George William Curtis (5 May 1939 – 17 July 2021) was an English
association football
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players who primarily use their feet to propel the ball around a rectangular field called a pitch. The objective of the game is ...
er who played in
the Football League
The English Football League (EFL) is a league of professional association football, football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888 as the Football League, the league is the oldest such competition in Association football around the wor ...
as a
defender for
Coventry City
Coventry City Football Club is a professional association football club based in Coventry, West Midlands, England. The team currently compete in the Championship, the second tier of the English football league system. The club is nicknamed t ...
and
Aston Villa. He made 543 appearances for Coventry between 1956 and 1969, the club's record for an outfield player, winning the
1963–64 Third Division and the
1966–67 Second Division titles and also playing in the
First Division from 1967 until 1969. With Aston Villa, he was part of the side which won the
1971–72 Third Division.
After retiring from playing, Curtis returned to Coventry to work on the managerial staff, remaining there until his retirement in 1994. Between April 1986 and May 1987, he was the
joint manager of the team alongside
John Sillett
John Charles Sillett (20 July 1936 – 30 November 2021) was an English football player and manager. He played for Chelsea, Coventry City and Plymouth Argyle. He won the Championship with Chelsea in 1955, playing alongside his brother Peter ...
, during which time the club won its only major honour, beating
Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club, commonly referred to as Tottenham () or Spurs, is a professional football club based in Tottenham, London, England. It competes in the Premier League, the top flight of English football. The team has playe ...
3–2 in the
1987 FA Cup Final
The 1987 FA Cup Final between Coventry City and Tottenham Hotspur on 16 May 1987 at Wembley Stadium, London, England was the 106th Final of the FA Cup, English football's primary cup competition. It was the third final for Tottenham Hotspur in s ...
.
Early life
George William Curtis was born on 5 May 1939 in the Kent village of
Aylesham
Aylesham is a village and civil parish in the Dover district of Kent, England. The village is located around 6.5 miles (10.5 km) southeast of the cathedral city of Canterbury, and around 8.5 miles (13.7 km) northwest of the town an ...
, in the
Kent Coalfield close to
Dover.
He was the second of seven children born into a
coal mining family whose origins were in
Newport, South Wales. As a child he played
association football
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players who primarily use their feet to propel the ball around a rectangular field called a pitch. The objective of the game is ...
for the Dover Boys and Kent Boys teams.
Playing career
Curtis started his playing career with the
Snowdown Colliery Welfare team, based close to his home, before signing for
Coventry City
Coventry City Football Club is a professional association football club based in Coventry, West Midlands, England. The team currently compete in the Championship, the second tier of the English football league system. The club is nicknamed t ...
in October 1955.
He was one of four Snowdown Colliery players to join Coventry at that time, on the recommendation of former Coventry
captain Harry Barratt
Harold Barratt (1918 – 1989) was an English football player and manager
Management (or managing) is the administration of an organization, whether it is a business, a nonprofit organization, or a government body. It is the art and scien ...
who had become
manager
Management (or managing) is the administration of an organization, whether it is a business, a nonprofit organization, or a government body. It is the art and science of managing resources of the business.
Management includes the activities ...
of the Kent club, the others being
Alf Bentley,
Eric Jones Eric Jones may refer to:
*Sir Eric Malcolm Jones (1907–1986), British intelligence officer
* Eric Jones (economic historian) (born 1936), British-Australian economist and historian
* Eric Jones (footballer, born 1915) (1915–1985), English foot ...
and
Bill Patrick. Curtis made his debut for the Coventry
reserve team
In sports, a reserve team is a team composed of players under contract to a club but who do not normally play in matches for the first team. Reserve teams often include back-up players from the first team, young players who need playing time to i ...
in a
Football Combination
The Football Combination was a football competition for the reserve teams of English Football League clubs from Southern England, the Midlands and Wales; other clubs from the Midlands and those from the North playing in the Central League (it is n ...
fixture against
Southampton
Southampton () is a port city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire in southern England. It is located approximately south-west of London and west of Portsmouth. The city forms part of the South Hampshire built-up area, which also covers Po ...
on 10 December 1955 at the age of 16. He made his first-team league debut on 21 April 1956, playing in a 4–2 defeat against
Newport County at
Somerton Park
Somerton Park was a football, greyhound racing and speedway stadium in Newport, South Wales.
Football
In April 1912 Newport County had been accepted to play in the Southern League for the 1912–13 season. Shortly afterwards, the site ...
. Coventry were competing in the
Football League Third Division South
The Third Division South of The Football League was a tier in the English football league system from 1921 to 1958. It ran in parallel with the Third Division North with clubs elected to the League or relegated from Division Two allocated to ...
, which was at that time the third tier of the
English football league system. Playing at
left-back
In the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield position whose primary role is to stop attacks during the game and prevent the opposition from scoring.
Centre-backs are usually positioned in pairs, with one full-back on either s ...
at the time, ''
Coventry Evening Telegraph
The ''Coventry Telegraph'' is a local English tabloid newspaper. It was founded as ''The Midland Daily Telegraph'' in 1891 by William Isaac Iliffe, and was Coventry's first daily newspaper. Sold for half a penny, it was a four-page broadsheet new ...
'' reporter Derek Henderson, writing under the byline "Nemo",
wrote that Curtis had a "memorable" first game, and that "after a shaky opening
esettled down to give a splendid showing after the interval".
Curtis was then called up to the
England national under-18 team in May 1956, making his debut in a match against
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland ( ga, Tuaisceart Éireann ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Norlin Airlann) is a part of the United Kingdom, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, that is variously described as a country, province or region. Nort ...
in Belfast. He went to make three more appearances for England, the last coming in 1957.
In one game against
Brighton in October 1957, when he was playing for the injured
Roy Kirk, Henderson wrote that Curtis "did his best", but was "too often beaten in the air". Towards the end of the 1957–58 season, Curtis began playing regularly in the Coventry first team, having switched position to
centre-half
In the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield position whose primary role is to stop attacks during the game and prevent the opposition from scoring.
Centre-backs are usually positioned in pairs, with one full-back on either s ...
.
In their game away against
Aldershot
Aldershot () is a town in Hampshire, England. It lies on heathland in the extreme northeast corner of the county, southwest of London. The area is administered by Rushmoor Borough Council. The town has a population of 37,131, while the Alder ...
, Henderson described it as the day "that George Curtis, Coventry City's boy footballer, became George Curtis the man". With Coventry in the lower half of the Third Division South, and heading towards a place in the new
Fourth Division, Aldershot's forwards had numerous attacks on the Coventry goal, but they scored only once, which Henderson attributed to Curtis's defending alongside saves from goalkeeper
Charlie Ashcroft. Curtis then became Coventry's first-choice centre-half for the following nine seasons; between 1960 and mid-1967 he missed only two games for the club.
Despite an early-season blip, which saw Coventry occupy their lowest-ever league position of 91st of the 92 teams in
England's top four divisions after three games, the club's stay in the Fourth Division was limited to just one season as they were
promoted back to the
Third Division in
1958–59. Curtis was then named as Coventry's captain in December 1959, when previous incumbent Kirk was dropped to the reserve team.
At that time, Curtis was conscripted for
National Service
National service is the system of voluntary government service, usually military service. Conscription is mandatory national service. The term ''national service'' comes from the United Kingdom's National Service (Armed Forces) Act 1939.
The ...
, working at
RAF Gaydon
Royal Air Force Gaydon or more simply RAF Gaydon is a former Royal Air Force station located east of Wellesbourne, Warwickshire and north west of Banbury, Oxfordshire, England.
RAF Gaydon opened in 1942 and is known for its role during the ...
during the week while still playing games for Coventry. He also played football for the
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) an ...
team at the base, commenting at the time that he scarcely "breaks sweat" in those games.
In 1961, Coventry appointed
Jimmy Hill
James William Thomas Hill, OBE (22 July 1928 – 19 December 2015) was an English footballer and later a television personality. His career included almost every role in the sport, including player, trade union leader, coach, manager, director ...
as manager, a move which brought an era of success to the club known as the "Sky Blue Revolution". With Curtis as club captain and playing 50 games during the season, Coventry achieved promotion as
champions of the Third Division in 1963–64.
The following season they led the
Second Division
In sport, the Second Division, also called Division 2 or Division II is usually the second highest division of a league, and will often have promotion and relegation with divisions above and below. Following the rise of Premier League style compet ...
after five games, eventually finishing in mid-table, before mounting a serious promotion challenge
in the 1965–66 Second Division.
Finally, in
1966–67, with Curtis still captaining the side, Coventry achieved promotion to the
First Division as Second Division champions.
Evaluating the season after promotion had been secured, Henderson mentioned in particular Curtis's performance in a 1–0 win at
Blackburn Rovers
Blackburn Rovers Football Club is a professional football club, based in Blackburn, Lancashire, England, which competes in the , the second tier of the English football league system. They have played home matches at Ewood Park since 1890. Th ...
in March. Noting that it was "not a day when one could admire the football", Henderson labelled Curtis's defending as "quite the most magnificent performance I have seen him give". Curtis himself was optimistic about the club's prospects in the top division, commenting in May 1967 that "a lot of people – most of them I will say, outside Coventry – are forecasting that we will be out of place in the First Division". He went on to say that the club's aim was not just to avoid
relegation
In sports leagues, promotion and relegation is a process where teams are transferred between multiple divisions based on their performance for the completed season. Leagues that use promotion and relegation systems are often called open leagues. ...
, but to achieve qualification for
European competitions and to win the league title.
Curtis suffered a broken leg in Coventry's second game in the First Division, and did not return to the team until Easter of 1968. He came on as a
substitute in a game at
Highfield Road
Highfield Road was a football stadium in the city of Coventry, England. It was the home ground for Coventry City F.C. for 106 years.
History
It was built in 1899 in the Hillfields district, close to the city centre, and staged its final game ...
against
Stoke City, before making his first start since the injury in an away game, also against Stoke City, the next day. He suffered a recurrence of the injury and did not play again until October 1968.
He continued to play for Coventry for the next year, including scoring in a 2–1 win over
Manchester United in April 1969,
but at the age of 30, he eventually lost his regular place in the side to
Roy Barry.
His last appearance for Coventry was as a substitute against
Burnley
Burnley () is a town and the administrative centre of the wider Borough of Burnley in Lancashire, England, with a 2001 population of 73,021. It is north of Manchester and east of Preston, Lancashire, Preston, at the confluence of the River C ...
in November 1969. His 543 games in all competitions was a club record at the time, and although it was eventually surpassed by goalkeeper
Steve Ogrizovic, it remains the highest for an outfield player .
Curtis's next club was Second Division club
Aston Villa, who signed him in December 1969 for £30,000 (approximately £500,000 as of 2021, adjusted for inflation).
He scored in his debut match for the club, a 1–1 draw against
Swindon Town
Swindon Town Football Club is a professional football club based in Swindon, Wiltshire, England. The team currently competes in , the fourth tier of the English football league system. The club has played home matches at the County Ground sin ...
, although Aston Villa went on to be relegated at the end of the
1969–70 season. In their second season in the third tier, the
1971–72 season, Aston Villa were promoted back to the Second Division as champions, with the club's official website later crediting Curtis as being a "key member" of that team, with 24 appearances in the season. He broke his nose in a match at
Notts County
Notts County Football Club is a professional association football club based in Nottingham, England. The team participate in the National League, the fifth tier of the English football league system. Founded on the 25 November 1862, it is the ...
in March 1972, after which he played only one more game, retiring from the game shortly afterwards under medical advice.
Managerial career
After retirement as a player, Curtis became Commercial Manager at Coventry City in 1972, going on to become an executive director at the club and then managing director, in September 1983.
In April 1986, with the club facing their third successive relegation battle, and having gone eight games without a win, manager
Don Mackay
Donald Scrimgeour Mackay (born 19 March 1940) is a Scottish former professional football player and manager.
Managerial career
After a spell coaching the Bristol City youth team between 1974 and 1978, where he was part of the backroom staff th ...
left the club. The board asked Curtis and youth-team coach
John Sillett
John Charles Sillett (20 July 1936 – 30 November 2021) was an English football player and manager. He played for Chelsea, Coventry City and Plymouth Argyle. He won the Championship with Chelsea in 1955, playing alongside his brother Peter ...
to take charge for the final three games. Coventry won two of those three, and escaped relegation. The pair remained in charge for the
1986–87 season; officially Curtis was the manager, while Sillett was first-team coach, but the two were effectively joint managers. The team achieved a 10th-place finish that season, while also winning the
1986–87 FA Cup
The 1986–87 FA Cup was the 106th season of the world's oldest football knockout competition, the FA Cup. The competition was won by Coventry City, who beat Tottenham Hotspur 3–2, after extra-time, in the final at Wembley Stadium. It was Totte ...
, which is the only major trophy Coventry have won.
The cup run began with a home win over
Bolton Wanderers, followed by away victories over Manchester United, Stoke City and
Sheffield Wednesday
Sheffield Wednesday Football Club is a professional association football club based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. The team competes in League One, the third tier of the English football league system. Formed in 1867 as an offshoot ...
, with the semi-final being a 3–2 win over
Leeds United
Leeds United Football Club is a professional football club based in Leeds, West Yorkshire in England. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of England's football league system, and plays its home matches at Elland Road ...
at the neutral venue
Hillsborough.
Prior to the Manchester United game, in January 1987, Curtis told reporters that "our name is on the cup". In a match regarded by many pundits as one of the greatest finals in the history of the competition,
Coventry beat
Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club, commonly referred to as Tottenham () or Spurs, is a professional football club based in Tottenham, London, England. It competes in the Premier League, the top flight of English football. The team has playe ...
3–2 in the
1987 FA Cup Final
The 1987 FA Cup Final between Coventry City and Tottenham Hotspur on 16 May 1987 at Wembley Stadium, London, England was the 106th Final of the FA Cup, English football's primary cup competition. It was the third final for Tottenham Hotspur in s ...
at
Wembley Stadium
Wembley Stadium (branded as Wembley Stadium connected by EE for sponsorship reasons) is a football stadium in Wembley, London. It opened in 2007 on the site of the original Wembley Stadium, which was demolished from 2002 to 2003. The stadium ...
.
Sillett became Coventry's sole manager from the 1987–88 season onwards, although as he had led the team onto the field for the FA Cup final, the club gave Curtis that honour when they returned to Wembley for the season's curtain-raiser, the
1987 FA Charity Shield
The 1987 FA Charity Shield (also known as the General Motors FA Charity Shield for sponsorship reasons) was the 65th Charity Shield, a football match contested by the holders of the Football League First Division and FA Cup. This edition was c ...
against
Everton. Curtis returned to the managing director role, working on matters not related to the day-to-day running of the team. He remained in that role until his retirement in May 1994.
Legacy and death
Curtis was honoured with the naming of a lounge after him at Coventry's Highfield Road stadium. When that ground closed and they moved to the newly built
Ricoh Arena
The Coventry Building Society Arena (often shortened to the CBS Arena or just simply Coventry Arena, and formerly known as the Ricoh Arena) is a complex in Coventry, England. It includes a 32,609-seater stadium which is currently home to footb ...
in 2005, the club made a "Wall of Fame" which was named after him. He then became one of the club's life presidents in 2012.
Curtis died on 17 July 2021, aged 82.
Honours
As a player
Coventry City
*
Football League Third Division
The Football League Third Division was the third tier of the English football league system in 1920–21 and again from 1958 until 1992. When the FA Premier League was formed, the division become the fourth tier level. In 2004, following th ...
:
1963–64
*
Football League Second Division
The Football League Second Division was the second level division in the English football league system between 1892 and 1992. Following the foundation of the FA Premier League, the Football League divisions were renumbered and the third t ...
:
1966–67
Aston Villa
* Football League Third Division:
1971–72
As a manager
Coventry City
*
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, more commonly known as the FA Cup, is an annual knockout football competition in men's domestic English football. First played during the 1871–72 season, it is the oldest national football competi ...
:
1986–87
References
Citations
General bibliography
*
*
External links
Coventry stats and photoat Sporting Heroes
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Curtis, George
1939 births
2021 deaths
People from Aylesham
Sportspeople from Dover, Kent
Footballers from Kent
English footballers
England youth international footballers
Association football defenders
Snowdown Colliery Welfare F.C. players
Coventry City F.C. players
Aston Villa F.C. players
English Football League players
English football managers
Coventry City F.C. managers
20th-century Royal Air Force personnel