Jim's column 13.10.2012

                                                        Stan Smith

                   

It is sad to report the death of former Coventry City player Stan Smith who passed away last Saturday at the age of 87.

Born in Coventry on 24 February 1925 Stan attended South Street School and Cheylesmore School and was a talented rugby player as well as excelling at the round ball game. In 1942, aged 17, whilst playing for Nuffield Mechanisation, he was spotted by a Coventry City scout and invited to play a couple of wartime games for the club. With many first team players in the armed forces the club often played promising youngsters from local football and Stan did not disappoint, playing right half in home victories over Walsall & Northampton Town.

Stan’s cousin, Rob Smith, told me about Stan’s wartime experience. Stan joined the Navy in 1943 and trained as a telegraphist or ‘spark’. He was on board the American-built aircraft carrier HMS Nabob on escort duties in the North Atlantic escorting troop and cargo convoys. After further duties in the North Sea supporting coastal attacks on Norway, HMS Nabob was assigned to find and sink the German super battleship Tirpitz (Operation Goodwood). On August 22nd 1944 while returning from a strike on Tirpitz, HMS Nabob was torpedoed by a German U-boat in the Barents Sea and sustained heavy damaged with 21 killed and many injured. In spite of a further attack by the same U-boat she managed to steam into Scapa Flow under her own power, however the ship was judged not worth repairing and was decommissioned.

Stan then joined HMS Hunter and took part in the reoccupation of Malaya and Singapore from the Japanese. In particular she provided air support in the Andaman Sea hunting the cruiser Haguro, one of the last surviving major Japanese warships, which was eventually sunk off Sumatra trying to return to Singapore.  HMS Hunter entered Singapore harbour on September 10th 1945 and Stan fondly told the story that he was the telegraphist who took the message that the Japanese had surrendered and was given the honour of personally informing the captain.
  

On demob from the Navy Stan signed professional forms with City but could not break into the first team owing to the form of right-half Jack Snape. Then on 10 September 1947 he got his first team debut in a 1-3 defeat at West Brom and made 27 first team appearances in Billy Frith’s Second Division side that season, either at right or left-half. During that time he faced some of the top players of the era including Len Shackleton and Jackie Milburn (Newcastle) and Alf Ramsey (Southampton). His cousin Rob tells me that Stan told the story of his meeting with Shackleton, one of the most talented players of the period. ‘Shack’, who had been shadowed everywhere by Smith went up to Stan at the final whistle and said: ‘I’m going to have a bath now, are you going to follow me in there too?’

Stan only made four appearances the following season but was a regular in a strong reserve team until 1950 when he joined Swansea Town. He failed to win a place at Vetch Field and was soon reunited with his old City boss Billy Frith who was manager at Stafford Rangers. In early 1951 however he was back in the Coventry area and signing for Nuneaton Borough. Over the next four years he made around 150 appearances for Borough and he was captain of the side that pulled off a major FA Cup shock in 1953, defeating Third Division Watford 3-0. In the next round they held QPR to a 1-1 draw at Loftus Road but lost the replay 1-2 at Manor Park in front of 13,000 fans. Later that season Stan returned to Highfield Road as ‘Boro’ were guests in a floodlight friendly, losing 0-4. His final game for the ‘Boro’ was in 1955 when he suffered concussion in a game against Brierley Hill. It is believed he may have played for Bedworth Town after this time.

In later years Stan became an FA Coach and had success at Nuneaton, Coventry City (with the B & C teams) and coached on many FA courses. He also qualified as a physiotherapist and ran a practice from his home for many years as well as continuing his involvement with local football.  He leaves a widow Stella. Stan’s funeral is to be held at Canley Crematorium on Monday 22 October at 1.30 pm. Many thanks to Rob Smith and Scott Renshaw for their help in piecing together Stan’s life.

According to Geoff Moore Bournemouth goalkeeper David James became the oldest player to appear at the Ricoh Arena last Saturday. James, who was 42 in August, beats the previous record holder Teddy Sheringham, who was 41 when he played (and was sent off) for Colchester in 2007. Despite playing most of his career in the top division James has played against the Sky Blues on 20 occasions with five different clubs (Liverpool, Aston Villa, West Ham, Bristol City & Bournemouth). Amazingly he was on the losing side against City at Anfield on three occasions, most memorably in 1995 when Peter Ndlovu scored a hat-trick and in 1997 when his failure to catch two corners resulted in late goals for Dublin & Whelan. He was also in goal for Villa on the day that City were relegated from the Premiership in 2001. James, who started his career Watford actually appeared at Highfield Road in 1985 in a Youth Cup game for the Hornets.

The Sky Blues safely overcame York City in the Johnstone Paints Trophy, winning 4-0 at Bootham Crescent, the first time they have scored four goals in a game since October 2008 when they defeated Southampton 4-1 at the Ricoh.