Bert Trautmann

German association football player and coach (1923-2013)

Bernhard Carl "Bert" Trautmann, OBE (22 October 1923 – 19 July 2013) was a German footballer. He played from 1949 to 1964 for Manchester City as the keeper. Trautmann was almost unknown in Germany, and never played in the national team of his country. But in Manchester, he was one of the most popular players.

Bert Trautmann
Personal information
Full name Bernhard Carl Trautmann
Date of birth (1923-10-22)22 October 1923
Place of birth Bremen, Germany
Date of death 19 July 2013(2013-07-19) (aged 89)
Place of death La Llosa, Valencia, Spain
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1948–1949 St Helens Town 43 (0)
1949–1964 Manchester City 508 (0)
1964 Wellington Town 2 (0)
Total 553 (0)
Teams managed
1965–1966 Stockport County
1967–1968 Preußen Münster
1968–1969 Opel Rüsselsheim
1972–1974 Burma
1975 Tanzania
1978–1980 Liberia
1980–1983 Pakistan
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Early life

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Bert Trautmann was born on 22 October 1923. He began playing football at age 10, when he was 18 he had to go to do his military service for the German Nazi-Regime. The paratrooper was first imprisoned by the Soviet, later by the British army. He did not leave Britain after his release, and became a professional football player.

Career

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After some time he joined Manchester City. At first, the fans hated the "Nazi boy", but they soon accepted him. He was a leading goalkeeper for ten years in the English first division (which was then the top division). In the 1956 FA Cup final, it the 75th minute, Trautmann was hit by a Birmingham City player. The crash broke his neck, but Trautmann finished the game. It was often called a medical miracle that Trautmann did not die on that day.[1]

Personal life

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Just a few days Trautmann's medical miracle, his five years old son died in a car crash. In 1950 he had married for the first time, and in 1990 he married again. In 2004 he was honored by Queen Elizabeth II.

Trautmann died on 19 July 2013 from probable heart failure after suffering two previous heart attacks. He was 89 years old.[2]

References

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  1. "05.05.1956 Bert Trautmann breaks his neck". The Guardian. London. 6 May 2006. Retrieved 17 August 2008.
  2. "Manchester City legend Bert Trautmann dies aged 89". BBC Sport. 19 July 2013. Retrieved 19 July 2013.

Other websites

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