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Autumn 2006

Click to see Obituaries Index

Ferenc Puskas (Panathinaikos)

There are few people so much a part of the history of World Football more important than Ferenc Puskas who died 17 November, 2006. For me he was held in double wonder as one of the Hungarians who redefined international football when they beat England 6-3 at Wembley, then again 7-1 in Hungary - both games in which he scored 2 goals; and then as part of the amazing Real Madrid side that owned the European Cup from its inception to 1960.

Though he actually only won one of three European Cup finals that he played in, but still managed 7 goals. In 1960, he scored 4 goals in the legendary 7-3 victory over Eintracht Franfurt, and then got a hattrick in Real's 5-3 defeat to Benfica in 1962!. (The other final being the 3-1 defeat to Inter Milan in 1964. His 2 other winners medals I believe were for playing in earlier rounds of the competition.)

When I came to form this site I found that he was the coach of the Greek side, Panathinaikos, that lost the 1970-71 European Cup final 2-0 against Ajax at Wembly, and thus earned his own position on the Bob 70-71 site. May I send condolences to his family.

Here's the obituary found at BBC SPORT Football Hungary legend Puskas dies at 79

Hungary and Real Madrid legend Ferenc Puskas has died at the age of 79.

Puskas, who was in hospital for six years with Alzheimer's disease, died in Budapest at 0600 GMT on Friday after suffering from a fever and pneumonia.

Puskas led Hungary's golden team of the early 1950s, before taking Spanish citizenship and becoming part of Real Madrid's all-conquering team.

Puskas scored 83 goals in 84 games for Hungary from 1945 to 1956 and later played for Spain in the 1962 World Cup.

After leading Hungary to the 1952 Olympic Gold medal, he was part of the Mighty Magyars who became the first overseas team to beat England on home soil in 1953, scoring twice in the 6-3 win at Wembley.

FERENC PUSKAS FACTFILE Born: 2 April 1927, Budapest, Hungary Nicknames: The Booming Cannon & The Galloping Major Clubs: Kispest Honved (354 apps, 357 goals) & Real Madrid (528 apps, 512 goals) Honours: Hungarian league (5), Spanish league (5), Spanish Cup, European Cup (3), Intercontinental Cup.

Hungary then rolled England over 7-1 in Budapest and were consequently installed as favourites for the 1954 World Cup in Switzerland.

But injury to Puskas severely hampered the Magyars and they lost in the final to Germany.

Puskas joined Real Madrid and, along with Alfredo di Stefano, was the inspiration behind a string of domestic and European titles.

He scored four goals in Real's 7-3 win over Eintracht Frankfurt in a remarkable final at Hampden Park in 1960, and won the European Cup three times with the Madrid side.

In all, he scored 512 goals for Real in 528 matches and in 1962 he took out Spanish citizenship in time to play for his adopted country in the 1962 World Cup.

Puskas retired in 1967, going on to coach clubs in several countries, leading Greek side Panathinaikos to the European Cup final in 1971.

As the last millennium drew to a close, Puskas was voted the 20th century's sixth best player by the International Federation for Football History and Statistics.

Giacinto Facchetti (Inter Milan)

My very first awarenes of football was the 1970 World Cup in Mexico, and the very first final I watched was the famous 4-1 Brazil victory over Italy. For all that the score was so high, few believed the reason for this was a poor Italian performance so much as a definitive Brazilian one. I was very sad to find out that one of Inter Milan's most famous players and a member of that Italian side, Giacinto Faccetti had died on 4 September 2007. This site sends condolences to his family.

BBC SPORT Football Europe Inter Milan legend Facchetti dies reports:

Former Italy and Inter Milan captain Giacinto Facchetti has died, aged 64.

Facchetti, who was Inter's president, had been suffering from a serious illness for several weeks.

The defender played 476 Serie A games and captained the "Grande Inter" team that won four league titles and two European Cups in the 1960s.

Facchetti won 94 Italy caps, 70 as captain. He helped his country win the 1968 European Championship and finish runners-up at the 1970 World Cup.

At the end of his playing days he worked in various roles at Inter and became club president in January 2004, the first ex-player to take the role at the club.

"He was a great figure on the field and off it," said Facchetti's former Inter and Italy team mate Sandro Mazzola.

"He was a wonderful team-mate and the authorative figure in the squad. He was always ready to battle, he was a great."

Gianni Rivera, another legend of that era and a player for Inter's rivals AC Milan, added: "He was a great person, much greater on the human level than the sporting one.

"We passed many years together and saw each other regularly when we had both finished playing. There was a very strong rapport between us."

Many thanks to Soccer History Summer 2007 edition, issue 16, for this information.(available in UK for £4-50 via cheque made payable to 'Soccer History Ltd' at 26 Saxon Street, Lincoln LN1 3HN)

Albert Spenser (Penarol)

www.iht.com reports:

MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay: Ecuadorean soccer great Alberto Spencer, the all-time leading scorer in the Americas' most prestigious club tournament, died on Friday in a U.S. clinic where he had undergone heart surgery, his son said. He was 67.

Considered Ecuador's greatest soccer player, Spencer was also idolized in Uruguay, where he led Penarol to eight national titles and three South American championships during its golden era in the 1960s.

During 12 years with the team, he found the back of the net 326 times, including 48 in South America's Libertadores Cup. He scored six more goals in the competition playing for Ecuador's Barcelona squad, setting a tournament record of 54 goals that stands today.

Spencer, who had suffered from a heart disease since the late 1970s, underwent quadruple bypass surgery Oct. 10 in a clinic in Cleveland, Ohio. His son, who shares the same name, said Spencer had appeared to be recuperating but was attacked by an intestinal infection and transferred to intensive care.

"My father passed away this morning," Spencer's son told The Associated Press Friday in Montevideo, Uruguay. "He lost the match, but because of the nature of his situation, it was expected."

Born Dec. 6, 1938, in Ancon, Ecuador, to a Jamaican father and an Ecuadorean mother, Spencer got his start with Everest in Guayaquil and in 1960 signed with Penarol of Uruguay, where his catlike moves, speed and power made him a national icon.

Led by Spencer and Peruvian Juan Joya, Penarol defeated European powers Benfica in 1961 and Real Madrid in 1966 to take the Intercontinental Cup.

Spencer was one of the few players to represent two different national squads, playing for both Ecuador and Uruguay. In 1964 he was part of the Uruguayan side that defeated England in London's Wembley Stadium.

He retired in 1973 and returned to Montevideo, where he represented Ecuador as a diplomat from 1982 until his death.

Ecuadorean officials said Friday that President Alfredo Palacio was prepared to send an air force plane to Cleveland to transport his remains.

Spencer is survived by his wife Maria Teresa and his children Alberto, Walter and Jacqueline.

Many thanks to Soccer History Summer 2007 edition, issue 16, for this information.(available in UK for £4-50 via cheque made payable to 'Soccer History Ltd' at 26 Saxon Street, Lincoln LN1 3HN)

George Heslop (Manchester City)

I was very sad to hear that George Heslop had died. A picture of George was in The 1970-71 World of Soccer Stars that this site was originally based on (number 189), and is thus one of the true heroes of my childhood. My condolences to his family.

www.uit.no/mancity reports:

George Heslop, who played for City during the golden Mercer Allison era has died, aged 66.

Centre half Heslop joined City in 1965 and made 34 appearances that season as the Blues won the Second Division title. In the glorious season of 1967-68, Heslop played in virtually all the matches, and his sole goal of that season was a vital one - a 3-1 victory at Old Trafford.

The importance of that result became clear at the end of the season, as City pipped United to the title by a point. After enjoying success in the European Cup Winners' and League Cup Finals.

Heslop left City in 1972 for Bury. After a spell as manager of Northwich Victoria, he became a pub landlord, most notably at the City Gates on Hyde Road - famous as the birthplace of Ardwick FC, he forerunner of City.

He became a social worker in Blackpool, retiring in 2005.

Our thoughts and condolences go to George's loved ones.

Jim Campbell (Stranraer)

http://www.gallowaygazette.co.uk reports

THE funeral of shepherd Jim Campbell took place in Penninghame St John's Church in Newton Stewart on Wednesday at 1.30pm.

The service was conducted by the Rev John Burns of St Andrews and Inch Church, Stranraer. Representatives from Stranraer FC, for whom Jim played in the 1970s and Newton Stewart Golf Club, where he was a popular and enthusiastic member joined around 300 mourners to remember his life.

The well-liked Newton Stewart herd died in Ayr Hospital in the early hours of Saturday morning.

Fifty-nine year-old Mr Campbell suffered a stroke while at work at Brighouse Farm near Balmaclellan, and lay overnight for 18 hours before being found by rescuers at 8am on Wednesday last week.

The Galloway Gazette would like to extend its sincere condolences to the Campbell family.

Many thanks to Soccer History Summer 2007 edition, issue 16, for this information.(available in UK for £4-50 via cheque made payable to 'Soccer History Ltd' at 26 Saxon Street, Lincoln LN1 3HN)

Walter McCrae (Kilmarnock Manager)

It seems that Walter was never a player at Kilmarnock, though he was a goalkeeper for Kilmarnock Juniors and later moved into the backroom staff at Kilmarnock FC. He became first team trainer from 1956 to 1966, assistaing manager Willie Waddell. The club won the Scottish Championship in this time in the 1964-65 season. He rose to the post of manager from 1968-1973 in which time th club twice reached cup semi-finals and twice qualified for Europe in the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup. Between 1980 and 1991 he also served as the Club Secretary and as General Manager.

Based on obituary in Soccer History Summer 2007 edition, issue 16, for this information.(available in UK for £4-50 via cheque made payable to 'Soccer History Ltd' at 26 Saxon Street, Lincoln LN1 3HN)

Also see http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/obituaries

Further Autumn 2006 news can be found at ...