So who's this KIT NAPIER?

el punal · Jan 16, 2016

Harry Wilson's tackle said:
May have been at my first game, Barrow at home, 1969.

Kit Napier later grew out his tash and beard and became the lead singer of Jethro Tull, in my warped imagination

Living in the past, now things won't last, very much longer!

severnside gull · Jan 16, 2016

Kit remains my favourite Albion player of the last 50 years.
Such a good footballer. Better than the level we played and left us fans with many happy memories. My favourites were a goal scored on the run from the sideline under the west stand into the south goal and that cheeky run back to tap in when the keeper put the ball down without realising he was there. Lots of others too. Last I knew he lived in Durban where he played after leaving us and stayed after he retired from the game.

lawros left foot · Jan 16, 2016

el punal said:
Living in the past, now things won't last, very much longer!

Dear me, thick as a brick

drew · Jan 16, 2016

So, after Napier, who is the next highest scorer. I know Tommy Cook is the record holder and unlikely BZ will get to that.

hitony · Jan 16, 2016

I also have had the good fortune to have seen Kit Napier, Peter Ward and Bobby Zamora play, all 3 amazing players, we were very lucky to have them all play in the Stripes.

LamieRobertson · Jan 16, 2016

lawros left foot said:
My first Albion hero, my uncle was a good mate of Brian Powneys, and said he'd get Kits autograph for me, I was absolutely made up.

It was only about ten years later I learnt that my uncle had signed it hinself, as he'd forgotten to ask Powney.

I have his autograph :thumbsup:

Went and knocked on his front door

lawros left foot · Jan 16, 2016

Gizzit!!
Swappsies for Stewart Henderson

Although that might be another dodgy one from my uncle

catfish · Jan 17, 2016

hitony said:
I also have had the good fortune to have seen Kit Napier, Peter Ward and Bobby Zamora play, all 3 amazing players, we were very lucky to have them all play in the Stripes.

Same here - we are privileged.

Freddie Goodwin. · Jan 17, 2016

Pickles said:
Bobby Z is not in the same league as Wardy.

Shame on you, naughty Freddie.

Only when it comes to Albion goals. Different times, different teams. Kit was almost entirely 3rd div and only one promotion. Bobby started in the 4th tier with us & 2 promotions in a very good team at that level. he then went on to feature for 4 teams at the top and made the England team.

Wardy was in Albion's golden age. Unmistakable natural talent but with great players around him in a team that went from 3rd to 1st div. Clough didn't seem to rate him at Forest hence his career away from us never hit the heights it should have done in the UK.

But all were heroes to those Albion fans who saw them and childhood heroes have that special place.

severnside gull · Jan 17, 2016

el punal said:
I too, am of a certain age, whatever that means, polite way of calling someone an old fart I suppose. Anyway like your good self I have seen all three in action. I still regard Wardy as my all time Albion hero and Bobby up there in second place. Much as I liked and admired Kit I never considered to be in the "hero worship stakes". The player for me, in Kit's last years with the Albion, was Ken Beamish. Memories play tricks, but he was synonymous with the Albion winning promotion for me.

Regardless, all of them fine servants for the club and a privilege to have watched them play.

Ken was a lovely bloke and nobody's fool. After leaving us he went to yesterday's opponents, Blackburn, and became Commercial Manager right up to about 3 years ago I believe. If I remember right we had Howard Wilkinson, latterly FA bigwig and briefly England Manager (I think?) in the side around the same time Ken came to the club (certainly at the same time Kit was here).

Tony Towner's Fridge · Jan 17, 2016

lawros left foot said:
My first Albion hero, my uncle was a good mate of Brian Powneys, and said he'd get Kits autograph for me, I was absolutely made up.

It was only about ten years later I learnt that my uncle had signed it hinself, as he'd forgotten to ask Powney.

My hero too. Moustachio'd tall lanky super hero.....

Scored a remarkable goal against Chesterfield at the Goldstone when their goalie thought, wrongly, that he had been fouled by Kit. Keeper put the ball down about 5 yards from the goal for the free kick and Kit nonchalantly passed the ball into the net. 1-0 to the Albion.....total comedic class!

Where is he now I wonder?

TNBA

TTF

Tony Towner's Fridge · Jan 17, 2016

SIMMO SAYS said:
I'm an old fart (59 going on 60) and can remember those days

I'm a young fart (59 going on 60) and can remember those days!

One Kenny Beamish....there's only one Kenny Beamish..

TNBA

TTF

origigull · Jan 17, 2016

DavidinSouthampton said:
When I first started going to the Goldstone, he was my hero!

What about Charlie Livesey? Now he was one of my heros in the 60s. Always a crowd pleaser.

Not Andy Naylor · Jan 17, 2016

severnside gull said:
Ken was a lovely bloke and nobody's fool. After leaving us he went to yesterday's opponents, Blackburn, and became Commercial Manager right up to about 3 years ago I believe. If I remember right we had Howard Wilkinson, latterly FA bigwig and briefly England Manager (I think?) in the side around the same time Ken came to the club (certainly at the same time Kit was here).

No, Wilkinson was gone by the time Beamish came in. Kit Napier played with both of them (and, I believe, went to Blackburn himself at one point).

I remember Kit Napier scoring one of the weirdest golas ever at the Goldstone against Chesterfield when their goalkeeper put the ball down for a foul and strolled back into the South Stand end net to take the free kick. Napier walked up to the ball and smacked it into the net and everyone thought he'd gone mad and would be booked. But he realised that the ref hadn't actually given a free kick, the keeper just assumed he had, and the goal was given, although it took us all about ten seconds to figure it out.

The Antikythera Mechanism · Jan 17, 2016

Alex Dawson- same era as Kit Napier. He could head the ball harder than most players could kick it.

BensGrandad · Jan 17, 2016

I remember all the names being mentioned and back to Peter Harburn and Dave Sexton but thought that Alex Dawson was after Kit Napier had left but my memory isnt as good as it was for details of individual goals as many select on here.,

Robinjakarta · Jan 17, 2016

Not Andy Naylor said:
No, Wilkinson was gone by the time Beamish came in. Kit Napier played with both of them (and, I believe, went to Blackburn himself at one point).

I remember Kit Napier scoring one of the weirdest golas ever at the Goldstone against Chesterfield when their goalkeeper put the ball down for a foul and strolled back into the South Stand end net to take the free kick. Napier walked up to the ball and smacked it into the net and everyone thought he'd gone mad and would be booked. But he realised that the ref hadn't actually given a free kick, the keeper just assumed he had, and the goal was given, although it took us all about ten seconds to figure it out.

That goal was one of the most memorable I have ever seen and spot on as described by Not Andy Naylor. I also more than one goal from a corner, and his corners generally caused havoc in defences.

What I haven't seen mentioned is that Kit Napier wasn't universally appreciated by many fans at the time. Tackling and physical contact were not his strengths and quite a few fans considered him a fairy or worse. He could also be inconsistent and fade out of games and have poor ones. Maybe that's why he didn't play at a higher level. As many have said on this good thread, he had great skills that others didn't. With that and unpredictability, he was great to watch and definitely a Goldstone legend!

The Antikythera Mechanism · Jan 17, 2016

BensGrandad said:
I remember all the names being mentioned and back to Peter Harburn and Dave Sexton but thought that Alex Dawson was after Kit Napier had left but my memory isnt as good as it was for details of individual goals as many select on here.,

Kit Napier 66-72
Alex Dawson 68-71

Medwayseagull · Jan 17, 2016

Seen all those mentioned play. It might be my memory playing tricks but didn't Kit make his debut in a game where we were losing at half time and came back to win 5-2 or similar.

Questions · Jan 17, 2016

The Antikythera Mechanism said:
Alex Dawson- same era as Kit Napier. He could head the ball harder than most players could kick it.

As long as the ball was 2 inches off the ground Alex would attempt to header it. The King of the diving header. Proper centre forward in the day.

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