Charlie Livesey
Encyclopedia
Charles Edward Livesey (6 February 1938 – 26 February 2005) was a footballer who played for Chelsea
in Football League Division 1 between 1959 and 1961, as well as appearing for various clubs in all four divisions of the Football League.
in east London and started out with the West Ham
youth team, before an unsuccessful trial with Wolverhampton Wanderers
in 1955. He then turned out for Custom House in London where he was spotted by Chelsea scout Jimmy Thompson who recommended him to Southampton
as a favour to Saints’ president, Herbert Blagrave.
and soon developed into a promising centre-forward with an eye for goal in Saints’ reserve side, scoring 10 goals in 14 appearances in 1957–58.
A bit of a tearaway, Charlie nevertheless took his chance in the first team well when replacing Derek Reeves
(who had broken a toe in the previous match) for his debut at The Dell
against Swindon Town
on 30 August 1958. In only his fourth appearance in the first team he scored 4 goals in a 6–1 demolition of Hull City
, followed by a pair in the next game, a 5–0 victory over Halifax Town. By a strange quirk of fate, he too broke a toe in the Halifax match causing him to miss the next three matches, before returning on 1 October to be paired upfront with Reeves. In his solitary season in Saints’ first team he made 29 appearances, scoring 15 goals, usually playing in tandem with Reeves, although both players never scored in the same match.
His sudden rise to fame attracted the attention of several First Division clubs. In February 1959, Birmingham City
offered £15,000 for his services (to be turned down by the player himself) but a few months later, Chelsea, piqued that they had missed out on signing him earlier, offered cash and Cliff Huxford
in a deal that valued Charlie at £20,000. It was a controversial transfer which prompted the resignation of Mr. Stranger from the board of directors.
Ted Bates
was able to complete what he considered to be an “amazing” piece of business, by using some of the £12,000 cash received from the sale to sign Dick Conner
from Grimsby Town
and George O'Brien from Leeds United
, thus obtaining 3 players for the price of one. The three newly signed players were to be an integral part of the team that took the Third Division title the following April.
in May 1959, but could not adapt to Division One football, perhaps lacking the dedication to prosper at that level, although he did net 17 goals in 39 games. He then lost his place to Ron Tindall
and, in August 1961, he agreed to a move to Gillingham
for £5,500.
as a replacement for Pat Terry
(top-scorer in the previous two seasons), who had moved to Northampton Town
in the summer.
In his first season with the Gills he scored 15 goals from 41 games as Gillingham finished a disappointing 20th in Division Four. This poor finish led to the dismissal of Barrett to be replaced as manager by Freddie Cox
. Cox started to build a team to gain promotion based on a defensive discipline and unadventurous style into which Livesey did not fit and, after only a handful of games in the 1962–63 season, Livesey was sold to Watford
in October for £6,000.
He scored some memorable goals in his short time at Gillingham – possibly the best was in a 5–1 victory over Chesterfield
in January 1962. Livesey received the ball near the Main Stand touchline, dribbled towards the edge of the box, flicked it up over the head of a defender, ran round him, flicked it up over the head of another defender, ran round him, and as the ball dropped onto the penalty spot volleyed it with tremendous power into the back of the net.
. In his first season, 1962–63, he made 19 appearances scoring only 3 goals as Watford
struggled near the bottom of Division 3. The following season saw an improvement, as Watford finished in third place, narrowly missing promotion, with Livesey chipping in 23 goals to make him the team’s top scorer. In August 1964, he was then on the move again, this time to Northampton Town for a fee of £17,000.
, Livesey helped them gain promotion to Division One but there was no place for him in the Division One side so, in September 1965, he moved again – this time to Brighton for a fee of £7,000.
but his powerful play and keen anticipation helped make plenty of goals for his team mates. His ability was such that England manager Alf Ramsey
had him watched in the build-up to the World Cup finals in 1966 despite Albion being mid-table in the Third Division at the time.
In his four years with the Seagulls he made 146 appearances, scoring 37 goals, before being released in April 1969.
He then joined Crawley Town
where he had the pleasure of helping his new club beat his old team in the Sussex professional cup.
where he became a painter and decorator. Livesey died at St Bartholomew's Hospital
, London on 26 February 2005.
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
in Football League Division 1 between 1959 and 1961, as well as appearing for various clubs in all four divisions of the Football League.
Early days
Livesey was born in West HamWest Ham
West Ham is in the London Borough of Newham in London, England. In the west it is a post-industrial neighbourhood abutting the site of the London Olympic Park and in the east it is mostly residential, consisting of Victorian terraced housing interspersed with higher density post-War social housing...
in east London and started out with the West Ham
West Ham United F.C.
West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...
youth team, before an unsuccessful trial with Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at...
in 1955. He then turned out for Custom House in London where he was spotted by Chelsea scout Jimmy Thompson who recommended him to Southampton
Southampton F.C.
Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
as a favour to Saints’ president, Herbert Blagrave.
Southampton
Shortly after a trial in March 1956, Livesey was signed by Third Division team SouthamptonSouthampton F.C.
Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
and soon developed into a promising centre-forward with an eye for goal in Saints’ reserve side, scoring 10 goals in 14 appearances in 1957–58.
A bit of a tearaway, Charlie nevertheless took his chance in the first team well when replacing Derek Reeves
Derek Reeves
Derek Reeves was an English footballer, born in Poole, Dorset, who played as a centre forward for Southampton and Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic in the Football League....
(who had broken a toe in the previous match) for his debut at The Dell
The Dell (Southampton F.C.)
The Dell in Milton Road, Southampton, England was the home ground of Southampton Football Club, between 1898 and 2001.-New stadium:Since 1896, Southampton had been tenants of Hampshire County Cricket Club at the County Ground, having vacated the Antelope Ground in the summer of 1896...
against Swindon Town
Swindon Town F.C.
Swindon Town Football Club are a team based in Swindon, Wiltshire. Currently in League Two, Swindon have been managed by Paolo Di Canio since 23 May 2011...
on 30 August 1958. In only his fourth appearance in the first team he scored 4 goals in a 6–1 demolition of Hull City
Hull City A.F.C.
Hull City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, founded in 1904. The club participates in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football...
, followed by a pair in the next game, a 5–0 victory over Halifax Town. By a strange quirk of fate, he too broke a toe in the Halifax match causing him to miss the next three matches, before returning on 1 October to be paired upfront with Reeves. In his solitary season in Saints’ first team he made 29 appearances, scoring 15 goals, usually playing in tandem with Reeves, although both players never scored in the same match.
His sudden rise to fame attracted the attention of several First Division clubs. In February 1959, Birmingham City
Birmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
offered £15,000 for his services (to be turned down by the player himself) but a few months later, Chelsea, piqued that they had missed out on signing him earlier, offered cash and Cliff Huxford
Cliff Huxford
Clifford George "Cliff" Huxford is a former footballer born in Stroud, Gloucestershire, who played as a wing half in the Football League for Chelsea, Southampton and Exeter City....
in a deal that valued Charlie at £20,000. It was a controversial transfer which prompted the resignation of Mr. Stranger from the board of directors.
Ted Bates
Ted Bates (footballer)
Edric Thornton "Ted" Bates MBE was a former Southampton F.C. player, manager, director and president which earned him the sobriquet Mr. Southampton.-Playing career:...
was able to complete what he considered to be an “amazing” piece of business, by using some of the £12,000 cash received from the sale to sign Dick Conner
Dick Conner
Richard 'Dick' Conner was manager of the English football clubs Aldershot Rochdale and Darlington .- Managerial statistics :-External links:...
from Grimsby Town
Grimsby Town F.C.
Grimsby Town Football Club is an English football club based in the seaside town of Cleethorpes, in North East Lincolnshire, England, who compete in the Conference National. They were formed in 1878 as Grimsby Pelham and later became Grimsby Town...
and George O'Brien from Leeds United
Leeds United A.F.C.
Leeds United Association Football Club are an English professional association football club based in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, who play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system...
, thus obtaining 3 players for the price of one. The three newly signed players were to be an integral part of the team that took the Third Division title the following April.
Chelsea
He joined ChelseaChelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
in May 1959, but could not adapt to Division One football, perhaps lacking the dedication to prosper at that level, although he did net 17 goals in 39 games. He then lost his place to Ron Tindall
Ron Tindall
Ronald Albert Ernest "Ron" Tindall is a retired English footballer who played as a striker. He was also an accomplished cricketer, playing for Surrey.- Football career:...
and, in August 1961, he agreed to a move to Gillingham
Gillingham F.C.
Gillingham Football Club is an English professional football club based in the town of Gillingham, Kent. The only Kent-based club in the Football League, they play their home matches at the Priestfield Stadium...
for £5,500.
Gillingham
He was seen by manager Harry BarrattHarry Barratt
Harold "Harry" Barratt was an English football player and manager.-Playing career:Barratt's entire professional playing career was spent with Coventry City. He joined the club in 1935, left for a short spell with non-league Cheltenham Town, then returned to Coventry in 1937 and played there...
as a replacement for Pat Terry
Pat Terry
Patrick Alfred "Pat" Terry was an English professional football player. His clubs included Charlton Athletic, Newport County, Swansea City, Gillingham, Northampton Town, Millwall, Reading, Swindon Town and Brentford....
(top-scorer in the previous two seasons), who had moved to Northampton Town
Northampton Town F.C.
Northampton Town Football Club are an English professional football club based in Northampton, Northamptonshire. They currently play in Football League Two, the lowest league division, after being relegated from League One on the last day of the 2008–09 season...
in the summer.
In his first season with the Gills he scored 15 goals from 41 games as Gillingham finished a disappointing 20th in Division Four. This poor finish led to the dismissal of Barrett to be replaced as manager by Freddie Cox
Freddie Cox
Frederick James Arthur "Freddie" Cox DFC was an English football player and manager.Born in Reading, Berkshire, Cox signed as an 18-year-old for Tottenham Hotspur in 1938. A tricky and talented winger who usually played on the right, he made his Spurs debut in a Second Division match against...
. Cox started to build a team to gain promotion based on a defensive discipline and unadventurous style into which Livesey did not fit and, after only a handful of games in the 1962–63 season, Livesey was sold to Watford
Watford F.C.
Watford Football Club is an English professional football club based in Watford, Hertfordshire. It is often referred to as Watford F.C., Watford, or by the team's nickname The Hornets . Watford Rovers, Founded in 1881, entered the FA Cup for the first time in 1886, and the Southern League a decade...
in October for £6,000.
He scored some memorable goals in his short time at Gillingham – possibly the best was in a 5–1 victory over Chesterfield
Chesterfield F.C.
Chesterfield Football Club is an English football club based in Chesterfield, Derbyshire. The club currently plays in Football League One, the third tier of English football. Despite being the fourth oldest Football League club in England, they have spent most of their existence in the lower...
in January 1962. Livesey received the ball near the Main Stand touchline, dribbled towards the edge of the box, flicked it up over the head of a defender, ran round him, flicked it up over the head of another defender, ran round him, and as the ball dropped onto the penalty spot volleyed it with tremendous power into the back of the net.
Watford
He spent two seasons at Vicarage RoadVicarage Road
Vicarage Road, a stadium in Watford, Hertfordshire, England, is the home of the football club Watford and their tenants, the Saracens rugby union club. An all-seater stadium, its current capacity is 17,477.-History:...
. In his first season, 1962–63, he made 19 appearances scoring only 3 goals as Watford
Watford F.C.
Watford Football Club is an English professional football club based in Watford, Hertfordshire. It is often referred to as Watford F.C., Watford, or by the team's nickname The Hornets . Watford Rovers, Founded in 1881, entered the FA Cup for the first time in 1886, and the Southern League a decade...
struggled near the bottom of Division 3. The following season saw an improvement, as Watford finished in third place, narrowly missing promotion, with Livesey chipping in 23 goals to make him the team’s top scorer. In August 1964, he was then on the move again, this time to Northampton Town for a fee of £17,000.
Northampton Town
In his first season at Northampton TownNorthampton Town F.C.
Northampton Town Football Club are an English professional football club based in Northampton, Northamptonshire. They currently play in Football League Two, the lowest league division, after being relegated from League One on the last day of the 2008–09 season...
, Livesey helped them gain promotion to Division One but there was no place for him in the Division One side so, in September 1965, he moved again – this time to Brighton for a fee of £7,000.
Brighton & Hove Albion
He was not so prolific at BrightonBrighton & Hove Albion F.C.
Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club are an English association football club based in the coastal city of Brighton & Hove, East Sussex. They currently play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system....
but his powerful play and keen anticipation helped make plenty of goals for his team mates. His ability was such that England manager Alf Ramsey
Alf Ramsey
Sir Alfred Ernest "Alf" Ramsey was an English footballer and manager of the English national football team from 1963 to 1974. His greatest achievement was winning the 1966 World Cup with England on 30 July 1966...
had him watched in the build-up to the World Cup finals in 1966 despite Albion being mid-table in the Third Division at the time.
In his four years with the Seagulls he made 146 appearances, scoring 37 goals, before being released in April 1969.
He then joined Crawley Town
Crawley Town F.C.
Crawley Town Football Club is an English football club based in Crawley, West Sussex. They won the title of the Football Conference, by a record 15 point margin on second place, and with it promotion to The Football League, in April 2011.-1896–2009:...
where he had the pleasure of helping his new club beat his old team in the Sussex professional cup.
After football
He returned to the East End of LondonEast End of London
The East End of London, also known simply as the East End, is the area of London, England, United Kingdom, east of the medieval walled City of London and north of the River Thames. Although not defined by universally accepted formal boundaries, the River Lea can be considered another boundary...
where he became a painter and decorator. Livesey died at St Bartholomew's Hospital
St Bartholomew's Hospital
St Bartholomew's Hospital, also known as Barts, is a hospital in Smithfield in the City of London, England.-Early history:It was founded in 1123 by Raherus or Rahere , a favourite courtier of King Henry I...
, London on 26 February 2005.