The Gerry Hitchens Story | Soccerbiographies.com

simongoodyear@soccerbiographies.com| 07786 267752

This site is best viewed at a resolution of 1024 x 768 or higher
© Simon Goodyear (Soccerbiographies.com) | Privacy Policy

Site design by Ben Smith

As featured on:

Football biographies from author Simon Goodyear

The Gerry Hitchens Story ‘From Mine to Milan’

Introduction | Video Short | Gallery| Buy the Book

Introduction:

At long last, a book has been written about a former miner and one of England’s greatest football players, Gerry Hitchens, who spent his retirement from football in Holywell, North Wales. With the help from Gerry’s widow, Meriel, and eldest son, Marcus, Simon has compiled a complete biography of Gerry, which includes a touching Foreword from Gerry’s England team-mate and friend, the legendary Jimmy Greaves and includes contributions from Sir Bobby Charlton, Peter McParland, and Italian legends Luis Suarez, Gigi Rivi, Mario Corso and a host of other great footballers and friends and family. It also has contribution from the world renowned journalist and writer, Brian Glanville, who directed a film about Gerry in 1962 for the BBC, called ‘The European Centre Forward’, which won a Silver Bear Award in the Berlin Film Festival in 1963.

The book spans the 48 years of the short, but eventful life of Gerry Hitchens, from his upbringing as a miner in Highley, being signed by Kidderminster Harriers at the age of 17, through to his careers at Cardiff City, Aston Villa and his transfer to the Italian giants, Internazionale Milano (Inter Milan). Gerry spent eight years Serie A, playing for four clubs including Internazionale, Torino, Atalanta and Cagliari. He also played in the 1962 World Cup finals for England.

It is fair to say that Gerry and his beautiful wife Meriel were considered to be the ‘Posh and Becks’ of the day as they were adored by the paparazzi and followed everywhere they went. The family returned to the UK in 1969 and he played out his career for Worcester City and Merthyr Tydfil and continued to play in charity matches until he collapsed and died playing the game he loved in 1983.

It is a real life ‘rags-to-riches’ story, Roy-of-the-Rovers text book stuff, with the message that footballers do not always have to have flair or skill to succeed but sometimes, natural ability, hard work and determination suffice, along with the will to learn and improve. Gerry Hitchens had a bit extra to offer than your ‘ordinary footballer’ – the instinct to sniff out half chances and to score goals in abundance. Everyone who knew Gerry said that he was not only a great footballer, but a true gentleman.

Video Short:

Gallery:

Buy the Book: £10.00 (Softback) FREE P+P

To buy your copy of the book please click either the ‘buy now’ link or to continue shopping click ‘add to cart’. You can view your cart by clicking ‘begin checkout’.