Shops Owned By Retired Footballers

[jmadone]

Keith Bradley, ex Aston Villa player and ex Blues trainer, ran, and maybe still does, a restaurant in Mojacar, Spain, named Badgers. I've eaten there on numerous occasions and always found Keith very welcoming and very happy to talk about his past career. The last time we we there there was a bit of a Villa reunion the night before with Brian Little, Chico Hamilton and the late Ron Saunders dining out there.

 

[Edifi]

Trevor Smith had a pub ( The Fox) on the Tamworth /Lichfield Rd.Went there many times when I lived in Lichfield in the 60/70s

 

[John L]

Chico Hamilton (Villa) had a ladies clothes shop in the early 70's on the Terminus Shopping Centre very near Johnny Dixon's shop.

Sadly Chico passed away recently. Here he is outside his boutique in the 70s:

 

[Eric Gibson]

A very old thread resurrected. I note Viv's mention of Billy Kirton, I worked as a paper boy at his shop in Kingstanding, I was there when the pink Sports Argus was first issued after the war.

 

[John L]

Jack Crayston took over a newsagent and general store in Blackwood Road, Streetly in the 60's, before retiring in 1972. He passed away in 1992, aged 82. He didn't play for a local team, but played for Arsenal in the thirties (winning the league championship in 34/35 & 37/38, the FA Cup in 1936 and 8 England caps).

My mother told me once, after she had taken my son out for a walk in his buggy in that area, that an elderly man had said that my lad, had much the same curly hair as he had once had and ruffled it playfully. He told her that he used to be a footballer and had played for Arsenal. I thought that it was unusual that an Arsenal player would retire to live in the Midlands back then, but yesterday (with the help of a great deal more information now being available on the internet and having read post #28 by brixhamgazza) I was able to link that shop keeper, footballer and nice man, that met my son 33 years ago (photographed below as a player and as Arsenal manager between 1956-58).