The Bert Trautmann Testimonial

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Leveblue

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7 Dec 2009
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Just thought I’d share a few distant memories of this game before they get forgotten forever.

The game was between a Manchester City and United combined 11, versus an England 11 at Maine Road (in 1964 I think).

Quite a novelty combining the two teams even then but a nice idea at the time all the same. I suppose the intention was to get some United fans to attend to swell the numbers.

Obviously Bert played in goal for Manchester and the only England player I can recall was Ron Springett, who I think played for Sheffield Wednesday at the time. I can remember Ron making a really good save and thinking I wish it was Bert who had done the save,

I think the score ended at 5 – 4 to England but I stand to be corrected on this.

If any of our other older fans can recall any further details of this game I’d be interested to read them.
 
Leveblue said:
Just thought I’d share a few distant memories of this game before they get forgotten forever.

The game was between a Manchester City and United combined 11, versus an England 11 at Maine Road (in 1964 I think).

Quite a novelty combining the two teams even then but a nice idea at the time all the same. I suppose the intention was to get some United fans to attend to swell the numbers.

Obviously Bert played in goal for Manchester and the only England player I can recall was Ron Springett, who I think played for Sheffield Wednesday at the time. I can remember Ron making a really good save and thinking I wish it was Bert who had done the save,

I think the score ended at 5 – 4 to England but I stand to be corrected on this.

If any of our other older fans can recall any further details of this game I’d be interested to read them.
Click to expand...
Bert was a doubt for the game with a twisted ankle. He played but with reduced mobility. So he was not best pleased when Maurice Setters played a back pass high to his left resulting in an o.g.
There was a row about the money. City gave the attendance as 45,000 but I'm sure it was more than that. I was in Platt Lane and could judge the Kippax crowd as I normally went in there. Kippax was rammed. I reckon 60,000. Some years later City paid Bert an extra amount without admitting earlier wrong doing.
Memory is hazy now, but did not Stan Matthews play for the England team?
Bert gave a fine speech at the end in which he called us : " The greatest ppl in the world".
A great night.
 
Leveblue said:
Just thought I’d share a few distant memories of this game before they get forgotten forever.

The game was between a Manchester City and United combined 11, versus an England 11 at Maine Road (in 1964 I think).

Quite a novelty combining the two teams even then but a nice idea at the time all the same. I suppose the intention was to get some United fans to attend to swell the numbers.

Obviously Bert played in goal for Manchester and the only England player I can recall was Ron Springett, who I think played for Sheffield Wednesday at the time. I can remember Ron making a really good save and thinking I wish it was Bert who had done the save,

I think the score ended at 5 – 4 to England but I stand to be corrected on this.

If any of our other older fans can recall any further details of this game I’d be interested to read them.
Click to expand...
I'm assuming by your username mate that you know the transport club that used to be on mount road I saw Bert play there in a charity match in the early seventies and he was still flinging himself around like a youngster even then he came to our legion a few times as he was good pals with Barry ayton he was a lovely humble fella who could not believe the fuss that was made about himo:-).
 
KS55 said:
Memory is hazy now, but did not Stan Matthews play for the England team?
Click to expand...
That game was my first visit to Maine Road. Matthews definitely came on as a sub and I remember being excited to see a legend live. I think Tom Finney and Jimmy Armfield played for the England XI and I always thought Uwe Seeler turned out for his countryman but not sure about that.

Bobby Charlton was in a City shirt (which is a great quiz question).
 
Leveblue said:
Just thought I’d share a few distant memories of this game before they get forgotten forever.

The game was between a Manchester City and United combined 11, versus an England 11 at Maine Road (in 1964 I think).

Quite a novelty combining the two teams even then but a nice idea at the time all the same. I suppose the intention was to get some United fans to attend to swell the numbers.

Obviously Bert played in goal for Manchester and the only England player I can recall was Ron Springett, who I think played for Sheffield Wednesday at the time. I can remember Ron making a really good save and thinking I wish it was Bert who had done the save,

I think the score ended at 5 – 4 to England but I stand to be corrected on this.

If any of our other older fans can recall any further details of this game I’d be interested to read them.
Click to expand...
Was there with a school pal after The Old Man took us to the Scoreboard turnstile but then called in at the Parkside to meet up with my uncles for a pre-match livener..

A great night, of so many memories and definitely far more than 45000 in Maine Road ('Uncle Albert up to his tax usual tricks' as The Old Man said on Lloyd Street as we walked back to Hulme)

'Waggy' (David Wagstaffe), who was my first real City idol, had a great game for us on the left-wing that night, having coming back from Wolves to play at Trautmann's request, scoring two for the 'Manchester Xi'. Jimmy Armfield, a boyhood Blue before going to Blackpool, captained the 'England XI'.

But my abiding memory of that night is seeing Stanley Matthews and Tom Finney play for the 'England XI'. Seeing Finney after he'd been retired a few years is a particularly precious memory for me. The Old Man always used to take me to games and talk about some great opposition player or other we were about to see, encouraging me to learn from them as a player (John 'The Ghost' White of Spurs and Alex 'The Golden Vision' Young of Everton were particular favourites.. and I did learn a lot from observing those two in particular!)

The Old Man always used to say to me 'Son.. there are great footballers.. and then there's Tom Finney..' Of course, he was past his prime when he played in that testimonial but I can still see in my mind's eye one amazing moment when Finney was on the touchline in front of the Main stand, killing a fast pass in an instant, taking the two defenders back with him before feinting and spinning to send a caressed 20 yard pass true down the line to the now unmarked Matthews to go full tilt behind the defence to cross into the box. Every time in recent years I have seen David Silva execute that kind of pass/move it always takes me back to that night.. Finney, like David Silva, was one of the most elegant, graceful players I've ever seen.

Oh and one other thing.. I remember Trautmann coming back to play in the Johnny Hart testimonial many years later (1974), making a couple of typical Bert saves, flying through the air to catch shots (the sort that nowadays most 'keepers punch away!) with the crowd responding by chanting 'Sign him up!'

'Eeee, 'appy days!
 
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