JIM'S COLUMN 17.4.10 Charlie Timmins R I P

It is sad to report the death earlier this week of former Coventry City player Charlie Timmins (pictured above, right, with Gordon Nutt). Birmingham-born Charlie died on Tuesday 13 April, aged 87, after a fight with cancer.

After many years away from Coventry he had in recent years become a regular visitor at City home games with his son and grandson, Stephen, and brightened up the Legends Lounge with his impish sense of humour. He was a regular attendee at the Former Players’ Legends Day and loved mixing with his former City teammates.

A few years ago I had the pleasure of meeting Charlie and his family when I gave them a tour of the new stadium. Charlie could hardly believe his eyes at the facilities available at the Ricoh and spent more than hour with me reminiscing about his tn happy years at Highfield Road from 1948-58.

Charlie’s memory that day was remarkable. We talked about a famous game in the 1950-51 season when City beat Blackburn 6-1 to go top of Division Two – and he was able to rattle off the names of nine of the City team. He also remembered the day Preston North End, then a top First Division side, including the legendary Tom Finney, came to Highfield Road. It was in January 1956 and with both teams out of the FA Cup a hastily arranged friendly took place. Finney was at the time one of the top players in Britain, if not Europe, and he gave Charlie a real chasing in the mud. Charlie described the experience: ‘Finney played on the right wing that day but his left foot was stronger and whilst I could get close to most wingers, he was unorthodox and so fast. I was puffed out at half-time and the manager George Raynor had to switch Frank Austin and I to give me a breather. At the end I didn’t have enough energy to shake his hand”.


Charlie did service in the Royal Engineers in the war and was playing for a Birmingham non-league side, Jack Moulds Athletic, when City spotted him. ‘I was 27-years old and working at the Morris in Birmingham with no thought of playing football professionally. One night there was a knock on the front door and a chap called Harry Storer was there, saying he wanted to sign me for Coventry City. I played a game for the reserves on the first day of the season in August 1949. We won and I was picked for the first team game at Luton four days later. We lost 0-2 but Storer was pleased with me.’

Charlie played 23 times that season, at either right or left back and helped the Bantams to an eight-game unbeaten end to the season, lifting any relegation worries. The next season he was a regular as the team set the pace at the top of the Second Division. Promotion looked a strong possibility until the New Year when the team stuttered and finished seventh. Charlie showed me his press cuttings and his outstanding performances that season prompted the media to tip him for international honours with a big money move to Newcastle mooted at one time.

A loss of form cost him his place the following season and with City’s ageing team suddenly looking tired the team were relegated to Division Three. Charlie played a total of 165 games for the club between 1949 and 1958 and scored five goals for City, four of them penalties. He played under six managers Storer, Jack Fairbrother, Jesse Carver, Raynor, Harry Warren and Billy Frith. His only outfield goal came on Christmas Eve 1955 in a 5-3 win over Norwich. His final game was a 0-0 home draw with Brentford in February 1958. He was released at the age of 36 and joined Lockheed Leamington, managed by former City colleague Les Latham.

Charlie remembers travelling to Coventry from Birmingham every day for training on the Midland Red 159 bus with other Brum-based players like George Mason, Martin McDonnell, Gordon Nutt and Don Dorman. ‘Very few players could afford a car in those days and we had great fun on the bus every day. When I joined Lockheed I used to cycle to Olton station and catch the train to Leamington, taking my bike with me. At Leamington I would cycle up Tachbrook Road to the Windmill Ground in time for the kick-off.’

After hanging up his boots he went back into the motor industry and joined Rover at Solihull in the Car despatch division where he spent 28 happy years before retiring in 1986 continuing to live in the Sparkhill district. Charlie was a great supporter of the Former Players Association from its inception three years ago and the Association committee and members have asked me to express their condolences to Charlie’s family.

In turn the Timmins family would be very happy to see any Coventry City fans at the funeral which takes place next Wednesday (21 April) at 11.30 at Yardley Crematorium, Yardley, Birmingham and afterwards at the Westley Arms in Acocks Green.

The Former Players Association is running transport to the funeral and anybody who would like a lift can contact Bob Eales on 07795 283955.

Last week’s appeal on behalf of Bob Weeks and the picture of the Midland (Coventry) Telegraph Cup winners of 1908 prompted a couple of replies. Gordon Rouse is vice-chairman of the Telegraph Cup committee and revealed that Great Heath were the winners of the trophy in 1908. Fellow historian Mike Young was able to provide me with some more information:

Foleshill Great Heath (as they were known) beat Leamington Town 4-3 in the 1907-08 Final of the Midland Daily Telegraph Cup after beating Exhall Colliery 4-1 in Round 1; Budbrooke 6-0 in Round 2; Nuneaton Wanderers in Round 3; and Lord Street 3-2 after extra time in the Semi Finals.

It was so predictable that I wish I had put money on Richard Cresswell to score for Sheffield United last Saturday at Bramall Lane. His eighth goal in 12 appearances against City since 2001 makes him the highest scorer against Coventry since they left the Premiership. Cresswell has a pretty good record in the Championship but it is interesting to note that in his one recent season in the top division, with Stoke last year, he failed to find the net in 29 appearances.

Cresswell prediction spot-on

Sheffield United's Richard Cresswell duly scored the winning goal at Bramall Lane as the Sky Blues made it eight games without a win. It was Cresswell's eighth goal against the Sky Blues since 2001, making him the leading scorer against City in that time.

JIM'S COLUMN 10.4.10

Two weeks ago I reported the sad passing away of former City goalkeeper Charlie Ashcroft. Dave Walker of Allesley Park remembers Charlie for one of the most bizarre own goals of all time. In what was only Charlie’s third game for the City he was a member of the team getting a going over at Northampton Town’s County Ground – not an unusual occurrence back in the 1950s. City were 2-0 down after 35 minutes to the Cobblers when as the Coventry Telegraph match report describes it: ‘With all the field in which to place a harmless clearance Ashcroft weakly kicked the ball against the back of the unsuspecting (Roy) Kirk’s head and had the mortification of seeing his effort rebound 14 yards into an empty net’. The Cobblers scored another goal just after half-time and ran out 4-0 winners.

I also reported the death of another player from the 1950s, Charlie Dutton. Terry Hough sent me a lovely email. As a good friend of Charlie when he first came to Coventry, he was shocked to read that Dutton had passed away. They became good friends in the Fitting Shop at Binley Colliery where Terry was working, and as Charlie had previously worked in a colliery in his native Staffordshire the club fixed up a job at Binley for him.

Terry was best man at Charlie’s wedding but they lost touch after Charlie left City and moved away from Coventry. Terry played football for the Binley Welfare team in the Coventry & North Warwickshire league in the early 60s and remembers playing against Bobby Gould, Dudley Roberts and Mick Coop when they played for Modern Machine Tools who were the Coventry City junior side in that league.

George Hudson’s reappearance at Legends Day and his appearance on BBC CWR prompted Keith Ballantyne to ask if George ever scored against the Sky Blues for Tranmere Rovers. He did Keith, in an FA Cup Fourth Round replay at Prenton Park in 1968. City were held to a draw by Rovers at Highfield Road and in the replay Hudson and fellow striker George Yardley scored first half goals to send the Third Division side through to a plum tie with Everton in round five. George played for Tranmere for almost three years before hanging up his boots.

Gareth Robinson asked who played in goal for the Sky Blues during the 1994-95 and 1995-96 seasons. City's goalkeepers for those two seasons were:

1994-95
Ogrizovic 33 league games
Jonathan Gould 7
John Filan 2

1995-96
Ogrizovic 25
Filan 13

Oggy’s appearance total was lower than usual owing to the broken leg he suffered in a friendly at Northampton in 1995. Gould and the Australian Filan filled the position until Oggy was fit to resume in the autumn of 1995.

Bob Weeks has obtained a picture of the Midland (Coventry) Telegraph Cup winners of 1908 but there is no mention of the name of the team. He was wondering if any readers know the winners of the competition for that year. Amongst the players featured are R W Arnold, E O Shanks, Joseph Tedds, T Garratt and trainer W Wright. Perhaps the current trophy has a list of winners inscribed on it.

Finally City must be glad to see the back of Reading striker Grzegorz Rasiak for another season. The Pole notched his seventh goal against the Sky Blues in the last four seasons. Since arriving at Derby in 2004 he has scored in all six games he has started against City for Derby (1), Southampton (2), Watford (1) and Reading (3). The only time he failed to net was when he came on as a substitute for Southampton. His seventh goal on Monday means he pulls level with Pablo Counago and Richard Cresswell as the highest scorers against Coventry since they left the Premiership in 2001. Today City are likely to face Cresswell at Bramall Lane – who would bet against Cresswell scoring!

Coventry City Former Players' Database now live

My Coventry City players' database is now live. Search for any player who has appeared for the first team since 1919 and discover the number of games played, goals scored, who they were signed from and sold to, where they were born and who they made their debut against and when.

It is hoped to add profiles and pictures over the coming months. Some are already there.

www.ccfpa.co.uk/?page_id=93

JIM'S COLUMN 3.4.10 Another successful Legends Day

Last Saturday’s Legend’s Day was another massive success but I’m sorry to say I was unable to attend due to some family issues. Mike Young, a fellow committee member has however given me a full report on a great day for our former heroes, and Tony Thomas our resident photographer has again produced some memorable images of the day.

Numbers were slightly down on last year but quality was in big supply with Tommy Hutch, Willie Carr, Roy Barry, Ian Wallace and Ernie Hunt leading the charge of top players from the 1970s. These guys really know how to enjoy themselves and you can begin to understand the problems that managers like Noel Cantwell and Gordon Milne had in controlling themselves. Barry and Wallace made the long trek from their homes in Scotland with ‘Wally’ struggling on crutches but both had a great time and are great ambassadors for the Former Players Association.

Tommy Hutch vied with the legendary George Hudson for the biggest cheer in the Eon lounge at lunchtime but by all accounts Tom got the biggest cheer on the pitch at half-time. ‘The Hud’ as many fans called him in his heyday, presented Joe Elliott with a signed 1960s City number 9 shirt on behalf of the committee for all the fantastic work Joe has done in supporting the association since its inception.

The oldest guest was Trevor Lewis who is 90 next January and made his debut for City back in 1948 and is very sprightly for his age. The youngest was 33-year old Claus Jorgensen who was still playing league football last season. In between those two, all eras were represented. Two new members made their first appearance at an FPA event, Graham Newton and Ian Goodwin. Neither of them were at the club too long but both were remembered by their former team mates and thoroughly enjoyed the reunion. Their appearance reminds us that all former first team players are welcome at games and events, whether they played one game or five hundred. They are all part of the football club’s fine history.

Mike tells me everything went like clockwork with the players receiving a rapturous reception from the crowd at half-time. A number of people have asked why they didn’t do a lap of honour and the reason is that last year the lap took so long that there were still former players on the perimeter when the second half kicked off and the club risked a fine if there had been a repeat. The fans however had their opportunity to meet and mingle with the former heroes after the game when they were guests of the key men at G-Casino, Quinton Korsma and Paul Davis. Quinton and Paul have been enormously supportive of the FPA this season and a post-match trip to the Casino has become a regular event for all guests at home games. A video clip of the goings-on in the casino and pictures of the day can be found on the association’s website www.ccfpa.co.uk

On a personal note I would like to thank the hard-working committee who put in many hours of work to make sure it all worked well on the day. Apparently Bob Eales excelled himself with his speech and Billy Bell kept everyone on their toes with his humour, although a little bird tells me he failed to turn up for breakfast at Roy Barry’s hotel – he forgot to put his clock forward!

All in all it was another successful Legends Day and ensures that the club’s glorious past is remembered through their former players.

One former player missing last Saturday was Charlie Timmins. The 87-year old former captain and full-back is quite poorly at the minute and he was sorely missed by his contemporaries. Birmingham-based Charlie has become a regular at the Ricoh since the association was formed and all his friends wish him well and are thinking of him.

Charlie Ashcroft R.I.P

                                  Charlie Ashcroft who died recently

JIM'S COLUMN 27.3.10 Two stars of the 1950s pass away

                                                                  Charlie Dutton

Today is Legends Day at the Ricoh Arena, the fourth year running that the Former Players Association have organised a major reunion of ex-Coventry City players. Around 40 former players will be entertained to lunch in the Eon lounge and then will be presented on the pitch at half-time. Players representing seven decades will be present stretching from 89-year old Trevor Lewis who made his debut in 1948 through to Claus Jorgensen who scored the first ever goal at the Ricoh in 2005. If you’re going to the game today I encourage you to stay in your seat at half-time and give the Legends a great ovation to celebrate our heritage.

After the game, around 5.30 the ex-players will be guests of the G-Casino and mingling with fans in the casino. The casino have been immensely supportive to the FPA this season and every home game has seen a former player making an appearance there. Thanks go to the key men at G-Casino Quinton Korsma and Paul Davis.

This week I received the sad news that two former City players from the 1950s died recently. Former goalkeeper Charlie Ashcroft passed away, aged 83 earlier this month and another Charlie, Dutton, died aged 75, last October but news of his passing has only just reached me.

As a twelve-year old Chorley-born Charlie was already six feet tall and the natural choice to play in goal at school. Liverpool spotted him playing for Eccleston Juniors in the Preston & District League. His full debut for Liverpool was a 7-4 win over Chelsea in September 1946 and he went on to make 89 appearances over nine years for the Reds as well as winning an England B cap.

He joined Ipswich Town and played under Alf Ramsey but after two seasons at Portman Road manager Harry Warren signed the six-foot two-inch keeper for City in 1957. He had previously broken an arm, which had not healed properly and he could not straighten it properly. Poor Charlie was on a hiding to nothing at Highfield Road, having to replace the famous Reg Matthews especially during one of the club’s worst post-war seasons. He started the season as first-choice keeper but in the fourth game of the season, a home defeat to Newport County, he was badly at fault for one of Newport’s two goals. The Newport winger, Thomas, handled the ball which ran loose to Ashcroft. City players appealed for the free-kick but the referee waved play on as City had the advantage. Then Charlie, obviously thinking he had awarded the free-kick, inexplicably threw it straight to Thomas who gleefully lobbed it into the goal. After the game a fuming Ashcroft and several other City players were adamant they had heard a whistle.

In the following game Ashcroft was dropped and replaced by 17-year old Graham Spratt. Soon afterwards manager Warren was sacked and replaced by Billy Frith and after a horrendous 7-1 defeat at Southampton in February 1958 Charlie was recalled for the shell-shocked Spratt as the team slid towards Division Four. He played in most of the remaining games that season before being transfer-listed in the summer, joining Chorley where he played for four years. He worked at the Royal Ordnance factory at Euxton and lived in Eccleston,near Chorley, where he built his own house. A keen cricketer, he was playing cricket at the age of 56.

Charlie Dutton was a crowd-pleasing centre forward signed by manager Harry Storer from Derby County as an 18-year old in 1952. Storer loaned him out to Rugby Town almost immediately and he scored prolifically for the non-league side including five goals in one game against Sutton Town. He scored on his City debut in a 2-0 victory over Bournemouth in September 1953 and a week later scored the winner in a 2-1 victory at Millwall. Despite three goals in six games he was back in the reserves when regular centre-forward Eddie Brown was fit. That tended to be the story of Dutton’s career at Coventry. When he left to join Northampton in March 1956 he had made 28 appearances and scored nine goals.

His stay at Northampton was short and he was soon at Lockheed Leamington where he found his scoring boots and later enjoyed a successful career in non-league football with Bedworth, Rugby, Hinckley Town and Brereton Social. Charlie spent his later years back in his home town of Rugeley but died after a long fight against Motor Neurone Disease.