"It matters a great deal who is going to win, but not at all who won"
Trautmann’s journey
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From Hitler Youth to FA Cup legend, Catrine Clay, Yellow Jersey, London 2010
I grew up knowing the story of Bert Trautmann’s heroics with the broken neck in the 1956 FA Cup Final. I knew he was a German – a real novelty as a foreign player in the English League. I did not know – or think to wonder – how a German in the 1950s came to be playing for Manchester City.
This book traces the life of Trautmann from his birth in Bremen to his retirement in Spain. It focuses mainly on the war, the period preceding and following it. Trautmann’s Manchester City career, for example, does not start until page 273 (of 316).
The author cleverly interweaves the story of the rise and fall of Nazi Germany, written as objective history, with the personal story of Trautmann. We follow him, joining the Hitler Youth, totally buying into Nazism, volunteering, fighting in the war, almost being killed several times before being captured as a Prisoner of War and brought to England.
The book is brilliantly structured and superbly written, resulting in a gripping tale. Ironically for the biography of a footballer – if it really is that – the weakest part is the account of his football career.
One incident shows how radically football has changed in 50 years. In a game against Tottenham, Bert had grabbed George Robb’s leg to stop him scoring. The referee missed the incident but newspaper pictures exposed it. The book records “Bert felt he’d let himself down”. The modern goalkeeper would be delighted to have got away with it! (Page 296)
An unusual book but a spellbinding story, well told, that will hold the reader’s attention from beginning to end.