‘Speedy’ was such an important player during City’s promotion campaign
LONG-SERVING left-back Brian Drysdale was a key figure in Bristol City’s 197576 promotion success, but is probably the forgotten man of that campaign. An unsung hero, who added pace, grit and guile to the City lineup.
I met Brian at an anniversary dinner at Ashton Gate to celebrate the promotion season with all the players. He was a quiet, modest, charming man, who, stood at the back of the room largely ignored by the fans who didn’t recognise him with a healthy mop of white hair.
He was self-deprecating and almost passed unnoticed among the other players until Gerry Sweeney and Clive Whitehead forced him to step forward, saying, “without this player, we would never have been promoted.” With typical modesty, he shook his head, laughed but also looked proud and slightly embarrassed. He then spent hours signing books and programmes. I have a treasured caricature of him drawn by a local artist, which he signed with a chuckle. “Is that really me?” he quipped.
Initially a Lincoln City junior, he made his league debut prior to signing professional in September 1960 and joined Hartlepool United on a free transfer in July 1963, where he played under Brian Clough. Alan Dicks paid £10,000 for him in May 1969 and he was everpresent, featuring in the 1970-71 League Cup and 1973-74 FA Cup runs. He scored three goals in 282 league outings before he joined Oxford United in July.
Known as ‘Speedy’ to his teammates, he replaced the long-serving Alex Briggs in the No 3 shirt.
For the next three seasons Brian was an ever-present in the side. What he lacked in height he made
up for with his tenacious tackling, his pace, his ability to overlap down the left wing and his pinpoint crosses. He went on to make nearly 300 appearances for City and won promotion to Division One.
Having played a major role in getting City into the top flight, Brian’s place in the team came under threat as the side struggled against the country’s finest. The signing of
Norman Hunter and the repositioning of captain Geoff Merrick to left-back meant it was time for Brian to start looking elsewhere for first-team football.
Brian played in all of City’s 126 league games and 18 cup ties in his first three seasons with the club, a formidable achievement. We salute this quiet, modest, albeit speedy star.