Passed away 20 years ago today, RIP big man...... please log in to view this image Peter John Walter Atyeo, footballer and teacher: born Westbury, Wiltshire 7 February 1932; played for Portsmouth 1951, Bristol City 1951-66; capped six times for England 1955-57; married; died Warminster, Wiltshire 8 June 1993 (aged 61). JOHN ATYEO was the best-known, best-loved and most accomplished player in the history of West Country football. 'Big John' to all who knew him, he merited the epithet for more than his strapping six-foot stature: five strikes in six games for England, more goals scored for one club (his beloved Bristol City) than by any star of any era, the extraordinary record of never being cautioned by a referee in more than 650 senior matches - all that tells only part of the story. The full measure of the man was evident in an engagingly open personality, combining the lively intelligence that made him a successful and enlightened schoolteacher with the unadorned simplicity of a true countryman. From his boyhood in Wiltshire, Atyeo was an outstanding all-round sportsman but, though his talents at rugby and cricket were enviable enough, it was at football that he excelled. For a centre-forward, he lacked nothing: big-framed and brawny, majestic in the air, he possessed both skill and power in either foot and the acumen to apply those gifts to optimum advantage. Indeed, so colossal was his potential that he was coveted by the reigning League champions, Portsmouth, who gave him two first team outings as an amateur in 1950-51 and made strenuous attempts to secure his signature. But Atyeo's roots were deep in home soil and he opted for the more familiar surroundings of Ashton Gate. Before long, he was scoring prolifically for Bristol City and in the mid-1950s offers poured in from the likes of Arsenal, Spurs, Liverpool and even Internazionale, the Milan club. The fee mentioned was pounds 50,000 - at today's inflated valuations, the equivalent of millions - but he was not to be tempted when in an era when players were limited to a niggardly maximum wage. Atyeo's decision was influenced by the need for more mental stimulus than any game could provide. Throughout most of his career he played part-time, first working as a quantity surveyor, then training as a teacher, and but for that semi-professional status must have represented his country more often. Even with an international strike-rate close to a goal a game, even after scoring the goal that won England qualification for the 1958 World Cup finals in Sweden, even though he never finished on the losing side, he was discarded, the only conceivable explanation being that the selectors (there was no all- powerful manager then) objected to a part-timer. No matter, between 1951 and 1956 he served City royally, scoring 350 goals, helping them win the Division Three South title in 1955, and captaining them to promotion to Division Three 10 years later. Off the pitch, Atyeo's life was equally fulfilling. On retirement from football he threw himself into teaching and went on to become head of mathematics at a school in Warminster, where he lived with his wife and four children. He was utterly dedicated and on exam days would rise early to offer pupils last-minute revision sessions at 7am - he reckoned there was more satisfaction in helping youngsters than in all his footballing glory and to the last he was unstinting with his time and effort. A perceptive columnist for the Plymouth-based Sunday Independent, John Atyeo was open-minded and astute, modest and humorous, qualities enhanced by old-fashioned family values yet tempered by a certain disarming naivety that never left him. His death at home, following a heart attack, leaves the football scene immeasurably poorer.
And so say all of us. He was my footballing hero from August 1951 when I saw his first City match versus Newport County and for me, he still is the greatest player of my lifetime. Never booked, a kind man he always had time to speak to us teenagers on our travels by train or coach to away matches from Cardiff to the North of England. And he had enough humility in him to admit publicly and with a smile, on a train back from a win at Cardiff City, to us and in front of his teammates that he hadn't had a very good game at home the previous week. But one thing I never heard in his fifteen years was any criticism of his efforts on the pitch on behalf of Bristol City. Good game, even the odd poor game, he always gave 100%.
A footballing legend in every sense of the word and I just wish some of today's players would live by his belief that as a player you owed everything to the club and it's supporters. Thank you for my memories John because you exemplified what all footballers should strive to be. No more needs to be said except thank you again.
sadly i am to young to ever seen him play even my dad was a nipper when he retired (sorry if that makes you feel old) but i have only ever heard good things about him.
Yes, twenty years ago today, Big John Atyeo passed away at just 61...BJA had a huge bearing on my football life, effort, dedication, honesty & most of all, loyalty...a true football gent who played the game hard but fair...the tears he fled, when he left the field of play, for the last time at his beloved Ashton Gate, after scoring twice in a 4-1 win over Ipswich Town, will remain with me for ever...RIP "BIG JOHN ATYEO" 350 goals for Bristol City!!!
No mate, I don't feel old, I just worshiped the man, our old chant was, " Atyeo for England " when I was a kid, the man was a world beater and he stayed with us, MY HERO...
A shame that most of the posters on this site never got to see what a true professional footballer was all about. He epitomised the dedication that most of the players of that era held high in their conduct both on and off the pitch. If we had managed to have 10% of that kind of effort for our shirt in the last few seasons then wouldn't be where we are today. Despite the fact that we weren't world beaters you knew when you paid your money you were going to get 100% from Big John and, combined with his mentoring of the other players, Ashton Gate was the place to be.
Probably the best player to play for Bristol City, In my lifetime he was, others came and went providing entertainment and gaining the fans affection but for those who met and watched him play Big John was something special. Thinking back and it was a long time ago now but as a little kid 3 or so I was taken to watch the Gas and City and I vaguely remember trying to get autographs from players Big John not only signed the book he tousled my hair and told me to grow up strong so I could have a chance to wear the City shirt one day, I don't remember managing to get a single autograph from a Rovers player, perhaps I was too small to be noticed but J.A. managed to see one little kid never surprised me to learn later that he had been a great teacher.
Having to travel on the train from Highbridge always got me to Ashton Gate well before kickoff and I wandered around taking in the pre-match ambience and when John arrived he wouldn't even think about passing by the young kids who were eager to get an autograph. My most recent trip to AG also got me there well before the match and I was totally disgusted by the way today's players were actually very ignorant in the way they treated the supporters of all ages. In those days there was a code of conduct that permeated the entire game and the vast majority of players stuck to it because they knew it was the right thing to do and by doing so earned the respect of their followers. Today's lot could learn from the legacy of players like John Atyeo if they really cared, but they don't and won't.
The only players I saw last year seeming happy to sign autographs were Albert Adomah and Jon Stead the others only seemed to sign when they were told to at special events, Albert and Jon were the only ones I saw making an effort to sign for the fans. Though that might be somewhat unrepresentative as I only managed to get to the Gate 4 times last year but I saw more away games and again Albert always seemed to be happy to sign mind you he always seems happy.
Louis Carey is always in demand and always signs for his fans, same as Scotty , funny another 2 guys who have played their hearts out for Bristol City FC...
No, just feel very honoured that you support the same Club that someone like John Atyeo graced for so long. And his legacy still lives on: we do not want long ball hoofing because football is meant to be played on grass, we don't like those who deliberately go out to maim their fellow professional and winning is not everything, it's how we play the game is still more important to City fans than those of many other clubs.
Or is it the other way round the players who know how to act properly tend to stay at clubs longer? Fan favourites come and go but some players just seem to become part of the club in the way that supporters do and even when they leave the club have a place in the hearts of the fans of the club they have left, also the club seems to stay in their hearts as well we only have to look at the last 50 years at City to see that there were a few like that. Big John, Chris Garland, Louis Carey, Scotty Murray, other members of the Ashton Gate 8 I remember being bloody angry when I heard that some people claiming to be City Supporters were apparently making threats against thse players when the club was going down in '82 They were making big decisions about their future and the futures of their families so they needed time to decide what was best for everyone. We have a lot to be proud of in our history as a club some things we should not be proud of, as with almost every football club in the country, I suppose the only thing we can do is Keep supporting our local, or in some cases NOT so, Club Bristol City and hope that when we finally hang up our tickets the club is at least as good as when we first started supporting it not dragged down in the mire with more headlines off than on the pitch.
