Gerry Summers RIP

[Longtimesupporter]

I don't remember a time when any one of them was out of the team during those years.

 

[Brynner]

Football has improved in many ways, but for those of us that grew up with a settled team, the sense of identity of a club has been weakened. Between the ages of about 7 and 15, United to me meant a lineup like the one you have set out above. They might not have been the best in the world, but they were ‘our’ players. It came as a shock when things changed. I guess I started a year or two before you - I would have as number 8 Billy Russell (part-time footballer, modern languages teacher, what a story), and find it difficult to choose between Kevin Lewis and Allchurch at number 7. That was a messy transition.

Remember Billy Russell, close call but I went with Kettleborough. Can't remember if I saw Kevin Lewis or not.

 

[HodgysBrokenThumb]

True, plus no substitutes back then. There were certainly some hard 'uns, not to mention dirty bastards . In winter time most of the pitches were nothing short of mud baths. Obviously, they were nowhere near as fit as now, but seemingly not as prone to hamstring, acl injuries etc. Some of them were probably smoking 40 to 50 fags a day . Young namby pambies these days .

I am probably romanticising, but the hard players of that era seemed to be in the ‘hard, but fair’ category; it was in the 60s that the ‘hard and nasty’ players emerged in numbers (Chopper Harris, Norman Hunter, etc). And as you hint at, the game was slower, so players’ bodies were under much less stress.

 

[Silent Blade]

You'll recall the 'Summers Summers what's the score? ' as we trounced Gillingham, late 70s, apparently Gerry had been saying Gills would win.
Nov10 1979.
4 0.

I wasn't at the match. I was playing football on Saturdays at the time.

 

[originaltrueblade]

A time of “dangerous” tackles ! So how did most of this team play nearly all the matches ?

Sheffield Steel mate

 

[Silent Blade]

Can't remember if I saw Kevin Lewis or not.

He left us to join Bill Shankly's Liverpool in summer 1960

 

[Brynner]

I am probably romanticising, but the hard players of that era seemed to be in the ‘hard, but fair’ category; it was in the 60s that the ‘hard and nasty’ players emerged in numbers (Chopper Harris, Norman Hunter, etc). And as you hint at, the game was slower, so players’ bodies were under much less stress.

Yes, nasty sums up Ron Harris and Norman Hunter. Never liked 'em. Thought the likes of Tommy Smith more of a true hard man.

 

[JJ Sefton]

Another one of my dad’s old favourites, sad news.

 

[HodgysBrokenThumb]

Remember Billy Russell, close call but I went with Kettleborough. Can't remember if I saw Kevin Lewis or not.

A few of the best players were sold when I first went - Colin Grainger, Jim Iley, and perhaps Lewis was the last one of that era. We ended up with no right-winger for almost a season, playing people like reserve left-back Cliff Mason on the right-wing. And then we signed 2 right-wingers in time for the end-of-season promotion push, and Len Allchurch hit the ground running… And a few years later, in the Mick Jones, Alan Birchenall era we went back to selling our best young players.

 

[Brynner]

A few of the best players were sold when I first went - Colin Grainger, Jim Iley, and perhaps Lewis was the last one of that era. We ended up with no right-winger for almost a season, playing people like reserve left-back Cliff Mason on the right-wing. And then we signed 2 right-wingers in time for the end-of-season promotion push, and Len Allchurch hit the ground running… And a few years later, in the Mick Jones, Alan Birchenall era we went back to selling our best young players.

Jim Iley and Colin Grainger just before my time. Remember Cliff Mason covering for Graham Shaw at left back but not as a right winger. Remember being told at school about Mick Jones going, absolutely gutted.

 

[HodgysBrokenThumb]

You'll recall the 'Summers Summers what's the score? ' as we trounced Gillingham, late 70s, apparently Gerry had been saying Gills would win.
Nov10 1979.
4 0.

Hardly any of that generation ever returned to the Lane as part of the opposing team’s staff. I don’t think I would have done anything other than warmly applaud them. That does not apply to everybody who has ever played for United, by the way…

 

[reedy63]

I remember my Dad telling me when a center-back or fullback booted the ball out for a corner or throw in to clear the ball away to stop the opponent's attack. Gerry Summers Joe Shaw, who was his favorite, always found one of the fullbacks. This was even when we had the legendary 1970-72 team.

 

[georgebernardshaw]

Great player in a great defence, good cricketer too.

R.I.P. Gerry

 

[HodgysBrokenThumb]

The news that Gerry Summers has died sent me off to my old scrapbooks, in search of some memories. The iconic squad photo in the 1961 promotion celebration has already been posted, but some of the following will bring back a few memories:

 

[GrayBlade]

RIP Gerry

 

[Rawnblade]

Another of my boyhood hero's gone, maybe the last.
RIP Gerry, thanks for playing for us and being a Blade.

 

[Newbury Blade]

I was a young reporter on the Kent Evening Post in the 70s when Gerry was managing Gillingham. A very nice guy.

 

[Summers & Pace]

There's an irony there Silent. As that team from the early 1960's began to retire it took a long time and several experimental line-ups for John Harris to replace it. It could be argued that the team and result at Oxford in January 1971 was the game that we saw the turn around.

I always thought that I'd seen that famous back 5 & Hodgy play together but over the years of reading posts on here I don't think that I did.

I always remember being intrigued by the shop on Abbeydale Road - Summers and Pace.

RIP Gerry.

I used to pass the shop every day on my way to work, hence my user name.
RIP Gerry

 

[bigblade]

R.I.P. sir...

 

[Champagneblade]

RIP Gerry.

Before my time but clearly from this thread bought joy to many.

 

[XH536]

Can't be too many photos of Gerry Summers plying his trade, just come across theseRIP G.S.,,,,,,,,,,,,,,