| 2010 |
| Player |
Career highlights |
Football card image |
Adam Blacklaw
28/02/2010
Aged 72 |
Burnley (318),
Blackburn Rovers (96), Blackpool (1). Burnley keeper who joined the club as
an apprentice in 1954, making his first team debut in the First Division in
1956. Burnley at this time were a 'top 10 side', finishing 7th in 1956/57,
6th the following season, 7th the following, and then First Division
Champions in 1960. With Blacklaw in goal Burnley finished 4th in 1961, 2nd
in 1962 (losing the F.A. Cup Final the same season), and 3rd in 1963. They
continued this excellent run through to 1966, after which they found things
a bit tougher (culminating in relegation in 1971). At the end of the 1966/67
season Blacklaw left Burnley to join Blackburn Rovers in the Second
Division, where he stayed for three seasons. Blacklaw was capped three times
for Scotland in the 1963 to 1965 period.
The 1966/67 A&BC Chewing Gum card notes 'A
very safe handler of the ball, Adam has been Burnley's first choice
goalkeeper since 1960, when he came into the side in place of Colin
McDonald. Capped three times for Scotland, he was a member of the Burnley
side beaten 3-1 by Tottenham in the 1962 Cup Final. Height 5' 11½". Weight
14st. 7½lbs.' |
 |
Gerhardt (Gerry)
Neef
23/02/2010
Aged 63
Cancer |
Rangers (33). German keeper who moved to
Rangers in 1968. Played a number of games in the 1969/70 season, but
struggled for a first team place after that. Was part of the squad for
European Cup Winners' Cup Final win in Barcelona 1972, though did not come
off the bench. Returned to Germany in 1973.
The 1969/70 My Favourite Soccer Stars card, presented free with Scorcher,
notes 'German-born goalie who was unknown in
Scottish football before last season when he joined Rangers and made his
first team debut. This season he has established himself as a very capable
'keeper. He was a policeman in Dortmund before he took up football'. |
 |
Bobby Smith
22/02/2010
Aged 56
Cancer |
Hibernian (167), Leicester City (181),
Peterborough United (5), Dunfermline Athletic (66), Partick Thistle (30),
Berwick Rangers (26). Joined Second Division Leicester from Hibs in 1978 for
£80,000, with the Foxes finishing the season in
17th position. The following year they were Champions, promoted back to the
First Division. Unfortunately they lasted only one season. Leicester were
promoted again at the end of the 1982/83 season with a third place finish.
Smith played for Leicester City for 8 years, often wearing the captain's
armband.
The FKS Soccer 81 album notes 'Midfielder
signed from Scottish club Hibernian in December 1978 after missing only one
game for Hibs in the 1977-78 season. Born Scotland. Height 5.7½. Weight
11.9.'. |
 |
Bobby Cox
20/02/2010
Aged 76 |
Dundee (327). Local boy who joined Dundee in
1955 and played for 14 seasons, including winning the 1962 Scottish League
title. Cox was Dundee captain and played alongside youngsters Ian Ure and
Alan Gilzean. Appeared in losing Scottish Cup Final team in 1964. One of
those special one-team captains who fans will always remember. |
 |
Alan Gordon
18/02/2010
Aged 65
Cancer |
Hearts (126), Dundee United (77), Hibernian
(84), Dundee (36). Striker whose second ever appearance for Hearts was in a
losing Scottish League Cup final team. Eventually won the League Cup in 1972
with Hibs. Played for four major clubs with 324 appearances over 15 years.
The A&BC Chewing Gum, 1972/73 Scottish orange/red back cards notes 'Bought
from Dundee United late on last season and had the distinction of leading
Hibs to the Final of the Scottish Cup but unfortunately the Edinburgh club
sustained a 6-1 defeat by Celtic at Hampden Park. He scored 7 goals for Hibs
which added to the 9 he had netted for Dundee United gave him a grand total
of 16'. Ironically Hibernian went on to defeat Celtic 2-1 in December
1972 to win the Scottish League Cup. |
 |
Petar Borota
13/02/2010
Aged 56
|
Chelsea (107). Yugoslavian(Serbian)-born
goalkeeper who joined Chelsea from FK Partizan for £75,000 late in the
1978/79 season. Chelsea had been struggling, relegated from the First
Division in 1974/75, promoted back in 1977, but then finishing 16th in 1978.
Chelsea still had Peter Bonetti and John Phillips as their keepers, but
Borota went straight into the first team for a 0-0 draw home to Liverpool
(eventual champions that year). Borota stayed between the sticks for the
next 11 games, Chelsea winning none of them. He was dropped after a 5-2
drubbing at Highbury. Chelsea finished last and were relegated. The
following season Borota made 41 from 42 League appearances, though Chelsea
went nowhere. In 1981/82 Borota was ever present in the League, though
Chelsea again finished 12th. Borota played his last game for Chelsea on
November 7th, 1981, apparently falling out with the manager. He was
transferred to Portimonense (Portugal) but never regained the form or
popularity he had enjoyed at Chelsea. |
Not known to have appeared in football cards of the period of this website. |
Brian Godfrey
11/02/2010
Aged 69
Leukaemia |
Everton (1), Scunthorpe United (77), Preston
North End (127), Aston Villa (143), Bristol Rovers (81), Newport County
(118). Began with First Division Everton but made only one appearance before
transferring to Second Division Scunthorpe in 1960. Scunthorpe finished 9th
in 1961, 4th in 1962, and 9th in 1963. During the 1963/64 season Godfrey
moved on to Preston North End in the same Division, with whom he finished
3rd (while Scunthorpe were relegated in 22nd position). At the end of the
1963/64 season Preston were in the F.A. Cup Final, losing 3-2 to West Ham
United, though Godfrey did not make the team. Godfrey stayed with Preston
for four seasons before a switch to Second Division Aston Villa for the
1967/68 season. Villa were struggling, finishing 16th in 1968, 18th in 1969
and relegated to the Third Division (alongside Preston) in 1970. At the end
of the 1970/71 season Godfrey transferred to Third Division Bristol Rovers.
He went on to play for Newport County, then Bath City, becoming
player-manager and enjoying a number of spells of club management. |
 |
Orlando Pecanha de
Carvalho
10/02/2010
Aged 74
Heart attack |
Brazil (30 international caps). Brazilian
defender who played for Vasco de Gama, Boca Juniors and Santos in the period
1955 to 1967. Played in each game of the 1958 World Cup tournament,
culminating in the Final 5-2 win over Sweden. Did not appear in the 1962
World Cup, but was back again for Brazil's disappointing run in the 1966
tournament. |
 |
Gil Merrick
03/02/2010
Aged 88 |
Birmingham City (485). Birmingham City
keeper who made over 700 appearances for the Blues, mostly in the Second
Division but including stints in the top flight in 1948/49 (17th), 1949/50
(22nd) and from 1955/56 onwards until his retirement from playing. Was
England goalkeeper 23 times, making his debut in November 1951 and his final
international appearance in the 1954 World Cup against Uruguay. Was made
Birmingham City manager in 1960 after his retirement and enjoyed four
seasons, though the Blues struggled towards the bottom of Division One.
In 1963 he was manager when the Blues won the League Cup against Aston
Villa, the only major trophy they have won since they were formed as Small
Heath Alliance in 1875. After he left Birmingham in 1964 he managed Bromsgrove Rovers and Atherstone
Town.
The Sun Soccercard notes "Goalkeeper who
followed City as a boy and signed professional for his only club before the
war".
The Rothmans Football League Player Records book notes "Very
cool and composed when on duty, was very unfortunate to have been England's
goalie during the 1953 6-3 thrashing handed out by the marvellous Magyars,
Hungary. Standing 6' 1", mustachioed and elegant, Gil really looked the
part, the City goal remained for long spells intact as positional sense
saved the day again and again. Twice helped Birmingham to promotion, he was
one of the most loyal servants and will always be remembered by them". |
 |
Alex Parker
07/01/2010
Aged 74 |
Falkirk (121), Everton (198), Southport (76). Classy full-back
who joined Falkirk in 1952 and played in their 1957 Scottish F.A. Cup Final
victory. Capped by Scotland for the first time on May 16 1955 against Portugal
at Hampden Park. Scottish Player of the Year, 1957. Was part of Scotland's 1958
World Cup squad, though only played one game in the tournament. Parker was
transferred to Everton for a £18,000 fee in June 1958. Enjoyed a number of
seasons with Everton in the First Division, including a Champions Medal in 1963
during a very successful time for the Toffees. Joined Fourth Division Southport
in 1965, aged 30, where he stayed for three seasons before moving to Northern
Ireland as a player-manager. Returned to Southport as manager in 1970/71, though
only for one season. |
 |