Freddie Goodwin.
Well-known member
No, he's not dead (I hope), but it's close season, cold & wet & I'm bored so let's have some memories (and pics?) of this Albion legend.
Kit (real name Chris) was a classy forward. tall & lean, not so good in the air but tremendous skill with both feet. I've seen him score direct from corners with both his left and right foot.
He joined us in about 1967 and left in '72, played centre forward, on both wings and had the odd game in midfield where he was able to pinpoint a long pass, but his main talent was goalscoring and he managed to break the post war goalscoring record and held that until Peter Ward came along.
I remember him heading his 100th league goal against Shrewsbury and the Shrews centre back was Jim Holton, soon to be signed by Man Utd. i also remember a hat-trick against Bristol Rovers where he gave their centre back the run around. That was Larry Lloyd, who signed for Liverpool soon after and was a rock in Shankly's team.
Kit also scored just about the most unusual goal i've seen, against Chesterfield. Their keeper gathered the ball under a melee and thought the ref had awarded a free kick, so he placed the ball down and walked back into his net to get a run-up. Napier nipped in to tap the ball over the line. The ref had not blown, there had been no foul and the goal stood!
Napier was one of four senior players let go by Saward after the 71-72 promotion and he went off to Blackburn. I still feel releasing the two Napiers, Dave Turner & Stewart Henderson was Saward's undoing as Albion went straight back down.
Kit Napier was flair some (Severnside) carry an early picture on their avatar but it's the smooth dark hair and neatly trimmed beared or the droopy 'tach which was so 60's & early 70's. He could be frustrating. a bit like Murray, and rarely got himself dirty but he could do some great things with a football.
Kit (real name Chris) was a classy forward. tall & lean, not so good in the air but tremendous skill with both feet. I've seen him score direct from corners with both his left and right foot.
He joined us in about 1967 and left in '72, played centre forward, on both wings and had the odd game in midfield where he was able to pinpoint a long pass, but his main talent was goalscoring and he managed to break the post war goalscoring record and held that until Peter Ward came along.
I remember him heading his 100th league goal against Shrewsbury and the Shrews centre back was Jim Holton, soon to be signed by Man Utd. i also remember a hat-trick against Bristol Rovers where he gave their centre back the run around. That was Larry Lloyd, who signed for Liverpool soon after and was a rock in Shankly's team.
Kit also scored just about the most unusual goal i've seen, against Chesterfield. Their keeper gathered the ball under a melee and thought the ref had awarded a free kick, so he placed the ball down and walked back into his net to get a run-up. Napier nipped in to tap the ball over the line. The ref had not blown, there had been no foul and the goal stood!
Napier was one of four senior players let go by Saward after the 71-72 promotion and he went off to Blackburn. I still feel releasing the two Napiers, Dave Turner & Stewart Henderson was Saward's undoing as Albion went straight back down.
Kit Napier was flair some (Severnside) carry an early picture on their avatar but it's the smooth dark hair and neatly trimmed beared or the droopy 'tach which was so 60's & early 70's. He could be frustrating. a bit like Murray, and rarely got himself dirty but he could do some great things with a football.
