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Post by Bushman on May 8, 2013 18:55:23 GMT
Nigerian 6ft 2ins centre forward Tesi Balogun born 1927. Tesi was originally taken on trial from Skegness Town at the beginning of the 1956-57 season. He was signed up by manager Jack Taylor, Sept 1956 for the rest of the season. He made his league debut and also scored in the 3-1 win against Watford at Loftus Rd on October 13, 1956. (Original press photo) He went on to make 16 apps and scored 7 goals in all competitions for the 1956-57 season. In July 1957 player/manager Len Richley signed him for Holbeach Utd. (Original press photo) (Original press photo) He won six caps playing for the Nigerian national side Balogun became the first African to qualify as a professional coach. He was a coach for Nigeria at the 1968 Mexico Olympics. Balogun died in his sleep on July 30 1972, at the age of 45. The Teslim Balogun Stadium in the Nigerian city of Lagos is named in his honour. Also seen on the QPR Report History Board. Click the link below: qprreport.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=history&thread=36001
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Post by mfnc on May 8, 2013 19:58:54 GMT
balogun was man of the match in that game?
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Post by Bushman on May 8, 2013 20:58:01 GMT
balogun was man of the match in that game? In my father's opinion maude.
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Post by mfnc on May 8, 2013 21:01:16 GMT
balogun was man of the match in that game? In my father's opinion maude. so nice to see the handwriting on a programme. makes you feel part of it. i envy your family history regarding QPR, thanks for sharing it all with us.
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Post by Bushman on May 8, 2013 21:07:41 GMT
In my father's opinion maude. so nice to see the handwriting on a programme. makes you feel part of it. i envy your family history regarding QPR, thanks for sharing it all with us. Pleasure mate.
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Post by rousdonhoops on May 9, 2013 19:55:19 GMT
looked a full house Bush, would have gone but was only 8 months
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Post by Bushman on May 9, 2013 20:43:16 GMT
looked a full house Bush, would have gone but was only 8 months Part-time supporter.
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Post by gramps on May 10, 2013 12:55:19 GMT
looked a full house Bush, would have gone but was only 8 months About 14,000 at that game Rousdon, which was a fairly average crowd for the season although way below capacity, remembering that these were the days of terracing when substantially more people could be crammed in (and was some seasons after when we were promoted). I remember Tesi and particularly the Watford match. It was the first game I had seen for some two and a half years as, only a few days before, I had come back to England after serving with the RAF in Germany. I would agree with Bushy's dad in that Tesi was, for my money, the outstanding player on that day. Tesi was a strong, bustling centre forward with a very powerful shot but his early promise was not really fulfilled as he did not score all that many goals. He never stopped working, however, and could not be faulted for his commitment - more than can be said about some present day players. He was also something of a novelty as, at that time, black players were very much in the minority although not as much so as in 1949 when Tommy Best became one of the first black men to play for a league club. Indeed, at that time, there were very few non-British players in pro football in this country - happy days! Can't say a lot more about Tesi - a lot of water has passed under the bridge since then. As a matter of passing interest, he played for only four clubs in this country: Peterborough, Skegness Town, us and Holbeach and did not stay more than a year with any. Prior to coming here he played for eight different Nigerian clubs which is where he had most success. It should be remembered, of course, that in those days the standard of football in African countries was rather poor.
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Post by Jon Doeman on May 10, 2013 13:11:45 GMT
Great thread lads.
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Post by kerrins on May 11, 2013 11:30:34 GMT
This was one season before I started watching the R's..my first ever game was at home against Brighton in Sept 1957.
Consequently I never saw Tesi play..nor indeed one of our other star forwards winger Mike Hellawell.
A black man in English Pro Football in those days was very much a novelty. The only other one around at the time in the 50's was Charlie Williams centre half for Doncaster Rovers(who I did see Play..R's beat Rovers 3-1 at home circa 1958)
Someone once told me they saw Tesi star in an FA Cup match against Tooting.
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Post by Bushman on May 11, 2013 11:43:38 GMT
This was one season before I started watching the R's..my first ever game was at home against Brighton in Sept 1957. Consequently I never saw Tesi play..nor indeed one of our other star forwards winger Mike Hellawell. A black man in English Pro Football in those days was very much a novelty. The only other one around at the time in the 50's was Charlie Williams centre half for Doncaster Rovers(who I did see Play..R's beat Rovers 3-1 at home circa 1958) Someone once told me they saw Tesi star in an FA Cup match against Tooting.
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Post by Macmoish on Jul 11, 2014 7:24:10 GMT
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Post by Macmoish on Oct 14, 2020 9:22:35 GMT
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