davieG Posted 16 July 2006 Posted 16 July 2006 Leicester City FC 1971-1978 POSITION Midfielder/Forward DATE OF BIRTH Tuesday, 11th June 1946 PLACE OF BIRTH Islington, London DEBUT Saturday, 2nd October 1971 in a 0-0 draw at home to Crystal Palace (Aged: 25) CLUB CAREER 260 League apps (+2 as sub), 37 goals Leicester: 1971-1972 Played 32 Scored 5 goals (Division 1) 1972-1973 Played 39 Scored 8 goals (Division 1) 1973-1974 Played 42 Scored 7 goals (Division 1) 1974-1975 Played 40 Scored 3 goals (Division 1) 1975-1976 Played 39 Scored 7 goals (Division 1) 1976-1977 Played 30 Scored 4 goals (Division 1) 1977-1978 Played 24 Scored 0 goals (Division 1) 1978-1979 Played 16 Scored 3 goals (Division 2)
davieG Posted 16 July 2006 Author Posted 16 July 2006 Keith Weller (Leicester City & England) England debut: 1974 v. Wales Total Caps: 4 Another of Bloomfield's boys getting the chance under Joe Mercer's short period as England coach. Ketih made his England debut against Wales but he only played for England during the summer of 74. The strange thing is that if England had qualified it could have been six players in the squad with a period at City. David Nish and Allan Clarke were also involved in the England set up during that time. Weller scored once in his four England games. More Information our England games.
davieG Posted 16 July 2006 Author Posted 16 July 2006 Farewell Keith Friends and fans of former Leicester City player Keith Weller said an emotional goodbye to him at Walkers Stadium on Saturday. Listen to the full service and add your tributes. Fan and friends of Leicester City legend Keith Weller said an emotional goodbye to the Foxes legend at a memorial service in his honour held at the club on Saturday 27 November. Ex-players including close friend Alan Birchenall, club officials and fans paid tribute to a player who became a integral part of the club's great side of the 1970's which is still seen by supporters as probably the best side in the club's history. Weller is a City legend. Memories of Keith include the day he wore white lycra tights during a match as a barrier to the cold weather. He was always held in high regard by the Foxes faithful and his passing was received with sadness by all connected with the club. Weller had been fighting cancer for the past few years and supporters raised tens of thousands of pounds to help in his treatment in South America before he finally succumbed to the disease in November 2004. Club chaplain Graham Spencer took the 22-minute service. Click on the link in the top right-hand corner of this page for the full service. Leave your tributes and memories of Keith at the bottom of this page.
davieG Posted 16 July 2006 Author Posted 16 July 2006 Keith Weller A marvellously talented, sometimes temperamental individualist who lent £100,000 worth of forceful right-flank panache to Jimmy Bloomfield's elegant teams of the early 70s, Keith could usually be relied upon to deliver a tellingly spectacular contribution to the most mundane of games. City fans were treated to regular displays of both his midfield and striking skills, while national television audiences also gasped at some of his exploits; a mazy 'Goal of the Season' at Luton in the Cup (and a long-range own goal on the same ground a year later!), a thunderbolt volley against Newcastle, and Keith's final City goal - when he dazzled Norwich defenders with his white tights - among them. Keith won four England caps (scoring once with a rare header) and once represented the Football League while with City - and he had previously toured New Zealand and the Far East with an FA party during his Millwall days - yet his sole honour at club level remained his medal from Chelsea's European Cup Winners' Cup victory of 1971. His occasional frustrations at Leicester peaked in the notorious incident when he refused to take the field for the second half of a League game against Ipswich in December 1974, and his last couple of Filbert Street seasons were marred by knee injuries that sadly cut short his top-class career, but memories of his cool brilliance predominate. Keith sadly lost a two-and-a-half year battle against a rare form of cancer in November 2004 when he died at the age of 58.
Lets Be having You Posted 16 July 2006 Posted 16 July 2006 Great Great Player,and a sad loss,Thank you keith
davieG Posted 16 July 2006 Author Posted 16 July 2006 By Ian Nannestad Keith Weller was an extremely talented and creative player who was a key figure for Leicester City during the 1970s, when he also won four caps for England. Born in Islington on June 11, 1946, Keith represented Middlesex Schools as a youngster, but although he had trials with Arsenal he was not taken on as an apprentice and on leaving school he began work as a floor layer. However, in December 1962 he signed amateur forms for Tottenham, impressing sufficiently to be given a professional contract in January 1964. Keith progressed through the club's junior sides and made his first team debut in a remarkable 7-4 victory over Wolves on March 27, 1965. Spurs were one of the country's leading clubs at the time and Keith was unable to win a regular place in the line-up, so in the summer of 1967 he opted for a move to Millwall. In three seasons at the Den he experienced regular first team football, establishing a reputation as a regular goalscorer in partnership with another former Tottenham youngster Derek Possee. Keith's form won him selection for the FA XI's tour of New Zealand and the Far East in the 1969 close season and in May 1970 he was sold to Chelsea for £100,000. Keith became a regular in the side at Stamford Bridge, and finished the 1970-71 campaign as the club's leading scorer with 13 goals. He also appeared in the team that defeated Real Madrid in the final of the European Cup Winners' Cup in Athens in May 1971, which was to provide the only winners' medal of his senior career. There then followed an eight-year spell with Leicester during which time he confirmed his reputation as a quality player, producing some dazzling performances. The Foxes were known as an entertaining, football playing side under manager Jimmy Bloomfield, but honours eluded them and their best effort was a place in the FA Cup semi final in 1974. Operating down the right flank, Keith netted many spectacular goals. His achievements included a hat-trick in the 3-2 win over Liverpool in August 1972, a particularly stunning strike in the 4-0 FA Cup fifth round win over Luton in the 1973-74 season and a brilliant individual effort against Norwich in his penultimate game for City. Individual honours also came his way, firstly an appearance for the Football League representative side against the Scottish League in March 1973, then four caps for England in May 1974 under interim coach Joe Mercer. Knee injuries led to Keith's departure from Filbert Street and brought his Football League career to a close after 442 appearances and 92 goals. He subsequently spent several years playing in the United States, principally with New England Teamen and Fort Lauderdale Strikers, before switching to coaching. After retiring from football in 1993 he settled in the Seattle area, working as a driver and then running a coffee shop.
Thracian Posted 16 July 2006 Posted 16 July 2006 Keith was my kind of player. Positive, entertaining, direct, an out-and-out attacker, and temperamental with it. I remember, as an eight year old (and at a time when there were no substitutes) sitting down on the halfway line for the entire second half of a match when playing for Newbold Verdon School because I disagreed with something and Weller, of course, copped out of the second half against Ipswich because of his own frustrations so I kind of identified with him (as you sometimes do when a kid). Sometimes you just have to take a stand. Afterwards you realise it was not the right way to solve the problem but such things do become folklore and, right or wrong, they do have an effect!. In my case I was caned fairly enthusiastically and dropped from the team for a match. I should perhaps have recognised then - as I did years later - that I was much more suited to individual sports!.
Fox in a Box Posted 17 July 2006 Posted 17 July 2006 Legend. Every City fan should go and sit in the Memorial Garden and spend a minute or two in peace. Legend. Forever a Legend. AND WHITE TIGHTS TOO! RIP
lookwhaticando Posted 17 July 2006 Posted 17 July 2006 Oddly enough - 'that' long-range own goal against Luton appears in a Times list of 50 notable own goals (as do a couple of Frank Sinclair's efforts). No 25: Keith Weller, of Leicester City, away to Luton Town, top division, April 12, 1975. The midfield player finds his own net from long range to set Leicester on course for a 3-0 defeat at Kenilworth Road. Times Online // Hilarity and tragedy: curse of the own goal Keith is a bit before my time but he sounds like a true legend.
macbeth Posted 18 July 2006 Posted 18 July 2006 i remember one particular Sun backpage headline........"WELLER'S A WOW"......as a foxes saddo i had that page on my pitroom wall for about a year..........i think it was following a great fightback from 2-0 down to win 3-2 against liverpool in the early 70s.....with weller scoring the late winner......anybody enlighten me further.........as i was invariably well lubricated before, during and after matches at this stage of my "arrested " developement
Daggers Posted 20 July 2006 Posted 20 July 2006 AND WHITE TIGHTS TOO! Popular myth has it that the tights were found in his car by his wife...and so he wore them to prove they were his and not from some absent minded floozy. One of the best players I have ever seen, without a doubt.
Ultra Posted 24 July 2006 Posted 24 July 2006 No - he wore the tights to protect his dodgy knees from the cold weather. He lit up many a freezing winter afternoon during his time with us, especially as part of a side which was rather more mediocre than popular myth (ie Mr Birchenall) would have you believe. I remember him scoring a thunderous volley to decide a dire game against Newcastle in 1975. He displayed a technique that few English players before or since have been able to match. I wonder if he'd have won more England caps had he not strayed north of Watford..
macbeth Posted 24 July 2006 Posted 24 July 2006 No - he wore the tights to protect his dodgy knees from the cold weather. He lit up many a freezing winter afternoon during his time with us, especially as part of a side which was rather more mediocre than popular myth (ie Mr Birchenall) would have you believe. I remember him scoring a thunderous volley to decide a dire game against Newcastle in 1975. He displayed a technique that few English players before or since have been able to match. I wonder if he'd have won more England caps had he not strayed north of Watford.. i dont think it was myth; they were a side of great individuals that did not always look a good "team" the greatest mystery in my time as a supporter was why bloomfield was sacked when they looked to be starting to gel.............the rest, as they say is post mclintock history i'm not sure about the "north of watford" thing either; maybe it was more about playing for the old chestnut excuse "unfashionable leicester" that did his england career more harm
Ultra Posted 24 July 2006 Posted 24 July 2006 Bloomfield was not sacked - he quit when it was clear to fans and boardroom alike that his team had passed their sell-by date. I remember a game against West Brom at Filbo in 77 where we were hammered 5-0 and the fans had reached the end of their tether. Whoever took over would have faced a tough job to rebuild the side. Unfortunately the job was entrusted to McLintock, the so-called "people's choice", who proved woefully out of his depth. Bill Anderson still refers to this episode to this day as evidence that most FOXES know nothing about football. But I'd still back most fans' judgement over his, any time!
macbeth Posted 24 July 2006 Posted 24 July 2006 Bloomfield was not sacked - he quit when it was clear to fans and boardroom alike that his team had passed their sell-by date. I remember a game against West Brom at Filbo in 77 where we were hammered 5-0 and the fans had reached the end of their tether. Whoever took over would have faced a tough job to rebuild the side. Unfortunately the job was entrusted to McLintock, the so-called "people's choice", who proved woefully out of his depth. Bill Anderson still refers to this episode to this day as evidence that most FOXES know nothing about football. But I'd still back most fans' judgement over his, any time! i think you are correct ; he did quit but it could be thought of as jumping before he was pushed; as an exile of 15 years or so i don't know much about bill andersons views any more but i remember having heated debates with friends who were constantly on JBs back with regard to the team having gone as far as it could under his stewardship........i loved the team he built and grew more and more disillusioned over the years as to when we would see the like again ps i think we will get a gentle reminder that we have strayed slightly off topic
davieG Posted 24 July 2006 Author Posted 24 July 2006 i think you are correct ; he did quit but it could be thought of as jumping before he was pushed; as an exile of 15 years or so i don't know much about bill andersons views any more but i remember having heated debates with friends who were constantly on JBs back with regard to the team having gone as far as it could under his stewardship........i loved the team he built and grew more and more disillusioned over the years as to when we would see the like again ps i think we will get a gentle reminder that we have strayed slightly off topic I'm sure Keith would have had a view on this.
spirefox Posted 5 August 2006 Posted 5 August 2006 What a difference today from one of Keith's Greatest ever games!
Guest Gist Posted 5 August 2006 Posted 5 August 2006 That goal against Luton was pure brilliance he was before my time but he seemed a great player and a good bloke too.
crazy horse Posted 6 August 2006 Posted 6 August 2006 That goal against Luton was pure brilliance he was before my time but he seemed a great player and a good bloke too. what the own goal?
Stevosevic Posted 6 August 2006 Posted 6 August 2006 what the own goal? is that a joke? the goal he scored at luton was voted leicester's best ever goal. you must of seen it
davieG Posted 6 August 2006 Author Posted 6 August 2006 is that a joke? the goal he scored at luton was voted leicester's best ever goal. you must of seen it it's on page one of this topic.
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