Trautmann's Journey: From Hitler Youth to FA Cup Legend
By Catrine Clay
The story of Manchester City goalkeeper Bert Trautmann is surely one of legend. In 1956 City met Birmingham at Wembley to contest the FA Cup final. With about 17 minutes left on the clock Trautmann was involved in a heavy challenge. Injured, the physio came on and the German's team-mates were sure he would be unable to complete the match.
This was at a time when substitutes were not permitted, so should Trautmann have to come off then City would play the rest of the final with ten men, and the blow would be so much bigger without their keeper.
Trautmann however was determined to carry on, which he did. It was only after the match that it was discovered the German keeper had broken his neck. Amazingly he played through the pain barrier to secure his side's 3-1 FA Cup win.
This Futbol Read sees Catrine Clay chart Trautmann's journey: From the Hitler Youth, the Second World War, to PoW, to English footballing legend. There simply could not be a more unlikely story. Reliving the German keeper's career is a joy and equally an important look at a transformative period in English football.