Voting Station

Bert Trautmann

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Soccer Player

The Resume

    (October 22, 1923-July 19, 2013)
    Born in Bremen, Germany
    Luftwaffe paratrooper during WWII
    Captured by the British (1945)
    Declined to be repatriated and settled in Lancashire
    Goalkeeper for Manchester City (1949-64)
    Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year (1956)
    As part of a German Football Association effort to promote soccer in developing countries, managed the national teams of Burma (1972-74), Tanzania (1975), Liberia (1978-80) and Pakistan (1980-83)
    Named an Officer of the Order of the British Empire for promoting Anglo-German understanding through soccer (2004)

Why he might be annoying:

    After he disabled a military staff car in a prank, he was court martialed and imprisoned for three months (1941).
    He actually wanted to sign with Burnley, but two persistent representatives from Manchester City visisted him and, as he recalled, 'I was feeling so ill and needed to go to the loo, so I signed the contract to get rid of them. That's quite true.'
    In his final game, he was expelled for 'violent conduct.'
    Two of his three marriages ended in divorce.
    He fathered a daughter out of wedlock.

Why he might not be annoying:

    He was buried alive for three days after an American bombing raid on the town of Kleve (1945).
    While making a save during the 1956 Football Association Cup Final, he was struck in the neck by Birmingham's Peter Murphy, but played for the remaining 16 minutes.
    Four days later, x-rays revealed he had five dislocated vertebrae, one of which had fractured in two.
    Matt Busby told Manchester United players, '"Don't stop to think where you're going to hit it with Trautmann. Hit it first and think afterwards. If you look up and work it out he will read your thoughts and stop it.'
    His oldest son John was fatally hit by a car at age five.
    He said, 'When people ask me about life, I say my education began when I got to England. I learned about humanity, tolerance and forgiveness.'

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 11 Votes: 81.82% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 1 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 22 Votes: 45.45% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 2 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 7 Votes: 28.57% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 1 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 14 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 23 Votes: 47.83% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 115 Votes: 41.74% Annoying