CITY 1 BIRMINGHAM CITY 4
League Division 1
11th April 1962
attendance 21,941
scorers
City Smith(o.g.)
Birmingham Leek, Hellawell, Harris, Bloomfield
Ref R Harper
City Trautmann, Kennedy, Sear, Benson, Leivers, Oakes, Young, Dobing, Pardoe, Hayes, Wagstaffe
Birmingham Schofield, Foster, Sissons, Watts, Smith, Beard, Hellawell, Bloomfield, Harris, Leek, Auld
EVER SINCE that April evening at Maine Road 15 years ago when he played in a First Division match against Birmingham at the ripe old age of 15 years and 314 days, l have followed the career of Glyn Pardoe with more than the usual professional interest.
The day before the game I was at Maine Road seeking a line or two from Les McDowall, the manager at the time, when Bert Trautman burst in with the news. “Young Glyn is going in against Birmingham because of Colin Barlow’s injury,” said the City goalkeeper.
It was quite a story. Glyn, who was earning about £7 a week as an apprentice, would make his debut against Trevor Smith, the England international . . and he made the front and back pages of the national newspaper the next morning.
The football columnists said he was City’s youngest-ever League player, and that only Ray Parry (Bolton) had been given his First Division baptism at a younger age.
The popular press went into glorious detail about the background of the lad from rural Cheshire. We were told of G|yn’s kickabout with friends in the streets near his Winsford home…about his visit to the local cinema with his girl friend, Pat. ..and about his timetable for the big day.
Glyn had to catch a 7.30am train to Manchester, and then tidy the dressing rooms and lay out the kit before lining up against Birmingham.
If the fans didn’t have much to celebrate — City, I think, went down 4-1 — Glyn kept battling away and later had to hold another impromptu press conference.
“I did my best and hope I didn’t let anyone down,” was the youngsters modest comment, and he went on to play that way in almost every position for City over the next 14 years.
FROM AN ARTICLE BY DENIS LOWE OF THE DAILY TELEGRAPH PUBLISHED IN THE GLYN PARDOE TESTIMONIAL PROGRAMME 25TH MARCH 1977