That was a Boxing Day game. I was with my dad and uncle on the Spion Kop, us kids down the front. Lewis had been roughing St John up for awhile during the game and St John lost it and delivered a hook a boxer would of been proud of, Lewis was out cold for several minutes. They met up years later and obviously it was mentioned, and both wrote about it in articles and books. My dad a big boxing fan admired the Scots punching power !Memory not the greatest but I recall him playing for Liverpool at Highfield Rd - must have been the late 60s I think. Brian Lewis clattered him with a resulting free-kick. After having treatment he got up, walked past the ball and floored Lewis (who was in the wall) and then just walked off without waiting for the ref to send him off.
That’s how I remember the sequence of events. He was a decent player for us, but was in the twilight of his career.I remember him being at Coventry (I may well be wrong) but left just after Noel Cantwell got the sack. Think he felt Cantwell had been treated unfairly and that's why he left.
This is the game I mentioned earlier. StJohn stuck one on Lewis and he was out cold for minutes. He walked off before the ref had a chance to order him off. He got off it due to what you refer to in your comments.Didn't know this story, but found it on Google. Also a reference to Shankley getting ISJ to put polish on his balls to say LEwis squeezed and bruised them. He got let off and received no suspension! RIP Ian.
December 26, 1967
Match: Football League, First Division, at Highfield Road, kick-off: 15:15.
Coventry City – Liverpool 1-1 (1-1).
Attendance: 42,209.
Referee: Mr. M.A. Fussey; linesmen: Messrs. K.V. Kelsall and K.E. Teaves.
Coventry City: Bill Glazier, Mike Kearns, Dietmar Bruck, Brian Lewis, Maurice Setters, David Clements, Gerry Baker, Ernest Machin, Bobby Gould, Ian Gibson, Ronnie Rees.
Substitution: Mick Coop for Baker after 85 min.
Liverpool: Tommy Lawrence, Chris Lawler, Gerry Byrne, Tommy Smith, Ron Yeats, Emlyn Hughes, Ian Callaghan, Roger Hunt, Tony Hateley, Ian St John, Peter Thompson.
Substitution: Geoff Strong for Hunt after 53 min.
Sent off: Ian St John (31 min.).
The goals: 0-1 Hunt (14 min., assist: Hateley), 1-1 Baker (32 min., assist: Bruck).
Images from Coventry Evening Telegraph: December 27, 1967.
I liked this tale written at the time he was at Liverpool..
There was a Methodist church in Liverpool and someone had put up an advertisement on a board outside the church: JESUS SAVES!. By the next morning there was a piece of graffiti added to the notice by an anonymous Liverpool supporter: St JOHN SCORES ON THE REBOUND!
That’s how I remember the sequence of events. He was a decent player for us, but was in the twilight of his career.
My recollection exactly and thought he was a big influence in the dressing room. However, he was clearly upset with how Noel Cantwell was exited.Memory might be playing tricks on me, but when Cantwell got the sack a lot of people thought St John would be offered the job and was surprised when he left so quickly after Cantwell.
Amazing photo.Didn't know this story, but found it on Google. Also a reference to Shankley getting ISJ to put polish on his balls to say LEwis squeezed and bruised them. He got let off and received no suspension! RIP Ian.
December 26, 1967
Match: Football League, First Division, at Highfield Road, kick-off: 15:15.
Coventry City – Liverpool 1-1 (1-1).
Attendance: 42,209.
Referee: Mr. M.A. Fussey; linesmen: Messrs. K.V. Kelsall and K.E. Teaves.
Coventry City: Bill Glazier, Mike Kearns, Dietmar Bruck, Brian Lewis, Maurice Setters, David Clements, Gerry Baker, Ernest Machin, Bobby Gould, Ian Gibson, Ronnie Rees.
Substitution: Mick Coop for Baker after 85 min.
Liverpool: Tommy Lawrence, Chris Lawler, Gerry Byrne, Tommy Smith, Ron Yeats, Emlyn Hughes, Ian Callaghan, Roger Hunt, Tony Hateley, Ian St John, Peter Thompson.
Substitution: Geoff Strong for Hunt after 53 min.
Sent off: Ian St John (31 min.).
The goals: 0-1 Hunt (14 min., assist: Hateley), 1-1 Baker (32 min., assist: Bruck).
Images from Coventry Evening Telegraph: December 27, 1967.
I figured Tommy Hutch and ?? Then I noticed your user name. Doh!My recollection exactly and thought he was a big influence in the dressing room. However, he was clearly upset with how Noel Cantwell was exited.
On the plus we began the Mercer & Milne period with two awesome signings to kick off with.....I do also wonder what would have happened if Brian Clough have made his verbal acceptance of the managers job into a formal contract