Fred Keenor: The Man Who Never Gave Up

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Following his release from Cardiff City, he considered retiring from the game but eventually signed for Third Division North side Crewe Alexandra. Despite being 37 years old, Keenor played a pivotal part in the club’s sixth placed finish during the 1931-32 season. This was the joint highest finish that the club had ever achieved in the Football League, and only the second time they had finished in the top ten in the previous nine seasons. However, despite a strong season, he was disappointed that the club was unable to achieve promotion as he described the squad as having the “nucleus of a very good side”. They recorded several strong results, including defeating eventual Division Three (North) champions Lincoln City 8-0. I have never been more relieved,” he laughs. “Imagine being known as the lads who lost the FA Cup.”

But he almost missed out on Cardiff's big day as he requested a transfer in the February after being dropped from the team but he rejected a move to Division Three South side Bristol Rovers who were the only club to bid for the defender. Kyle Allen, 23, a student at the University of Glamorgan in Cardiff, said: “It’s about time something was done to honour him and keep in the memory of City fans.

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Shepherd, Richard (2002). The Definitive: Cardiff City F.C. Nottingham: SoccerData Publications. ISBN 978-1-899468-17-1. Keenor finished his career with spells at Crewe Alexandra, Oswestry Town and Tunbridge Wells Rangers. During his career, he also attained 32 caps for the Wales national football team. He helped the side win the British Home Championship three times, in 1920, 1924 and 1928, and captained the side on numerous occasions, scoring two goals. Following his death in 1972, the Football Association of Wales secretary Trevor Morris commented, "Fred Keenor will go down as one of the greatest players and greatest characters ever produced by Wales". [2] All but one of those who played up in Scotland faced England, but unfortunately it didn't work out quite as well on that occasion because they lost 4-0," said Emrys.

Mike Inker, a member of the Trust’s Fred Keenor Memorial Committee, who originally launched an online petition in support of a tribute, said that the trust was giving fans the chance to vote online because of the many thousands of Bluebirds living across the world as well as in the UK. Fred Keenor". Welsh Sports Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on 4 June 2019 . Retrieved 4 June 2019. Haynes, Graham; Coumbe, Frank (2006). Timeless Bees: Brentford F.C. Who's Who 1920–2006. Harefield: Yore Publications. p.67. ISBN 978-0-9552949-1-4. Leighton, James (2010). Fred Keenor – The Man Who Never Gave Up. Derby: Derby Books Publishing Company. ISBN 978-1-85983-828-0.As a consequence the original squad, including Tottenham midfielder Christian Eriksen and Kasper Schmeichel of Leicester City, will now be available to face Wales. Mr McEvoy, a Bluebirds fan himself, said: “It’s a great idea. The council’s working closely with the club on a number of ideas. But his love affair with Wembley continued as in 1932 he completed a treble, captaining Newcastle to FA Cup final victory - over Cardiff's 1927 Cup final victims Arsenal. Mr Inker said: “It’s a crying shame that a local lad who lifted the FA Cup for Cardiff City really hasn’t been recognised in his own city. Ringo was considered one of the most talented players of his generation but suffered serious injuries at key times during his career.

Graham said he intends to return to Lamberhurst in February to discover more about his uncle from the people in the village and surrounding area, including Fred’s only surviving child Bryn, 83, who lives in Tunbridge Wells. Nov 2023 Sarmiento goal beats Cardiff as West Brom go thirdWest Brom move up to third in the Championship as Jeremy Sarmiento's fabulous second-half strike sees off Cardiff City. Cardiff gave Keenor a free transfer to Crewe in 1931 but returned 'home' following a stint as player-manager at Oswestry Town and Tunbridge Wells Rangers, to be a storeman at Cardiff Corporation's building department. Nov 2023 Coughlan 'mightily relieved' after Newport winsNewport County manager Graham Coughlan is hoping two eye-catching wins signal the end of one of his most challenging spells in football. That was a move to try and force international games to be moved to midweek rather than on weekends, which the international teams opposed as they didn't attract big gates.In 1925 he guided Cardiff to a first FA Cup final appearance, a game they lost 1-0 to Sheffield United, and then to a 1-0 win over the Arsenal two years later. He won six Welsh Cup winners medals, held aloft the Charity Shield and earned 32 caps for Wales, captaining them to the Home International Championship in 1924. He also helped Wales to win the title in 1920 and 1928. Curtis was in the Royal Artillery during World War Two but suffered four years as a Japanese prisoner of war after his capture in 1941. Before the match, Keenor had asked Robbins if he could have the players to himself for four hours before the game. Taking the team to relax and discuss tactics for the match, in his pre-match team talk he exhorted his teammates, "There's eleven of them and eleven of us, and there's only one ball, and it's ours". [78] Despite their inexperience, the Welsh side held Scotland to a 1–1 draw having taken the lead after six minutes through a Tommy Bamford goal. [79] The display led the Welsh public to call for the same side to remain for the following match against England. There was no repeat of the result; the Welsh side lost 4–0 at the Racecourse Ground. [79] Keenor won his final cap for Wales on 26 October 1932 in a 5–2 victory over Scotland. [80] International goals [ edit ] Results list Wales' goal tally first. Goal His bit of instability was to do with the start of diabetes. People thought he was tipsy, but he wasn’t well at all. He never let on though, because he was afraid of it affecting his football career.”

One month after the match, on 16th November, Keenor and his battalion began the journey to France to join the front lines. They billeted in the village of Les Ciseaux for one month before moving to the city of Béthune. Most of his posting during his battalion’s first months in France involved training and guard duty. On 9th December 1915, however, they were posted to Annequin near the front line. They were soon moved into the main trenches, which were knee-deep in mud and infested with rats. His battalion remained on duty until 22nd December when they were relieved, resting in the nearby village of Beuvry over Christmas.I am sure we can finance any kind of statue fairly easily. Football has always been a poorer relation to rugby in Wales, even though the vast majority of people support football more than rugby. Cardiff City Squad 1914/15". Football and the First World War. Archived from the original on 9 August 2016 . Retrieved 9 August 2016. Cup Winners Mobbed". Western Morning News. No.20932. 26 April 1927. p.7 . Retrieved 9 August 2016– via British Newspaper Archive. The Lions and Wales captain has never forgotten his roots and still loves turning out at the Arms Park.