Keith Weller

[Wombat]

If it had been a league game there probably wouldn't have been cameras either. It was only those selected for TV highlights that had cameras at the match in those days, so a couple for MotD and whatever the regional ITV programmes had.

Some of my best golf shots happen when no-one is watching.

 

[Ike O'Noclassed]

Hard to imagine that Leicester actually broke the British transfer fee record back then! Wasn't it £120,000 for David Nish?

Once as a buying club - for Allan Clarke

Twice as a selling club - Clarke (£165k) and Nish (£225k) .... and almost a third time, Shilts for £325k to Stoke was just less than the £350k Everton paid Bham for Bob Latchford.

King Midas in Reverse, we was.

 

[LCFC'sGodWears9]

Some of my best golf shots happen when no-one is watching.

Nice to know I'm not the only one that plays golf..

 

[Siouxsie]

I've just googled Weller and assuming wikipedia is accurate it says post retirement he owned a coffee shop and worked as a van driver. I wonder how today's players will spend their time post-retirement.

 

[Blue Maniac]

assuming wikipedia is accurate it says post retirement he owned a coffee shop and worked as a van driver.

What does it say if it's inaccurate?

 

[Siouxsie]

What does it say if it's inaccurate?

That he became an astronaut?

 

[Blue Maniac]

That he became an astronaut?

:icon_lol:

 

[gregs_y2k]

I've just googled Weller and assuming wikipedia is accurate it says post retirement he owned a coffee shop and worked as a van driver. I wonder how today's players will spend their time post-retirement.

Says the same in the Telegraph obituary for him

 

[Ike O'Noclassed]

That he became an astronaut?

More a slight exaggeration than an inaccuracy.

The Tacoma Stars folded yesterday, leaving the Major Soccer League with six teams.

That franchise collapsed on July 8, 1988. A new one under the old name was granted after 28 investors agreed to support the operation a few days later as the financially ailing league was reconstituted.

Last summer Stars Coach Keith Weller spent five days on a 30-foot platform to dramatize the franchise's goal of selling 4,000 season tickets as a condition for remaining in business. He came down after sales reached 3,600.

Seattle Times 6/6/92.

 

[David Gwilliam]

No, it was for Alan Clarke.

Derby signed Nish from Leicester for a British record transfer fee.

Yes Alan Clarke was signed by Leicester for a record fee. This was before the Bloomfield years. He was signed by Matt Gillies who was soon replaced by Frank O'Farrell. My understanding that when the club faced likely relegation there was a confrontation with Andy Lochead when Clarke made it clear relegation did not matter to him as he would soon get another First Division club.

The Weller years came about three years after Clarke had left and after Frank O'Farrell had gone to manage Manchester United. O'Farrell had produced a very organised and hard working side that lacked the flair to break down First Division defences. I expected them to struggle. Bloomfield's answer was to bring in first Sammels and then on the same day Weller and Birchenall - what a good day that turned out to be. Frankie Wortho would arrive later.

The £300,000 which Bloomfield spent on Sammels, Birchenall and Weller was a huge amount of money at the time. Somehow the board found the money and Jimmy Bloomfield spent it very wisely.

 

[bocadillo]

No, it was for Alan Clarke.

Allan Clarke

What about, Alan Clarke to Wayne Clarke, one extreme to another!

Allan Clarke

Yes Alan Clarke was signed by Leicester for a record fee.

Allan Clarke

Once as a buying club - for Allan Clarke

Twice as a selling club...

 

[Profondo Rosso]

Yes Alan Clarke was signed by Leicester for a record fee. This was before the Bloomfield years. He was signed by Matt Gillies who was soon replaced by Frank O'Farrell. My understanding that when the club faced likely relegation there was a confrontation with Andy Lochead when Clarke made it clear relegation did not matter to him as he would soon get another First Division club.

The Weller years came about three years after Clarke had left and after Frank O'Farrell had gone to manage Manchester United. O'Farrell had produced a very organised and hard working side that lacked the flair to break down First Division defences. I expected them to struggle. Bloomfield's answer was to bring in first Sammels and then on the same day Weller and Birchenall - what a good day that turned out to be. Frankie Wortho would arrive later.

The £300,000 which Bloomfield spent on Sammels, Birchenall and Weller was a huge amount of money at the time. Somehow the board found the money and Jimmy Bloomfield spent it very wisely.

Yeah, I know Clarke was signed under Gillies, not Bloomfield. My dad and granddad always romantasise about the Gillies era a lot.

One thing my dad always says about him is that he was never the same manager after he got really ill. I think he had to leave his assistant in charge for a few months, because of it. He sold Derek Dougan and famously sold Banks around that time as well and started the decline at the end of his tenure.

The 62/63 side they talk about especially nearly won the double. I think we were top of the league with 4 or 5 games left to go and went on an Arsenal-style collapse, losing the the lot and blowing the league title. Then put in a miserable performance in the FA Cup final and lost to a ManUtd side they were favourites to beat!

Hard to imagine a Leicester side fighting for the league title and reaching the FA Cup final to be favourites to beat ManUtd these days!

 

[bocadillo]

...and famously sold Banks around that time as well

A lot of fuss was made about the selling of Gordon Banks but with Peter Shilton knocking on the door for selection something had to give. There was a risk that Shilton would have moved on if he wasn't able to get into the first team A decision had to be made and taking the longer term view, I am sure that the correct decision was taken

 

[Profondo Rosso]

A lot of fuss was made about the selling of Gordon Banks but with Peter Shilton knocking on the door for selection something had to give. There was a risk that Shilton would have moved on if he wasn't able to get into the first team A decision had to be made and taking the longer term view, I am sure that the correct decision was taken

But did it not help the decline of that team in the short-term? I mean, Shilton was a 16 year old kid having to come in for one of the best goalkeeper's in the world at that time. Very difficult to live up to that when you're so young. In terms of the long-term, Leicester have never reached the same heights as they did in the early 60s, since, so was it really that helpful? Shilton also left Leicester at the same time as Banks' retirement so it didn't really work out to be that much of a long-term solution, did it? Or do you think Shilton would've stayed had Banks not got into the accident and Stoke needed to sign him as a replacement.

Interesting to know the views of the fans old enough who were around at that time, but my dad always reckons selling Banks was a mistake.

 

[bocadillo]

But did it not help the decline of that team in the short-term? I mean, Shilton was a 16 year old kid having to come in for one of the best goalkeeper's in the world at that time. Very difficult to live up to that when you're so young. In terms of the long-term, Leicester have never reached the same heights as they did in the early 60s, since, so was it really that helpful? Shilton also left Leicester at the same time as Banks' retirement so it didn't really work out to be that much of a long-term solution, did it? Or do you think Shilton would've stayed had Banks not got into the accident and Stoke needed to sign him as a replacement.

Interesting to know the views of the fans old enough who were around at that time, but my dad always reckons selling Banks was a mistake.

May I reserve judgement on the question of the timing of Shilton's departure from the club. To be honest. I don't know the answer to your question. But you are correct in saying that he didn't turn out to be a long-term replacement.

Although Shilton made his debut at 16, he was 17½ by the time Banks moved away and had developed even more by that time. A string of clubs were vying for his services and he would surely have departed if he was not given a first-team place. Personally I think the club were correct to take the longer term view - and I think the decision was more likely to have been made by the board than by the manager. It would certainly not have been possible to keep both Banks and Shilton at the club and a decision had to be made one way or the other.

You say that Shilton did not turn out to be a long-term solution but we did have him as our first-team keeper for (I think) seven full seasons. That's not exactly short-term, is it? And I don't honestly think that having Shilton between the sticks instead of Gordon Banks cost us anything at all in terms of points.

 

[Wombat]

Interesting to know the views of the fans old enough who were around at that time, but my dad always reckons selling Banks was a mistake.

I was a goalkeeper for most of my youth football - played for the Bricklayers Arms in Melton on Sunday mornings, and watched Leicester with the lads every Saturday home & away in the 70's & 80's

Standing behind Peter Shilton every week seing him pull off amazing saves & solid command of his area - the guy was a goalkeeping genius & my LCFC cult hero.

Banks was great, but Shilton then Wallington are my keeper greats in my 40 years as a Leicester fan.

 

[pork pie fox]

played for the Bricklayers Arms in Melton on Sunday mornings,.

Shut down and boarded up now, in case you wanted to know.

 

[okie fox]

Yeah, I know Clarke was signed under Gillies, not Bloomfield. My dad and granddad always romantasise about the Gillies era a lot.

One thing my dad always says about him is that he was never the same manager after he got really ill. I think he had to leave his assistant in charge for a few months, because of it. He sold Derek Dougan and famously sold Banks around that time as well and started the decline at the end of his tenure.

The 62/63 side they talk about especially nearly won the double. I think we were top of the league with 4 or 5 games left to go and went on an Arsenal-style collapse, losing the the lot and blowing the league title. Then put in a miserable performance in the FA Cup final and lost to a ManUtd side they were favourites to beat!

Hard to imagine a Leicester side fighting for the league title and reaching the FA Cup final to be favourites to beat ManUtd these days!

It was a collapse but Leicester were only one point ahead at the top of the table, with 8 games left (9 left for the chasing teams). After they were overtaken, the team went off the boil as the players' thoughts turned to not getting injured before the cup final. Man U were near the bottom of the league so had to keep competing and were sharper on the day.

I was at the cup final. City under-performed and Dennis Law and Pat Crerand were brilliant for Man U. The result could have been different had we been able to capitalise on the nervousness of Gaskell, the Man U goalie. In one incident after about 20 min, he slid out for the ball at Gibson's feet and completely missed the ball, which rolled towards the goal. Gibson jumped over Gaskell, but unfortunately lost his footing with the goal at his mercy and a defender then got back to clear.

I went to America a year later, so never saw Shilton myself. However, from all accounts he was so good even at 17 that City did not miss Banks that much. I believe that selling Dougan was a far bigger mistake. Dougan had a lot of flair as well as talent, and so was a big fan favourite. He also was temperamental and outspoken, and so may have been sold as a result of falling out with a director or Gillies.

 

[spionfox]

Interesting to know the views of the fans old enough who were around at that time....

Try asking Boc about Leicester Fosse. He has some great memories he could possibly share.

 

[beaumontfox]

He could ask you as well.