, Empire Stadium, Wembley Fr HW Start 7
7 398 2 April 1966 - Scotland 3 England 4, Hampden Park, Glasgow BC AW Start 7

Age 21
8 400 26 June 1966 - Finland 0 England 3, Olympiastadion, Helsinki tour AW Start 14 11
401 29 June 1966 - Norway 1 England 6, Ullevål Stadion, Oslo AW squad member
9 402 3 July 1966 - Denmark 0 England 2, Idrætsparken, København AW Start 7
10 403 5 July 1966 - Poland 0 England 1, Stadion Śląski, Chorzów AW Start 7
11 404 11 July 1966 - England 0 Uruguay 0, Empire Stadium, Wembley WCF HD Start 7
405 16 July 1966 - England 2 Mexico 0, Empire Stadium, Wembley HW squad member
406 20 July 1966 - England 2 France 0, Empire Stadium, Wembley HW
12 407 23 July 1966 - England 1 Argentina 0, Empire Stadium, Wembley HW Start
13 408 26 July 1966 - England 2 Portugal 1, Empire Stadium, Wembley HW Start
14 409 30 July 1966 - England 4 West Germany 2ᴭᵀ, Empire Stadium, Wembley HW Start

 Club: Everton F.C. - 39 full appearances (3371 min), six goals  

15 410 22 October 1966 - Northern Ireland 0 England 2, Windsor Park, Belfast BC/
ECP		 AW Start 7
16 411 2 November 1966 - England 0 Czechoslovakia 0, Empire Stadium, Wembley Fr HD Start 7
17 412 16 November 1966 - England 5 Wales 1, Empire Stadium, Wembley BC/
ECP		 HW Start 7
18 413 15 April 1967 - England 2 Scotland 3, Empire Stadium, Wembley BC/
ECP		 HL Start 7

Age 22
19 414 24 May 1967 - England 2 Spain 0, Empire Stadium, Wembley tour HW Start 7
20 415 27 May 1967 - Austria 0 England 1, Praterstadion, Wien AW Start 20 7
21 416 21 October 1967 - Wales 0 England 3, Ninian Park, Cardiff BC/
ECP		 AW Start 89 7
22 418 6 December 1967 - England 2 USSR 2, Empire Stadium, Wembley Fr HD Start 25 7
23 419 24 February 1968 - Scotland 1 England 1, Hampden Park, Glasgow BC/ ECP AD Start 7
24 420 3 April 1968 - England 1 Spain 0, Empire Stadium, Wembley ECP HW Start 7
25 421 8 May 1968 - Spain 1 England 2, Estadio Santiago Bernabéu, Madrid ECP AW Start 7

Age 23
26 423 1 June 1968 - West Germany 1 England 0, Niedersachsenstadion, Hannover Fr AL Start 7
27 424 5 June 1968 - Yugoslavia 1 England 0, Stadio Comunale di Firenze, Firenze ECF NL Start 7
425 8 June 1968 - USSR 0 England 2, Stadio Olimpico, Roma, NW squad member
28 426 6 November 1968 - Romania 0 England 0, Stadionul 23 August, Bucureşti Fr AD Start 7
29 428 15 January 1969 - England 1 Romania 1, Empire Stadium, Wembley Fr HD Start 11
30 430 3 May 1969 - Northern Ireland 1 England 3, Windsor Park, Belfast BC AW Start 7
31 431 7 May 1969 - England 2 Wales 1, Empire Stadium, Wembley HW Start 11
32 432 10 May 1969 - England 4 Scotland 1, Empire Stadium, Wembley HW Start 8

Age 24
33 433 1 June 1969 - Mexico 0 England 0, Estadio Azteca, Ciudad de México tour AD Start 8
34 434 8 June 1969 - Uruguay 1 England 2, Estadio Centenario, Montevideo AW Start 10
35 435 12 June 1969 - Brazil 2 England 1, Estádio Jornalista Mário Filho, Rio AL Start 7
36 437 10 December 1969 - England 1 Portugal 0, Empire Stadium, Wembley Fr HW Start 11
37 439 25 February 1970 - Belgium 1 England 3, Stade Émile Versé, Bruxelles Fr AW Start 29,60 8
38 440 18 April 1970 - Wales 1 England 1, Ninian Park, Cardiff BC AD Start 8
441 21 April 1970 - England 3 Northern Ireland 1, Empire Stadium, Wembley HW squad member
39 442 25 April 1970 - Scotland 0 England 0, Hampden Park, Glasgow AD Start 8

Age 25
40 443 20 May 1970 - Colombia 0 England 4, Estadio Nemesio Camacho, Olímpico tour AW Start 84 25
41 444 24 May 1970 - Ecuador 0 England 2, Estádio Olimpico Atahualpa, Quito AW Start 25
42 445 2 June 1970 - Romania 0 England 1, Estádio Jalisco, Guadalajara WCF NW Start 8
43 446 7 June 1970 - Brazil 1 England 0, Estádio Jalisco, Guadalajara NL Start
44 447 11 June 1970 - Czechoslovakia 0 England 1, Estádio Jalisco, Guadalajara (substituting @ 0-1) NW sub 65
45 448 14 June 1970 - West Germany 3 England 2ᴭᵀ, Estádio Guanajuato, León NL Start
46 449 25 November 1970 - England 3 GDR 1, Empire Stadium, Wembley Fr HW Start 8
47 450 3 February 1971 - Malta 0 England 1, The Stadium, Gzira ECP AW Start 7
48 451 21 April 1971 - England 3 Greece 0, Empire Stadium, Wembley (substituted @ 2-0) ECP HW Start off 75 8

Age 26
49 452 12 May 1971 - England 5 Malta 0, Empire Stadium, Wembley (substituting @ 4-0) ECP HW sub 60 x
50 453 15 May 1971 - Northern Ireland 0 England 1, Windsor Park, Belfast BC AW Start 8
454 19 May 1971 - England 0 Wales 0, Empire Stadium, Wembley HD squad/reserve
51 455 22 May 1971 - England 3 Scotland 1, Empire Stadium, Wembley HW Start 11 8
52 457 10 November 1971 - England 1 Switzerland 1, Empire Stadium, Wembley ECP HD Start 8
53 458 1 December 1971 - Greece 0 England 2, Karaiskaki Stadio, Piraes ECP AW Start 8

 Club: Arsenal F.C. - 33 full appearances (2881 min), one goal  

54 459 29 April 1972 - England 1 West Germany 3, Empire Stadium, Wembley ECP HL Start 8

Age 27
55 460 13 May 1972 - West Germany 0 England 0, Olympiastadion, Berlin ECP AD Start 7
461 20 May 1972 - Wales 0 England 3, Ninian Park, Sloper Road, Cardiff BC AW squad/reserve
462 23 May 1972 - England 0 Northern Ireland 1, Empire Stadium, Wembley HL
56 463 27 May 1972 - Scotland 0 England 1, Hampden Park, Glasgow AW Start 30 7
57 464 11 October 1972 - England 1 Yugoslavia 1, Empire Stadium, Wembley Fr HD Start 7
58 465 15 November 1972 - Wales 0 England 1, Ninian Park, Cardiff WCP AW Start 11
59 466 24 January 1973 - England 1 Wales 1, Empire Stadium, Wembley WCP HD Start 11
60 467 14 February 1973 - Scotland 0 England 5, Hampden Park, Glasgow Fr AW Start 7

Age 28
61 468 12 May 1973 - Northern Ireland 1 England 2, Goodison Park, Liverpool BC AW Start 7
62 469 15 May 1973 - England 3 Wales 0, Empire Stadium, Wembley HW Start 7
63 470 19 May 1973 - England 1 Scotland 0, Empire Stadium, Wembley HW Start 7
64 471 27 May 1973 - Czechoslovakia 1 England 1, Stadión Letná, Praha Fr AD Start 7
65 472 6 June 1973 - Poland 2 England 0, Stadion Śląski, Chorzów (dismissed @ 2-0) WCP AL Start 76 7
66 478 3 April 1974 - Portugal 0 England 0, Estádio do SL Benfica, Lisboa (substituting @ 4-0) WCP AD sub 76 x

 

manager: Don Revie - six full appearances (540 min), six captainciesx


Age 29
486 30 October 1974 - England 3 Czechoslovakia 0, Wembley Stadium, Wembley ECP HW squad member
487 20 November 1974 - England 0 Portugal 0, Wembley Stadium, Wembley ECP HD unused sub 15
67 488 12 March 1975 - England 2 West Germany 0, Wembley Stadium, Wembley Fr HW captain 7
68 489 16 April 1975 - England 5 Cyprus 0, Wembley Stadium, Wembley ECP HW captain 7
69 490 11 May 1975 - Cyprus 0 England 1, Tsirion Athletic Centre, Limassol ECP AW captain 7

Age 30
70 491 17 May 1975 - Northern Ireland 0 England 0, Windsor Park, Belfast
BC		 AD captain 7
71 492 21 May 1975 - England 2 Wales 2, Wembley Stadium, Wembley HD captain 7
72 493 24 May 1975 - England 5 Scotland 1, Wembley Stadium, Wembley HW captain 7

Notes

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CG