Members News: Remembering Bob Wesson R.I.P. Who Died Two Years Ago

Bob Wesson R.I.P.

Today we remember one of the best loved Coventry City goalkeepers of the modern era, sixties shotstopper (and long time CCFPA member) Bob Wesson who passed away on this last day of August exactly two years ago aged 81!

Until his illness and infirmity Bob was an active member of the Association attending Sky Blues home games with other CCFC Former Player veterans and was also a regular at CCFPA reunions like Legends Day (including LD22 earlier the same year) as well as the occasional Golf Day.

Bob in the early 1960s

Born in Thornaby on Tees on 15th October 1940 Bob straddled the pre- and post- Sky Blues era making a total of 156 first team appearances for the Club between 1960 and 1966. He started with Thornaby Boys Brigade, trialled with Headington United and became an amateur with Middlesbrough. He was signed by Billy Frith for the Bantams (as City were then known) in late 1958 as an understudy to Arthur Lightening but had to wait until March 1961 to make his debut at Newport County and he played the last dozen games for the City that season. The following season (1961-62) the South African’s form restricted Bob to only four league appearances and it was only the next season (1962-63) when Dave Meeson, who Jimmy Hill bought on Arthur’s departure, failed to impress that Bob became the Sky Blues’ Number One.

The arrival in 1964 (in a record deal for a goalie at that time) of fellow CCFPA member Bill Glazier threatened this status but Bob again proved himself to be a very capable custodian when Bill broke his leg late in the 1964-65 season and Bob made 43 first team appearances in JH’s 1965-66 team.

CCFPA’s Bob Wesson & Graham Walker watch the Sky Blue action

Bill recovered, however, and returned to retake the No.1 slot in April 1966 and Bob moved on to Walsall in September 1966 for £15,000 and played for the Saddlers for seven seasons making 220 appearances (plus five on loan to Doncaster Rovers) before a shoulder injury at an F.A.Cup tie at Kettering forced his retirement. Bob and his beloved wife Janet (who died in 2016) then entered the pub trade in Warwickshire and Leicestershire for over two decades before he finally retired.

Bill Tedds & Bob Wesson

Not in the best of health over the last few of years or so of his life and confined to a wheel chair and electronic scooter for the last period before he died Bob has nevertheless followed the Sky Blues, whenever he felt up to it, at the Ricoh/CBS Arena as well as at St Andrews when we were in exile in Birmingham. He is pictured with fellow CCFPA/CCFC veterans Bill Tedds and Graham Walker at the CBS Arena the last year he was able to attend.

He is greatly missed by the Sky Blue family and especially that group of older FPs who had regular get-togethers in Coventry in recent years both in local hostelries and at Sky Blue games. Sadly they are a diminishing band of Sky Blue brothers!

Many of his CCFPA pals were present with other friends and his family at Bob’s funeral at the end of last September at Rainsbrook Cemetery and Crematorium in Rugby at a service accompanied by the ‘Match of the Day’ theme! Amongst the CCFPA FP representatives were Bill Tedds, Graham Walker, Dietmar Bruck and Mick Kearns as well as former CCFPA committee man Frank Pritchard. Among the family speakers at the service was ex CCFC defender Ian Goodwin who gave a very emotional yet entertaining speech including amusing memories of Bob both during his playing days and later attending Sky Blues games!