The Old Bald Blighter - Part I

[James]

The Old Bald Blighter - Part I
In a series of three features, with help from David Tossell and Alan Gibson, we look back on the life and times of that great character of English cricket, Brian Close.

by Martin Chandler

 

[Burgey]

Nice work Martin - one of the great characters of the game.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Another great article. Correctly recognises the Gooners' pre-eminence too.

A quick glance at my "Arsenal Who's Who" reveals the great man scored 2 goals in 5 games for Arsenal Reserves in the Combination League & 11 in 19 for Arsenal "A" in the Eastern Counties League.

 

[fredfertang]

A quick glance at my "Arsenal Who's Who" reveals the great man scored 2 goals in 5 games for Arsenal Reserves in the Combination League & 11 in 19 for Arsenal "A" in the Eastern Counties League.

He was badly done to by the Tykes over his footy career - on the fateful day he was due to play cricket at Lords then had to nip across London to play in the reserves cup final - he squared it with Yorkie skipper Norman Yardley to leave Lords at tea and not unreasonably assumed he'd be OK - then Mrs Yardley decided to pop a sprog and dear old Norm did a most un '50's thing by staying behind for the birth and not travelling to the smoke - doubtless due to excitement at the prospect of fatherhood he forgot to say owt to his vice captain who then refused to let Closey go at tea - so he couldn't get to the ground till half time, wasn't required to get changed, and had a phone call from George Male next day saying he was being released.

Had he stayed with the Arse happen he'd not have got crocked - by all accounts he was a decent striker but apparently wasn't a strong header of the ball - odd that given he was quite happy to head a cricket ball

 

[BoyBrumby]

Wow. The past is a different country indeed. Feel as tho I should've already known that tho as an Arsenal fan.

It's weird to think that had they been born 50 years later chaps like Close and the Comptons would almost certainly have just been footballers rather than cricketers. Makes me wonder how good a cricketer Phil Neville might've been had he been borm 50 years earlier too. Tim Cahill (as an Aussie presumably not one to praise poms lightly) said he was a better cricketer than footballer.

Altough given his footballing prowess that might've been a backhanded compliment too.