Jump to content
IGNORED

Atyeo - 20 Years


Forza Revolution

Recommended Posts

6 games for England and 5 goals, but wasn't picked again? Any ideas why?

My Dad reckoned Atyeo would have played earlier for England, but until 54-55 were in the 3rd div and England couldn't have a player of that level play for them. Presumably John didn't play more for England was his fear of flying.

For the game v Spain, the forward line was Tom Finney, Big John, Nat Lofthouse, Johnny Haynes and Bill Perry. (Yes kids - 5 forwards)!

Against Brazil he partnered Stan Matthews.

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, nut 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.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My Dad reckoned Atyeo would have played earlier for England, but until 54-55 were in the 3rd div and England couldn't have a player of that level play for them. Presumably John didn't play more for England was his fear of flying.

For the game v Spain, the forward line was Tom Finney, Big John, Nat Lofthouse, Johnny Haynes and Bill Perry. (Yes kids - 5 forwards)!

Against Brazil he partnered Stan Matthews.

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, nut 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.

I think I'm unusual in looking back at John Atyeo's career with a little sadness. He had the potential to achieve so much, but in the end for his own reasons he might be regarded as having wasted his huge talent. He could have become an international legend, and played at the highest level for years, but chose not to do so. I'm sure he had his reasons for this, but I can't help feel that he shouldn't have ended up playing so many games for us, but should have been in the top division, or in Italy or Spain (and there were offers for him from the world's top clubs at the time). What he did for us was fantastic, but how many people outside Bristol remember his name? Can't help feel it's a case of what might have been. Reading the biography of him only reinforced this view, I'm afraid.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As many people on here have said, the word 'legend' is thrown about and attached to players too easily.

This guy was a genuine Bristol City legend. His record speaks for itself and he played alongside some true giants of our game for his country.

I know sponsorship deals help clubs significantly but i was just a bit gutted that we had to call his stand the Carling Atyeo Stand for a good while, just didn't sound or feel appropriate.

John Atyeo, true Red legend, we must mark his contribution in the right way and never forget what he did for our club.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

does anyone know where he lived in his later years, remember being a nipper and having an old chap come up to me and some friends claiming to be him....

According to Peter Godsiff's official history of the club, after retiring John returned to Wiltshire and was a school teacher.

Idle thought; Mike Thresher came from Trowbridge and Mick Channon (Saints & England) was a Wiltshire lad and so was Don Rodgers (Swindon). A rural county instead of an industrial city producing such talented footballers.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

According to Peter Godsiff's official history of the club, after retiring John returned to Wiltshire and was a school teacher.

Idle thought; Mike Thresher came from Trowbridge and Mick Channon (Saints & England) was a Wiltshire lad and so was Don Rodgers (Swindon). A rural county instead of an industrial city producing such talented footballers.

Think Rob Newman was from round those parts too.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

does anyone know where he lived in his later years, remember being a nipper and having an old chap come up to me and some friends claiming to be him....

He became a maths teacher at Kingdown School before retiring and lived in Warminster when he died.

Also, Don Rogers is from Paulton.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think I'm unusual in looking back at John Atyeo's career with a little sadness. He had the potential to achieve so much, but in the end for his own reasons he might be regarded as having wasted his huge talent. He could have become an international legend, and played at the highest level for years, but chose not to do so. I'm sure he had his reasons for this, but I can't help feel that he shouldn't have ended up playing so many games for us, but should have been in the top division, or in Italy or Spain (and there were offers for him from the world's top clubs at the time). What he did for us was fantastic, but how many people outside Bristol remember his name? Can't help feel it's a case of what might have been. Reading the biography of him only reinforced this view, I'm afraid.

Very different times. The man himself said in an interview - I think the BBC one with Peter Scott - that he'd have done things differently with the rewards on offer at that time ... never mind what they are now!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

He became a maths teacher at Kingdown School before retiring and lived in Warminster when he died.

Also, Don Rogers is from Paulton.

Don Rogers actually grew up a City fan as a boy and Fred Ford was beaten to the punch for his signature by half-an-hour by Bert Head for Swindon in 1962. The rest is history but how different could things have been with him and his hero John Atyeo in the same line-up?

Oh, and Rob Newman was one of JA's pupils at Kingdown. I believe both of them reckoned that Biff's Maths O Level was their greatest achievement!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...