Gert Meyer 1979

[Roadrunner]

Anyone remember why Gert only stayed with us in 1979. Before returning to the Netherlands to play  for Sparta Rotterdam, who he went on to manager. He also  managed Feyenoord

[Major Isewater]

3 minutes ago, Roadrunner said:

Anyone remember why Gert only stayed with us in 1979. Before returning to the Netherlands to play  for Sparta Rotterdam, who he went on to manager. He also  managed Feyenoord

From memory , apart from  his debut ,he was poor and just lost his way here. 
Another big disappointment for the club.

 

[Sleepy1968]

Sorry to hyjack the thread, but I remember a finish international joining at roughly the same time - Perti Jantunan. He didn't stay long either.

[Major Isewater]

4 minutes ago, Sleepy1968 said:

Sorry to hyjack the thread, but I remember a finish international joining at roughly the same time - Perti Jantunan. He didn't stay long either.

These were ‘exotic’ exciting buys  for the club . I suspect they both regret coming here at a time when we were run by amateurs.

 

[Offside]

15 minutes ago, Sleepy1968 said:

Sorry to hyjack the thread, but I remember a finish international joining at roughly the same time - Perti Jantunan. He didn't stay long either.

And shortly after Jan Möller, who I believe played for Sweden.  He was a giant of a keeper from what I recall. 

[GrahamC]

37 minutes ago, Roadrunner said:

Anyone remember why Gert only stayed with us in 1979. Before returning to the Netherlands to play  for Sparta Rotterdam, who he went on to manager. He also  managed Feyenoord

He didn’t really fit into our pattern of play, he had a couple of very good home games but appeared a bit of a passenger away from home so went back to the Netherlands pretty sharpish.

[slartibartfast]

33 minutes ago, Sleepy1968 said:

Sorry to hyjack the thread, but I remember a finish international joining at roughly the same time - Perti Jantunan. He didn't stay long either.

Scored on his debut, 30 yard screamer, in the enclosure he was known as Jack Chutney !

Edited January 12, 2022 by slartibartfast

[Sleepy1968]

20 minutes ago, Offside said:

And shortly after Jan Möller, who I believe played for Sweden.  He was a giant of a keeper from what I recall. 

You're right, he was massive. For some reason crosses were not much of a problem for him

[Swede]

If my memory serves me right;

Gert Meyer: Played well but was home sick.

Pertti Jantunen: Held his own but was probably a little too lightweight for the rigours of top flight English football.

Jan Moller: Was probably one of the best goal keepers we ever had. He was a victim of the financial implosion we suffered after getting relegated from the top division at the time. 

[myol'man]

"When it's spring again, I'll sing again, Gerty from Amsterdam"

Another East End classic

[Davefevs]

15 minutes ago, Swede said:

If my memory serves me right;

Gert Meyer: Played well but was home sick.

Pertti Jantunen: Held his own but was probably a little too lightweight for the rigours of top flight English football.

Jan Moller: Was probably one of the best goal keepers we ever had. He was a victim of the financial implosion we suffered after getting relegated from the top division at the time. 

Was promised a Rolls Royce if he kept clean sheets.  Hold my beer Julian Marshall - Cambridge (h) - great diving header own goal.

[BTRFTG]

1 hour ago, slartibartfast said:

Scored on his debut, 30 yard screamer, in the enclosure he was known as Jack Chutney !

As in 'ferret' Slarti? In the Open End on debut I had heard him called 'Bellend' as in profile and sporting that Joanna Lumley 'Purdey' haircut he came with, he looked like a giant phallus.

Unless memory fails I think the reason he didn't last long is it later transpired he wasn't so much a professional footballer, rather a fireman who turned out at amateur level.

[Davefevs]

2 hours ago, slartibartfast said:

Scored on his debut, 30 yard screamer, in the enclosure he was known as Jack Chutney !

Leeds Utd (h)?  IIRC lots of trouble in the park afterwards.

[supercidered]

3 hours ago, Roadrunner said:

Anyone remember why Gert only stayed with us in 1979. Before returning to the Netherlands to play  for Sparta Rotterdam, who he went on to manager. He also  managed Feyenoord

Corrrr that kit is beautiful !!

I saw him play at home v WBA and we won 1:0. WBA were top at that point I seem to remember. A long time ago but I recall he played well that night and there were 30k in attendance (may have that wrong as it was so long ago).

[RedRock]

My recollection was Gert was alright. Not in the realms of being Gert Lush, just decent.
 

Pertti, likewise.

Didn’t we end up with three decent strikers at the time? 

[slartibartfast]

8 minutes ago, supercidered said:

Corrrr that kit is beautiful !!

I saw him play at home v WBA and we won 1:0. WBA were top at that point I seem to remember. A long time ago but I recall he played well that night and there were 30k in attendance (may have that wrong as it was so long ago).

Yes, we virtually stopped WBA winning the title that night (the Thrre Degrees and all) !

[BS3City]

I'm sure Meyers debut was against Brum, a fading memory recalls an impressive showing with a couple of efforts from distance that shaved the crossbar (although I could be wrong). I remember being really excited at what might be around the corner - but what did an excitable 12 year old know?

[supercidered]

17 minutes ago, slartibartfast said:

Yes, we virtually stopped WBA winning the title that night (the Thrre Degrees and all) !

Absolutely! 

The Three Degrees were brilliant players. Wouldn't be able to call them that these days though. 

[slartibartfast]

58 minutes ago, BS3City said:

I'm sure Meyers debut was against Brum, a fading memory recalls an impressive showing with a couple of efforts from distance that shaved the crossbar (although I could be wrong). I remember being really excited at what might be around the corner - but what did an excitable 12 year old know?

Yes his goal (at the Park End) was brilliantly taken from a very acute angle, I remember his quote at the time........... "I didn't know I score until I hear ze public cheer" !

Edited January 12, 2022 by slartibartfast

[Gimme Shelton]

I was in the Park End and I could swear it was scored at the East End! Someone must have it on video.

[A Horse With No Name]

Remember we were home to someone like Ipswich and Gerty was on the bench. 1-0 down with about 15 minutes to go and he comes on and scores twice. Looked a world beater that night.

Also throw into the mix Ivan Testimatanu.

[PHILINFRANCE]

2 hours ago, slartibartfast said:

Yes, we virtually stopped WBA winning the title that night (the Thrre Degrees and all) !

 

2 hours ago, supercidered said:

Absolutely! 

The Three Degrees were brilliant players. Wouldn't be able to call them that these days though. 

What a trio.

Cyril Regis, Laurie Cunningham and Brendon Batson, the first two now deceased.

You are probably right that we wouldn't be able to use that description today, which is a great shame as, to the best of my memory, it wasn't said with any malice (certainly not on my part), rather that they were just three great (black) footballers. 

[Sweeneys Penalties]

Could have sworn it was a Saturday fixture but can't remember who against and he scored at The Park End iirc

[BRIAN WILSON]

2 minutes ago, Sweeneys Penalties said:

Could have sworn it was a Saturday fixture but can't remember who against and he scored at The Park End iirc

If I recall , It was the Park End and early on against Birmingham 

[Red-Robbo]

3 hours ago, BTRFTG said:

As in 'ferret' Slarti? In the Open End on debut I had heard him called 'Bellend' as in profile and sporting that Joanna Lumley 'Purdey' haircut he came with, he looked like a giant phallus.

Unless memory fails I think the reason he didn't last long is it later transpired he wasn't so much a professional footballer, rather a fireman who turned out at amateur level.

 

We signed him from Malaga.  I don't know if he'd started off as an amateur in Finland, but he was definitely a full professional there. Played for a couple of Swedish first division clubs after us. 

[BTRFTG]

46 minutes ago, Red-Robbo said:

 

We signed him from Malaga.  I don't know if he'd started off as an amateur in Finland, but he was definitely a full professional there. Played for a couple of Swedish first division clubs after us. 

Afterwards he may well have played in the Swedish top flight  ( Vasteras rings a bell) but we bought him from an unknown lower tier bunch of part-timers near Stockholm (can't recall their name.) I'm 99% sure, as in Finland, he was a full-time fireman there. Despite his dream start he was so far out of his depth he went from Div 1 to fighting fires back in his hometown.

[Port Said Red]

What I remember of the Dutchman was that he came here because he was fed up with only playing at home, and being benched or dropped for away games in the ultra defensive Dutch Leagues. AD unfortunately was of a similar mindset and did the same which made him less than happy.

[archie andrews]

2 hours ago, BRIAN WILSON said:

If I recall , It was the Park End and early on against Birmingham 

very right BW....blues had alberto tarantini playing for em....late chris garland effort won it come the the end

[pillred]

4 hours ago, slartibartfast said:

Yes his goal (at the Park End) was brilliantly taken from a very acute angle, I remember his quote at the time........... "I didn't know I score until I hear ze public cheer" !

I was literally right in line with him stood in the enclosure that day how he scored from that angle I will never know great way to introduce yourself to the crowd.

[BTRFTG]

13 minutes ago, archie andrews said:

alberto tarantini

Tarantini- to quote Warren Zevon: "...his hair was PERFECT."

[Swede]

Got to be a Bristol City "foreign" 11 next then. (Am I allowed to say foreign without upsetting anyone?) Not counting the home countries either

Help me fill in the missing players

1) Jan Moller (Sieb Dykstra)                      2) Adam Nagy

3) Jim Brennan

4) Evander Sno

5) Hörður Magnússon 

6) Ivan Testimitanu

7) Luke Wiltshire

Dariuz Dziekanowski 

9) Ade Akinbiyi

10) Nick Carle

11) Soren Andersen 

[Davefevs]

Vegard Hansen instead of Nagy at RB.

Goater instead of Carle.

Agostino instead of Anderson

[SuperDziek]

Clemens Zwinenberg (sp) and Vilmos Sebok at centre half with Gustav Engvall partnering Peter Styvar up top.  Neil Kilkenny providing the regular assists. 

[archie andrews]

9 minutes ago, SuperDziek said:

Clemens Zwinenberg (sp) and Vilmos Sebok at centre half with Gustav Engvall partnering Peter Styvar up top.  Neil Kilkenny providing the regular assists. 

id have harpal singh over soren andersen too....

[BTRFTG]

13 minutes ago, SuperDziek said:

Clemens Zwinenberg (sp) and Vilmos Sebok at centre half with Gustav Engvall partnering Peter Styvar up top.  Neil Kilkenny providing the regular assists. 

No room for Henry McKop or Jehad Muntasser?

[SuperDziek]

9 minutes ago, BTRFTG said:

No room for Henry McKop or Jehad Muntasser?

Ah good old Henry, the Scottish Liverpool fan

[Rich]

Not read through this topic completely, so I'm opening myself up for a whoosh here. As well as Gert Meyer and Pertti Jantunen, we also signed another player from the continent at that time, I can never remember his name. Unlike Pertti, he had a full head of dark hair and was from an Eastern European country. Can't find him on the list of players, so maybe just on loan/trial.

[Norn Iron]

1 hour ago, Swede said:

Got to be a Bristol City "foreign" 11 next then. (Am I allowed to say foreign without upsetting anyone?) Not counting the home countries either

Help me fill in the missing players

1) Jan Moller (Sieb Dykstra)                      2) Adam Nagy

3) Jim Brennan

4) Evander Sno

5) Hörður Magnússon 

6) Ivan Testimitanu

7) Luke Wiltshire

Dariuz Dziekanowski 

9) Ade Akinbiyi

10) Nick Carle

11) Soren Andersen 

5 Mark Shail.

(Born in Sweden). IGMC

[hollydog]

11 hours ago, Offside said:

And shortly after Jan Möller, who I believe played for Sweden.  He was a giant of a keeper from what I recall. 

Superb keeper - best in my lifetime.

[hollydog]

7 hours ago, slartibartfast said:

Yes, we virtually stopped WBA winning the title that night (the Thrre Degrees and all) !

We did - they were genuine contenders and brought a massive following. 

[hollydog]

1 hour ago, SuperDziek said:

Clemens Zwinenberg (sp) and Vilmos Sebok at centre half with Gustav Engvall partnering Peter Styvar up top.  Neil Kilkenny providing the regular assists. 

Sebok was ok I thought!

[hollydog]

1 hour ago, Rich said:

Not read through this topic completely, so I'm opening myself up for a whoosh here. As well as Gert Meyer and Pertti Jantunen, we also signed another player from the continent at that time, I can never remember his name. Unlike Pertti, he had a full head of dark hair and was from an Eastern European country. Can't find him on the list of players, so maybe just on loan/trial.

From recollection we were interested in a Yugoslavian (as was). Much press coverage because he was continental but never signed. 

[icamanicity]

2 hours ago, hollydog said:

From recollection we were interested in a Yugoslavian (as was). Much press coverage because he was continental but never signed. 

Didn`t we have a Slobodan Antic either on trial or a loan

[Red-Robbo]

13 hours ago, BTRFTG said:

Afterwards he may well have played in the Swedish top flight  ( Vasteras rings a bell) but we bought him from an unknown lower tier bunch of part-timers near Stockholm (can't recall their name.) I'm 99% sure, as in Finland, he was a full-time fireman there. Despite his dream start he was so far out of his depth he went from Div 1 to fighting fires back in his hometown.

 

I think your memory may be at fault there.  He was playing in Sweden before we bought him, but had been a professional in Spain as well. You are correct that he had been in firefighter when he started off in Finland.

My recollection was he was a decent ball-player but, as you say, too lightweight for the English First Division and we released him from his contract by mutual consent.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pertti_Jantunen

[Red-Robbo]

11 hours ago, Swede said:

Got to be a Bristol City "foreign" 11 next then. (Am I allowed to say foreign without upsetting anyone?) Not counting the home countries either

Help me fill in the missing players

1) Jan Moller (Sieb Dykstra)                      2) Adam Nagy

3) Jim Brennan

4) Evander Sno

5) Hörður Magnússon 

6) Ivan Testimitanu

7) Luke Wiltshire

Dariuz Dziekanowski 

9) Ade Akinbiyi

10) Nick Carle

11) Soren Andersen 

 

Akinbiyi was born and grew up in London, so substitute Alvaro Saborio (Costa Rico) for him. 

[ashton_fan]

I always used to like Greg Goodridge (Barbados), we also had another keeper during the Benny year, Bo Anderson who was a Danish U23 international at the time, I believe he got injured which limited his appearances and let in Steve Phillips for his debut

[firstdivision]

17 hours ago, BS3City said:

I'm sure Meyers debut was against Brum, a fading memory recalls an impressive showing with a couple of efforts from distance that shaved the crossbar (although I could be wrong). I remember being really excited at what might be around the corner - but what did an excitable 12 year old know?

I think his debut was against Birmingham. And he scored in the first minute or so at the Open End. He was in the box on the left and squeezed the ball in, possibly off the post.
(He definitely scored in the first minute against Brum at home.)

[firstdivision]

31 March 1979 - City 2 Birmingham 1.
The only time we scored at home to Birmingham in the old first division days. 

[supercidered]

16 hours ago, PHILINFRANCE said:

 

What a trio.

Cyril Regis, Laurie Cunningham and Brendon Batson, the first two now deceased.

You are probably right that we wouldn't be able to use that description today, which is a great shame as, to the best of my memory, it wasn't said with any malice (certainly not on my part), rather that they were just three great (black) footballers. 

God no. Definitely no malice at all. Three Degrees were a great act and the three footballers were a great trio. Cyril and Laurie in particular were brilliant.

[handsofclay]

12 hours ago, Rich said:

Not read through this topic completely, so I'm opening myself up for a whoosh here. As well as Gert Meyer and Pertti Jantunen, we also signed another player from the continent at that time, I can never remember his name. Unlike Pertti, he had a full head of dark hair and was from an Eastern European country. Can't find him on the list of players, so maybe just on loan/trial.

 

11 hours ago, hollydog said:

From recollection we were interested in a Yugoslavian (as was). Much press coverage because he was continental but never signed. 

 

9 hours ago, icamanicity said:

Didn`t we have a Slobodan Antic either on trial or a loan

Yes, his name was Slobadan Antic from a side called, iirc, Radnicki Nis. A friendly was hastily arranged with Plymouth at Home Park as a trial for him. By all accounts he played well in a 3-1? Win. But nothing came of it. He went back to Yugoslavia. He would have been our first foreign signing (Eisenstrager excluded), which accounts for my good memory of it as it seemed so exciting back then.

[BTRFTG]

2 hours ago, Red-Robbo said:

 

I think your memory may be at fault there.  He was playing in Sweden before we bought him, but had been a professional in Spain as well. You are correct that he had been in firefighter when he started off in Finland.

My recollection was he was a decent ball-player but, as you say, too lightweight for the English First Division and we released him from his contract by mutual consent.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pertti_Jantunen

Looked up my old programmes.

Pertti came initially on a pre-season loan from IFK Eskilstuna (the team I couldn't recall,)  where he'd been playing for 18 months since he got cut from Malaga. Eskilstuna were playing in the northern half of the regional 2nd Tier of Swedish football, which was a mixture of some pros playing alongside part-timers (doesn't say which Pertti was.)  Many Pro contracts were seasonal given the way in which leagues were suspended or varied according to the prevailing weather. City played them in a pre-season friendly when on their Swedish tour, which I believe was in the middle of their season.

I'd forgotten that although he scored on his League debut for City he actually made his first appearance at Frankie Prince's testimonial (for good reason I didn't attend,) but he also figured in the Moscow Dynamo game which I was at though all memory erased owing to what happened to (my hero) Collier that night.

Amazingly, when he signed after the trial we paid £50k for him. No wonder we went bust.

[Offside]

2 hours ago, ashton_fan said:

I always used to like Greg Goodridge (Barbados), we also had another keeper during the Benny year, Bo Anderson who was a Danish U23 international at the time, I believe he got injured which limited his appearances and let in Steve Phillips for his debut

I remember there being high hopes for Bo Anderson, but from what I recall he was a disappointment. He was quite short for a keeper too. Whether it was his injury, or our poor defence, but he never looked comfortable. 

[Jim Davey]

On 12/01/2022 at 12:42, slartibartfast said:

Scored on his debut, 30 yard screamer, in the enclosure he was known as Jack Chutney !

Think it was shown at the start of points west programes.

[steviestevieneville]

Who was the lad we had on loan. Scored the winner away at burnley , centre half 

[Lanterne Rouge]

7 hours ago, supercidered said:

God no. Definitely no malice at all. Three Degrees were a great act and the three footballers were a great trio. Cyril and Laurie in particular were brilliant.

I`m sure I saw an article recently about Laurie Cunningham where the Three Degrees was referenced in an admiring way. As you say. absolutely no malice, just admiration for three superbly talented players who had an awful lot of abuse thrown their way and dealt with it with dignity.

[Rich]

7 hours ago, handsofclay said:

 

 

Yes, his name was Slobadan Antic from a side called, iirc, Radnicki Nis. A friendly was hastily arranged with Plymouth at Home Park as a trial for him. By all accounts he played well in a 3-1? Win. But nothing came of it. He went back to Yugoslavia. He would have been our first foreign signing (Eisenstrager excluded), which accounts for my good memory of it as it seemed so exciting back then.

That's the fella, have memories of him playing down there but never saw him. He was pictured in the post.

 

[Rich]

19 hours ago, hollydog said:

From recollection we were interested in a Yugoslavian (as was). Much press coverage because he was continental but never signed. 

Thanks, Hands of Clay answered confirming his name, Slobadan Antic. 

[Thornbury Red]

3 hours ago, steviestevieneville said:

Who was the lad we had on loan. Scored the winner away at burnley , centre half 

Tomas Vasko?

Edited January 13, 2022 by Thornbury Red

[Nicki's soulmate]

3 hours ago, steviestevieneville said:

Who was the lad we had on loan. Scored the winner away at burnley , centre half 

Sebok? 

Edited January 13, 2022 by Nicki's soulmate

[steviestevieneville]

4 minutes ago, Thornbury Red said:

Tomas Vasko?

That’s him cheers. Monsoon weather walking around from the cricket ground that day . Last minute winner 

[Murraysrightplum]

Gert rubbish wannum?

[archie andrews]

35 minutes ago, Murraysrightplum said:

Gert rubbish wannum?

no....sweetest left foot toss up him or walshy

[Swede]

12 hours ago, Red-Robbo said:

 

Akinbiyi was born and grew up in London, so substitute Alvaro Saborio (Costa Rico) for him. 

But didn't he play for Nigeria? Greg Goodridge could be there too.

[Swede]

23 hours ago, Norn Iron said:

5 Mark Shail.

(Born in Sweden). IGMC

I overheard a conversation after yet another drubbing by Wolves and David bloody Kelly that "if Mark Shail was in a marching band, he would be on the piano!"

[Norn Iron]

1 hour ago, Swede said:

I overheard a conversation after yet another drubbing by Wolves and David bloody Kelly that "if Mark Shail was in a marching band, he would be on the piano!"

That is a superb line! However, Mark was actually quite good, in my musical opinion.

He might not have played any solos but was certainly better than first triangle or cymbal player. A competent souzaphone player more like.

[PHILINFRANCE]

11 hours ago, BTRFTG said:

Looked up my old programmes.

Pertti came initially on a pre-season loan from IFK Eskilstuna (the team I couldn't recall,)  where he'd been playing for 18 months since he got cut from Malaga. Eskilstuna were playing in the northern half of the regional 2nd Tier of Swedish football, which was a mixture of some pros playing alongside part-timers (doesn't say which Pertti was.)  Many Pro contracts were seasonal given the way in which leagues were suspended or varied according to the prevailing weather. City played them in a pre-season friendly when on their Swedish tour, which I believe was in the middle of their season.

I wonder whether that Swedish tour was the one on which we attracted our faithful band of Swedish followers.

On the subject of which, where on earth is our Friday night, vodka consuming Swedish friend?

[Red-Robbo]

2 hours ago, Swede said:

But didn't he play for Nigeria? Greg Goodridge could be there too.

 

Aye, but a Cockney geezer. Ever heard him talk!

[BTRFTG]

9 hours ago, PHILINFRANCE said:

I wonder whether that Swedish tour was the one on which we attracted our faithful band of Swedish followers.

On the subject of which, where on earth is our Friday night, vodka consuming Swedish friend?

Haven't seen Gunner & the boys for ages,  possibly as the main contact this side decanted himself to Sweden many years ago. Top lads.

[slartibartfast]

18 hours ago, Jim Davey said:

Think it was shown at the start of points west programes.

Absolutely !

[slartibartfast]

Anyone remember a trialist we had from Holland/ Belgium in late 80s ,early 90's scored in a home  Pre S F..............Paul Ob De Beek ?

Edited January 14, 2022 by slartibartfast