George Curtis (footballer, born 1919)

Did You Know?

• He retired to live on the Essex coast, coaching youngsters as part of the FIFA coaching scheme.
• He spent the final years of his life living on his own in a caravan in Chelmsford.

Playing career

Curtis began as a youth at Anglo (Purfleet) and signed for Arsenal in December 1936. After a spell at Arsenal's nursery club Margate, he returned to Highbury in February 1938 and made his Arsenal debut in a 2–1 home win against Blackpool on 10 April 1939, making only one further first-team appearance that season. After hostilities ended he played 12 times in the 1946–47 season but was sold to Southampton in summer 1947 in part-exchange for Don Roper, having made 14 appearances for Arsenal without scoring.

Southampton manager Bill Dodgin valued Curtis at £10,000 in an exchange that also saw Tom Rudkin move to The Dell. Nicknamed Twinkletoes, Curtis was a clever, nimble player whose feints and tricks were appreciated by supporters though they often frustrated teammates; Soccer Star magazine described him as an inside-forward-cum-wing-half. He played 183 games for Southampton, scoring 12 goals, then moved to French second division side Valenciennes for £1,500, staying from 1952 to 1953.

He returned to England as player-coach at Chelmsford City, his move hindered by a strike in France, joining the Southern League side for a four-figure fee. After a coaching course at Lilleshall with Walter Winterbottom, he became a coach with Sunderland from 1957 to 1961.

Management career

George Curtis had an unusual start to his coaching career, briefly managing the Indian club Mohun Bagan in 1945 while visiting the country during the war. His first proper managerial job came in June 1961 with Brighton & Hove Albion, but his debut season ended in relegation from the Second Division in last place. He remained at Brighton until February 1963, when Archie Macaulay took over. That June, Curtis became the first manager of Stevenage Town in their professional era.

Over 260 games, he led the club to promotion to the Southern League Premier Division in 1966–67, then left at the end of that season with 134 wins. In 1969, he was appointed head coach of Norwegian side Rosenborg, replacing Knut Næss. His first team meeting became legendary: holding up a ball, he said, "This is a ball. Don't go too fast, now!"

Odd Iversen laughed. Curtis introduced modern defensive football to Norway, using a flat-back 4–4–2 formation, pressing the ball carrier, and emphasizing tactics. His debut season in 1969 brought Rosenborg the league title, with Iversen scoring 26 of the team's 36 goals. Despite the success, club leaders and fans disliked his defensive approach and pushed for a more attacking style.

In September 1969, Rosenborg faced Curtis's former club Southampton in the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup first round, losing 2–1 on aggregate. Curtis was allowed one more season. Rosenborg finished second in 1970, but after Iversen and Harald Sunde were sold to Belgian second-division side Racing Mechelen, the team's attack collapsed. Over 18 league games, their goal difference was a remarkable 15–5. At season's end, Curtis was dismissed and replaced by Nils Arne Eggen.