To most Norwich City fans the passing of Norwich City former centre forward would be met with a respectful acknowledgement of another City player from the past leaving us, or perhaps another sad statistic added to the ever-increasing list of ex-players struck down with that dreadful disease Alzheimer’s.
To me though, John Manning was a bit more than that. John was a big tough centre-forward who City had signed from Shrewsbury Town in 1967 at the time when I first started my love affair with the football club. John, together with Hugh Curran, forged a formidable partnership up front and will particularly be remembered for his trademark bullet-like headers.
As an impressionable 14-year-old I have to admit I had a bit of a crush on him and the football club was everything to me. At a time when I probably should have been concentrating on calculus and reflexive verbs, I was more interested in league tables, fixture lists and absolutely anything that had to do with ‘Norwich City’.
Every school holiday my friend and I used to cycle down to the Trowse training ground (Colney was just a posh part of the city in those days) and watch each training session. I lived at the Heartsease at the time so that meant every trip involved a steep climb up Ketts Hill on the way home. I thought nothing of it at the time.
Oh, to be able to do that now!
In those days you could just rack up at Trowse. There was no such thing as security. You could just stand on the side-line and watch, Sometimes you could even kick the ball back. The thrill! The manager in those days was Lol Morgan and he seemed okay with it. The only person who was a bit difficult was the first-team trainer George Lee. He was grumpy and sent us away once. He said he was concerned we’d hear bad language!
He’d obviously never been on the number 92 bus home from the Hewett.
I remember one day we walked down instead of cycled for some reason and the late Terry Anderson gave us a lift back to the station after training. We were so dumbstruck we didn’t utter a single word between Trowse and the railway station. After that we walked down every time in the hope of getting another lift but it never happened again!
It wasn’t easy following your team in those days. There was no internet and you had to rely on the local paper and the PinkUn for any news. I used to sit on the garden gate each day waiting for the paperboy to come so I could find out what the latest was.
We were in Division Two at the time (the equivalent of the Championship) and the lower leagues never made it on to national TV. The only TV coverage was on Anglia on a Sunday afternoon. The ‘local’ region covered an area from Hull City in the north, Northampton Town in the west and Colchester in the south, so City didn’t get many minutes.
Football then, was very different. The FA Cup was a thing, there were no loan players and the team had a new kit about every five years. Players didn’t earn a great deal. On match days my friend and I used to get to the ground at 12.30pm to get autographs. All games, same players every week!
We used to stand behind the goal City were shooting into in the first-half then and at half-time walk round to the other end to do the same.
Yes, you could do that!
But it was enough for me to start a life long love affair with the football club that persists to this day and I guess always will.
Two years ago, I joined a Facebook group called ‘Football Historians Research Group’. I was contacted by a man who knew John Manning and I told him some of these stories and sent him some photographs.
At this time, although in poor health, John still had his faculties and he told this man to tell me to give him a ring and talk about the old days. Even in my mid-sixties, the prospect of taking to my hero immediately rendered me a speechless jabbering wreck and I declined.
It’s too late now. I really regret that and always will.
The header photograph is of me and my friend with John at Carrow Rd open day at the end of the 1968/69 season.
Seems like just yesterday.
I can remember standing in the Barclay singing that with the rest of them. What great memories of John, Hi=ugh Curran and co. Thanks for the article and I would add my sorrow to the news that he has passed.
A really enjoyable piece. I started supporting City at around the same time. Great memories. Football was so different then. It never occurred to any of us to suggest the players were anything other than fully committed to City. The fact that they wore the shirt made them heroes.
Kathy,
What a lovely article. My favourite was Hugh Curran but John Manning was a close second. I remember singing that song in the Barclay as well.
Not Keith Fuller from Thorpe who was in Good Shepherd choir?
That’s a lovely recollection, Kath.
I have memories of cycling in the Beccles to buy the Pink Un, on a Saturday evening on weekends when City were away, because, living in a village just outside the town, deliveries didn’t happen until Sunday morning! There’s your definition of instant news back in the 1970’s.
Beccles you say, Gaz? Dare I ask which village was home?
The village of Barsham, Gaz.
Hi Kathy
I only saw us half a dozen times in the late 1960s and apart from Kevin Keelan struggle to recall anybody else but I was a London-living youngster in that era and spent far more time at White Hart Lane than Carrow Road.
I particularly enjoyed your referencing of Trowse and I remember going there a couple of times in the early Stringer era to watch training – quite a lot of people did back then as there was no security, but equally there was no need for any either.
Being around 30 at the time I never felt the need to collect autographs but plenty of youngsters did even if sometimes they had a long wait.
Superb photo btw – they don’t take ’em like that anymore!
A great read – more please 🙂
Lovely article Kathy. A bit before my time, but some great recollections there of another footballing age. Brightened a cold winter’s morning for me.
Cheers Kathy.
Great memories and very well written. As someone of very much the same age, and the same cross to bear, a lifelong support of NCFC, it is very nostalgic.
RIP Big John.
Great read Kathy, emotional stuff!
Your recollection of how you felt and the lengths you went to to support your team as a teenager are wonderful to read and thoughts that will resonate with those of us of a similar age who were equally footy fanatics. I’d almost forgotten switching ends at half-time !
John Manning, old fashioned centre forward RIP.
Kathy, an old Hewettonian just like me but I left in the 50’s. Remember walking round the ground at half time, happy times. John was a great player and heading a wet ball in those days was like heading a cannon ball, gotta be the reason for developing that dreadfully disease.
Great piece Kathy, Him and Hughie Curran were my first real heroes , what a pairing, I was close to leaving school and could not wait to leave the small town and get into the City, if only to save a long bus journey on match day.
We use to organize our own away coaches meet at Bell Ave, Old Cattle Market. Had so many away days I cannot remember which one. I know we stood near the entrance to a ground waiting for the players. John and Hugh turned up, and got a great welcome, both signed my program and stood and talked with us for 5 minutes, Quite honoured that we had travelled to see them play . I had the program inside a plastic sleeve in a box, but bloody mice got in and used it for a Nest. at least they kept the City theme.
Thank you
Great article, brought back so many memories. of supporting our team in the 60s. The name John Manning and The Mighty Quinn will always go together. RIP BIg John
Wonderful Kathy. My love affair began in January 1969. Such simple times
Fantastic stuff, Kathy. Love the personal memories and insight – and memories of less regulated times! Best wishes.
What a really lovely, evocative piece Great line about George Lee and the bus from the Hewett .My mind goes back 53 years today and seeing John Manning playing in an FA Cup 4th round tie at Stamford Bridge -ruined by Charlie Cooke scoring a brilliant winning goal for Chelsea. I was convinced Hugh Curran had headed an equaliser but my dad told me I must have been the only one in the stadium who hadn’t seen him punch it into the net. As you say, feels like only yesterday.
I missed the handball as well!
I remember singing that adapted Manfred Mann song on the terraces whenever I could get to the Carra in those days (I was in the RAF and stationed far away). My memory, without checking Google, says he was only with us for a short time.
What a lovely article and some great memories from times gone by. I lived in Boston, Lincolnshire in those days and I used to watch Boston United in the top flight of non league football. There was no automatic promotion to the 4th division. The bottom team in the football league was nearly always re-elected. Rarely did a new team get in. I remember Peterborough getting in instead of Boston.
Boston was in Anglia for its ITV coverage so I did see Norwich a few times. I think Hull got more than its fair share when they had Chilton and Wagstaff up front.
My dad was offered trials with Notts County in the 1950s and he decided not to go as he would have earned just a little bit more than his wages on the railway and run the risk of injury and a short career. They really did need testimonials in those days as they needed a new career after football. No punditry jobs then.
Those were the good old days before football holiganism when home and away supporters were not segregated and as you say at half time you could walk round the ground to change position.
Tactics were also quite simple. Positions had proper names: right back, left back, centre half, right half, left half, inside forwards, wingers and centre forward. Whoever, came up with the position false number 9!!!!
I now need to take off my rose tinted spectacles.
Once again a lovely read Kathy, thNk you.
A sad day, but a very nice piece about Big John, thank you for that. I have to come clean here and reveal that I was probably the reporter on the Pink Un, I covered City during the Ashman- Morgan – Saunders days, and I knew all the players mentioned today quite well. You had to be careful what you wrote about individual players after away matches, because in those days you travelled on the team bus, but I can never recall a negative thought or word about Big John. And I do vividly recall cycling 50 miles on a Saturday as a schoolboy from a Suffolk village called Eye, and chasing a Welsh midfielder called Noel Kinsey for an autograph, so maybe I can still claim to be a life-long supporter.
Best City memory ? Beating Man U 2-1 at old Trafford – 54 years to the day on Feb 18. !
Talk about a blast from the past! I can remember you being the main reporter in those days Dick. I remember thinking you had my dream job and one day I was going to do that as a living. Unfortunately though, I concentrated on my league tables rather than my reflexive verbs! I’m sure somewhere in my loft I have copies of pieces you’ve written. I was going to say they were yellow with age but I guess pink paper doesn’.t go yellow!
Great to hear from you Kathy, I am delighted you didnt get my job on the Pink Un, otherwise it would have wrecked my whole career ( I went on to join John Motson and Des Lynam at BBC Radio Sport, before they moved over to Telly, and I moved to France. No, old Pink Un’s dont yellow with age, I am looking at the famous Man U Cup edition right now, and it is definitely a dodgy white. Luckily I had a cousin in Brundall, where I used to be in the Pink days, and he kept a whole bundle of papers for me.
As one journo to another, (yes you are, dont be silly) as one journo to another, I like reading your pieces (sorry, that’s what we used to call them). Keep up the good work, as they say, and please keep in touch if you feel like it. You should have my e-mail from when I checked in yesterday. Ciao, as we say down here in Surrey
Thank you Dick. I never would have believed sitting on my gate waiting for the paperboy to appear round the corner so I could read something you’d written, that half a century later you would compliment me on something I had! It means a great deal.
John Manning RIP one of my early football heroes for Norwich City in the 60s, he always won the high ball knocked down for Hugh Curran to finish, another early hero, with Kevin Keelan, Ken Foggo, Tommy Bryceland, Charlie Crickmore etc after the game they came down from the bar to sign autographs pint in one hand and a cigy in the other, when football was a mans game but always had time for the fans
Gedgie
Great memories Kathy.
My first game was the FA Cup 3rd round match against then first Division Sunderland in January 1968, having travelled by train with a mate from Dereham. The game ended 1-1 with the replay at Sunderland the following mid-week, but I didn’t find out the result until I bought a newspaper on the way to the train station on the way to school the next morning. A 1-0 (Manning) win and on to Chelsea in the next round.
My family had previously had no interest in football, my mate didn’t go again, but 53 years later I’m still hooked.
I even picked up a copy of the original match programme through Ebay recently, for rather more than the cover price, but what memories your simple story evokes. Thanks.
As a student at Durham I went to the replay at Roker Park and can vividly remember John leaping above Jim Montgomery to score the winning header. What followed after that was a goalkeeping masterclass from Kevin Keelan. Happy days!
I can recall seeing Big John play. He always seemed to be slow, but seeing as he only needed one stride to most others 2 or 3, he won as many foot races as he lost.
Great memories; thank you Kathy.
O T B C
A great story, brings back memories of moving from the river end to the Barclay, coach in from Beccles, tube of toffo’s or munchies from the sellers at the front, getting home in time to pick up the pinken , singing John’s song to manfred man. Thanks for the memories simple times
Kathy:
You are, indeed, an excellent writer. My initial response was going to be a simple observation that we must’ve crossed paths at some point: I’m a year older, spent countless hours at Trowse (even trained with apprentices when I was 14/16) & rode the 92 from school (alighting @ the Heartsease pub; I lived on Plumstead Road East) until I started riding up & down Ketts Hill. Then I was tempted to respond to a later portion when you describe sitting on your gate. We must’ve met! My newspaper route was the Estate! Morning paper boys (I don’t recall any girls) also did Sundays (weighed a ton with the magazines) & The Pink ‘Un, so I’d have handed you yours 😉, although I usually nicked one for myself! My Mum used to send it to me after I moved to the U.S. My visits home (before she died a couple of years ago, included walking up past the Heartsease with my grown son. I have Ted Bell’s book & said Mum got it fully autographed & Terry, Hugh, Dave & Duncan Forbes are all in there, but if John is, it’s illegible. I’ll be back over as soon as the gov’t let’s me & will be meeting up with Norfolk mates. I’ll buy you a 🍺
I’m sure you’re right Michael. Our newsagents was Woods. Is that who you worked for?
Yes I’d love to meet up. I have John Manning’s autograph an embarrassingly large number of times, so we can compare your ineligible splodge!
I dont suppose you are in tornado alley are you? If so I could visit you lol!