Special feature on the Coventry Observer website:
http://www.coventryobserver.co.uk/2...ries-admits-he-didnt-want-to-sign-100613.html
http://www.coventryobserver.co.uk/2...ries-admits-he-didnt-want-to-sign-100613.html
City legend Willie Humphries admits he didn't want to join the club... (3 Viewers)
- Thread starter Mo Konjic
- Start date
Thanks for putting this up. Willie was brilliant. Think I've still got my little plastic sky blue star badge with his face on it in a box somewhere. He was my favourite as a kid.
We were robbed in that Quarter final against Man United. A perfectly good goal ruled out. Could've done with goal line technology back then.
Willie had a long career and spent years at Swansea after us.
A copy of that photo of our new 1962 forward line, Laverick, Whitehouse, Bly, Barr and Humphries with Jimmy Hill, hangs in pride of place here.
Very happy days.
We were robbed in that Quarter final against Man United. A perfectly good goal ruled out. Could've done with goal line technology back then.
Willie had a long career and spent years at Swansea after us.
A copy of that photo of our new 1962 forward line, Laverick, Whitehouse, Bly, Barr and Humphries with Jimmy Hill, hangs in pride of place here.
Very happy days.
Thanks for that. Was going to ask who the others were in the photo.....a little before my time.
Otis
Well-Known Member
No, your not wrong. It is indeed JH.The guy with the beard is Jimmy Hill I think.
I may be wrong there though.
bringbackrattles
Well-Known Member
Lucky enough to watch Willie Humphries lots of time back in the 60's,he was tricky and a great crosser of the ball.
Him on one wing Rees on the other great days !
Him on one wing Rees on the other great days !
For anyone interested the players are Jimmy Whitehouse, got him from Reading. He was a very good signing. Scored goals. Humphries, Hugh Barr. We got him from Linfield. He actually played part time I understand. Was a schoolteacher too. We had another teacher on the books at the same time, Bryn Allen. Barr also did well scored goals. He and Humphries played for N.Ireland at Wembley shortly after. Then of course Terry Bly. Absolutely prolific old style centre forward. 25 goals in 32 games for us that season. But along came George Hudson. Bly died about two years ago. And on the right, Bobby Laverick. Lasted four or five games, didn't cut it and was replaced by 18 year old Ronnie Rees. Laverick was highly rated. Had played for Everton and Brighton. But somehow didn't click here. Left for Corby Town. But in came Ronnie Rees. True City legend.
& of course, the bloke with the beard. Whatever happened to him?
& of course, the bloke with the beard. Whatever happened to him?
bringbackrattles
Well-Known Member
Thanks for that information.I started my journey following the City back in the 60's so what a great time to start. My first game was the Kings Lynn defeat !
But that was just a blip as we went on a roll as you will know.My favourite players were Hudson,Humphries,Rees,Curtis, and later on Neil Martin and Gibbo. Great memories.
Bringbackrattles, funny I can remember those days better than today. But just to remind me I have all the books on City. I was just a year or so before you. 1959. Can vaguely recall some of it. Rain on the Kop mostly. But where you came in was the best point. Jimmy Hill got us really going didn't he. We were in the news all the time, so it seemed. The Hud and Gibbo. Real footballers. And Martin's goals helped us out in those early top division seasons. Just a pity JH didn't stay. Our history would've been so much different.
rightumpty
New Member
Absolute legend.
rightumpty
New Member
I can also remember these players and the era in which they played. And 12000+ fans going to Port Vale etc. Wonderful days never to return sadly.
bringbackrattles
Well-Known Member
I've mentioned it before on here but if you missed it here goes again !I used to go with my mates to Norton Hill where the City players were living and us kids would stand outside staring at George Hudson's house hoping he'd see us.And one day he was sat reading the paper so we shouted at him.Me being a bit more cocky waved at him and he came out !he was great giving us his autograph and chatting.We also cycled to Shilton where they trained and Jimmy Hill gave me a ball,what a day that was !
My dad was so chuffed at what I'd done and my mates as that ball was used over the fields like we were playing at Highfield Road.How do you forget times like that ?
covcity4life
Well-Known Member
if we get back to ricoh willie wont get a true sky blue comfy seat!
Yes, that Port Vale game. Wasn't it at Easter. George Kirby made his debut if I remember right. Thousands of us City fans. And I think we played the return match the next day! But the City fans at away games now make a racket. In the main good fans. Though I don't do standing up at games these days. Sit on the side and rattle my jewelry!
bringbackrattles
Well-Known Member
Snoz no never at GEC just at Shilton.I lived in Walsgrave and then you could walk or bike it to Shilton,we would be there often in the holidays with our autograph books.I heard Willie did live in Norton Hill but never got to see him,but the day the Hud came out was a kids dream come true.I used to clean Ernie Machins windows when he lived on Ansty Road,his missus would make cups of tea and we'd chat about the City.I've been lucky in getting to talk to my heroes !
rupert_bear
Well-Known Member
Willie Humphries and Ronnie Rees were the best wingers outside the top division. Both were regular international platers remember in Humphries case a young Georgie Best was making his mark and for Wales Tottenham's Cliff Jones was said to be the best winger around at the time
rupert_bear
Well-Known Member
Great days and people don't believe you when you tell them how many travelled to away games, hardly any motorways in those days either.. On you tube theres highlites of a Cov game at Huddersfield showing Cov fans packed in both ends
rupert_bear
Well-Known Member
Not enough credit is given to Rees for his lnput into that quality side, Laverick was rubbish but along came this little kid from nowhere. an opposite type of winger to Humphries and gave us great balance. He starred in all three divisions too and left us far too early in my opinion to play and star for West Brom and Forest, both decent sides at the time especially Albion, in the days of Jeff Astle, "bomber" Brown and Bobby Hope
Yes he's a real City legend if ever there was one. Think a lot of people were surprised when he left. Think it was the club balancing the books. Brought in Ernie Hunt, Ernie Hannigan, Maurice Setters, Chris Cattlin - so Cantwell sold him. Hannigan never did a lot and was a poor replacement. So Ronnie only played one season in the top division for us. My memory of the Cantwell period was not many goals. He made us harder to beat, but it was nothing like the gung ho Jimmy Hill style.
bringbackrattles
Well-Known Member
I once told my youngest son about how big our crowds were back in the sixties and as he only had seen low crowds he didn't believe me.I had to get my books out and show him,he was impressed then.The average was 28,000 in the Jimmy Hill era,not bad for a third division club,hang on a minute that's what we are now !
rupert_bear
Well-Known Member
I think it was Cantwell just trying to make his mark here he also sold Dave Clements, John Tudor, Bobby Gould, Graham Padden all went on to become decent top flight players for years, a terrible choice as manager just about as opposite to Jimmy Hill you could get.
pw362
Well-Known Member
To be fair we did qualify for Europe with him as manager