This is about the younger Knowles who might not be familiar to you… until you hear the song.

Peter Knowles, along with his his older sibling would take up association football with Peter initially playing in the Wolverhampton Wanderers youth team before being called into the first team action.

In the few years which saw a relegation for Wolves until an eventual promotion back to the 1st Division, Knowles’ game flourished and this was recognised with a call up to the England U23′s squad.

In 1967, in a bid to raise awareness of “soccer” in the United States, FIFA set up a mini-league in with various teams from Britain representing different states. Wolves represented Los Angeles (to be known as the Los Angeles Wolves with Knowles featuring in the side which won this league.

Then in 1969 Knowles would once again return to play in the USA, this time for the Kansas City Spurs. It was on this trip which would start the beginning of the end…   …of his footballing career.

It was during this stay in Kansas that there was a knock at his door and instead of slamming it in their faces (as you normally do as soon as you see who it is), Knowles invited these people in because yes, he was interested to hear this good news.

Upon his return to Britain, Knowles made that he had become a Jehovah’s Witness convert, and said: “I shall continue playing football for the time being but I have lost my ambition. Though I still do my best on the field I need more time to learn about the Bible and may give up football.”

So the 1969-70 season got under way and Wolves won seven out of their first eight matches, but after the eighth day game of the season Knowles quit and walked away from football forever…

Wolves held a hope that he won have a change of heart and return, they kept his contract open for another 12 years but it was never to be.

Apparently he can still be found wandering the streets of Wolverhampton trying to convert others and has no regrets.

» In 1991 Billy Bragg released Don’t Try This At Home with a song on the album telling the story of the Wolves and England prospect:

[See post to listen to audio] » Billy Bragg – God’s Footballer

“God’s footballer hears the voices of angels
above the choir at Molyneaux
God’s footballer stands on the doorstep
and brings the good news of the kingdom to come
While the crowd sing Rock of Ages
The goals bring weekly wages
Yet the glory of the sports pages
is but the worship of false idols and tempts him not
God’s footballer turns on a sixpence
and brings the Great Crowd to their feet in praise of him
God’s footballer quotes from the Gospels
while knocking on doors in the Black Country back streets
He scores goals on a Saturday
And saves souls on a Sunday
For the Lord says these are the Last Days
Prepare thyself for the Judgement yet to come
His career will be over soon
And the rituals of a Saturday afternoon
Bid him a reluctant farewell
For he knows beyond the sport lies the spiritual”

Additional: A live version by Billy performed at Glastonbury in 1995.
For reasons unknown (I don’t follow rugby) he dedicated the song to Jonah Lomu.

Thanks to ED who suggested/requesting this a long time ago.
Also to e-rawk who named a few others. They will be coming up. Eventually.

As for the other Knowles brother…?
I’ve posted something about him previously and you know who when I say:

“Nice one _ _ _ _ _ , nice one son. Nice one _ _ _ _ _ …let’s have another one.”

[See post to listen to audio] » Cockerel Chorus – Nice One Cyril

To commemorate Euro ’96 the Post Office issued a set of Football Legends stamps & one of them was:

I’ll explain the “original Beckham” thing in the moment but I’ll start with the 2nd thing first.

William Ambrose “Billy” Wright was born in Ironbridge, Shropshire (thus the nickname) and first joined Wolves in 1938, but not as an apprentice. In those days it wasn’t uncommon to leave school early to find a job and the 14-year old Wright worked as part of the ground staff. Eventually he took to the field as a player and a year later – at aged 15 – he made his first team debut in a 2-1 win against Notts County. Two years later he signed a professional contract, but at the time the 2nd World War was happening and Billy joined the Army as a PT instructor, but still played for Wolves whenever possible.

After the war he rejoined Wolves and was the club captain when in 1949 they won the FA Cup and with the original captain marvel Wolverhampton Wanderers became the team of the ’50′s winning the First Division Championship in 1954, 1958 and 1949. In the twenty years that Billy played football it was at the one club, Wolves. Another distinction for Wright the same as John Charles, he was never cautioned and never sent off.

Unlike other Centre Halves this solid defender stood at only 5′ 8, but again unlike other defenders at that time he a skilful gentleman of a player with an eye for a decent pass. Respected by all his peers Billy was appointed the captain of the England team and led them in three World Cups (1950, 1954 & 1958). He also became the first footballer player in the world to win 100 caps for his country.

There was also another world footballing first when Billy got married. Maybe a pioneer because he wed a member of a popular singing group. Thus becoming the original Beckham.

In an attempt to keep some privacy the England Captain along with his pop star Fiancé were married in Poole Dorset, but the word got out. When they arrived at the registry office they were greeted by thousands of fans, plus the press.

Sometime during this era Billy caught the singing bug from his new wife and together with a group of friends had a good old fashioned sing-alongs:

[See post to listen to audio] » Billy Wright & Friends – Singsong Just For Kicks (Pt 1) [See post to listen to audio] » Billy Wright & Friends – Singsong Just For Kicks (Pt2)

Further reading:

Extra Time:
A couple from his missus and her siblings:

[See post to listen to audio] » The Beverley Sisters – Old Enough To Know [See post to listen to audio] » The Beverley Sisters – It’s Illegal, It’s Immoral, Or It Makes You Fat

Even more reading:

I wanted to post a mention about some other places (blogs) I visit when I’m not hanging around here. Now thanks to a couple of perfectly timed posts by them in the last few days I have a great F&M related excuse to do so.

JC over at The Vinyl Villain added a couple of remixes a few days back. I am mirroring them here because they are only available for a limited amount of time.

This one is also slightly related to my World Cup theme posting the other day… the Italia ’90 part anyway…

It is the 2nd appearance on Footie&Music for this group with the same song and today it is variations of their theme.

Grebo alert. The Poppies are here !

I first mentioned PWEI in August last year and posted a couple of tracks, the football and music-related song being about their song for the 1990 World Cup and the lovely Cicciolina.

Then the Vinyl Villain posted a couple of remixes the other day and as mentioned I’m mirroring them:

[See post to listen to audio]
» PWEI – Touched By The Hand Of Ciccolina (Extra Time Mix)

[See post to listen to audio]
» PWEI – Incredi-Bull
So named because the Poppies were big fans of Steve Bull, who was knocking around - and banging them in - at the time.

and the one I posted:
» PWEI – Touched By The Hand Of Ciccolina (7″ version)

ADDITIONALLY….

Only a few days after JC’s post another place I regularly visit posted more Pop Will Eat Itself tracks:

- Go over to The Lost Turntable (who didn’t know what a grebo was) and grab the 12 songs he’s posted.

There’s yet another site… which I frequent who’s done a bit of write up about the Black Country’s finest – Because Midway Still Aren’t Coming Back is always an excellent read.

So including the linked blogs that’s 16 tracks to be had. Not bad at all.

Staying in the ’90′s, even though it was (Radiohead and Nirvana excepting) a sh?t pointless decade, there was another band who worshipped the beautiful game, or to be more precise – an certain Italian prOn star-turned MP…

Pop Will Eat Itself or PWEI or the Poppies recorded some memorable songs, but today our focus is on Cicciolina. *ahem* come on chaps… not that sort of focus…

In 1990 at the height of the Italio house/dance/rave type music PWEI came out with a song in time for Italia ’90 which included footie-related samples, no lyrics – just a chorus, and had nothing to do with La Cicciolina, but at the time she was all over the place.. *ahem* again… thanks to her appearance on Rapido (she also had a minor pop career) and for obviously being an adult film star.

I remember and will never forget one famous occasion… I think it was after 1990, when she appeared on Jonathan Ross’ teatime (6pm) show when he was on Channel 4. After her introduction as she was walking out she flashed a tit at the audience. This was live telly at the time and none of that Janet Jackson nipple delay was in effect then.

Anyhoddles… to the music.

PWEI – Touched By The Hand Of Cicciolina

Extra fact: Some copies of the single contained petition forms demanding that Cicciolina be allowed to present the 1990 FIFA World Cup to the winning team.

BONUS: The Poppies take on Peter Gabriel:

» PWEI – Games Without Frontiers