Berry Nieuwenhuys
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Berry Nieuwenhuys, (born 5th November 1911), died circa 1984), and was a football player predominantly for Liverpool.
[edit] Life and playing career
Born in Kroonstad, Free State Province, South Africa, Nieuwenhuys played for Boksburg F.C and Germiston Calies before Liverpool manager George Patterson signed him in September 1933, he made his debut, wearing the famous number 7 shirt, in a 1st Division match on the 23rd of that month at White Hart Lane, it proved to be a day to remember for Berry as Liverpool ran out comfortable 3-0 winners over Tottenham, he opened his goalscoring account a week later on the 30th, again, in a league game but this time at Anfield, the goal would go a long way towards making Berry a Liverpool legend as the opponents for the day were Merseyside rivals Everton, Nieuwenhuys' 32nd minute strike along with Adolf Hanson's 60th minute and Sam English's 80th minute goals ensured that the majority of the 53,689 derby day crowd would wander home happy as the Red half of the city ran out winners by the odd goal in 5.
Nicknamed Nivvy, Nieuwenhuys was a slim Outside Right and was just one of a number of South African players signed by the Reds over a period of 3 decades, infact he immediately linked up with fellow countryman the prolific Gordon Hodgson.
Along with his incredible pace and quicksilver feet Nivvy could also hit a venomous shot, he would often be seen cutting in from the wide berth to unleash an unstoppable strike at goal, by the end of his first season at Liverpool he weighed in with a very respectable 10 goals, he followed this up with 11, another 10, consecutive 13's and his best return in a red shirt 16 in the 1938/39 campaign.
6 years were lost because of the Second World War, in which Nivvy served in the R.A.F, he did manage to keep playing the game he loved guesting for both Arsenal and West Ham.
Upon the conclusion of the war with Nazi Germany Nieuwenhuys returned to Anfield and played 15 times, hitting the net 5 times, during the championship winning, first post-war, season of 1946/47, Berry had the honour of appearing alongside Jack Balmer, Bill Jones and greats Albert Stubbins, Billy Liddell and Bob Paisley.
Nivvy left Liverpool in 1947 returning to the South Africa where he took the post of Assistant Golf professional to World Golf Hall of Famer Bobby Locke at the Transvaal Country Club.
Nieuwenhuys played 260 times on the wing for the Anfield club' Nivvy's knack for finding the back of the net helped him to a total of 79 goals, a goal every 3.2 games, not bad considering a striker is happy if he gets 1 in 3.
Berry died aged 74 in 1984 forever a Liverpool legend.
The name is pronounced " Nivvenhows " - from The Football Who's Who 1935.
[edit] Career details
- Liverpool F.C (1933 - 1947)† - 260 appearances, 79 goals - Football League (level 1) championship winners medal (1947)
† Berry would surely have made at least 200 more appearances for Liverpool if it were not for the break of 6 years because of World War ll.
