‘No-nonsense’ centre-half who led St George through their 1960s glory years
THE recent passing of popular and successful former Bristol St George captain Brian Mortimer has prompted his proud son to take a cherished trip down memory lane.
Brian led the famous Bristol side, these days operating as Roman Glass St George with its flagship first team in the Toolstation Western League top-flight, between 1961 and 1964 before going on to become chairman over a threeyear period in the 1970s.
He died aged 86 just before Christmas, having suffered with Alzheimer’s over a long period, at Warmley House Care Home where his family says he was “very well cared for.”
Of his father’s action-packed footballing journey, Dave Mortimer said: “Dad was born in Oldland, Bristol, in 1932 and signed for Oldland AFC at the age of 16 where he went on to win numerous medals during his time there performing in the old inside-left position.
“They were Bristol Suburban Division Two runners-up and GFA Junior Cup winners in 1949-50. In fact Dad scored after only four seconds from kick-off in the final at Eastville!
“During his successful spell with Oldland they went on to be crowned Bristol and District Division Three winners in 1951-52; Division Two runners-up the following year and Division One runners-up in 1956-57, before becoming Premier Combination Division Two runners-up in 1957-58.
“I actually have letters dated 1950 and 1952 from an Everton scout informing him that the then Everton manager, Cliff Britton, who was born in Bristol (Hanham) and went on to play for Bristol Rovers and then Everton, wanted Dad to sign amateur forms for them.
“However, Dad’s own father wouldn’t countersign the forms, telling him instead to get a “proper job!”
Dave continued: “During this time my father also had trials for West Brom and Birmingham City,
and during his spell at Oldland he also played for Bristol Rovers Reserves and Welton Rovers. Welton used to pay him £5 “boot money” at a time when he was only earning around £12 a week as an engineer.
“In 1961-62 season Dad moved to Bristol St George who, the previous season, had finished fourth in the Premier Combination which was, at that time, the highestranked amateur league in the area.
“During his time there he was a proper no-nonsense centre-half: he didn’t take any prisoners!
“Quoting from the history of Roman Glass St George FC (written by Dean Dursley) at the start of 61-62, many new players were added to the squad, the most significant being my own father along
with Ronnie Robbins, Roger Higgins and Alan Hobbs.
“The next two seasons were still building ones as the team finished up third and fourth in the table, leading up nicely to the glory years when Bristol St George won the Premier Combination five seasons on the trot between 1963 and 1968.
“That took them to the newlyformed Gloucestershire County League in 1968-69 where they finished runners-up before winning it the following season.”
Bristol St George’s meteoric rise to Gloucestershire County League competition after five years of Premier Combination domination was just the start of a golden era.
According to Dave, Saints were clearly in the mood to “kick-on” from their new-found higher sta- tus. Dave explained: “During this time major signings included Bob “Tiger” Grimshaw and Alan Russell, who took over the captaincy from my Dad when he retired.
“Then there were Roger Park and Mike Tudor; goalkeeper Mike Gummer; John Smallcombe, Colin Murphy, Derek Crew and Steve Crewe.
“This great squad also won the GFA Senior Amateur Cup in 1961, 1964, 1966, 1967 and 1968, along with the Berkeley Hospital Cup in 1963 and 1969.
“During that period the club attracted fantastic support given they were an amateur team.
“In fact during the 1969-70 season the St George secretary, Bob Wiltshire, responded to complaints about falling crowds in amateur football by stating that each County League match played at their home ground, Bell Hill in St George, attracted between 700 and 800 spectators, which of course would be unheard of today!
“They also played an FA Amateur Cup game at home that season which attracted 2,121 spectators!
“Three of the GFA Senior Amateur Cup finals – 1963, 1967 and 1968 - all generated crowds of more than 2,750, whilst in 1967-68 St George played at home in front of 2,803 spectators for a tie with Hendon in the FA Amateur Cup, on the same day Bristol Rovers played Arsenal at home in the FA Cup.”
As Mortimer Snr was forced to retire from playing at the end of season 1964-65 due to a persistent back condition Alan Russell took over as captain for the next 11 years, although Dave acknowledged: “Dad joined the committee and later took over as chairman for the 1972-73 campaign before leaving at the end of 1974-75 due to work commitments.
“I have great memories of watching those glory years; in fact I played a friendly game for them in 1974 before signing for Abbotonians.
“I’d grown up watching that Bristol St George side as an eight-yearold and played with a few of the younger ones when I was 16.
“I was overjoyed to see Alan Russell at my father’s funeral recently and also old team-mates from Oldland AFC (now Oldland Abbotonians) in Reg Hamblin, Gordon Harvey and Alan Painter.”
❝ Bristol St George’s meteroric rise to the County League ... was just the start of a golden era