Bare with me on this one. I was in London today on a work team building day with colleagues from all areas of the country. As there are lots of us who have never met, we did one one those so called awkward ice breaker things. Basically, write 3 unusual things about yourself, scrunch them in a paper ball and throw them into the middle of the room. There were about 40 of us. I did my 3 odd facts and threw mine into the middle. Then I went to collect another from the group. I read it to myself: - 1st - First full time job. - 2nd - Another random fact (Cannot recall as I saw the below). - 3rd - My grandfather played for Hull City. I looked around and saw a guy who looked young and though this could be his first full time job. Asked him and he said yes, this was his first job. Asked him who his grandfather was, he said Les Mutrie!! I immediately shook his hand and explained that I was a City fan. We had a brief chat about how much of a coincidence I would pick up that piece of paper. Some stats: - there were about 40 of us, so a 1 on 40 chance that I (the only Hull City fan in the room) would pick up his piece of paper. - but I would estimate that when he chucked his piece of paper into middle of that room, there would be about a 1 on 1,000 chance that it would land in the hands of a serious Hull City fan. Fate or coincidence? Anyway, we had a chat about Les. Les played for City between 1980 and 1984, 115 appearances and 49 goals. It was a bit before my time watching City. I started watching in about 1986, so shortly after he left us. Les passed away in 2017. I don't have any memories of Les personally, but thought it would be good to see what memories you have of him playing for City. I'm going to pass this link to Les's grandson so that he can read your memories of him playing. It would be great for his family to get some tributes, so please contribute if you have memories!! Cheers
Les was a great player and people who watched him, be they Hull City fans or Blyth Spartans fans, remember him fondly. When he died in 2017 the Hull City Southern Supporters produced a booklet commemorating his career and copies were made for all his grandchildren - hopefully your work colleague still has his. https://www.oncloudseven.com/594-les-mutrie/
Les Mutrie was part of a brilliant Hull City team playing in Division 4. He, along with Norman, Skipper, McClaren, Roberts, Askew, Marwood and Whitehurst were good enough to be playing at least Division 2 and some of them Division 1 football. I was very lucky that this was the first City team I ever saw as an 8 year old and they were all my heroes. I'm pretty sure Mutrie scored in 8 consecutive games which I believe was a record for the Club. He was a class act, lots of self-confidence and a swagger. A terrific goal scorer - my favourite Mutrie goal was at Scunny when we beat them 1-0. He scored towards the end of the match with a typical Mutrie goal in front of the City fans. We got promoted at the end of that season. The name of Les Mutrie does nothing but bring back good memories for me, and I was so sad to hear of his passing in 2017. Best wishes to his family. Edit: I've just found this lovely interview his family may like, below.
Great player bought after our epic FA Cup tie and replays with Blyth Spartans when he first came to our notice. Story goes the transfer was arranged after the first replay at Blyth, our chairman, Bob Chapman arranged a fee in one room with a Blyth director, I heard Blyth asked for £3,000 but in the thick Geordie accent Chapman took this to be £30,000, which was eventually paid. Another part of this story is the at the same time another City director, may have been Ian Blakey was also negociating a deal but for £3k, not £30k as Chapman thought we were paying. The truth probably is somewhere in between. We eventually paid £30k which at the time was a World record fee for a non league player to a league club. Mutrie was a bit of a recluse and refused to change or shower in the home changing rooms at Boothferry Park. He had a club house on North Road just near the entrance to the little car park behind the Best Stand and used to change and shower there. His age was also a bit of a mystery and I believe he was actually a few years older than Blyth led us to believe he was before we signed him. But what a player he was! He scored in eleven consequetive homes games for us at Boothferry Park which I believe was a club record. So, for me, nothing but good memories for me about Les Mutrie, I was only reading the other day were he scored four or five goals for City reserves in a cup final against the East Riding X1 and was only on the field for half an hour. Remember him scoring a hat trick against Hartlepool ( could have been 4, and one of his old clubs) when he ran almost the full length of the East Stand ( Kempton) touchline beating half the team, then cutting inside from the bye line and beating the other half before slotting the ball past the keeper. Les Mutrie, just the mention of his name still brings a smile to my face.
Remember Les back in my youth in the early days of following City. Remember his goals against us and thinking we could do with him only for us to sign him soon after. Those epic cup replay games involving Blythe Spartans at Fer Ark,Blyth and finally at Leeds. He was very talented player back then and to this day I genuinely believe he’d still be dribbling around the Blunts defence to this day if he hadn’t finally slotted it in. Nothing but great memories of a fine footballer. RIP.
Scored one of my favourite ever goals against Sheff Utd when he turned their defence inside out in a 4-1 win. Still got a scar on my ankle to remind me due to jumping up and landing awkwardly on the edge of the terracing.
And that last minute winner in front of a packed away stand one Friday night at the Old Show Ground, Scunthorpe. What joy that was!
Sure it was four Sir Les scored against Hartlepool, a few days later Needler called the receivers in, odd week. The views expressed in my posts are not necessarily mine.
Great story and thread. One of my all time favourite City players. I went to Blyth for the 2-2 game. Les scored a belter I recall. Played up front with both Edwards and Whitehurst, two very different partners. Some good memories there even though the club struggled at that time.
I called his name each time I took a shot when playing 5 a sides, at work, up until I hung up my Sambas almost 10 years ago. "Mutrie" A man of my time.
Sir Les, a class player for us during a dark period. I don’t remember much about his career but how was he playing non league before we picked him up? Amazing games against Blyth, so glad we signed him.
I’ve never heard anyone say anything negative about sir Les. His grandson should be very proud of him.
Les was a fantastic player, a talent and a half We went to see City play Tranmere away in 83ish when we got a 2-2 draw, Les scoring both. on the way home, some scumbags tried to overturn my car & kicked lumps out of the side panels. We pulled into Darleys for a drink and sat there glumly, when Les & his family walked in, he came over and asked why we didnt look happy I told hi. they came and sat with us and wouldn't let us buy a drink all night
i remember that. it was at the south stand end. he got the ball more or less on the left touchline level with the edge of the penalty box and waltzed past dozens of defenders on his way to scoring. i remember the pre-season friendly when we beat keegan's newcastle 3-2. again, we were kicking towards the south stand. as mutrie chased the ball towards the front left corner of the penalty box, a fullback and the newcastle goalie were running towards it to clear it. in my brain, all three players merged in cartoon-like dusty cloud, and as the dust cleared, the goalie and fullback emerged from this cloud looking over their shoulders to les mutrie, dribbling the ball goalwards on his way to scoring. i recall another occasion, again southstandwards, against, i think, scunthorpe. mutrie was dribbling the ball and one of their defenders - you know the niggly types that can only foul, often in a sneaky manner intended to con the referee - was doing everything illegal that he could think of to stop mutrie. mutrie came to a halt and buried his right fist in the defender's face in a totally justified and highly satisfying administering of justice. defenders like that are the scum of football and deserve disabilities and nasty diseases.
