John Tizzard

By Follow the Swans (legacy user)26/5/2014 19:48Mon May 26 19:48:00 2014

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Hard on the heels of George Talbot, it's my sad duty to notify you of another former Staines Town 'legend' who has passed away.

JOHN TIZZARD didn't play football until he was 18, having been pushed towards rugby at school, but after joining Sunday league team Imperial Athletic, he was scouted by Banstead Athletic, where he spent the 1967/8 season. Along with George Talbot, he then joined Staines Town right at the start of Ken Ballard's long and successful first reign as Manager, and by the end of that season had a Spartan League Cup winners' medal to show for his efforts. He then reverted to Banstead for a year, only to return to Wheatsheaf Park in summer 1970. He helped The Swans to finish runners-up to Hoddesdon Town in both the Spartan League and Cup, and claim a place in the Athenian League Division II. Romping to the title and promotion, John was a regular in that side, as he was when finishing runners-up in Division I a year later – adding the Hounslow Charity Cup. In total, he had played 179 First Team games for Staines, scoring 13 goals. In 1973/4 he registered for Wimbledon FC's Premier Midweek Floodlight League side, but the three-day week and floodlight ban conspired to prevent him ever kicking a ball for The Dons. He also had trials at Hounslow FC.

An intransigent foot injury, coupled with the rise of his food sales business, effectively ended John's senior career, though he did start playing for Rainham-based Sunday side The Green Lion FC, and then became Assistant Manager at Maidstone United, playing plenty of Reserve team games and a handful of First Team matches. He and wife Pat were by now running a pub in Gravesend, and they took local boys' team Southfleet Juniors FC under their wing, providing them with a kit - in old gold and blue of course!

John passed away at he age of 67 on the morning of Monday 26th May, following a long illness.

Staines Town FC extends its condolences to his family and his many friends in football, and in particular to his wife, Pat.

For Steve Parsons. Club Secretary


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