The Bert Trautmann Story

[Halfpenny]

My user name says it all!

The reason I've been a blue since I was kid back in the mid-fifties!

Thanks Bert - I hope you will have many more opportunities to return to COMS in the future, especially to name the North Stand "The Bert Trautmann Stand". I can remember standing behind the goal in the scoreboard end at Maine Road in total awe of your presense!

It would indeed be fitting to name an end after Bert, it was after all where he spent most of his time when playing :P Wish I'd been able to see him play myself.

 

[r.soleofsalford]

Hey all you that take the piss out o me due to being from st.helens, well just remember our bert lived and played here too ha ha ha by the way the prisoner of war camp was in haydock were I'm from (in st.Helens) not Newton le willows

isnt that a small town near WIGAN

 

[jay_mcfc]

Think they could have shown more footage of him playing for city.. and mentioned more of his team mates at the time he played for us..

They could have given the stats on how many games he played clean sheets etc..

I was a bit disappointed with the people who put it together. Back in January I got an email out of the Blues asking if I could help them source City memorabilia, imagery and so on, so I replied straight away saying I'd be delighted to help.

I have some great stuff myself, but also have tracked down lots of images and footage of Bert over the years.

Anyway, I didn't get a reply (even though they'd approached me first!). So I assumed the programme wasn't happening and forgot about it until I spotted a mention here on Bluemoon 2-3 weeks ago. I emailed the person who had first contacted me and again didn't get a reply. Ultimately, I tracked down the producer and his response was 'we've made it now'.

It's a real shame, but there is some incredible Bert material out there - I've posted before links to the stuff on Pathe. The opening minutes of this show Bert on top form and throwing out - if only all goalies today could get an attack going with this ease:

<a class="postlink" href="http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=40315" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=40315</a>

There's lots more than that out there, not just at Pathe.

EDIT: Although Bert's only briefly on the next clip, it's interesting because City get an indirect free kick in the penalty area after Johnstone was obstructed - surely we should have had a pen: <a class="postlink" href="http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=39121" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=39121</a>

A bit like his book, I don't think the point to the story is his playing days at City. It's more about his life and how he went from a staunch Nazi to becoming an Englishman. I think for most footballers football is 90% of their life but for Bert football and City are only 10% of his. Some of the things he has done and seen and the places he's lived in are a real story and should rightly take preference over his playing days.

That said, it's a bit strange they asked you to help but didn't follow through with it.

 

[Danny St.helens CTID]

Hey all you that take the piss out o me due to being from st.helens, well just remember our bert lived and played here too ha ha ha by the way the prisoner of war camp was in haydock were I'm from (in st.Helens) not Newton le willows

isnt that a small town near WIGAN

Yea mate I suppose it is, just Like that place your from a small town outside of Manchester!!! Ha ha

 

[fat boy blue]

True Legend, what a life he,s lived, schoolboy champion, war hero, football legend & much more

The Bert Trautman Stand surely this has to happen

 

[Carver]

2s6d to get in the Main Stand! Kinnell we're being ripped, that works out at £3.30 in today's money.

Mind you Bert was on £10 per week with £2 bonus, £260 with £52 bonus in today's money.

How much Yaya?

 

[Impeccable]

Bob Wilson really holds him in high regard. Said he 'loved him' at one point!

 

[TownFan]

I was a bit disappointed with the people who put it together. Back in January I got an email out of the Blues asking if I could help them source City memorabilia, imagery and so on, so I replied straight away saying I'd be delighted to help.

I have some great stuff myself, but also have tracked down lots of images and footage of Bert over the years.

Anyway, I didn't get a reply (even though they'd approached me first!). So I assumed the programme wasn't happening and forgot about it until I spotted a mention here on Bluemoon 2-3 weeks ago. I emailed the person who had first contacted me and again didn't get a reply. Ultimately, I tracked down the producer and his response was 'we've made it now'.

It's a real shame, but there is some incredible Bert material out there - I've posted before links to the stuff on Pathe. The opening minutes of this show Bert on top form and throwing out - if only all goalies today could get an attack going with this ease:

<a class="postlink" href="http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=40315" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=40315</a>

There's lots more than that out there, not just at Pathe.

EDIT: Although Bert's only briefly on the next clip, it's interesting because City get an indirect free kick in the penalty area after Johnstone was obstructed - surely we should have had a pen: <a class="postlink" href="http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=39121" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=39121</a>

A bit like his book, I don't think the point to the story is his playing days at City. It's more about his life and how he went from a staunch Nazi to becoming an Englishman. I think for most footballers football is 90% of their life but for Bert football and City are only 10% of his. Some of the things he has done and seen and the places he's lived in are a real story and should rightly take preference over his playing days.

That said, it's a bit strange they asked you to help but didn't follow through with it.

St Helens Town were contacted last November by Testimony Films and we put out a request via the local press. The club had some of his early memorablia (programmes from the PoW games and during his time at St Helens Town plus the programmes when City came to St Helens in the early 1950s as part of the transfer deal. Similarly after the first contact we heard nothing but I undertsand they undertook some filmed interviews with former Town players who played with Bert during his time with the club.

Like most of these programmes they will often film and collate information which could fill a series (and maybe that's what they should have done). It was an excellent documentary but it left me feeling I wanted more!

John McKiernan
Chairman, St Helens Town AFC

 

[DS 1956]

I've Sky+ it so don't tell me the end.

I'm not sure but I think he gets injured or summat?

What do you mean don't tell me the ending????

Seriously though mate it's an absolutely brilliant documentary you will love it. GREAT man

 

[Dave Ewing's Back 'eader]

I had forgotten that the 56 ref only had one arm, also great to see big Bill Leivers again.

Yeah, an' the 55 ref only 'ad one eye!<br /><br />-- Fri Mar 25, 2011 11:42 am --<br /><br />

I've Sky+ it so don't tell me the end.

I'm not sure but I think he gets injured or summat?

What do you mean don't tell me the ending????

Seriously though mate it's an absolutely brilliant documentary you will love it. GREAT man

There isn't an end. He's still goin', soakin' up the sun in Spain.