A NORWICH FAN'S TAKE ON KEENOR STATUE

Interesting read

http://www.zani.co.uk/articles.aspx?id=243

ZANI – A Fund Raiser By The Fans
The wonders of the modern age and internet technology,bring a whole new world to your fingertips without it I doubt if I would of paid much attention to Cardiff City fans attempts to build a statue for Fred Keenor. Lets face it most clubs have all time halls of fame and and several clubs have erected fitting memorials to their most famous sons. There can't be many who have a player with a story like Fred's it's the very stuff that was made for the old hard backed 'Boy's Own Annuals' to be honest it's way beyond the realms of the legendary Roy Race.

Fred was born in the Roath district of Cardiff in 1894 one of eleven children of his stone mason father. he had the distinction of playing in the first ever Wales v England schoolboy International in 1907. After turning out for Roath Wednesdays in a local league Fred was snapped up by Cardiff City turning professional in 1912 reputedly his starting salary was 10 shillings.Having established himself as a regular in the Bluebirds first eleven like so many promising footballers Fred was called up to serve in the great war. He was to serve his time with the Middlesex regiment in the footballers 17th Battalion. Sent into action during the battle of the Somme Fred suffered shrapnel wounds to both his shoulder and leg many including Fred felt that his career would be over. However he recovered and the rest of the war was spent at Chatham as a P.E instructor.

After a short period with Brentford in the run up to his demob during which they won the London Combination ahead of the likes of Spurs and Arsenal he returned to his beloved Cardiff City. In October 1919 he made his full International debut as part of the first Welsh team to defeat England for 37 years the 2-1 scoreline was to be repeated in March 1920 as Wales secured their first Home International Championship since 1907. Things too were looking up for Cardiff who were voted straight from the Southern league into the Second division of the football league. The following season is forever remembered not only for the club gaining promotion to the top flight as runners up but also an amazing cup run that only ended after a controversial 3-1 defeat by Wolves in a semi final replay. A season of consolidation followed with expectations high for the following season, after a twenty two match unbeaten run the team faltered and were denied by a mere 0.024 of a goal under the old system of dividing goals scored by those conceded Huddersfield being crowned champions. The following season 1924/5 was to see the first trip for Fred and the team to the newly built Wembley alas on this occasion they were beaten 1-0 by Sheffield Utd . During the civic reception Fred made a speech vowing to bring the cup back to Wales sooner rather than later.......

After a dismal season in 1925/26 Fred replaced Jimmy Blair as team captain however the team still struggled and after being dropped after a 5-0 defeat at Newcastle on Christmas day Fred handed in a shock transfer request. The board accepted and for a while it seemed that his Bluebird days were numbered ,however he quickly regained his place as the teams fortunes turned the corner and by the middle of February he came off the list. The team again found the cup to their liking and after seeing off Aston Villa ,Darlington, Bolton and Chelsea found themselves one step away from a second Wembley appearance standing between them and Arsenal in the final was second division Reading. They were duly dispatched in a comfortable 3-0 victory meaning that once again their was a mass exodus of the blue half of the valleys to Wembley !!! With the two teams level on points in the first division table it looked likely to be a tight tense Cup Final from the commentaries I have read it seems that this was the case with Arsenal having the lions share of chances and possession. However they failed to make a breakthrough against a resolute Cardiff rearguard marshalled by Captain Keenor .

The decisive moment came in the 74th minute when Cardiff winger Hughie Ferguson's speculative effort squirmed under the body of Arsenals Welsh international keeper Dan Lewis . Despite an Arsenal onslaught Cardiff held on and Fred duly had his and Cardiff's finest hour receiving the cup from King George the V and make history as the first non English side to lift the Holy Grail of football. Despite his best efforts the rest of his time at Cardiff was pretty uneventful Fred did enjoy one moment of glory when he led the Welsh national side to the most improbable result in its 134-year history. Throughout the Twenties and early-Thirties, the majority of Home International Championship matches were played on Saturday afternoons, which meant they clashed with the Football League programme. At that stage, clubs were under no obligation to release players for internationals unless they were called upon to do so by their own national associations. Consequently, English sides often refused to let their Irish, Scottish and Welsh stars play for their countries on the same days as League fixtures.

In October 1930, Wales failed to raise a team of professionals for their match against Scotland in Glasgow. The Scottish side was virtually at full strength, but the Welsh line-up included several inexperienced amateurs from non-league clubs such as Colwyn Bay, Llanelli, Nunhead and the Cardiff Corinthians. The press dubbed the team ‘Keenor and the Unknowns,’ while bookmakers offered odds against them with a five-goal head start. One the Scots would declare when they reached double figures, but the game newspaper columnist predicted didn’t turn out as the pundits expected. Wrexham striker Tommy Bamford stunned the Ibrox crowd when he blasted Wales into a sixth-minute lead. Hearts forward Barney Battles equalised shortly before half-time, but from that point onwards Scotland found it impossible to break down the visitors’ rearguard. City reserve keeper Len Evans produced a string of breathtaking saves and the rest of the Welsh team defended magnificently as they fought their way to the unlikeliest of draws. The Western Mail claimed the side’s performance was "the pluckiest in the history of international football," while thirty six year-old Fred was described as "a great and heroic captain whose hard tackling inspired his team-mates, and who kept the forwards supplied with the right kind of passes." After his retirement from the game in May 1936 at 41 Fred became seriously ill with diabetes in typical Fred fashion he had managed to cover it up for many years. Finally he collapsed and was rushed to hospital where he remained in a coma for five days. Thankfully he made a full recovery and was able to return to work. He worked for many years as a storeman for Cardiff City Corporation and was always given a big welcome back at Ninian park. Fred died at the age of 78 in 1972.

Now as the Cardiff fans raise funds for the statue actor Jonathan Owen along with Owen Powell,Guto Price and Ryan Richards have got together as 'The Stand ' to re-work old terrace favourite' I'll Be There '. The song based on the famous industrial revolution protest mining folk song 'When The Coal Comes From The Rhondda'.Lets hope that this and Fred's story give a positive spin on the proud people of the Welsh Valleys through all kinds of adversities through the ages there is a collective spirit that shines through. This is kind of what I think Jon and the boys are trying to achieve as well as raising funds for the statue it's kind of a call to arms to stand shoulder to shoulder as we go through some testing times both socially and politically. Regardless of if you are a Cardiff City fan you should buy the single to show support. Real sporting heroes are few and far between and deserve to be celebrated as such in this world of over inflated ego's and wages. To sum it up for me I see it as a chance to honour the past and show that together we are strong divided we are weak.

well done,,,,,,,, i was also told, many years ago by , someone, that after the 1927 fa cup final, the arsenal goalkeeper who let that ball slip under his body, later commited suicide,due to all the remarks etc that were made about him?

well done,,,,,,,, i was also told, many years ago by , someone, that after the 1927 fa cup final, the arsenal goalkeeper who let that ball slip under his body, later commited suicide,due to all the remarks etc that were made about him?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dan_Lewis_(footballer)

well done,,,,,,,, i was also told, many years ago by , someone, that after the 1927 fa cup final, the arsenal goalkeeper who let that ball slip under his body, later commited suicide,due to all the remarks etc that were made about him?

Yes, he jumped in front of a bus, but it went under him.

Seriously though, the Keenor story would make one hell of a good film.

Its a disgrace that the funds need to be raised at all. This should've been accounted for within the stadium build - hardly breaking the bank in the scheme of things.

If ever a player deserved a statue then Fred Keenor is that man.

exactly, we shouldn't have to raise the funds especially as riddler took millions

maybe somone should forward that above to the VT and TG and maybe put it in the echo rag

Its a disgrace that the funds need to be raised at all. This should've been accounted for within the stadium build - hardly breaking the bank in the scheme of things.

If ever a player deserved a statue then Fred Keenor is that man.

I COULD NOT AGREE MORE WITH THOSE WORDS.

The cost would have been pennies included in the build

The council should be putting money into it. They've funded enough egg chasing statues etc around the city. Greatest sporting moment in Welsh history and the council do sod all.

Carl

Looks like that Norwich fan took his "inspiration" from a mutual friend

http://thelonegunmanblog.blogspot.com/2 ... t-one.html
http://thelonegunmanblog.blogspot.com/2 ... t-two.html

The council should be putting money into it. They've funded enough egg chasing statues etc around the city. Greatest sporting moment in Welsh history and the council do sod all.

I think the council are putting some funds in, mate. I dont know how much but Im sure I read in the Echo it was £20,000 or something like that. Its the Welsh Assembly who said they aint putting anything in.

The money that has just been paid to Ridsdale should be returned for the statue as it grinds me that greedy fat yorkshire b*stard who openly ripped me and thousands of supporters off got any more money and we want a statue.

I will be angry over Ridsdale for a long time and I believe what goes around comes around and when he get his I will be laughing my bollocks off.

I am also not shocked about the Welsh assembly, it would have the support if it was a rugby player

The council should be putting money into it. They've funded enough egg chasing statues etc around the city. Greatest sporting moment in Welsh history and the council do sod all.

I think the council are putting some funds in, mate. I dont know how much but Im sure I read in the Echo it was £20,000 or something like that. Its the Welsh Assembly who said they aint putting anything in.

That's great. But the Welsh Assembly should put something towards it too

The council should be putting money into it. They've funded enough egg chasing statues etc around the city. Greatest sporting moment in Welsh history and the council do sod all.

I think the council are putting some funds in, mate. I dont know how much but Im sure I read in the Echo it was £20,000 or something like that. Its the Welsh Assembly who said they aint putting anything in.

That's great. But the Welsh Assembly should put something towards it too :ayatollah:

What spend a couple of grand on football? They've got no money to spare having spent 14 million on golf.If there is any spare the egg will get it