George Curtis (footballer born 1919)
Encyclopedia
George Frederick Curtis (3 December 1919 – 17 November 2004) was an English professional footballer and coach, who played as an inside forward
.
in December 1936. He spent over a year at Arsenal's nursery club, Margate
, before returning to Highbury in February 1938; he made his Arsenal debut against Blackpool
on 10 April 1939 and made one other appearance that season. World War II
intervened that September and he spent the war serving in the Royal Air Force
stationed in India, but also played over 50 wartime matches for Arsenal. He also appeared as a guest player for West Ham United
later in World War II.
After hostilities ended he played 12 times in the 1946-47
season, but was sold to Southampton
in part-exchange for Don Roper
in summer 1947; in all he played 14 times for the Gunners, never scoring.
who valued him at £10,000, in an exchange transfer that also saw Tom Rudkin arrive at The Dell, with Don Roper
moving to Highbury
.
Nicknamed Twinkletoes by his team-mates, Curtis was a clever, nimble player, whose feints and tricks were appreciated by the supporters, although they often frustrated his colleagues. 'Soccer Star' magazine described Curtis as an "inside-forward-cum-wing-half".
During his five seasons at Southampton the club narrowly missed out on promotion to Division 1 for three seasons in a row; in 1947-48
they finished in third place, a feat repeated the following season
(despite having an 8 point lead with 8 games to play) whilst in 1949-50
they were to be denied promotion by 0.06 of a goal, missing out on second place to Sheffield United
.
After five memorable seasons at The Dell, he moved to the French second division. In all he played 183 games for Southampton, scoring 12 goals.
for a fee of £1,500 staying for a year between 1952 and 1953, before returning to see out his playing days as player-coach at Chelmsford City
. Curtis' move to Chelmsford City
was somewhat hindered due to a strike in France, but he eventually joined the Southern League side for 'a four-figure fee'.
He then embarked on a coaching course at Lilleshall
working with Walter Winterbottom. His coaching skills were quickly in demand and between 1957 and 1961 he was a coach with Sunderland
.
. At the end of his first season
in charge, Brighton were relegated from the Second division in last place. He stayed at Brighton until February 1963, when he was replaced by Archie Macaulay
.
, before taking the managerial reins at Stevenage Town F.C.
from January 1964 until 1967. He then had brief spells coaching at Hull City
and with San Diego Toros
.
His first meeting with the Rosenborg players is legendary:
Curtis introduced modern defensive football to Norway, with a flat backline 4-4-2 formation, pressure on the ball carrier and tactical focus.
The 1969 debut season ended with a premiership title for Rosenborg, with Odd Iversen scoring 26 of the team's 36 league goals. Despite this success, both the club leadership and the spectators disliked George Curtis's defensive style and pressure was put on Curtis to play a more attacking style.
In September 1969, Rosenborg met Curtis's former club, Southampton, in the first round of the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup
, with Southampton going through 2-1 on aggregate, the goals coming from Ron Davies
and Terry Paine
with Rosenborg's goal scored by Sunde.
Curtis was allowed to continue for one more season. Despite coming second in the 1970 league season, it was an anti-climax. The dynamic duo of Iversen and Harald Sunde had been sold to Belgian Division 2 club Racing Mechelen before the start of the season and with them went all of Rosenborg’s attacking play. 18 league games later, Rosenborg ended up with an almost unbelievable goal difference of 15-5!
At the end of the season, George Curtis was dismissed and was replaced by Nils Arne Eggen
(assisted by Tor Røste Fossen
).
. During the Euro 72 qualifying campaign, Norway picked up only one point in six games, and in a World Cup qualifier against Holland on 1 November 1972, Norway lost 9-0. The next year, they suffered a perhaps even more humiliating result by losing 2-1 against Luxembourg
.
Under his management, Norway played 17 international matches http://www.fotball.no/histstat.ASP?WCI=wiClub&WCE=ceCoachAllMatches&personid=457354&orgelementid=187838 (of which only 3 were won) before he was sacked in June 1974. Again, he was replaced by Eggen.
in the 2nd round of the cup sealed his fate: Curtis was released from his contract on 27 August 1976. Again, his successor was Nils Arne Eggen
. Under Eggen’s leadership Rosenborg managed to claw their way back from the bottom - thereby postponing relegation by a year.
His final coaching job was spent in Qatar
from 1979 to 1981.
coast where he continued to coach youngsters as part of the FIFA coaching scheme, remaining as passionate about the game as ever.
He died in 2004, reportedly spending the final years of his life living on his own in a caravan in Chelmsford
.
Striker
Forwards, also known as strikers, are the players on a team in association football who play nearest to the opposing team's goal, and are therefore principally responsible for scoring goals...
.
Arsenal
Curtis played as a youth for Anglo (Purfleet) before signing for ArsenalArsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
in December 1936. He spent over a year at Arsenal's nursery club, Margate
Margate F.C.
Margate Football Club is an English football team based in the seaside resort of Margate, Kent, currently playing in the Isthmian League Premier Division. The club was known for a number of years during the 1980s as Thanet United....
, before returning to Highbury in February 1938; he made his Arsenal debut against Blackpool
Blackpool F.C.
Blackpool Football Club are an English football club founded in 1887 from the Lancashire seaside town of Blackpool. They are competing in the 2011–12 season of the The Championship, the second tier of professional football in England, having been relegated from the Premier League at the end of the...
on 10 April 1939 and made one other appearance that season. World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
intervened that September and he spent the war serving in the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
stationed in India, but also played over 50 wartime matches for Arsenal. He also appeared as a guest player for West Ham United
West Ham United F.C.
West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...
later in World War II.
After hostilities ended he played 12 times in the 1946-47
1946-47 in English football
The 1946–47 season was the 67th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:The 1946–47 season was the first to feature a full football programme since the 1938–39 campaign. Eighty-eight teams competed over four divisions. Liverpool went top of the First Division with a 2–1 away win over...
season, but was sold to Southampton
Southampton F.C.
Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
in part-exchange for Don Roper
Don Roper
Donald George Beaumont "Don" Roper was an English footballer.-Playing career:Born in Botley, Hampshire, Roper was a prolific scorer as a schoolboy...
in summer 1947; in all he played 14 times for the Gunners, never scoring.
Southampton
Curtis had impressed Southampton manager Bill DodginBill Dodgin, Sr.
William "Bill" Dodgin was an English football player.Born in Gateshead, Dodgin played for Huddersfield Town, Lincoln City, Charlton Athletic, Bristol Rovers, Clapton Orient and Southampton, although his career was curtailed by the Second World War.After retiring as a player, he became coach and...
who valued him at £10,000, in an exchange transfer that also saw Tom Rudkin arrive at The Dell, with Don Roper
Don Roper
Donald George Beaumont "Don" Roper was an English footballer.-Playing career:Born in Botley, Hampshire, Roper was a prolific scorer as a schoolboy...
moving to Highbury
Arsenal Stadium
Arsenal Stadium was a football stadium in Highbury, North London, which was the home ground of Arsenal Football Club between 6 September 1913 and 7 May 2006...
.
Nicknamed Twinkletoes by his team-mates, Curtis was a clever, nimble player, whose feints and tricks were appreciated by the supporters, although they often frustrated his colleagues. 'Soccer Star' magazine described Curtis as an "inside-forward-cum-wing-half".
During his five seasons at Southampton the club narrowly missed out on promotion to Division 1 for three seasons in a row; in 1947-48
1947-48 in English football
The 1947–48 season was the 68th season of competitive football in England.-Honours:Notes = Number in parentheses is the times that club has won that honour...
they finished in third place, a feat repeated the following season
1948-49 in English football
The 1948–49 season was the 69th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:Portsmouth won the First Division title for the first time with a team of no recognised stars and very few international players. They won the league by five points from Manchester United and Derby...
(despite having an 8 point lead with 8 games to play) whilst in 1949-50
1949-50 in English football
The 1949–50 season was the 70th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:Portsmouth retained the First Division title by one of the narrowest margins in history ahead of Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C....
they were to be denied promotion by 0.06 of a goal, missing out on second place to Sheffield United
Sheffield United F.C.
Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production...
.
After five memorable seasons at The Dell, he moved to the French second division. In all he played 183 games for Southampton, scoring 12 goals.
Later career
He then joined French team ValenciennesValenciennes FC
Valenciennes Football Club is a French association football club based in Valenciennes. The club was founded in 1913 and currently play in Ligue 1, the top level of French football. Valenciennes plays its home matches at the recently-built Stade du Hainaut located within the city...
for a fee of £1,500 staying for a year between 1952 and 1953, before returning to see out his playing days as player-coach at Chelmsford City
Chelmsford City F.C.
Chelmsford City F.C. is an English semi-professional football club based in the town of Chelmsford, Essex. The club are currently members of the Conference South and play at the Melbourne Stadium.-Chelmsford:...
. Curtis' move to Chelmsford City
Chelmsford City F.C.
Chelmsford City F.C. is an English semi-professional football club based in the town of Chelmsford, Essex. The club are currently members of the Conference South and play at the Melbourne Stadium.-Chelmsford:...
was somewhat hindered due to a strike in France, but he eventually joined the Southern League side for 'a four-figure fee'.
He then embarked on a coaching course at Lilleshall
Lilleshall Hall
Lilleshall Hall is a large former country house and estate located near Lilleshall in Shropshire, England. It was founded as an Augustinian Abbey in the 12th century, with its estate running to some...
working with Walter Winterbottom. His coaching skills were quickly in demand and between 1957 and 1961 he was a coach with Sunderland
Sunderland A.F.C.
Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League...
.
Brighton and Hove Albion
His first managerial position came in June 1961 when he was appointed manager at Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton & Hove Albion F.C.
Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club are an English association football club based in the coastal city of Brighton & Hove, East Sussex. They currently play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system....
. At the end of his first season
1961-62 in English football
The 1961–62 season was the 82nd season of competitive Football in England.-Overview:The season was notable for the remarkable achievement of Ipswich Town winning the League Championship. Under the managership of Alf Ramsey, the club progressed from the old Third Division South to the First Division...
in charge, Brighton were relegated from the Second division in last place. He stayed at Brighton until February 1963, when he was replaced by Archie Macaulay
Archie Macaulay
Archibald Renwick "Archie" Macaulay was a Scottish football player and manager.-Playing career:Born in Falkirk, Macaulay started his playing career with Rangers, where he became a regular at the age of only 18. Playing as an inside right, he won a Scottish Cup medal in 1935-36 and a Scottish...
.
Coaching
There followed spells as coach with Cambridge University and HastingsHastings United F.C.
Hastings United is a semi-professional English football club who currently play in the Isthmian League Premier Division and are affiliated to the Sussex County Football Association and the Hastings Football Association....
, before taking the managerial reins at Stevenage Town F.C.
Stevenage Town F.C.
Stevenage Town F.C. was an English football club based in Stevenage, Hertfordshire. The club existed from 1899 until 1968, after which Stevenage Athletic were established.-History:...
from January 1964 until 1967. He then had brief spells coaching at Hull City
Hull City A.F.C.
Hull City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, founded in 1904. The club participates in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football...
and with San Diego Toros
San Diego Toros
San Diego Toros were a soccer team who played in the North American Soccer League, based in San Diego, California. They played their home games at Balboa Stadium, previously the home of the San Diego Chargers....
.
Rosenborg
He was appointed as head coach at Norwegian side Rosenborg ahead of the 1969 season replacing Knut Næss.His first meeting with the Rosenborg players is legendary:
"This is a ball," Curtis stated whilst pointing to the round leather ball. "Don't go too fast, now!" Odd IversenOdd IversenOdd "Ivers" Iversen is a former Norwegian soccer player.Iversen is one of the greatest Norwegian footballers ever. He was the top goalscorer four times in the Norwegian top division . He also holds the record of most goals scored in one season...
laughed.
Curtis introduced modern defensive football to Norway, with a flat backline 4-4-2 formation, pressure on the ball carrier and tactical focus.
The 1969 debut season ended with a premiership title for Rosenborg, with Odd Iversen scoring 26 of the team's 36 league goals. Despite this success, both the club leadership and the spectators disliked George Curtis's defensive style and pressure was put on Curtis to play a more attacking style.
In September 1969, Rosenborg met Curtis's former club, Southampton, in the first round of the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup
Inter-Cities Fairs Cup 1969-70
The twelfth Inter-Cities Fairs Cup was played over the 1969-'70 season. The competition was won by Arsenal FC over two legs in the final against Anderlecht...
, with Southampton going through 2-1 on aggregate, the goals coming from Ron Davies
Ron Davies (footballer)
Ronald Tudor "Ron" Davies was a Welsh footballer who played as a centre forward. He spent most of his career with Southampton in the Football League First Division, and also for the Welsh national team....
and Terry Paine
Terry Paine
Terence Lionel Paine MBE is a former English footballer.Paine made 713 football league appearances for Southampton F.C. and 111 for Hereford United F.C...
with Rosenborg's goal scored by Sunde.
Curtis was allowed to continue for one more season. Despite coming second in the 1970 league season, it was an anti-climax. The dynamic duo of Iversen and Harald Sunde had been sold to Belgian Division 2 club Racing Mechelen before the start of the season and with them went all of Rosenborg’s attacking play. 18 league games later, Rosenborg ended up with an almost unbelievable goal difference of 15-5!
At the end of the season, George Curtis was dismissed and was replaced by Nils Arne Eggen
Nils Arne Eggen
Nils Arne Eggen is the most successful coach in the history of Norwegian football. He is best known as the manager for Rosenborg in the period 1988–97 and 1999–2002...
(assisted by Tor Røste Fossen
Tor Røste Fossen
Tor Røste Fossen is a Norwegian former football player and coach. He played for Rosenborg BK, Trondheim from 1964 to 1971, earning two league titles and one cup championship. He coached several Norwegian clubs besides coaching the Norway national football team during ten years...
).
Norway national team
Curtis returned to England, but in 1972 he returned to Norway to coach the national teamNorway national football team
The Norway national football team represents Norway in association football and is controlled by the Football Association of Norway, the governing body for football in Norway. Norway's home ground is Ullevaal Stadion in Oslo and their head coach is Egil Olsen...
. During the Euro 72 qualifying campaign, Norway picked up only one point in six games, and in a World Cup qualifier against Holland on 1 November 1972, Norway lost 9-0. The next year, they suffered a perhaps even more humiliating result by losing 2-1 against Luxembourg
Luxembourg national football team
The Luxembourg national football team is the national football team of Luxembourg, and is controlled by the Luxembourg Football Federation. The team play most of their home matches at the Stade Josy Barthel, in Luxembourg.- History :...
.
Under his management, Norway played 17 international matches http://www.fotball.no/histstat.ASP?WCI=wiClub&WCE=ceCoachAllMatches&personid=457354&orgelementid=187838 (of which only 3 were won) before he was sacked in June 1974. Again, he was replaced by Eggen.
Rosenborg (again)
Before the 1976 season, he was once again appointed as head coach at Rosenborg. Unfortunately, after a car accident in which his Norwegian wife died, Curtis’s focus shifted elsewhere and Rosenborg quickly ended up struggling to avoid relegation. A 0-4 defeat against Division 3 side RørosRøros
is a town and municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is part of the Gauldalen region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Røros. Other villages include Brekken, Glåmos, Feragen, Galåa, and Hitterdalen....
in the 2nd round of the cup sealed his fate: Curtis was released from his contract on 27 August 1976. Again, his successor was Nils Arne Eggen
Nils Arne Eggen
Nils Arne Eggen is the most successful coach in the history of Norwegian football. He is best known as the manager for Rosenborg in the period 1988–97 and 1999–2002...
. Under Eggen’s leadership Rosenborg managed to claw their way back from the bottom - thereby postponing relegation by a year.
His final coaching job was spent in Qatar
Qatar
Qatar , also known as the State of Qatar or locally Dawlat Qaṭar, is a sovereign Arab state, located in the Middle East, occupying the small Qatar Peninsula on the northeasterly coast of the much larger Arabian Peninsula. Its sole land border is with Saudi Arabia to the south, with the rest of its...
from 1979 to 1981.
After football
He retired to live on the EssexEssex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
coast where he continued to coach youngsters as part of the FIFA coaching scheme, remaining as passionate about the game as ever.
He died in 2004, reportedly spending the final years of his life living on his own in a caravan in Chelmsford
Chelmsford
Chelmsford is the county town of Essex, England and the principal settlement of the borough of Chelmsford. It is located in the London commuter belt, approximately northeast of Charing Cross, London, and approximately the same distance from the once provincial Roman capital at Colchester...
.