Last Minute Goal Foils Ireland

[REDOXO]

There was The British Lion beaten, bewildered and bedraggled surrounded by 47600 wildly shouting Irish supporters already heralding the greatest victory in the history of Ireland as the official 45 minutes of the second half at Dalymont Park yesterday ticked into seconds of lost time allowed for injuries. Then with one swish of the claws that had been sheather for so long in this game England escaped from the tentacles of defeat and with a 45 minute and 15 seconds goal by ATYEO, went on the way to the World Cup competition proper in Sweeden next year .

The opening paragraph of the Irish Independent Monday May 20th 1957.

A friend of mine in a bar in the West Chicago Suburbs gave me a copy of the paper that day last night as he new I was a City fan and his dad was an Editor of the paper that day

Amazing thought that not only did John score the goal that took England to the 58 World Cup but he was left out of the squad that went because he was not a Full-Time pro.

England Team: Hodgkinson Hall Byrne Clayton Wright Edwards Finney Atyeo Taylor Haynes Peg

I'm not quite old enough to remember John Atyeo as a player, but I'm sure there are many that are on this forum, anyone care to share some memories?

[22A]

In the legends section of the ziderheads forum, I posted this on their thread about Big John

Atyeo did actually experience 1st Division football. He was on Pompey's books as an amateur and played in two league games for them at the end of the 50/51 season.

The 19 year old Atyeo had the chance to sign pro papers with Pompey and they offered him a place on a foreign tour the club was making. Harry Dolman knew John's father and so went down to try and sign him for City. Outside the house Dolman saw a car belonging to Bert Tann the Rover's manager! Harry waited for his interview and entered into a contract with the family.

1 He would always be on top wages.

2. He would be allowed to live at home and attend training on Tuesdays & Thursdays.

3. He would be allowed to drive a car to Bristol for traing sessions.

4. A �100 donation would be made to Westbury United.

5. A first team friendly would be played at Westbury.

6. City would not put John on the transfer list without his father's consent.

November 53 Liverpool offered £20,000 plus two players.

January 55 with promotion looking good, Atyeo was asked to attend training 4 times a week. He was picked for England U21s v Italy and later played against Scotland scoring in each game.

30 Nov 55 he was selected for the full England team v Spain and he scored after 11 minutes. Against Brazil he missed a penalty. After a goal less draw in Stockholm he was dropped by England, but he was recalled for three World Cup qualifiers. He scored twice against Ireland in a 5-1 win and once in Denmark as England won 4-1. England neded a point to qualify for the 1958 World Cup but played badly and were losing 1-0. In the final minute the ball came over, Atyeo leapt high and buried it in the net. He had scored 5 goals in 6 games and had never been on a losing side, but he never played for England again.

City had supplied the centre forward of both teams in the games v Ireland; Atyeo for England & Dermot Curtis for Ireland.

[luke_bristol]

He had scored 5 goals in 6 games and had never been on a losing side, but he never played for England again.

This has always angered me even though it's decades before I was born!