Members News: Sky Blues Sixties FB & ‘Bedduth’ Boy Bill Hits 81 Today. Congrats!!!

CCFC’s Bill Tedds in the early 1960s

The Association wishes its long time member and veteran Sky Blue Bill Tedds a ‘Very Happy Birthday’ today.

A local lad, Bedworth born, on 27th July 1943, Bill is therefore celebrating a big one, his 81st Birthday today! He certainly doesn’t look his age. Though time is taking its usual toll on his health we are sure Bill will be having the best time as is possible with family and friends!

Bill, with his son has been very much a CBS Arena regular at Sky Blues home games over many years and until COVID met up frequently and regularly with pals and fellow former CCFC veterans like Graham Walker and Ian Goodwin (and the late Ken Brown, Bob Wesson and Ronnie Farmer), to chew over the old days pre and post the Jimmy Hill era. Now he is also a season ticket holder in the main stand.

Bill (back right) at a past lunch date with regulars Ian Goodwin, Ron Farmer, Ken Brown, Graham Walker, Gordon Quinney and Bob Wesson

Though he came up through the CCFC youth system, signing professional for manager Billy Frith in September 1960, full back Bill was mainly a reserve team player under Frith’s successor JH and only got nine first team outings between 1961-65 making his debut in a Division Three game at Shrewsbury Town in September 1961 that finished 1-1. 

Bill (left) & son Alan amongst the CCFPA crowd celebrating the Sky Blues Wembley playoff win in 2018

He successively understudied the likes of Frank Kletzenbauer, John Burckitt and, of course, fellow CCFPA members John Sillett and Mick Kearns. Lack of opportunity saw Bill move to Cambridge United in close season 1965 and then he returned back to the locality to turn out for Lockheed Leamington in July 1967.

Bill Tedds at LD23 (MY)

Just as before he joined the club Bill started and finished his working life at Jaguar, Coventry. He worked in the trim shop at Browns Lane when he left school before joining City at Highfield Road. When his football career ended a decade later he returned to the company’s base in Radford where he stayed for the next 28 years (something of a family tradition).

Bill is Sky Blue through and through and always supports CCFPA events and reunions and greatly enjoyed the club’s successive winning visits to Wembley in recent seasons.

Have a great day today Bill and see you soon at a CCFPA event in the Sky Blues upcoming Championship season at the  Coventry Building Society Arena!

Thanks to CCFPA’s Mike Young for sourcing the images