George Cummings

[thick_mike]

I took my dad to the match yesterday. He’s 86 and been watching Villa since before WWII. He was telling me about George Cummings and said that he had been banned from football for life (sine die) before the war due to violent play and links to Glasgow organised crime, but was allowed to play again after the war.

Does anyone know nothing more about this?

Sounds like just the sort of player we need in our defence at the moment.

[dave.woodhall]

He didn't have any links with crime (so far as we know) but he was famous for two things. First, he spent many years with Stanley Matthews in his pocket.  Second, he served the longest suspension of any Villa player. On Christmas Day 1942 he was sent off in a friendly at Leicester and banned sine die. He was allowed to play again in August of the followlng year, after having missed sixteen matches.

[MorrisNielson]

Cummings was also suspended/banned before WWII (1937ish?) in a drink/driving incident with Morton the goalie. Morton was promptly sold to Everton and Cummings didn't play again that season.

Bit of useless trivia, his 2 brothers played briefly for the Villa.
W. Cummings had a trial in goal in the midland midweek league (the pre-runner to the Midland intermediate league).
David Cummings played few games in the central league in the 1945-56 season.

[Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air]

If you want a tough uncompromising defender with underworld links, lengthy bans and a tendency to upset the FA you want Frank Barson.

 https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2014/dec/16/forgotten-story-frank-barson-aston-villa-manchester-united

[dave shelley]

He didn't have any links with crime (so far as we know) but he was famous for two things. First, he spent many years with Stanley Matthews in his pocket. Second, he served the longest suspension of any Villa player. On Christmas Day 1942 he was sent off in a friendly at Leicester and banned sine die. He was allowed to play again in August of the followlng year, after having missed sixteen matches.

My old man used to regale me with stories of how Cummings had Matthews terrified.  He reckoned that the first opportunity Cummings got, he would have Matthews hammered into the crowd and there was never any threat from him after that.  I don't know about the veracity of that but my old man loved him.

[SteveN]

He didn't have any links with crime (so far as we know) but he was famous for two things. First, he spent many years with Stanley Matthews in his pocket. Second, he served the longest suspension of any Villa player. On Christmas Day 1942 he was sent off in a friendly at Leicester and banned sine die. He was allowed to play again in August of the followlng year, after having missed sixteen matches.

My old man used to regale me with stories of how Cummings had Matthews terrified.  He reckoned that the first opportunity Cummings got, he would have Matthews hammered into the crowd and there was never any threat from him after that.  I don't know about the veracity of that but my old man loved him.

My dad tells the tale that Cummings told Matthews that " He could dance as much as he liked but he was going to put him into the crowd".  Bill Shankley picked him in his All Time XI.

Does anyone know if he worked at Fort Dunlop after his playing days?

[Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air]

He didn't have any links with crime (so far as we know) but he was famous for two things. First, he spent many years with Stanley Matthews in his pocket. Second, he served the longest suspension of any Villa player. On Christmas Day 1942 he was sent off in a friendly at Leicester and banned sine die. He was allowed to play again in August of the followlng year, after having missed sixteen matches.

My old man used to regale me with stories of how Cummings had Matthews terrified.  He reckoned that the first opportunity Cummings got, he would have Matthews hammered into the crowd and there was never any threat from him after that.  I don't know about the veracity of that but my old man loved him.

My dad tells the tale that Cummings told Matthews that " He could dance as much as he liked but he was going to put him into the crowd".  Bill Shankley picked him in his All Time XI.

Does anyone know if he worked at Fort Dunlop after his playing days?

Yes, according to this. Also, Hardy Spicers.

https://wikivisually.com/wiki/George_Cummings_(footballer)

[dave shelley]

I might be raving but I think I saw him play for the Vila Old Stars.

[SirSteveUK]

Think my Dad might have mentioned the Villa Old Stars