Rodney Fern

[Foxesmints]

RIP Rodney. Great entertainment value, always tried his best.

[Molson Canadian]

http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/obituary-former-leicester-city-striker-1077370

Former Leicester City striker Rodney Fern has died aged 69 after a battle with dementia.

The skilful, unorthodox forward played 187 games in all competitions for the club from 1968-72, scoring 40 goals, and formed a crucial part of the team that reached the final of the 1969 FA Cup.

Fern was born in Burton-on-Trent and joined City from Measham in 1966, making his debut two years later, before going on to play for Luton, Chesterfield and Rotherham.

 

Always a popular figure among the City fans, with his long hair and bushy sideburns, Fern took little time in making his mark on the side, scoring in only his third game as Leicester came from 2-0 down to beat Man City 4-3 in the 1968 FA Cup fourth-round replay.

His finest moment would come in the same competition the following season, as Fern bagged the winner in City’s quarter-final victory against Mansfield. Fern would also start the final against Man City, which Leicester lost 1-0 at Wembley.

That season, he also scored the winner as Leicester beat Manchester United at Filbert Street.

 

Fern was City’s top scorer the following campaign, with 18 goals in all competitions, and got his tally off the mark in spectacular fashion with a stunning overhead kick in the opening fixture against Birmingham.

 

 

Fern joined Luton for £45,000 in 1972, and helped the club to promotion from the Second Division in 1974.

Fern also enjoyed success at Chesterfield, then at Rotherham, where he first helped the club beat Leicester in the 1979/80 League Cup first round, scoring twice in the second leg, as well as helping them take the Third Division crown in 1981.

After retiring, Fern ran a pub in Lount before later becoming a coal merchant in Measham.

Fern passed away on January 16 having suffered from dementia for the last few years, raising yet more questions about the connection between the impact of heading a football and the onset of cognitive diseases later in life.

He leaves behind his wife, Linda; his daughter, Amanda, and three grandsons and a granddaughter.

 

Gordon Wills: 1934-2018

Former City left winger Gordon Wills died on January 10, aged 83.

 

Wills scored 33 goals in 128 appearances for the club between 1958 and 1962 and helped consolidate City’s place as a First Division club, having been signed for £9,000 from Notts County.

 

 

He would have played in the FA Cup final side that lost to Tottenham in 1961 had he not been stretchered off with injury in the semi-final against Sheffield United.

Wills recovered to play for the first half of the following season and was an ever-present in the 1961/62 European Cup Winners’ Cup campaign.

Edited 17 January 2018 by Molson Canadian

[fuchsntf]

Players like Rodney Gerson Fern, dont die....They spirit themselves s round and  are always to be found....

 

he's here, he's there he's every fking where....Rodney Fern...Rodney Fern.......

 

I know my 2nd post..but he like some others were the base of my youth...

Terraces of England, vibrating with amusing wit, caustic humour,

New chants and witty songs for their very  own.  

Stupidity in Skeggy boating lakes, pretending to fight off Forest fans,

actually rolling around laughing with them....and a few shy embarrassed moments,

with some very beautifull girls.ultimutaly trying oneself  to be here there and everywhere.

Bonding local derby misunderstandings...

We had joy we had fun...we actually did have relations in the sun..

 

Why in a tribute, such utterings,..because in his chosen lifes proffession...Rodny Fern  gave and brought

Pleasant positive memories....one of the best Flickers of his time.

 

[Foxey id]

Rodney used to play when I first went to Filbert Street RIP

[Buce]

6 hours ago, Crinklyfox said:

The original towering centre forward.  Watched him play, a presence in front of goal.  RIP.

 

6 hours ago, notnow john said:

Think you're getting him mixed up crinkles,he was about 5.9 and very skill full.

 

Yeah, I think you might be thinking of Andy Lochhead, Crinkly.

[Buce]

7 hours ago, mikey54 said:

http://www.rotherhamadvertiser.co.uk/sport/view,millers-legend-rodney-fern-dies_25262.htm

Sad news - one of those players who could be brilliant and crap in the same game

 

Yeah.

 

I remember one game (against Brum, I think) when he scored a spectacular bicycle kick from the edge of the box, then later the same game somehow put the ball over the bar from about six inches.

 

RIP, Rodders.

[Hammo]

Rodney was one of my very first LCFC heroes. I was very young when I first saw him play but every kid loves a player that scores goals for his team and Rodney grabbed a few memorable ones. I remember having a 'Shoot!' poster (well, cut-out page) of him sellotaped on to my bedroom wall! That Worzel Gummidge hair, those Victorian sideburns - what a pin-up! 

 

Minute's appreciation on Saturday perhaps? I'll certainly be giving him some thought as I look out on to the pitch before the game.

[mikey54]

If I had to compare to any of the present squad, I’d have to say he was nearly as good as Mahrez but as bad as Musa - often in the same match 

[BoyJones]

Yes, I well remember Rodney's overhead bicycle kick in the season opener against Birmingham. Think we won 3-1.

 

Also didn't he have a perfectly good headed controversially disallowed at Arsenal in an FA Cup replay, which we ended up losing 1-0. My main memory of the game at Highbury apart from the disallowed goal was that thousands were stuck outside, not able to get in. Absolutely manic night.

 

RIP Rodney, you were a real entertainer, thank you for some great moments supporting the City. 

[Chico1958]

Gutted when I heard the news of both Gordon Wills and one of my all time favourites Rodney Fern

 

It's shit being mortal............ Thanks for the memories Rodney

 

RIP: Buddy

 

 

[RODNEY FERNIO]

RIP Rodney.

 

The definition of a Leicester legend is when some idiot nicks your name

for his user name on Foxes Talk.

[DANGEROUS TIGER]

Such a sad passing for a player I loved to watch. He always gave100%

 

R I P Rodney.

 

 

Gordon Wills passing is equally sad. He wad on the left wing the very first time I watched City, and was a pretty damn good player..

 

R I P  Gordon.

[WestLothianFox]

I was also fortunate to have watched him play. i was in the Kop when he scored the overhead kick. I also remember the cup ties at Man City and that fantastic replay back at Filbert Street, what a night that was. He always gave everything. RIP

[Fleet Street Fox]

RIP Rodney. One of my earliest heroes too but you never knew which Rodney was going to turn up. I saw him play a stinker at Oxford United once. Nish was shouting at him ‘get in the game Rodney’. Next match, Charlton?, a few days later he scores a hat trick.

[kushiro]

9 minutes ago, Fleet Street Fox said:

RIP Rodney. One of my earliest heroes too but you never knew which Rodney was going to turn up. I saw him play a stinker at Oxford United once. Nish was shouting at him ‘get in the game Rodney’. Next match, Charlton?, a few days later he scores a hat trick.

You can remember Nish shouting at him! Love it. Always like hearing random old recollections like that. You made me look up the details. Yep - the famous Charlton away match (actually the very next day after the Oxford game) when we won 5-0. Next game was the really big one - at home to promotion rivals Blackpool, when the game finished 0-0 but only because Rodney's goalbound shot stopped in the mud on the goal line.  

[Stadt]

6 hours ago, Large Frank said:

That chant often runs through my head in nostalgic moments. Like a previous poster, that Man City game is one of my favourite ever. 42,000 in Filbo. Marvellous. RIP Rodney.

How did the chant go? It'd be touching to get it going on Saturday.

[drofmor55]

Was at a game at Highbury when im sure we won 2-1 ..believe Rodney Fern scored one of our goals.The last time we beat Arsenal away ?

Was also at the game at Charlton...arrived 15 mins late and the turnstile op told me Leicester were already 3 nil ahead..glad we were winning but gutted i had missed the goals.

RIP Rodney and Gordon

[anstey blueboy]

Very sad to hear of the passing over of 2  Leicester city players, I can just remember watch Wills but Rodney Fern was one of my all time favourites. RIP to both of them  

[cropstonfox]

Sad loss of one of my first favorites

RIP to a gent and a legend.

[BoyJones]

3 hours ago, WestLothianFox said:

I was also fortunate to have watched him play. i was in the Kop when he scored the overhead kick. I also remember the cup ties at Man City and that fantastic replay back at Filbert Street, what a night that was. He always gave everything. RIP

19th February will be 50 years since that Man City replay. Have seen City play well over a 1000 games, but that match, even taking into account various Wembley's, Europe, is my all time favourite. Rodney scored of course and was instrumental in our win. 

 

Surprised, not much in social media from old time players, because he was a real talent. Didn't rely on brute force or muscle, but more relied on skill and positioning. Lucky to have seen him play for Leicester. 

 

 

 

[norwichfox]

15 hours ago, Buce said:

 

 

Yeah, I think you might be thinking of Andy Lochhead, Crinkly.

Same hairstyle.....an easy mistake

[michael judkins]

Two occasons not mentioned as yet.

First, the disallowed header in the FA Cup replay at Highbury 1970/71 when we went on to lose 1-0. Sadly no VCR to prove it wasa perfectly good goal and so we were cheated.

But secondly the performance where we saw displays of tormenting a defence better than Mahrez and Grey combined has to be away to Luton that same season around April ( ?) when both clubs were vying for promotion. We'd happily have taken a deraw but ran out 3-1 winners. In fairness what will also make that day always remain in my memory is being 17 at the time, learning to drive, never having driven out of Lutterworth and being given the "practice" of driving the family all the way to Luton, terrifying. Can't reacll whether Rodney scored one or two but I would think arguably it was his best ever game for the Club. Anyone else remember that memorable day out ?

[irishfoxkev]

On 17/1/2018 at 10:58, kushiro said:

His debut for Leicester (v Leeds) was on MOTD. Great footage. In the very first minute, Norman Hunter gives him a real whack, and we score from the resulting free kick.

 

Was at this match stood in the Poplar Stand close to the corner with the Filbrt Street end that was rammed full of Leeds lads. Great find this footage ?. Really shows  how fantastic atmosphere was in those days...unbeatable. Loved Rodney and the chant he’s here etc....Just one thing that’s in the back of my memory was he also known as twitcher as her had  a twitch which  led to him randomly shaking his head....I may be confusing him with someone else but pretty sure it was him 

[Mayofox]

59 minutes ago, irishfoxkev said:

Was at this match stood in the Poplar Stand close to the corner with the Filbrt Street end that was rammed full of Leeds lads. Great find this footage ?. Really shows  how fantastic atmosphere was in those days...unbeatable. Loved Rodney and the chant he’s here etc....Just one thing that’s in the back of my memory was he also known as twitcher as her had  a twitch which  led to him randomly shaking his head....I may be confusing him with someone else but pretty sure it was him 

You're right, Kev, he did have that twitch. Standing waiting for a corner, say, as if practicing for the ball to come over.

 

One memory I have is a photo, albeit from 50 years ago, Frank Large has Rodney in a fireman's lift, up over his shoulder, celebrating a goal. 

[Sol thewall Bamba]

On 17/01/2018 at 10:58, kushiro said:

His debut for Leicester (v Leeds) was on MOTD. Great footage. In the very first minute, Norman Hunter gives him a real whack, and we score from the resulting free kick.

 

What a fantastic video.