Brian Clifton RIP

[derry]

One of my favourite players. I often thought Ted didn't give him a fair crack because when he did he always looked a good player. I was in the Milton boxes the day he scored a header from just inside the penalty area. Ted brought in Gordon Brown a player from Derby to allegedly clinch promotion at inside left, he was rubbish and Brian was restored for the run in delivering vital goals.

 

He was very good in the air and not bad on the ground and a good tackler. I thought he looked a lot taller than the 5' 11" he is reported to be. After leaving Saints he had a good career at Grimsby. I was sorry to see him leave. There is a very good obituary on the official site. RIP Brian you are fondly remembered.

Edited 15 January, 2020 by derry

[John B]

One of my favourite players. I often thought Ted didn't give him a fair crack because when he did he always looked a good player. I was in the Milton boxes the day he scored a header from just inside the penalty area. Ted brought in a player from Derby to allegedly clinch promotion at inside left, he was rubbish and Brian was restored for the run in delivering vital goals.

 

He was very good in the air and not bad on the ground and a good tackler. I thought he looked a lot taller than the 5' 11" he is reported to be. After leaving Saints he had a good career at Grimsby. I was sorry to see him leave. There is a very good obituary on the official site. RIP Brian you are fondly remembered.

 

I started watching Saints on returning to Southampton in August 1962 so I never saw him play was he replaced by David Burnside who scored that memorable goal in the FA Cup at the Milton Road End a few months later.

 

It was the only time I ever watched a match under the East Stand as there were so many fans there that night that we went through the first relatively empty turnstile instead of going to the Milton Road End

[Charlie Wayman]

Good player for us. I remember his goal at the Dell against Reading, I was just behind the goal and in the Echo photo. Lot younger 'though!

[derry]

Good player for us. I remember his goal at the Dell against Reading, I was just behind the goal and in the Echo photo. Lot younger 'though!

 

In the picture hovering on the edge of the 6yd line, Derek Reeves and George O'Brien, no wonder they scored about 60 goals between them. Well over 100 overall for the team. Regularly scored over a hundred goals in those halcyon days.

[Sinned]

Brian was one of my favourite players back in the day. His heading ability was fantastic. But unlike most of the good headers he like to take a run at it. Every time we won a corner Brian would stand about 10 yards outside of the penalty area, and start to run as the kick was being taken. He aimed to meet the ball between the edge of the area and the penalty spot. By running in gave him two advantages, firstly he could jump higher than the defenders who were stood in one spot and secondly he could generate a lot of power on the ball. Of all the hundreds of Saints players I have watched, only Ron Davies (and maybe George Kirby ) were better at heading the ball.

 

Rest in peace Brian.

[derry]

60 years ago players knew that running in allowed the highest jump. Nowadays players just stand in the goal area and never get off the ground. The odd one moves and invariably wins the ball.