Gerry Wolstenholme's Blog - Posts Tagged "brighton-and-hove-albion"
Seasiders' striker who went on to score more than 100 League goals
Christopher Robin Anthony (Kit) Napier 1943-2019
Kit Napier was born in Dunblane on 26 September 1943 and played for Arniston Thistle, a Scottish junior club as an inside forward; he later became a centre forward. He was signed by Blackpool as an amateur of considerable promise in October 1959 following a recommendation from a Scottish headmaster to Blackpool’s trainer Johnny Lynas.
He was said to have shown much promise in his early games with the Blackpool Youth side {I once saw him score seven goals in a 10-0 victory for Blackpool Youth} and he was also a more than useful golfer, having tied for a trophy at West Linton Golf Club before joining Blackpool.
Blackpool signed him as a full time professional on 30 October 1960 when his weekly wage was to be £7 per week with an extra £13 if and when playing in the first team and an extra £2 when playing in the second team. He earned that £2 when making his debut for the Central League side in a 3-1 defeat by Aston Villa reserves on 27 August 1960; it was his only Central League game in the 1960/61 season.
He was a regular goalscorer, scoring twice as Blackpool defeated the Lancastrian Brigade 4-1 in the North West Regional Challenge Cup Final on 20 April 1961 to win his first trophy with the club.
His weekly wage for the 1961/62 season was adjusted to £9 with an extra £5 if and when playing in the first team and an extra £2 when playing in the reserve side. He was still playing in the Youth side and in a Youth Cup game against Liverpool on 13 December 1961 he was 'the best forward' and 'over the 90 minutes he was tricky deceptive but not always direct'. He scored Blackpool’s goal in a 2-1 defeat.
Still only 18 he made his first team debut in the League Cup third round against Workington on 5 November 1961. Blackpool won 1 0 and he had 'a promising match' when 'with not a lot of support he showed some splendid touches, [and a] willingness to stand up for himself', he even had 'a surprise shot which smacked against the crossbar with Wright hopelessly beaten'. But he was mainly confined to the Central League side and he impressed in a 4-3 defeat by Everton reserves on 11 November 1961 and with the first team centre forward position in doubt, it was thought that he might be given a chance of a League debut. In the event Ray Charnley recovered from injury and he was not required. So, the League Cup tie was his only first team game of the 1961/62 season but he did play in 17 Central League games, scoring just one goal, that in a 3-3 draw with Chesterfield reserves on 9 December 1961.
His play had developed considerably and he was fully expected to get his chance in League football in the 1962/63 season and, consequently, his weekly wage for the season was £13 plus an extra £10 if and when playing in the first team and an extra £2 when playing in the reserve side.
He missed another opportunity for a League debut when he was pencilled in for his debut in place of Ray Charnley against Liverpool on 15 December 1962 but at the last minute manager Ronnie Suart felt that the going would suit Charnley better so Napier did not play; Blackpool lost the game 2-1.
However, the following week he was selected for his League debut against Wolverhampton Wanderers on 22 December 1962 but fog descended and the game was abandoned {I was at the game and it lasted about seven minutes as the fog descended from an almost cloudless blue sky]. Then came the big freeze and Blackpool only played one game, against Tottenham Hotspur on 19 January 1963, until they restarted their fixtures with a match against Manchester United on 23 February 1963. And that was the game that Napier finally made his First Division debut at centre forward in the 1 1 draw at Manchester United.
He kept his place for the following game, a 3-2 win over Leyton Orient on 2 March 1963 when he was considered 'not yet a First Division centre forward' and he was left out of the side after this game. He returned to Central League action in which, over the 1962/63 season, he was the top scorer with 15 goals from 33 games, in addition to his two League games.
He was transferred to Preston North End for a fee of £700 on 24 June 1963 after his Blackpool career had encompassed two League games, one League Cup tie and 51 Central League games.
He made just one first team League appearance, for Preston North End at outside right against Charlton Athletic, and he was allowed to leave after just one season at the club. His appearances in the reserve side were deemed 'more spirited than talented'.
Preston transferred him to Third Division Workington in July 1964 and he went on to play 58 League games and scored 28 goals for the club in a 16-month stay. He had one of his best days at the club when he scored twice as Workington eliminated First Division Blackburn Rovers 5-1 from the 1964/65 League Cup and he also scored the equalizer as his club earned a deserved replay against eventual winners Chelsea in the quarter-final. His 13 goals for Workington in his final season ensured a transfer to First Division Newcastle United for a £20,000 fee on 5 November 1965. And rather ironically, he made his first team debut the day after signing, in a 2 0 defeat of Blackpool at St James’s Park on 6 November 1965. He went on to play only eight League games for Newcastle United and, perhaps surprisingly, failed to score a goal.
Newcastle transferred him to Third Division Brighton and Hove Albion for a fee of £8,500 in September 1966 and he had his most successful spell in League football as in 249 League games, plus seven substitute appearances, he scored 84 goals for the club. He was a fans' favourite at Brighton, being the club's top goalscorer in five of his six seasons, equalling the club post-war record of 28 goals in a season in 1967/68 and scoring 19 goals in Brighton's 1971/72 promotion season. In all games he scored 99 goals in 291 appearances for Brighton and is the club's third all-time leading goalscorer, behind Glenn Murray and Tommy Cook. It was said of him at Brighton, 'He was a ball-playing attacker, skilful with both feet, and with tremendous talent for goalscoring. At the Goldstone, Napier’s class and quick-witted play endeared him to the crowds.'
In August 1972 he was on the move once more when he was transferred for a fee of £15,000 to Blackburn Rovers, where he played 63 League and Cup games, made one substitute appearance and scored 13 goals. He left Ewood Park after the 1973/74 season.
His League career saw him make 379 appearances and score 119 goals.
After leaving Blackburn Rovers he moved to South Africa where he played for Durban United and after retirement from professional football he had a career in the motor trade. He continued to play golf and appeared in many pro-am tournaments in South Africa.
He died on 31 March 2019 at his home in South Africa after a long illness.
Kit Napier was born in Dunblane on 26 September 1943 and played for Arniston Thistle, a Scottish junior club as an inside forward; he later became a centre forward. He was signed by Blackpool as an amateur of considerable promise in October 1959 following a recommendation from a Scottish headmaster to Blackpool’s trainer Johnny Lynas.
He was said to have shown much promise in his early games with the Blackpool Youth side {I once saw him score seven goals in a 10-0 victory for Blackpool Youth} and he was also a more than useful golfer, having tied for a trophy at West Linton Golf Club before joining Blackpool.
Blackpool signed him as a full time professional on 30 October 1960 when his weekly wage was to be £7 per week with an extra £13 if and when playing in the first team and an extra £2 when playing in the second team. He earned that £2 when making his debut for the Central League side in a 3-1 defeat by Aston Villa reserves on 27 August 1960; it was his only Central League game in the 1960/61 season.
He was a regular goalscorer, scoring twice as Blackpool defeated the Lancastrian Brigade 4-1 in the North West Regional Challenge Cup Final on 20 April 1961 to win his first trophy with the club.
His weekly wage for the 1961/62 season was adjusted to £9 with an extra £5 if and when playing in the first team and an extra £2 when playing in the reserve side. He was still playing in the Youth side and in a Youth Cup game against Liverpool on 13 December 1961 he was 'the best forward' and 'over the 90 minutes he was tricky deceptive but not always direct'. He scored Blackpool’s goal in a 2-1 defeat.
Still only 18 he made his first team debut in the League Cup third round against Workington on 5 November 1961. Blackpool won 1 0 and he had 'a promising match' when 'with not a lot of support he showed some splendid touches, [and a] willingness to stand up for himself', he even had 'a surprise shot which smacked against the crossbar with Wright hopelessly beaten'. But he was mainly confined to the Central League side and he impressed in a 4-3 defeat by Everton reserves on 11 November 1961 and with the first team centre forward position in doubt, it was thought that he might be given a chance of a League debut. In the event Ray Charnley recovered from injury and he was not required. So, the League Cup tie was his only first team game of the 1961/62 season but he did play in 17 Central League games, scoring just one goal, that in a 3-3 draw with Chesterfield reserves on 9 December 1961.
His play had developed considerably and he was fully expected to get his chance in League football in the 1962/63 season and, consequently, his weekly wage for the season was £13 plus an extra £10 if and when playing in the first team and an extra £2 when playing in the reserve side.
He missed another opportunity for a League debut when he was pencilled in for his debut in place of Ray Charnley against Liverpool on 15 December 1962 but at the last minute manager Ronnie Suart felt that the going would suit Charnley better so Napier did not play; Blackpool lost the game 2-1.
However, the following week he was selected for his League debut against Wolverhampton Wanderers on 22 December 1962 but fog descended and the game was abandoned {I was at the game and it lasted about seven minutes as the fog descended from an almost cloudless blue sky]. Then came the big freeze and Blackpool only played one game, against Tottenham Hotspur on 19 January 1963, until they restarted their fixtures with a match against Manchester United on 23 February 1963. And that was the game that Napier finally made his First Division debut at centre forward in the 1 1 draw at Manchester United.
He kept his place for the following game, a 3-2 win over Leyton Orient on 2 March 1963 when he was considered 'not yet a First Division centre forward' and he was left out of the side after this game. He returned to Central League action in which, over the 1962/63 season, he was the top scorer with 15 goals from 33 games, in addition to his two League games.
He was transferred to Preston North End for a fee of £700 on 24 June 1963 after his Blackpool career had encompassed two League games, one League Cup tie and 51 Central League games.
He made just one first team League appearance, for Preston North End at outside right against Charlton Athletic, and he was allowed to leave after just one season at the club. His appearances in the reserve side were deemed 'more spirited than talented'.
Preston transferred him to Third Division Workington in July 1964 and he went on to play 58 League games and scored 28 goals for the club in a 16-month stay. He had one of his best days at the club when he scored twice as Workington eliminated First Division Blackburn Rovers 5-1 from the 1964/65 League Cup and he also scored the equalizer as his club earned a deserved replay against eventual winners Chelsea in the quarter-final. His 13 goals for Workington in his final season ensured a transfer to First Division Newcastle United for a £20,000 fee on 5 November 1965. And rather ironically, he made his first team debut the day after signing, in a 2 0 defeat of Blackpool at St James’s Park on 6 November 1965. He went on to play only eight League games for Newcastle United and, perhaps surprisingly, failed to score a goal.
Newcastle transferred him to Third Division Brighton and Hove Albion for a fee of £8,500 in September 1966 and he had his most successful spell in League football as in 249 League games, plus seven substitute appearances, he scored 84 goals for the club. He was a fans' favourite at Brighton, being the club's top goalscorer in five of his six seasons, equalling the club post-war record of 28 goals in a season in 1967/68 and scoring 19 goals in Brighton's 1971/72 promotion season. In all games he scored 99 goals in 291 appearances for Brighton and is the club's third all-time leading goalscorer, behind Glenn Murray and Tommy Cook. It was said of him at Brighton, 'He was a ball-playing attacker, skilful with both feet, and with tremendous talent for goalscoring. At the Goldstone, Napier’s class and quick-witted play endeared him to the crowds.'
In August 1972 he was on the move once more when he was transferred for a fee of £15,000 to Blackburn Rovers, where he played 63 League and Cup games, made one substitute appearance and scored 13 goals. He left Ewood Park after the 1973/74 season.
His League career saw him make 379 appearances and score 119 goals.
After leaving Blackburn Rovers he moved to South Africa where he played for Durban United and after retirement from professional football he had a career in the motor trade. He continued to play golf and appeared in many pro-am tournaments in South Africa.
He died on 31 March 2019 at his home in South Africa after a long illness.
A stellar career after one season at Bloomfield Road
William Johnston McGowan (Billy or Willie) McEwan 1951-2022
Billy, or often known as Willie when at Blackpool, McEwan was born at Cleland, North Lanarkshire, on 20 June 1951. He had begun his football career with Pumpherson Juniors before, in 1969, he joined Hibernian for whom he played 59 games, made two substitute appearances and scored two goals. Blackpool spotted his potential and signed him in May 1973 as a midfield player.
He made his League debut for Blackpool at number 10, along with another new signing, Wyn Davies, in the opening game of the 1973/74 season against recently relegated West Bromwich Albion on 25 August 1973 when Blackpool lost 3-2.
But his first significant contribution to Blackpool came when his presence at Bloomfield Road persuaded his brother, Stan, to sign for the club as an apprentice. Stan was on Rangers’ books and when he was released by Rangers, the brotherly connection secured Stan’s signature for Blackpool even though such as Liverpool, Arsenal and Sheffield United were keen to sign him.
Billy’s second League game on 1 September 1973 ended in a 0-0 draw with Sheffield Wednesday but was then having been out of the side with an injury he returned to action in the Central League side at inside left in a 2-0 defeat by West Bromwich Albion reserves on 29 September 1973. Still playing up front, he scored his first goal for the club, the only goal of the game, against Burnley reserves on 6 October 1973 when Blackpool won 1-0.
He returned to the first team for the League Cup tie against Birmingham City on 9 October 1973 when the game was drawn 2-2. He also played in the replay on 16 October when Blackpool lost 4-2 and when, in what was ‘an aggressive second half’, he was booked after 49 minutes and Blackpool had Wyn Davies sent off.
He was back in League action in place of Billy Rafferty in a 1-0 defeat by Cardiff City on 13 October 1973. Then in a 2-2 draw with Nottingham Forest on 20 October 1973, Keith Dyson replaced him after 70 minutes. It turned out to be Billy’s final League appearance for Blackpool.
He continued to play his part in the Central League side and Blackpool experimented with him and Kevin Moore at the full back positions ‘in order to try and get the crosses over for the three big forwards to use their heading power, but this ploy rarely came off’ in the Central League side’s 2-2 draw with Blackburn Rovers reserves on 19 November 1973. He was out of the side for the following game but the pairing returned against Manchester United reserves on 26 December 1973 when Blackpool lost 2-0.
Moore and Willie McEwan were together at full back once again in a 2-0 victory over Bolton Wanderers reserves on 1 January 1974. And then from full back he scored one of Blackpool’s goals in the Central League side’s 3-0 victory over Stoke City reserves on 12 January 1974. What turned out to be his final Central League game for Blackpool came in a 4-2 defeat by Sheffield Wednesday reserves on 16 February 1974.
Six days after his final appearance for the club he was transferred to Brighton and Hove Albion for a fee of £7,500 on 22 February 1974. He had played four League games, two League Cup ties, one Lancashire Senior Cup tie and 13 Central League games, scoring two goals, for Blackpool up to the time of his transfer.
He went on to have a stellar Football League career after leaving Bloomfield Road, making a further 297 League appearances, beginning with 27 League games, in which he scored three goals, for Brighton.
He was transferred to Chesterfield in a part exchange deal that took Ken Tiler to Brighton and took McEwan and Ronnie Welch to Saltergate in November 1974. And in October 1976 he was chosen to sit on the players’ disciplinary committee at Chesterfield to consider punishment for errant team-mates.
He played 79 League games plus making one substitute appearance, scoring seven goals, seven FA Cup ties, scoring one goal, and four League Cup ties for Chesterfield before he was transferred to Mansfield Town for a fee of £15,000 in January 1977. He went on to play 32 League games and score three goals for Mansfield, where he played a major role in the side that won the Division Three championship in 1977/78.
He moved on when he was transferred to Peterborough United for a fee of £17,000 in November 1977. And he opposed his brother Stan when Blackpool played Peterborough United on 28 April 1979 but it was Max Thompson who was booked for a tackle on Billy as Blackpool won 2-1 with two late goals from Tony Kellow. He played 62 League games, made one substitute appearance and scored three goals for Peterborough.
What turned out to be his final League club was after he was transferred to Rotherham United for a fee of £30,000 in July 1979. And once again he opposed his brother Stan on 15 September 1979 when Blackpool beat Rotherham United 3-2 with Stan scoring the deciding goal in the 76th minute.
He missed the whole of Rotherham’s 1981 Third Division championship season but the club kept him involved by using him as a sponge man and as a scout. He played 86 League games, made nine substitute appearances and scored 10 goals for Rotherham where it was said, ‘he played his best stuff’.
In the summer of 1984 he went on an FA course about the treatment of injuries and he was appointed physiotherapist at Sheffield United later that year.
He was appointed caretaker-manager at Sheffield United in March 1986 and in May he took the role on a permanent basis. He left the club in January 1988 and he briefly joined the scouting staff at Manchester United later in January 1988.
He had been a fans’ favourite at Rotherham United and it was no surprise when he was appointed manager at the club in April 1988 and he remained in the post until January 1991. While at Millmoor he won the Fourth Division title in 1988/89.
He was later a coach at Scarborough, before taking over as manager at Darlington in 1992. And after leaving Darlington he was engaged on the coaching staff at Derby County, where he enjoyed nine years at the club. In addition he had two short spells as caretaker manager at Derby, taking over after Roy McFarland left in 1995 and then again after Colin Todd’s departure in 2001/02. He also managed Derby County’s reserve side.
After leaving Derby in October 2004 he took over at York City as manager, a post which he held until November 2007 and where he won a Conference National Manager of the Month award in April 2007.
He took over as manager at Mansfield Town in July 2008 but his tenure was short-lived and he left in December of that year.
His reputation was such that he was appointed technical director of the Antigua and Barbuda Football Association in March 2010 and in April of that year he became manager of Antigua Barracuda FC. He returned from the Caribbean in March 2011.
He sadly died on 17 February 2022 after struggling with Parkinson’s disease since 2014. He leaves a wife, Marie, and two daughters, Suzanne and Nikki, Each of his clubs’ deepest condolences and thoughts, together with those of all the fans who watched and supported him, are with his family and friends.
Billy, or often known as Willie when at Blackpool, McEwan was born at Cleland, North Lanarkshire, on 20 June 1951. He had begun his football career with Pumpherson Juniors before, in 1969, he joined Hibernian for whom he played 59 games, made two substitute appearances and scored two goals. Blackpool spotted his potential and signed him in May 1973 as a midfield player.
He made his League debut for Blackpool at number 10, along with another new signing, Wyn Davies, in the opening game of the 1973/74 season against recently relegated West Bromwich Albion on 25 August 1973 when Blackpool lost 3-2.
But his first significant contribution to Blackpool came when his presence at Bloomfield Road persuaded his brother, Stan, to sign for the club as an apprentice. Stan was on Rangers’ books and when he was released by Rangers, the brotherly connection secured Stan’s signature for Blackpool even though such as Liverpool, Arsenal and Sheffield United were keen to sign him.
Billy’s second League game on 1 September 1973 ended in a 0-0 draw with Sheffield Wednesday but was then having been out of the side with an injury he returned to action in the Central League side at inside left in a 2-0 defeat by West Bromwich Albion reserves on 29 September 1973. Still playing up front, he scored his first goal for the club, the only goal of the game, against Burnley reserves on 6 October 1973 when Blackpool won 1-0.
He returned to the first team for the League Cup tie against Birmingham City on 9 October 1973 when the game was drawn 2-2. He also played in the replay on 16 October when Blackpool lost 4-2 and when, in what was ‘an aggressive second half’, he was booked after 49 minutes and Blackpool had Wyn Davies sent off.
He was back in League action in place of Billy Rafferty in a 1-0 defeat by Cardiff City on 13 October 1973. Then in a 2-2 draw with Nottingham Forest on 20 October 1973, Keith Dyson replaced him after 70 minutes. It turned out to be Billy’s final League appearance for Blackpool.
He continued to play his part in the Central League side and Blackpool experimented with him and Kevin Moore at the full back positions ‘in order to try and get the crosses over for the three big forwards to use their heading power, but this ploy rarely came off’ in the Central League side’s 2-2 draw with Blackburn Rovers reserves on 19 November 1973. He was out of the side for the following game but the pairing returned against Manchester United reserves on 26 December 1973 when Blackpool lost 2-0.
Moore and Willie McEwan were together at full back once again in a 2-0 victory over Bolton Wanderers reserves on 1 January 1974. And then from full back he scored one of Blackpool’s goals in the Central League side’s 3-0 victory over Stoke City reserves on 12 January 1974. What turned out to be his final Central League game for Blackpool came in a 4-2 defeat by Sheffield Wednesday reserves on 16 February 1974.
Six days after his final appearance for the club he was transferred to Brighton and Hove Albion for a fee of £7,500 on 22 February 1974. He had played four League games, two League Cup ties, one Lancashire Senior Cup tie and 13 Central League games, scoring two goals, for Blackpool up to the time of his transfer.
He went on to have a stellar Football League career after leaving Bloomfield Road, making a further 297 League appearances, beginning with 27 League games, in which he scored three goals, for Brighton.
He was transferred to Chesterfield in a part exchange deal that took Ken Tiler to Brighton and took McEwan and Ronnie Welch to Saltergate in November 1974. And in October 1976 he was chosen to sit on the players’ disciplinary committee at Chesterfield to consider punishment for errant team-mates.
He played 79 League games plus making one substitute appearance, scoring seven goals, seven FA Cup ties, scoring one goal, and four League Cup ties for Chesterfield before he was transferred to Mansfield Town for a fee of £15,000 in January 1977. He went on to play 32 League games and score three goals for Mansfield, where he played a major role in the side that won the Division Three championship in 1977/78.
He moved on when he was transferred to Peterborough United for a fee of £17,000 in November 1977. And he opposed his brother Stan when Blackpool played Peterborough United on 28 April 1979 but it was Max Thompson who was booked for a tackle on Billy as Blackpool won 2-1 with two late goals from Tony Kellow. He played 62 League games, made one substitute appearance and scored three goals for Peterborough.
What turned out to be his final League club was after he was transferred to Rotherham United for a fee of £30,000 in July 1979. And once again he opposed his brother Stan on 15 September 1979 when Blackpool beat Rotherham United 3-2 with Stan scoring the deciding goal in the 76th minute.
He missed the whole of Rotherham’s 1981 Third Division championship season but the club kept him involved by using him as a sponge man and as a scout. He played 86 League games, made nine substitute appearances and scored 10 goals for Rotherham where it was said, ‘he played his best stuff’.
In the summer of 1984 he went on an FA course about the treatment of injuries and he was appointed physiotherapist at Sheffield United later that year.
He was appointed caretaker-manager at Sheffield United in March 1986 and in May he took the role on a permanent basis. He left the club in January 1988 and he briefly joined the scouting staff at Manchester United later in January 1988.
He had been a fans’ favourite at Rotherham United and it was no surprise when he was appointed manager at the club in April 1988 and he remained in the post until January 1991. While at Millmoor he won the Fourth Division title in 1988/89.
He was later a coach at Scarborough, before taking over as manager at Darlington in 1992. And after leaving Darlington he was engaged on the coaching staff at Derby County, where he enjoyed nine years at the club. In addition he had two short spells as caretaker manager at Derby, taking over after Roy McFarland left in 1995 and then again after Colin Todd’s departure in 2001/02. He also managed Derby County’s reserve side.
After leaving Derby in October 2004 he took over at York City as manager, a post which he held until November 2007 and where he won a Conference National Manager of the Month award in April 2007.
He took over as manager at Mansfield Town in July 2008 but his tenure was short-lived and he left in December of that year.
His reputation was such that he was appointed technical director of the Antigua and Barbuda Football Association in March 2010 and in April of that year he became manager of Antigua Barracuda FC. He returned from the Caribbean in March 2011.
He sadly died on 17 February 2022 after struggling with Parkinson’s disease since 2014. He leaves a wife, Marie, and two daughters, Suzanne and Nikki, Each of his clubs’ deepest condolences and thoughts, together with those of all the fans who watched and supported him, are with his family and friends.
