CCFPA Members News: Chairman Billy Bumps Into Chris Cattlin In Brighton!

The inimitable Billy Bell

CCFPA Chairman Billy Bell has been on tour in the UK again and, as usual he likes to take in both British racecourses and football games whilst meeting up with and our Former Player membership and ‘Sky Blue stars of the past’ whilst he is away. We have previously reported on his trips to courses and FPs in Northern England and Scotland where he met up with the likes Keith Houchen, Nick Pickering, Kevan Smith, Tommy Hutchison and Roy Barry. This time he headed south to Plumpton races in East Sussex with his mate Taff looking for winners. Apparently Taff is now only five courses away from ‘doing’ every race-course in Britain!

Chris in the Sky Blue

Plumpton is near to Brighton so last Sunday Billy took the time (not for the first time) to visit there the Sky Blues defensive star over 236 games from March 1968 to June 1976 Chris Cattlin (and wife Maureen). Chris is a frequent and popular returnee to Coventry at Legends Day and the like and was pleased to see ‘our Billy’ again.  Billy said he had a great time with Chris (aka ‘Spider’ or ‘the Cat’ in his CCFC days). They always have a chuckle and while they were enjoying a pint together in the pub there was a child’s high chair available at the table. Don’t tell our diminutive former Scottish international (and CCFPA member) but Chris quipped that perhaps Billy had brought Willie Carr with him (a better joke than some of Billy’s some would say)!

Vic Minett (left) @Brighton with vintage car

Billy said about Chris and ‘Mo’, ‘They are wonderful people and the fun and laughter between us was great! Chris has promised to attend a fixture in the new year as well as this seasons Legends Day to see his old team-mates and friends. Chris was very complimentary to the CCFPA on all the work we do to keep the link between former players and the club going.

I presented Chris with one of the club’s new polo shirts (above) and a a few old team photos to add to Maureen’s scrapbook of Chris’ s career. It was lovely to hear Chris say that the City of Coventry and CCFC hold a very special place in his heart’.

Vic & Billy at Legends Day 2022

It also just so happened that the same weekend saw the annual London to Brighton car rally so Billy also took that in and was surprised to see there (its a small world), in one of the competiting vintage cars, and regular Sky Blue supporter (and great friend of CCFPA) BBC CWR’s popular broadcaster Vic Minnett!

Thanks to Billy and Maureen for the photos above