Brian Wakefield, a notable amateur goalkeeper in England, has died at 91. He was known for his time at Corinthian Casuals and as a reserve keeper for Great Britain at the 1960 Rome Olympics.
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My friend Brian Wakefield, who has died aged 91, was one of the best amateur goalkeepers in England during the early 1960s. Making his name at Corinthian Casuals, he was reserve keeper for the Great Britain side at the 1960 Rome Olympics and also played at various times for Pegasus, Kingstonian AFC, Dulwich Hamlet and Leyton Orient.
Throughout his footballing career Brian Wakefield never received a yellow card
At Corinthian Casuals he was first team manager for two seasons, honorary secretary for a decade and ran its Schools XI.
Brian was born in Urmston, Greater Manchester; his father, Joe, was an ironmonger, and his mother, Phyllis (nee Rice), worked in a dress shop. While at Stretford grammar school he appeared for the Northern Nomads football club.
He went to St Edmund Hall, Oxford University, in 1953 to study history (and play football). He won three blues in matches against Cambridge University at Wembley. I played in defence with him in those games and we became firm friends. In 1956 St Edmund Hall invited him to stay on for another term, during which he captained Oxford. His side beat Cambridge 4-1.
After Oxford Brian had two years’ national service in the RAF, spending much of his time playing football, including in the full RAF side, before going on to do teacher training at Carnegie College in Leeds.
Brian Wakefield, fourth from left on the back row, lining up for Corinthian Casuals in the 1960s
He then joined the Sir William Herschel grammar school in Slough, Berkshire, as a history and politics teacher, also becoming head of physical education. He remained there until his early retirement in 1992, aged 58.
Brian Wakefield played for Corinthian Casuals, Pegasus, Kingstonian AFC, Dulwich Hamlet, and Leyton Orient.
Brian Wakefield was the reserve goalkeeper for the Great Britain side at the 1960 Rome Olympics.
At Corinthian Casuals, Brian Wakefield served as first team manager for two seasons, honorary secretary for a decade, and managed its Schools XI.
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Brian’s amateur footballing career ran in parallel with his teaching. Having joined Corinthian Casuals in 1959, a year later he was chosen for the Olympics as back-up goalkeeper, though he did not play in any of the matches.
In 1960 he signed amateur forms for Second Division side Leyton Orient but played in just one reserve game. After rejoining Corinthian Casuals he played in their Schools XI – a band of experienced footballers who travel the land, at their own expense, playing against mainly independent schools. He played in and ran the team for 40 years, with a break from 1979 to 1981 when he managed the club’s first XI.
In retirement he continued to play into his mid-60s, and also took on the role of Corinthian Casuals’ honorary secretary from 1993 to 2004. Throughout his football career, as player or manager, Brian never received a yellow card.
During all his endeavours Brian had the warm support of his wife, Marjorie (nee Prescott), a pattern cutter and illustrator whom he married in 1960. She died in 2024; he is survived by their daughters, Linda and Karen.