Ian Black

[HertfordBee]

At the end of the 1965/66 season Brentford appointed Billy Gray as manager for the last five games (after sacking Tommy Cavanagh) but there was a period of three games without anyone in charge before Gray took over.

On the front cover of the programme for the home game against Mansfield on 7th May '66 there is a photo of the Brentford dug-out from (presumably) the previous home match when the team was managerless.

In the dug-out are Tommy Higginson (substitute), Jimmy Sirrel (trainer) and "Ian Black" - a man dressed in a suit and sitting on the bench between Higginson and Sirrel?

Does anyone have any idea who he was? A caretaker manager?

 

[North London Bee]

Ex Fulham goalkeeper I believe

 

[abee]

Ex Fulham goalkeeper I believe

Yes. Scottish international.

 

[wanderer paul]

Ian Black was the Manager of the Brentford Juniors side from around that period. So I guess he was used as a coach alongside Jimmy Sirrel in a caretaker capacity.

 

[hatfieldbee]

He had a well known namesake. Another Ian Black was a Scottish international swimmer about that time.

 

[wanderer paul]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ian_Black_(footballer_born_1924)

Only passed away last year as well.

http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/news/article/ian-black-an-appreciation-548837.aspx?pageView=full#anchored

 

[abee]

For God's sake don't let Brickie Chap see this........we'll all be bored sh*tless for weeks reading him banging on about this is on the Braemar Road side of the ground and what proper dugouts should look like.

 

[HertfordBee]

Ian Black was the Manager of the Brentford Juniors side from around that period. So I guess he was used as a coach alongside Jimmy Sirrell in a caretaker capacity.

Thanks

 

[horshambees]

Yes. Scottish international.

A 2-0 defeat to England at Hampden Park in 1948.Archie Macauley also played for Scotland in that game too.Although he had signed for Arsenal by now.

Goals by Tom Finney and Stan Mortenson in each half gave England their win in front of 133,000 +.

Stan Matthews, Stan Pearson and Tommy Lawton made up the rest of the forward line that day.

Frank Swift was the England keeper.

 

[GEOFFBEE]

Ian Black regularly helped out during first-team training sessions at Griffin Park, during the early to mid 1960's . He also used to keep himself fit by jogging around the pitch in the mornings.
I am not sure, but he could possibly have also been the equivalent of what we would now call a 'goalkeeping coach'

 

[horshambees]

Ian Black won just 1 cap for Scotland in that 2-0 defeat.
One name in the England line up that caught my eye was that of Cornelius Franklin of Stoke City. Considered by many to be the finest Centre Half at the time although he could play inside forward too.A regular in Walter Winterbottoms England line ups until Neil Franklin decided to chase the money in Colombia playing for Santa Fe for the staggering sum of £60 a week and a £2,000 signing on fee.
He told Mr Winterbottom that he could not go to Brazil for the 1950 World Cup because his wife was expecting, but departed for Colombia along with Charlie Mitten (Man Utd) and Stoke City teamate George Mountford.
It didn't work out for Neil Franklin and he returned to England after 6 games in 2 months and was promptly banned by the FA as Colombia were also banned by FIFA at the time.Stoke City were not impressed either and sold him to Hull City in Feb 51.He also never played for England again.
Billy Wright,Stan Matthews and the great Tom Finney all include Neil Franklin in their dream teams of players they either played with or against.

 

[GEOFFBEE]

Further to my earlier notes, it is all coming back to me now.
I recall seeing Ian Black training at GP in the early 1960's and being told that BFC had allowed him to train there, as he was London based, but playing for IIRC Bath City at that time...