Keith Edwards to Sevilla FC

[Ned the Donkey]

No, this is not BREAKING NEWS, but seeing McBurnie moving to Las Palmas reminded me that a long time ago in a division far, far away there were rumours about Keith Edwards moving to Sevilla FC.

Can anyone here fill in any details? Was this even a rumour? Was there any substance to it? How did it come about - English players moving abroad was very rare in the early 80s.

Wikipedia tells me his last match for us was a pre-season friendly against Sevilla FC in 1986 so there was some sort of a connection, but was there every any chance of a move?

 

[The Fox]

Think he scored a free kick in that friendly and it sparked interest. Vague memory but aren't they all

 

[BalticBlade]

No, this is not BREAKING NEWS, but seeing McBurnie moving to Las Palmas reminded me that a long time ago in a division far, far away there were rumours about Keith Edwards moving to Sevilla FC.

Can anyone here fill in any details? Was this even a rumour? Was there any substance to it? How did it come about - English players moving abroad was very rare in the early 80s.

Wikipedia tells me his last match for us was a pre-season friendly against Sevilla FC in 1986 so there was some sort of a connection, but was there every any chance of a move?

I think we won that match 4-1, did we not? If memory serves me right, we were the first English club to play any sort of match in Europe post-Heysel.

 

[HarryHaslam]

It was 100% a rumour as I can remember it. No idea how far it went though or was there an official approach but they were interested.

 

[Stanthemanfan]

I thought it was both him and Colin Morris but nothing came of it

 

[Revolution]

In King Keith’s autobiography he says:

• Sevilla wanted to sign him and Colin Morris
• there was a friendly arranged so Sevilla could see them up close. We won 3-1. Keith scored a “cracker” and Colin scored 2 pens.
• when Sevilla’s offer came the basic wage was less than half what we were paying Edwards but there was a large signing on fee. The signing on fee for Morris was lower and this disappointed Morris
• after discussion amongst themselves and with their wives they decided to sign for Sevilla, but the deal collapsed when Sevilla’s coach was fired.

There was a reciprocal Sevilla friendly at the Lane before the start of the next season. Ironically that was Edwards’ last game before we sold him to Leeds.

I vaguely remember the Star reporting it as more or less a done deal for Edwards after the first friendly and being surprised when the deal collapsed.

 

[Blacksea]

For some reason,my memory is that the match was arranged for them to run the rule over him with a view to signing him, maybe he didn't fancy the move.
Not many people were aware what went on behind the scenes then

 

[Ned the Donkey]

In King Keith’s autobiography he says:

• Sevilla wanted to sign him and Colin Morris
• there was a friendly arranged so Sevilla could see them up close. We won 3-1. Keith scored a “cracker” and Colin scored 2 pens.
• when Sevilla’s offer came the basic wage was less than half what we were paying Edwards but there was a large signing on fee. The signing on fee for Morris was lower and this disappointed Morris
• after discussion amongst themselves and with their wives they decided to sign for Sevilla, but the deal collapsed when Sevilla’s coach was fired.

There was a reciprocal Sevilla friendly at the Lane before the start of the next season. Ironically that was Edwards’ last game before we sold him to Leeds.

I vaguely remember the Star reporting it as more or less a done deal for Edwards after the first friendly and being surprised when the deal collapsed.

Cheers. That answers the question.

Was there any mention of how come Edwards and Morris were even on Sevilla's radar?

I mean Spain was a foreign country in the early 80s .

 

[Blacksea]

In King Keith’s autobiography he says:

• Sevilla wanted to sign him and Colin Morris
• there was a friendly arranged so Sevilla could see them up close. We won 3-1. Keith scored a “cracker” and Colin scored 2 pens.
• when Sevilla’s offer came the basic wage was less than half what we were paying Edwards but there was a large signing on fee. The signing on fee for Morris was lower and this disappointed Morris
• after discussion amongst themselves and with their wives they decided to sign for Sevilla, but the deal collapsed when Sevilla’s coach was fired.

There was a reciprocal Sevilla friendly at the Lane before the start of the next season. Ironically that was Edwards’ last game before we sold him to Leeds.

I vaguely remember the Star reporting it as more or less a done deal for Edwards after the first friendly and being surprised when the deal collapsed.

Didn't Keith play for Sevilla in that game?

 

[EddieColquhoun]

It wasn’t a pre season game, it was in March. Only a handful of Blades made it over as it was very short notice.
Reg Brealey was Chairman then and he bussed some of his workers from Gibraltar up to boost the “United” chants in a very small crowd. I can remember Peter Withe on the subs bench looking up in amazement

 

[EddieColquhoun]

Didn't Keith play for Sevilla in that game?

No.

 

[EddieColquhoun]

I think we won that match 4-1, did we not? If memory serves me right, we were the first English club to play any sort of match in Europe post-Heysel.

The second part is correct

 

[Revolution]

Cheers. That answers the question.

Was there any mention of how come Edwards and Morris were even on Sevilla's radar?

I mean Spain was a foreign country in the early 80s .

No he doesn’t say how it came about.

Oddly enough, after the manager who fancied Edwards was fired, a British manager replaced him - Jock Wallace.

 

[CrookesBlade]

Cheers. That answers the question.

Was there any mention of how come Edwards and Morris were even on Sevilla's radar?

I mean Spain was a foreign country in the early 80s .

Yeah seems odd. Perhaps it was a fashionable thing in the 80s - Lineker and Hughes at Barca, Howard Kendall, John Aldridge and Dalian Atkinson at Sociedad, John Toshack managing Real Madrid.

Bit like how virtually every PL side had a Norwegian in the 90s

 

[BalticBlade]

The second part is correct

I'm known for being right half of the time.

 

[Trigger Blade]

Yeah seems odd. Perhaps it was a fashionable thing in the 80s - Lineker and Hughes at Barca, Howard Kendall, John Aldridge and Dalian Atkinson at Sociedad, John Toshack managing Real Madrid.

Bit like how virtually every PL side had a Norwegian in the 90s

Gerry Armstrong who scored a goal v Spain in the 1982 World Cup got a transfer to Spain as a result of his WC efforts.

 

[HuddersfieldBlade]

Didn’t we also have a game during a season away at Auxerre and the game live on French TV in the 80s or 90s

 

[EddieColquhoun]

The game was on a Thursday night. We ended up in a nightclub with some of our younger players. As we left in the early hours our famously teetotal goalkeeper came staggering down the street absolutely bladdered and tried to drag me back in.
I wasn’t surprised to hear we lost 3-0 at Millwall the day after

 

[DifferentClass]

Star only just reporting this?

 

[Pollingtonblade]

Star only just reporting this?

Yes, no fax machine then as well, I'm guessing our dealings with Seville were on a postcard.

 

[DifferentClass]

Yes, no fax machine then as well, I'm guessing our dealings with Seville were on a postcard.

Mercifully I never had to deal with the old perv, postcard or otherwise...

 

[Super Furry Blades]

Any one know what King Keith is up to these days ......
Seems to have disappeared, my Blades hero growing up....
Hope he's doing well .

 

[Geordie Blade]

I always understood that Seville had a strong steel industry, and so there was some sort of unofficial bonding between the cities. I was only about eight at the time though, so my grasp of international trade partnerships was potentially less than inerrant.

 

[The Crab]

Any one know what King Keith is up to these days ......
Seems to have disappeared, my Blades hero growing up....
Hope he's doing well .

I used to work for the same company as Keith, last I heard he was driving Lorries for us then. Not sure if hes still doing that or not as I’m elsewhere now

 

[coaxingstar71]

I used to see him regularly walking the dog in Graves Park. I've not seen him for about 6 months and the last time I spoke to him, he'd recently had a heart by pass operation, however he was fine.
I've not been in the park myself for over 3 months due to my own health reasons so no reason to think he isn't.

 

[Super Furry Blades]

Thanks for the info ,I heard he lived in Norton area ....
He doesn't seem to involved with united at all now...
I wonder if he attends any games, it would be nice to bump into him for a quick chat and id let him have his photo taken with me if he insisted

 

[VictoryBlade]

Must be retired by now surely? But..............................'Nobody puts the ball in the net like Edwards Keith Edwards' oo oo oo! Yo have to be a certain age! lol

 

[coaxingstar71]

Thanks for the info ,I heard he lived in Norton area ....
He doesn't seem to involved with united at all now...
I wonder if he attends any games, it would be nice to bump into him for a quick chat and id let him have his photo taken with me if he insisted

Must be retired by now surely? But..............................'Nobody puts the ball in the net like Edwards Keith Edwards' oo oo oo! Yo have to be a certain age! lol

I think he moved somewhere out towards Mosborough, however he was heavily involved at Norton Lees Golf Club. Not involved at United and rarely attends games these days he told me. There's no bitterness, just got other things to do, family etc.

I seem to recall him saying his lorry driving days were over as he was also having hip problems. He must be about 67 or 68 now so must be retired.

He's a nice fella and always happy to stop and chat and talk about footie.

 

[Rufus Smalls]

I used to see him regularly walking the dog in Graves Park. I've not seen him for about 6 months and the last time I spoke to him, he'd recently had a heart by pass operation, however he was fine.
I've not been in the park myself for over 3 months due to my own health reasons so no reason to think he isn't.

About 3 or so months back I was in a Dronfield garden centre with Mrs. RS when I spotted King Keith walking towards me. I was all starry eyed coming face to face with the Blades hero of my youth. There was a conversation that went something like -

Me - “Keith, how you keeping ?”
KK - “Do I know you ?” smiling but looking bemused.
Me - “No, but I certainly know you, you were the best striker I’ve seen at Bramall Lane in around 50 years”
KK - “Thanks very much, I really appreciate that. Just tell this young lady with me” It was his Granddaughter l think.
Me to his Granddaughter “This man is the finest striker I’ve ever seen play for Sheffield United “ to which she chuckled.

He was really appreciative of my total praise of him and he laughed that his granddaughter didn’t know just how good he was “You’ll believe me now” he said jokingly to her. His parting comment to me was “Thank you, you’ve really made my day”.

Me and the Mrs. carried on shopping and it was only a minute or two later when it had sunk in that I’d had the opportunity to praise a player face to face who was so much part of my late teens and early twenties, going to the Blades matches home and away and how we idolised him.

He was looking very good to be fair and he did mention the heart by pass (may have been a double) and he was getting back to good health.

Love that bloke - made my year never mind my day !

 

[John Street West Terrace]

Lovely down to earth bloke Keith he used to deliver to company I worked for , always had time for chat