Remembering Bert Trautmann

I attended Bert's testimonial in 1964. He was a veteran and playing in the reserves that season as Harry Dowd had taken over. The teams were a combined City/United side versus an all England X1 (Matthews, Finney, Lofthouse, Moore, Banks etc). The result didn't matter as Bert pulled off a series of stunning saves. The game didn't finish though as after 80 minutes a ten year old urchin evaded the police cordon, ran up to Bert, and embraced him. Seconds later the crowd engulfed the pitch. Bert gave a tearful farewell address on the tannoy and many others were in tears too.

I was actually a thirteen year old at the time, one of the first on the pitch but not the urchin as you describe.

Still have the program somewhere
 
Today’s the anniversary of a day when Bert lost his temper somewhat! Story here (free read):




Anyone at that game?
 
Today’s the anniversary of a day when Bert lost his temper somewhat! Story here (free read):




Anyone at that game?
I would have been there but unfortunately only have vague memories of it.
Didn't Joe Corrigan also kick the ball at a referee during a game or am I confusing it all.
 
I attended Bert's testimonial in 1964. He was a veteran and playing in the reserves that season as Harry Dowd had taken over. The teams were a combined City/United side versus an all England X1 (Matthews, Finney, Lofthouse, Moore, Banks etc). The result didn't matter as Bert pulled off a series of stunning saves. The game didn't finish though as after 80 minutes a ten year old urchin evaded the police cordon, ran up to Bert, and embraced him. Seconds later the crowd engulfed the pitch. Bert gave a tearful farewell address on the tannoy and many others were in tears too.
Bert was my first City hero. He gave me his autograph when I chanced upon him at a garage in Northenden.
I too was at his testimonial, a great night. City ripped him off pretending the crowd was 45,000 when it was near to 65’000. They gave him some extra some years later.
During that game Maurice Setters, iirc, scored an own goal against him and claimed years later that it was deliberate “As I could never score against him in my career.”
 
I would have been there but unfortunately only have vague memories of it.
Didn't Joe Corrigan also kick the ball at a referee during a game or am I confusing it all.
Joe got sent off for protesting that the ref had put the penalty spot in the wrong place. The original had sunk under the Maine Road mud. When they finally measured it, Joe was quite right, but had already departed then. Against Derby?
 
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I still think that one end of the ground should be named the Swift/Trautman stand after two hero goalkeepers.
 

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