Six questions about our opponents in tomorrow’s season defining match going back to the 60s, I’ll post the answers on here in the morning.
60s. Can you identify the player being described here?
This winger started off at a seaside club not far from his birthplace, but did not stay with them long before he was snapped up by another coastal club that was in the second tier at the time. Establishing himself at his new side, he was a regular in the team which eventually made it into the First Division and had a very enjoyable enjoyable holiday period in the promotion season as his goal earned his side a Christmas Day point in a 1-1 draw at their local rivals and he then scored one of the goals in a 3-0 win in front of a crowd of over 46,000 in the reverse fixture on Boxing Day. Becoming a recognised First Division performer, his next move was to a capital city where injuries hindered his efforts to become a fixture in alabaster like halls and, after three frustrating years, he moved to another coastal club, Brighton. His four years with the Sussex team included the early part of this decade as he racked up over a hundred appearances for them before returning home to play and manage in non league football. A man with more strings to his bow than just football, he became a sub postmaster and preacher after he retired from the game – he was also a selection in a team of greatest ever players from his county.
70s. Niche in Remain vote for a Brighton midfielder perhaps?
80s. This man was a giant of the game, in physical terms anyway, during an eighteen year career that saw him represent his country. At his peak, he was recognised as one of the best around in his position and there is no doubt that the club where started his career, and spent sixteen years with, saw the best of him. However, he did turn out for Brighton for a few months towards the end of his playing days and one of his appearances for them came in a game at Ninian Park in this decade – his last involvement in the game was in a coaching role which ended when he was involved in “an unspecified incident” which resulted in Jimmy Bullard being sacked, but who is he?
90s. A very important goal in Brighton’s history is shown below – why is that and who scored it?
00s. Can you identify this member of a City squad which played Brighton during this decade?
A centreback who was born in the town which boasts the sixth oldest football club in the country, he started his career in grand surroundings in the Midlands. He played some first team football, but had to move to the home of two Fred Davies’ to establish himself. His time at Cardiff was not a success, but few blamed him for that – always someone who struggled with injuries, he had to retire early from the game and turned up a few years later at a seaside resort as Assistant Manager to someone who had managed three other South Wales clubs during a long and very varied career.
10s. The man pictured below played for both Brighton and City and has a connection with a member of the Brighton squad beaten here in November who plays in the same position as he did. Who is he and what is the connection he has with a current day Brighton player?
Aswers.
60s. Cornwall born Mike Tiddy played five times for Torquay before signing for City in 1950. On Christmas Day 1951, Tiddy scored our goal in a 1-1 draw at the Vetch Field and netted again as the Jacks were beaten at Ninian Park the following day. He eventually moved on to Arsenal, but played less than fifty times for them and he only started playing regularly again when he signed for Brighton. He left the Goldstone Ground in 1962 and returned to Cornwall to play for and manage Penzance, he also managed Helston before a free scoring spell as just a player at Falmouth. Tiddy became a preacher on the Lizard peninsula after retirement and, in 2016, was selected, along with another ex City man in Colin Sullivan, in a team of best ever Cornish players.
70s. Ernie Machin.
80s. Joe Corrigan played in goal for Manchester City on four hundred and sixty occasions and also turned out thirty three times for Brighton – he let in two at Ninian Park in a 2-2 draw with Brighton in May 1984. In 2011 he spent nine months as Hull’s goalkeeping coach and left the club following an incident which caused them to sack Jimmy Bullard.
90s. The goal was scored by Robbie Reinelt and it kept Brighton in the Football League at the expense of their opponents Hereford.
00s.Wrexham born David Hughes played for Aston Villa and Shrewsbury (where former City keeper Fred Davies played and another man by the same name used to go out in his coracle to rescue footballs that had been kicked out of the Gay Meadow ground into the adjoining River Severn) before signing for us for £450,000 in 2000. He was an unused sub for City in a 1-1 draw with Brighton at Ninian Park in September 2001, but only played fourteen times for us before announcing his retirement through injury in 2003 – a year later he was first manager and then assistant to former Newport, Swansea and Merthyr boss Colin Addison at Barry.
10s. Goalkeeper Eric Steele played for Brighton and had a loan spell at City in our 82/83 Third Division promotion campaign during which he made a marvellous save in a 0-0 draw with Champions Portsmouth at Fratton Park – Jason Steele was Brighton’s substitute keeper here in their 2-1 defeat by City earlier this season.
