Football Programmes Centre

Flaming Pie · Joined: 26 Nov 2016 Posts: 971

Had to do a double take when l received this signed photo. It’s VfB Stuttgart, who were a top German team in the 1950s. The captain of the team was Robert Schlienz. Schlienz developed into a top player, despite the fact that he only had one arm. After surviving service with the German army on the Eastern Front, he was then involved in a car accident after the war . This resulted in him losing an arm. He developed a different style of play, such as learning how to fall without sustaining an injury .Somehow this allowed him to overcome this handicap. Can’t think of any other top club side in the history of world football who had an amputee in their side. Perhaps there have been others?

colchestersid · Joined: 08 Mar 2009 Posts: 774

Guy Thill of Jeunesse Hautcharage when they played Chelsea in 1971, he only had one arm

Arguably the "smallest" team ever to play in a European tie they also had a 15 year old, a player who wore glasses, two players over the age of 40 and four brothers in the team

Chelsea sneaked through 21-0 on aggregate

(Thill was a midfielder BTW, not the goalkeeper!)

TheMusic · Joined: 13 Aug 2011 Posts: 533

Hector Castro, goalscorer for Uruguay in their 4-2 win over Argentina in the 1930 FIFA World Cup final, lost most of his right arm in a childhood sawing accident. He was nicknamed 'El Manco', in English 'the maimed one'.

Flaming Pie · Joined: 26 Nov 2016 Posts: 971

Interesting stuff Sid , and also TheMusic .The early rounds of European games used to throw up some unusual matches. Nowadays , even the minnows in Europe now seem to be more organised and harder to put to the sword. Robert Schlienz must have been a hell of a character to become a top player in Germany. I’ll have to have a look if there is any footage of him in action on YouTube.

Pete’s Picture Palace · Posted: Sat Dec 01, 2018 9:52 pm Post subject:

Brilliant stuff, thank you for all this fine info.

For good measure I'll throw in Mr Alf Bond, referee, on his way to running the 1956 FA Cup final, suitcase in one hand and...……… not a lot in the other.

Flaming Pie · Joined: 26 Nov 2016 Posts: 971

True story this Pete. My dad went to visit Dixie Dean when he was in a Birkenhead hospital after losing a leg in the 1970s. I think many years of smoking Capstan full strength didn’t help! . “ How are you feeling Bill” ? , he was asked. “ I’ll be alright when that bloody Tommy Smith is escorted from the hospital “ Dixie quipped. He reckoned that the Liverpool hard man was to blame for his predicament . Tommy , of course , hadn’t even been born when Dixie was playing.