Best X1

[iwasthere]

Happened to come across a thread for best Wcfc X1 back in 2012 and brought back good memories. What did surprise me was that Kenny Lawrence not even mentioned. At the time Kenny was the best non-league player and refused to go pro.As Kammi would say unbelievable

[adycrean]

If this is the thread you mean... he is cited as an option (on the first post). I agree though - great player before his tragic injury.

citybanterboard.proboards.com/thread/3530/dream-city-team

[jupu]

Three players who could play centre half or up front come to mind - Ken Lawrance, Malcolm Phelps and Steve Fergusson. And then we've have two outstanding out and out central defenders, Howard Madley and Kevin Tudor. That's not to mention the likes of Carl Heeley, Mark Shail, David Hughes, Martin Weir, Martin Hicks, Wayne Thomas.

Who was the best? Impossible to say in my opinion!

[Noboddy aka Lord Ealing]

So many memories. What a tragedy it all ended in such a shabby way.

[auldreekie]

Mar 4, 2018 8:53:35 GMT iwasthere said:

Happened to come across a thread for best Wcfc X1 back in 2012 and brought back good memories. What did surprise me was that Kenny Lawrence not even mentioned. At the time Kenny was the best non-league player and refused to go pro.As Kammi would say unbelievable

The newspapers say that at the beginning of the 1977/78 season Kenny had refused to sign a full contract with Redditch United and was put on a monthly contract. Apparently under the rules at the time if he was still unable to sign a full contract when that expired he would be put on another monthly contract, had to give his reasons to the FA and was then put on the transfer list. During this time he had missed a match to attend a wedding and his wages were withheld by Redditch manager Dietmar Bruck. That may have influenced his decision, and on what terms, to join City a month later.

With the end of the England Amateur team in 1974 and the England non-league team not getting official status until 1979 Kenny had little opportunity to play representative football that his talents deserved. The Official History says he played for the famous touring side, Middlesex Wanderers. He probably played for the Birmingham FA team but neither are the same as playing for your country.

[auldreekie]

Mar 4, 2018 13:40:54 GMT auldreekie said:

Mar 4, 2018 8:53:35 GMT iwasthere said:

Happened to come across a thread for best Wcfc X1 back in 2012 and brought back good memories. What did surprise me was that Kenny Lawrence not even mentioned. At the time Kenny was the best non-league player and refused to go pro.As Kammi would say unbelievable

The newspapers say that at the beginning of the 1977/78 season Kenny had refused to sign a full contract with Redditch United and was put on a monthly contract. Apparently under the rules at the time if he was still unable to sign a full contract when that expired he would be put on another monthly contract, had to give his reasons to the FA and was then put on the transfer list. During this time he had missed a match to attend a wedding and his wages were withheld by Redditch manager Dietmar Bruck. That may have influenced his decision, and on what terms, to join City a month later.

With the end of the England Amateur team in 1974 and the England non-league team not getting official status until 1979 Kenny had little opportunity to play representative football that his talents deserved. The Official History says he played for the famous touring side, Middlesex Wanderers. He probably played for the Birmingham FA team but neither are the same as playing for your country.

While down Memory Lane here are the details of the unofficial England Non-League team that played their Italian counterparts in the first leg, played on Wednesday 24 November 1976 at Bedford Town’s ground, of a two legs encounter.

Gil Merrick was the selector for the Southern League. He was the father of former City player Neil Merrick and was an England International goalkeeper and former Birmingham City manager. His place on the Selection Committee would have been due to his knowledge of Southern League players gained in spells as manager of Bromsgrove Rovers and Atherstone Town.

The England team that evening was:

John Swannell (Leatherhead), Kirk Stephens (Nuneaton Borough), Freddie Taylor (Boston United), Peter Deadman (Hendon), Harry Dunn (Scarborough), Barry Williams (Worcester City), John Woodall (Scarborough), Larry Pritchard (Sutton United), Keith Searle (Enfield), John Vincent (Atherstone Town) and Ian Storey-Moore (Burton Albion).

Substitutes: Roger Barrett (Gainsborough Trinity), Ken Lawrance (Redditch United), Chris Kelly (Leatherhead) and Gerry Stewart (Boston United)

Older supporters may recognise several players lining up with Barry Williams and Kenny.

John Swannell bridged the change from the Amateur days having won 60 Amateur International caps for England.

Chris Kelly was tagged “the Leatherhead Lip” by the tabloid press for his confident and out-spoken comments that accompanied a terrific FA Cup run by Leatherhead in 1974/75.

Keith Searle, a star of the Isthmian League, and probably lost out on many Amateur caps due to the change in the game in his time.

Ian Storey-Moore had a long football league career playing for Nottingham Forest and Manchester United and won one full England International Cap versus Holland in 1970.

The first leg of the fixture resulted in a 1-0 win for the Italians. The return leg in Italy was a scoreless draw giving the Italians overall victory.

However, as the game did not have official status no caps were awarded.

[jupu]

Two players at the opposite ends of their playing careers - Kirk Stephens went onto appear for Coventry City and Luton Town in the 80s, Johnny Vincent had been a star for Birmingham City in the 60s.