Ah, Cannonball (or The Chest). My favourite player of all time, just edging out Tony Richards and The Buck.
It’s a pity defenders - even goalies - rarely get a look-in in the “fave players” polls.
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Story about John Christie (that I’ve told before).
Me and my mate Terry (“Winnie”) Marshall* caught the football bus by The Cenotaph (Fare 2p) - probably the very first one of the day: we always went very early, to soak up the atmosphere 
with sandwich and flask of coffee. Who should be sitting on the bus but John Christie, on his way to the ground, with his kit!
- Anybody remember Winnie Marshall? An incredibly enthusiastic fan. He eventually achieved his life’s ambition by becoming football correspondent for The Walsall Observer. Tragically, he died very young in a car accident.
Me and my mate gave Georgie Andrews a lift back from Shrewsbury once,he needed to get back for a wedding reception.I was shocked at what a deep Black country accent he had, whether I expected him to speak the Queens English or not I don’t know… 
Born in Dudlay or even Lye 
Just looked on Wiki…He’s still alive,78 now… 
And played for Lower Gornal Athletic for a time, so whatever accent he had to begin with, it would have been even more Black Country after that. 
Yes regarding my comment on another thread about the 60th anniversary of the 4th Division title having passed I don’t think any of that team are apart from Stan Jones and maybe Ken Hill both of whom only played a handful of games.
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They invented fast antibiotics
Me and my mate as kids were walking through Pleck , opposite the Jupiter.We were going to watch em training.
A bloke gets off the bus , and asks us where the ground is.
It was John Christie.
Recognised him from picture and article in the previous nights E and S star , saying he d just signed for us,
Used to see Albert MacPherson in The Clover (Milk Bar) occasionally. Chatted to him once about… football!
I had over two hours at George’s house in Tipton last year. Great lad who enjoyed his time in football. He was never interested in driving!
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He was no Ronaldo Luís Nazário de Lima. The greatest footballer. Ever.
George certainly knew how to head a ball…Properly!
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Biggest influence on his career re his heading ability came from John Charles when they were players at Cardiff mid 1960’s
It must have been a fantastic experience to have played with John Charles, even if it was towards the end of the Welshmans career.
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I can see how it would be good getting to learn from John Charles,but with heading ability,you either have it (which George did),or you put hours and hours of extra training in,and even then,if you haven’t got the timing,you’re just average.It’s a lot easier for a defender to be good in the air because the ball is normally coming straight at you.
George said the advice given by him was from dead ball situations count to 4 then leap.
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Ask him if he’s got the cup matches on tape , and if he’s still got them black and white striped under pants .
Sadly no, as far as I know that footage no longer exists. I don’t know of anyone who has any footage from that 74-5 season. He does have in his lounge a big picture of ‘that’ goal v Newcastle and along side it a family picture taken around that time of him, his wife and two young daughters. They were black and white swimming trunks that he found more comfortable to wear!
I seem to recall Jamie Lawrence being known as “Sophie” on the old Gilbert Alsop terrace.
The story behind Ian McLaughlin’s moniker of “Rectangle” amused me more than it ought to.