Geoff Sidebottom

[el punal]

This is one for the old duffers amongst us. Does anyone remember a friendly against Birmingham City at the end of 1971/72 season?

I was discussing this with a friend recently. He stated that it was a testimonial match for the Albion goalie Geoff Sidebottom.

What puzzles me is that Geoff moved to Birmingham, along with manager Freddie Goodwin, in 1970 and was only on the Albion books for a short time. I was under the assumption that to qualify for a testimonial you had to represent a club for ten years. Can anyone shed any light on this?

P.S. A very young Trevor Francis played for Brum that day, aged 16!

 

[Hiney]

Full scan here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/75238685@N02/sets/72157641060533714/show

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Geoff was always the more talented of the Sidebottom brothers

 

[el punal]

Full scan here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/75238685@N02/sets/72157641060533714/show

That answers everything, thanks for that! Memory playing tricks again!

 

[Hiney]

He was granted a Testimonial after being forced to retire after a series of head injuries.

 

[severnside gull]

He was granted a Testimonial after being forced to retire after a series of head injuries.

Beat me to it.

Edit: not sure he was ever at Birmingham but we played them because Freddie offered his team. Geoff had played for Freddie in the States before both came to us I think?

 

[bobby baxter]

He was granted a Testimonial after being forced to retire after a series of head injuries.

I remember him collapsing in the goalmouth during a game at the Goldstone.
Good keeper in his day.

 

[Not Andy Naylor]

I remember there was some Hove Grammar School event (swimming gala?) that evening that clashed with the match and we were warned that bunking off would be viewed with the utmost seriousness. I had to develop the symptoms of my, er heavy cold days in advance to make my absence believable.

 

[Alex Alex Dawson oo! oo!]

I remember there was some Hove Grammar School event (swimming gala?) that evening that clashed with the match and we were warned that bunking off would be viewed with the utmost seriousness. I had to develop the symptoms of my, er heavy cold days in advance to make my absence believable.

Wasn't it a Speech Day Nick? Although perhaps that was the Wolves LC game with Derek Dougan et al after which some of us ended up with a detention or two.

 

[Dorset Seagull]

I remember there was some Hove Grammar School event (swimming gala?) that evening that clashed with the match and we were warned that bunking off would be viewed with the utmost seriousness. I had to develop the symptoms of my, er heavy cold days in advance to make my absence believable.

That was the year I left HGS at age 15 so our paths may have crossed, unless you were one of the young scrotes I threw down the bank when you joined!

 

[severnside gull]

I remember there was some Hove Grammar School event (swimming gala?) that evening that clashed with the match and we were warned that bunking off would be viewed with the utmost seriousness. I had to develop the symptoms of my, er heavy cold days in advance to make my absence believable.

Thank heaven I had left by then. Tabby (deputy head in my day) would not have been happy. He had a particular style when applying the cane where both feet left the ground and the tip of the cane whipped round to the front - would've got a red card nowadays! Ouch!

 

[Lifelong Supporter]

Yes it was Geoff or Brian Powney for keeper. Geoff suffered injury in a game but continued and then collapsed in the goalmouth before leaving the pitch (no goalkeeping substitutes then). I was there. He never fully recovered and therefore lost his trade/profession, hence the testimonial. I was in those days when his wage would have not been far removed from the average weekly wage.

 

[Return of the Rev]

This is one for the old duffers amongst us. Does anyone remember a friendly against Birmingham City at the end of 1971/72 season?

I was discussing this with a friend recently. He stated that it was a testimonial match for the Albion goalie Geoff Sidebottom.

What puzzles me is that Geoff moved to Birmingham, along with manager Freddie Goodwin, in 1970 and was only on the Albion books for a short time. I was under the assumption that to qualify for a testimonial you had to represent a club for ten years. Can anyone shed any light on this?

P.S. A very young Trevor Francis played for Brum that day, aged 16!

2-2 draw tommy steele scored a pen with a little white ball

 

[BensGrandad]

Didnt his head injuries come from him hitting his head on a post in a game..

 

[Prince Monolulu]

2-2 draw Tommy Steele scored a pen with a little white ball

Turned on half-a-sixpence if I recall

 

[Hiney]

Beat me to it.

Edit: not sure he was ever at Birmingham but we played them because Freddie offered his team. Geoff had played for Freddie in the States before both came to us I think?

From Tim Carder's Albion player BIBLE.

Geoffplayed for Wolves and Aston Villa, before moving to Scunthorpe United, where Freddie Goodwin had taken over as Manager. He made 59 appearances then rejoined Goodwin at New York Generals, before moving to The Goldstone on a free, 2 months after Goodwin's appointment here. he made a total of 34 appearances for us.

 

[Return of the Rev]

Turned on half-a-sixpence if I recall

that would have made a good photograph!

 

[Hiney]

Didnt his head injuries come from him hitting his head on a post in a game..

The original injury came from diving at a player's feet in 1969, but in October 1970, he did further damage when he collided with a post in a reserve match.

 

[timbha]

that would have made a good photograph!

flash, bang, wallop what a picture

 

[KNC]

The original injury came from diving at a player's feet in 1969, but in October 1970, he did further damage when he collided with a post in a reserve match.

Blimey, was that 1969. I can remember it well. North Stand goal. As you say, went among the boots AND got the ball.
He was a very competent goalie, was Geoff.