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Where Are They Now ? |
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| Bob 70-71 | Do you
have any news, personal stories or info. you cannot
resist passing on about these players ??? If so e-mail me by clicking here .and I'll include it on this page. From this month the 'Where are they now ?' pages are archived on a monthly basis. Go to the News page and select 'Where are they now ?' April 2000 Commentators 1999-2000 Season. So far we have ... Jimmy Armfield (Blackpool) for Radio Five Ron Atkinson (Oxford United) for ITV - where he has his own football programme. Trevor Brooking (West Ham United Squad) on Radio Five Live and BBC t.v.'s 'Match of the Day'. Jack Charlton (Leeds United) for Channel Five. Bobby Gould (Wolves) for Talk Radio and Radio Five Live. Colin Harper (Ipswich) for the local station that covers the Ipswich Town games. Norman Hunter (Leeds United) for Radio Leeds. Joe Jordan (Morton) for Channel Five Kevin Keegan (Scunthorpe) for Talk-Sports Joe Kinnear (Tottenham Hotspur squad) for RTE in Ireland Peter Lorimer (Leeds United) for Radio Leeds and Channel 5. Billy McNeill (Celtic) for Channel Five. Rodney Marsh (Q.P.R.) for Sky One Bobby Moncur (Newcastle United) has his own phone in on Century Radio. David Pleat (Peterborough) for ITV Graeme Souness (Tottenham Hotspur squad) for Sky Terry Venables (QPR) has own phone in on Virgin Radio Saturdays at noon, and is also on ITV. Bob Wilson (Arsenal) for ITV Brian Little (Aston Villa) This profile appeared at www.hullcityfc.co.uk (I've corrected it a bit) 1971– Signs professional forms for Aston Villa in March and debuts in the 1971-72 season. 1975 – Made his one and only England appearance against Wales. 1980-81– Forced to quit the game through injuries. 1986 – Caretaker manager at Wolves before making way for Graham Turner. 1987 – Reserve team coach at Middlesbrough. 1989-91 – Darlington manager. Took the club into the Football League from the Vauxhall Conference. 1991-94 – Leicester City manager. 1993-94 – Reached the play-offs for a third successive time and beat Derby County 2-1 at Wembley. 1994-98 – Aston Villa manager. Avoided relegation at the last gasp in his first season. 1995 – Second in the Premiership at one point. Finished sixth and qualified for Europe. 1996 – Won League Cup, finished sixth in the league. 1998 – Resigned as Villa manager after problems with players Stan Collymore and Sasa Curcic. 1998-99 – Stoke City manager. A good first half of the season but a slump in the second half led to his departure. 1999-2000 – Moves to West Bromwich Albion two days before start of this season. Good start but money promised from the board was not made available. Survived a takeover in the boardroom but asked to go after a bad league run. Leeds Leeds Leeds Magazine reports ... Dave Stewart (Ayr United) After quitting professional football at Swansea City, David stayed in the area and now works in a jewellers store in the city's Oxford Street. Thanks to John Daniels who drew my attention to the following ... Peter Bonetti (Chelsea). Helped Scotland team for a a spell and played part-time Dundee United before running a guest house on the Isle of Mull. Presently the goalkeeping coach at Chelsea. (See June 2001 News) Not strictly members of this site, but Graham Wilkins (ex-Chelsea) works in the lost property at Heathrow Airport. Steven Wilkins (ex Chelsea) Works on the groundstaff at the German airline Lufthansa. Ray Wilkins (Ex -Chelsea) Managed QPR in 1994, in 1977 went as coach to Fulham, now Chelsea coach. Thanks to Paul Draper who writes of ... Peter Marinello (Arsenal) Just thought you'd like to know that Peter Marinello (ex-Arsenal) is alive and playing football for a local Bournemouth Division 5 Saturday side. I know this because I fouled him the other day. Special thanks to Han van Eijden for providing the following information on virtually all the players on the Feijenoord page. Theo van Duivenbode Director of an insurance company. Guus Haak Retired civil servant. Wim van Hanegem Works at a commercial sports channel. Franz Hasil Owner of a chemist shop in Vienna. Rinus Israel Trainer in the Middle East. Wim Jansen Former trainer of Celtic. Ove Kindvall Works at a sponser shop in Sweden. Coen Moulijn Owner of a fashion shop in Rotterdam. Eddy Pieters Graafland Director of Eddy PG Promotions. Piet Romeijn Retired engineer. Eddy Treytel Director of a cleaning factory. Cor Veldhoen Retired. Henk Wery Works for a national newspaper. NB. See Han's update of this list at December 2004. March 2000 Special thanks to Peter Gillatt who wrote in with the following ... Tony Green still lives on the Fylde Coast and is a school teacher at Hodgson School in Poulton. Alan Suddick still lives near the Bloomfield Road ground and is understood to be involved in a painting and decorating business. Glyn James runs a flourishing launderette in Blackpool and is still in volved with the club in that his firm washes the kit! Billy Bentley is understood to be back in the Stoke area but this is not certain. Tommy Hutchison lives in Wales and is involved in some way with the Welsh FA. Fred Pickering is back in the Blackburn area and is believed to be dealing in car sales. Micky Burns works for the Professional Footballers' Association and is involved in vocational training for footballers. Manager Bob Stokoe (Carlisle United manager) who took over mid-season from Les Shannon has returned to the north east and lives in Hexham where he looks after his wife who hasbeen unwell. John Craven sadly passed away in America a few years ago following a heart attack. Kenny Hibbett (Wolves squad) is director of football development at Cardiff City. Colin Harvey (Everton) is Assistant Academy Director of 17-21 year olds at Everton. Leighton James (Burnley Squad) The March 2000 edition of 'Total Football' (no.58) features an interview with Leighton, on the last page in their 'the final word' feature written by Keith Haynes who wrote, 'Come on Cymru 2000'. Leighton played for Burnley, Derby, Q.P.R., Swansea City, Sunderland, Bury and Newport County. He won 54 Welsh caps. Now he manages Llanelli in the League of Wales, a team which makes the current Leeds side look like pensioners having an average age of 20 ! Asked which was the favourite of his 7 teams, Leighton goes for Sunderland, where he praises the fans and describes it as his 'most rewarding time in football'. Leighton was philosophical about John Toshack (Cardiff City squad) letting him go for a free at Swansea, saying that when he was there the club finished sixth in the top division - the club's highest ever placing, the season after he left they were relegated. Leighton did not hesitate in naming Frank Worthington, then at Sunderland, as the best player he played with, saying he could work hard and play hard. He was , ' a brilliant finisher with awesome talent, and a true friend'. Leighton also rated Charlie George (Arsenal) who he played with at Derby County saying, he was, 'an absolute genius, very strong and one of the most under-rated players of the time. Leighton then listed Colin Todd (Sunderland)at Derby, and Bob Latchford (Birmingham City squad), Alan Curtis and Robbie James at Swansea City. Robbie sadly died playing for Llanelli shortly before Leighton joined them. Leighton doesn't like the current trend to get advantages by diving - and would consider the future of the player at the club if his team players did it ! " Could you seriously consider Bobby Moore participating in that culture ? Bobby was one of the hardest players to play against. He wasn't a physical man, just a very good all-round footballer, you knew you had to be on your game when Bobby was around. I played against him when he was in his prime, both internationally and at club level. He could dominate a game with his brain, he always knew where to be, and he was a lovely player. A fine man off the pitch, too." Of today's players Leighton admires David Beckham, Alan Shearer, Harry Kewell and Joe Cole. As a manager he goes for Harry Redknapp (West Ham United). Leighton's personal choice of his 54 games for Wales was the game at Wembley in 1977 when he scored the winner. February 2000 Don Givens (Luton Town) Don has been appointed manager of the Republic of Ireland Under 21s. His first match in February 2000 was a 2-1 defeat to the Czech Republic. Peter Taylor (Southend United) This feature appeared at Soccernet. Taylor so keen to keep playing the fame game By Ivan Speck Requests for interviews have flooded Gillingham's phone lines this week. Television, radio and newspapers have all been calling but the question has always been the same: 'Can we talk to Peter Taylor?' His players may have wished it otherwise but former England Under 21 coach Taylor has been the focal point of an FA Cup run which has already taken Gillingham past Bradford City and Sheffield Wednesday. He has happily agreed to the requests. Media friendly, personable and anxious that his players should not be distracted from Sunday's quarter-final against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, he has barely had enough time left to take the training sessions. 'If the players want to swap with me, I'd be very happy to let them have all the attention if it means that I can play at Chelsea,' said Taylor. 'They're the lucky ones. I'm fine when it comes to handling the attention. It's true that I expected to be out of the limelight here. 'But that's not the way it's worked out. I'm not complaining, though, because I'm very ambitious and having the attention on you can only be good news.' The conversation inevitably turns to England and the treatment which appalled many when Taylor was dismissed from the Under 21 coaching post by FA technical director Howard Wilkinson, despite inspiring the country's best youngsters to a 100 per cent qualifying record in the European Championship. He is shrewd enough not to re-open the wounds which hurt his pride so much. Instead, he looks forward, to this weekend's Cup date with Chelsea and beyond. 'The three years I had with England were a tremendous experience,' added Taylor. 'I have to stop myself talking about Michael Owen to the Gillingham players, or about Kevin Keegan, because I don't want to be seen as name-dropping. Yet for me, they were just my buddies for three years. 'I was very lucky that Glenn Hoddle gave me the job when he did. I remember seeing a television programme on which some journalists were debating whether Glenn had made a good appointment. I might have been a surprise choice but Glenn knew what I was capable of doing. 'I was given a wonderful opportunity that went very well and has only helped my career. So I'd be wrong to look back at it and think: "Bloody hell, I should still be there." Now I'm a club manager and I want people to say in a year's time: "He's a very good day-to-day club manager and, oh by the way, he used to coach England Under 21s".' One of the youngsters Taylor used to coach, Jody Morris, will be facing him on Sunday. With Dennis Wise suspended, Morris appears certain to start in Chelsea's midfield. Taylor added: 'A little bit of me will be pleased that Jody is playing. He's a good lad. I had no problems with him at all. He's a talented boy. He'll go and get the ball anywhere on the field. 'It doesn't matter who's marking him. I felt that he had a real good spell last year when he was picking out his passes and they were positive passes. 'It must be a bit frustrating that he's not in the team all the time but he has the talent. Chelsea are a massive club and it's worth sticking in there to get in the team. 'The fact that he hasn't left, shows his belief and the management's belief in him. 'Once you train with him and work with him, you realise how good he is because he's only a little bloke. He always wants the ball.' Sunday will also bring a reunion with Ray Wilkins, now on the coaching staff at Stamford Bridge and a member of the 1976 Chelsea side beaten 3-2 at home in the fifth round by Crystal Palace, for whom Taylor starred by scoring twice. Taylor still has the video of that match but prefers not to dwell on the 2-0 semi-final defeat by Southampton later that year, also at Stamford Bridge, or the end of a Cup run best remembered for the fedora worn by Palace manager Malcolm Allison. The odds are heavy on Gillingham's run being halted at the same ground this weekend - even Taylor admitting it is hard to see any other outcome than a Chelsea win. He added: 'Being honest, if any one of the Chelsea players who'll be playing against us want to come and sign for Gillingham, we'll take them because they are miles above what we've got. I know that, so do my players. We're very realistic. 'They are strong favourites to beat us but, if they do what Sheffield Wednesday and Bradford did and miss early chances, then you never know. They might get nervous and we might grow in confidence. 'To go and get even a draw there would be an incredible result for us.' Then the requests for interviews would really start. (I'm afraid they lost quite soundly in the event ...) This excellent feature appears at Soccernet By Ken Lawrence There are no bars around Ray Kennedy, but he feels imprisoned anyway. He has to keep moving, this tragic figure, buffeted by the biting wind that sweeps through a coastal village in his native north-east. With a screwdriver in hand, the man who won the Double with Arsenal in 1971 as a 19-year-old, is undertaking the mundane task of a minor house repair. Yet, for him, it demands a level of concentration which taxes his patience as he dumps a broken cupboard draw into a green rubbish bin. As we talk, it is not so much that he wants to keep moving, only that Ray Kennedy cannot keep still. I stand next to him. He moves away swiftly. Through gritted teeth, he mutters: 'This is a terrible disease, terrible.' The wind is fierce and freezing, yet his agitation has nothing to do with the temperature. Indeed, such is the torture that blazes from his eyes, it is questionable whether he notices how cold it is. Tomorrow, when the clubs for which he performed so admirably meet at Highbury, Kennedy, now 48, will not even try to watch the game on TV, because he often cannot make himself sit still even for a moment. Kennedy is locked into an eternal, private prison, condemned to a life sentence of suffering as the Parkinson's Disease which first began to blight one of the great post-War careers 15 years ago continues to afflict him. Meeting him is a humbling experience as he tries so desperately to lead the kind of normal life most of us take for granted. There is also the realisation that no matter how good life can be - and for years it was very good to Kennedy - everything can suddenly change drastically and dramatically. Every day, usually after long, sleepless nights, he is forced to contend with the same debilitating illness that has turned even a boxing legend like Muhammad Ali into a tragic figure. We are outside his pretty redbrick bungalow in the village of New Hartley, nestling next to Seaton Delaval, 10 miles north of the Tyne Tunnel. It is to here, where his boyhood took him towards signing for Arsenal at the age of 16, that he retreated for the battle he knows he cannot win. As a midfielder with Arsenal, then as Bill Shankly's last signing for Liverpool and at Swansea under John Toshack, he won plenty of battles. He played for England 17 times, won five League Championships, three European Cup winner's medals, plus UEFA Cup and European Super Cup medals. But a recent interview with Brian Moore on Sky TV portrayed the distressing reality of his life now, his inarticulated movements making filming almost impossible. 'I just can't stay still,' he said as the wind hit us with another gust. 'No point in trying to watch the game at Highbury, much as I'd like to. 'I've not slept for three nights now. It's what I have to go through. Just trying to get by. This thing I've got, well, it makes life hard, I can tell you. Of course I'd like to watch the game, maybe even video it for later. But I know I can't. Just got to get on with it.' Then he is gone. Locking and bolting his kitchen door. Gone like the medals he won, sold at a Christie's auction - 93 shirts, all the England caps, the mementoes of a glittering career that yielded £73,000; the PFA, in a touching gesture, paid £16,000 for his 1977 European Cup winner's medal. Two years earlier, Liverpool and Arsenal played a testimonial for him at Highbury that raised an estimated £100,000. He needs the money to survive, the proceeds of that 1991 game paid for his house.The medals may have gone but his friends have not. Jimmy Case was probably the closest of them and next week he will drop in to see the colleague he roomed with for years. In those days, Case watched perplexed as his best mate developed violent mood swings and, inexplicably, played poorly. Case recalled: 'What I saw then, and when he moved to Swansea when he would get rollickings from Tosh, was the onset of his ill-ness. He became unpredictable. ' It even cost the father of two his marriage. Case said: 'He attacked his wife as they walked home from a pub. An awful thing to happen, and she left him. It seemed unforgivable then and for me, as someone closer to him than probably anybody including his family, it was shocking. 'Yet, even at the time, I knew there had to be something else to it because that was not the real Ray. In hindsight, we realise his problems were due to the disease.' At the time he sold his medals in 1993, Kennedy revealed: 'It was sudden - I knew something was not right. I was so tired I could not even get the shirt off my back. I had never been fast but I was never as slow as that. When I was diagnosed, it all fell into place.' Case sees him whenever he can and added: 'The decline has been hard to watch. Tommy Smith keeps in touch and if he was ever in trouble the Liverpool ex-players association would help him out.'But when you try to ring him, you get the answer-phone - it is like he wants to cut himself off. And when I do visit, it can only be for an hour at most. He just can't take any more - got to be on his own again. You feel so useless.' The PFA's Brendon Batson said: 'We are there for Ray day or night. We funded much of his specialist treatment when he was first diagnosed and we keep in contact.' Kennedy is as alone in his mind as he is most days in his little bungalow. But he still has his pride. It is that which keeps him going and makes him a hero now for very different reasons than before. The fat-cat players who make so much money these days that they could go home and roll around in it after training, may wish to note the never-ending trial Kennedy lives through. It may not make them better players, but those who complain so often at referees' decisions or about being dropped might appreciate how fortunate they really are. Currently involved in suing Stoke City - see news - it seems Lou is presently with the Huddersfield Town set up under ex-Manchester United player Steve Bruce. Thanks to Steve Bingham for the following three : Colin Harper (Ipswich) is now a self-employed builder in and around the Ipswich area, and has been for many years. Occasionally, he has worked as a match summurisor on the local radio station covering Ipswich Town's matches. Mick Lambert (Ipswich) still lives in Ipswich, taking part in local sports such as cricket and tennis. Mick McNeil (Ipswich) owns a number of local sports shops in Suffolk. January 2000 Thanks to Jim Ross (News) for the following two ... Clive Charles (West Ham United) is now the U.S. national U-21 coach. He seems to be moving up over here. Mike Mahoney (Bristol City), who made 108 app. in goal for Newcastle Utd.(1975-78) is living and playing "Old Fart" footy in Southern California with a team called "The Widebodies". He no longer plays in goal, but as a centre back. ' Malcolm Allison : Big Mal (Manchester City assistant manager ) is now a scout at Arsenal it according to this aticle from Soccernet written on the eve of the Manchester City defeat to Leeds United in the F.A.Cup. Malcolm Allison has always been larger than life. So who is better qualified to welcome his beloved Manchester City back from the dead than Big Mal himself? City against Leeds on Sunday at a packed Maine Road is pure Allison in Wonderland. Doff the Fedora, set up the champagne and light the cigars, it's a Cup clash which wouldn't have given the headline writers a moment's peace in his era. The days of playing mind games against the top teams, upsetting the Establishment along with the equally outspoken Brian Clough and even sharing a communal bath with porn queen Fiona Richmond might have disappeared along with flares and kipper ties but the enthusiasm for the game still throbs inside a body in its 73rd year. He scouts for Arsenal, though sadly his views on the sport are no longer heard on radio since insisting in colourful language during one game that a penalty should have been awarded. But mention the FA Cup and with the help of a glass of red wine and the obligatory huge cigar, it's all systems go. City, he believes, have been conducting a funeral for several seasons, this club which thanks to his coaching skills and Joe Mercer's managerial leadership unfurled the Championship flag in 1968 and embarked on a glorious era. But since sliding to relegation in 1983, there has been little to cheer.'Going to watch City has been like attending a funeral,' he said. 'Now it's that ruddy great time you generally have afterwards. When Bobby Moore died it was heartbreaking but afterwards we went to a restaurant and had a party. We even put down a bottle of champagne for Bobby. 'Well this can be party time for City against Leeds. It can also be payback time for the marvellous City fans if their club manages to pull off a victory. It's a massive game, the most important for Joe Royle at Maine Road. 'This is also a proof game - it proves whether City are back in the big-time or not. They are without a doubt playing one of the best three Premiership teams. If City can pull this off then their fans won't care less about Manchester United and the World Club Championship in Brazil.' Allison could not help but be hurt and bewildered by City's demise - especially with one of his former play-ers Francis Lee at the sharp end as chairman. 'Francis was a great character and obviously when he took over the club he wanted City to do well,' said Allison. 'I went to watch one or two games at Maine Road and when I was walking down the stairs, he said: "Malcolm, I wish I'd been chairman when you were here.' With Big Mal in town there was never a dull minute but he senses that under Royle and Willie Donachie the good times are about to roll again. 'Willie is a tremendous coach,' said Allison. 'He played under me and although you never see coaching potential in players it's about their enthusiasm, the mentality, whether he wants to improve and work hard. He was always in the group of players who wanted to learn.' Allison can also see a formidable manager emerging at Elland Road. 'David O'Leary is a very cool man,' he said. 'He loves football and is a good professional. He is completely the opposite to someone like Brian Clough. He goes about his business quietly.'When I saw them beat Chelsea recently I thought to myself, David you've cracked it. Chelsea are a very good side but they were well beaten.' Although he acknowledges the phenomenal progress of Harry Kewell, Alan Smith, Michael Bridges and Jon Woodgate, Allison believes the experience of goalkeeper Nigel Martyn under-pins the Leeds dream. 'He is their top man. I love David Seaman at Arsenal and I don't think there's anything between them now. You ask all those youngsters who they look up to in the side and they will all say Nigel Martyn. 'The most important player is your keeper. I once begged Joe Mercer to sign Gordon Banks when Leicester were ready to sell him for £50,000 because they had Peter Shilton. 'I came back from training and I said to Joe, "Have you signed him yet? He said he'd bid £40,000. Joe was a coal miner's son and was a mean old devil. He didn't know about money. We missed out on Gordon, who joined Stoke. I reckon that cost us the Championship one year. 'I also like the look of City's young keeper Nicky Weaver. With players like him they seem to be heading in the right direction again and this tie is an opportunity to gain some national exposure.' Allison believes his old club are in with a good chance. 'It doesn't matter what warnings are given, Leeds will think this is an easier game than they have been used to - they won't be able to help it,' he said. 'There's a lot of psychology involved in cup-ties.' Not that Allison could imagine Royle copying the tactics he once used to help Crystal Palace, then in the old Third Division, humble top-flight Sunderland, Leeds and Chelsea en route to the semi-finals in 1976. 'I used to walk on the pitch, point my thumbs down and tell the home crowd they had no chance, yes ... complete with the Fedora,' he recalled. Those were the days when Big Mal was hardly ever off the telly, often exchanging views with Clough. 'Cloughie and I weren't afraid to say things because we knew the game. We knew the FA were useless, that directors were flipping hopeless - so what was wrong with saying it?' So who's going to triumph at Maine Road? 'If City start well and score in the first 30 minutes they will go on to win,' he said. That would almost certainly lead to a toast - in champagne, of course - in the Allison household. Chris Cattlin (Coventry City) Thanks to Phil Gibbs who wrote : Chris Catlin of Coventry can be found in his Rock shop on Brighton Sea Front. He managed Brighton for some time in the 80's. Thanks to Mike Newton who sent me the following three ... Ron Harris (Chelsea) runs a restaurant/country club just outside Warminster in Wiltshire. His son Mark played regularly for Warminster where his crisp tackling and high energy made him a favourite with the crowd who with great originality nicknamed him "Chopper"! Ron was often seen at the ground when his son played, in fact the first time I stood next to him I kept thinking "is it him?". It was. Geoff Butler, ex Norwich City(squad) & Sunderland manages Salisbury City and has done for years. He is very much a fixture at Salisbury and runs just about everything. Colin Sullivan (Plymouth Argyle), ex-Norwich CityLast heard of about 4 years ago running a gardening and landscaping firm in the Southampton area. Click to go to the Archive
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| Bob Dunning 27 December, 2004 |
Click for Soccer headlines at www.bobdunning.net |
