Great to hear these stories about Bert as sadly being too young to watch the great man play.
When you consider the life stories of Trautmann, Woosnam, Meredith etc we really have had some extraordinary characters represent the club.
I remember watching a Pebble mill type programme years ago(maybe early 90s) and the late great Warren Clarke was being interviewed. He was talking about his love for City, being Jewish, then his total fascination with Trautmann and the fact he won the Jewish people over. He also mentioned a film about him which was in the pipeline. Sadly that film never happened, so this film is like heaven to any real blue. Did anybody else watch that interview or am I just gangsta trippin ??
Best one was when Woosnam was lined up to win his first tournament for years then discovered he had too many clubs in his bag. SORRY, wrong Woosie. lol
At last ! A kindred spirit :-DI remember that as well, I am sure he said he owned the rights to his story at the time. Shame he did not live to see the movie come to reality.
Looks like it will be out in the UK next year.
Ambitious new UK distribution outfit Parkland Entertainment, which was launched earlier this year by Parkland Pictures CEO John Cairns with former Arrow Films acquisitions director Tom Stewart, has made its first big pick-up.
The new company has acquired all UK rights to Trautmann, Marcus H Rosenmüller’s biopic about Bert Trautmann, the former German soldier who became a professional footballer in the UK, from Beta Cinema.
Trautmann was the goalkeeper who played in the FA Cup Final with a broken neck, the former Nazi soldier who became an idol to thousands of Man City fans. The film also tells of the love affair between Trautmann and Margaret Friar, who first met when the daughter of the manager of a local football team visited a POW camp near Manchester. Together, the couple overcame prejudice, outrage and personal tragedy.
David Kross and Freya Mavor star in the film, which had its world premiere at the Zurich Film Festival last month. The deal was negotiated by Stewart, now acquisitions director of Parkland Entertainment, and Thorsten Ritter at Beta Cinema. Ritter describes the new company “as the most passionate and dedicated distributor you can wish for… They will do anything to make this film a success.”
The film is a Lieblingsfilm and Zephyr Films production in association with British Film Company, SquareOne Entertainment, ARRI Media and ARD/Degeto. Robert Marciniak and Chris Curling together with Steve Milne produced. Trautmann will be released in the UK next year.
I mentioned this in my Folklore piece the other week about testimonials. Joe Corrigan came out of his nets for Bert to go in. I was sat in the Platt Lane Stand and was only about 6 or 7 and I remember everyone going crazy around me. My dad said something like 'now you'll see a real legend'. Corrigan crouched next to the goal and watched every moment of Bert's performance. He obviously made a few decent saves to get us all a bit giddy too. In my memory Bert went in nets in front of the Platt Lane - because that's where I was sat - but I guess he could've played a few mins at both ends? It was Hart's testimonial v Stoke.Saw him play in a testimonial around '74.
Perhaps for Johnny Hart? He was in nets for the halftime match of city/United oldies v Everton/Liverpool.
He stayed on and played part of the second half of the main game I think it was Stoke and made a blinding save in front of the North Stand.
I'd love to know who else played in the oldies game.
Hope to see this when it comes out. Wondering how a film with actors and CTG re-creations will compare to the documentary with original footage from the archives.
For those who havent seen it...
What a legend. !!
I'm sure it was the north Stand end Gary, any records of the 'halftime'teams?I mentioned this in my Folklore piece the other week about testimonials. Joe Corrigan came out of his nets for Bert to go in. I was sat in the Platt Lane Stand and was only about 6 or 7 and I remember everyone going crazy around me. My dad said something like 'now you'll see a real legend'. Corrigan crouched next to the goal and watched every moment of Bert's performance. He obviously made a few decent saves to get us all a bit giddy too. In my memory Bert went in nets in front of the Platt Lane - because that's where I was sat - but I guess he could've played a few mins at both ends? It was Hart's testimonial v Stoke.
I too went the testimonial. Still got the program. Never forget Bert saying he was happy to be among "the greatest people in the world."
Wasn't just nice words, he really beiieved it, he often said that he learnt everything about life in the UK.
But my hero worship of Bert goes back to 1955 when I first went to Maine Road and saw this blond god in the net.
Got his autograph at the Total garage in Northenden, when he was on his way to his car washing job in Sale, I think. (How times have changed)
He kept cards bearing his photo in his German government sponsored VW, and signed them for all and sundry.
Massive(.!) Legend. Still my all time City hero, sorry Col, sorry Mago.
This is the kind of story that hasn't made it into the books & articles about Bert and it's one of the best & most touching things I've heard about him, thanks for telling this. There's a scene in the 2011 tv documentary when he's on M/cr Town Hall balcony with the FA Cup in '56 and the crowd are singing "For he's a jolly good fellow." Yes he was, as your story shows. It's a shame MCFC haven't put Trautmann's name on a stand at the Etihad, maybe he's just too "old Manchester City" for our forward-looking owners' taste.As a child back in the late 50's I used to walk to Maine Road on training days and stand outside the player's entrance to get autographs. Bert came out and although I was first in the queue an older and bigger boy pushed in front of me. In his German accented English Bert pointed to this kid and said "I saw this, you 'vill go to back of zee queue". Nice moment that I remember 60+ years later.
This is the kind of story that hasn't made it into the books & articles about Bert and it's one of the best & most touching things I've heard about him, thanks for telling this. There's a scene in the 2011 tv documentary when he's on M/cr Town Hall balcony with the FA Cup in '56 and the crowd are singing "For he's a jolly good fellow." Yes he was, as your story shows. It's a shame MCFC haven't put Trautmann's name on a stand at the Etihad, maybe he's just too "old Manchester City" for our forward-looking owners' taste.
True. Bert also said that because of that fair treatment he had come to feel more English than German, so you could wonder how that's changed too. It was a simpler time back then so maybe missing Bert is partly nostalgia for that time.That's an excellent documentary. What a life he led. Times of desperate tragedy, inspiration & glory.
For me, the saddest thing in the whole film was when he said "The way I was treated... fairness, kindness, tolerance. You're a special type of people; you're a special island."
Perhaps we were, Bert. I don't think many immigrants receive the same welcome these days.