Cyril Sidlow
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Cyril Sidlow (born 26 November 1915, died 12 April 2005) was a Welsh football player.
[edit] Life and playing career
Born Colwyn Bay, Conwy, North Wales, Sidlow played for Llandudno, Colwyn Bay and Wolverhampton Wanderers before Liverpool manager George Kay signed him for £4000 in February 1946. Sidlow made his debut on the 31 August of 46 in a league match at Bramall Lane, Len Carney made it a memorable day for the goalkeeper, who kept his first clean sheet, and Liverpool when he scored the only goal of the game in the 90th minute.
Cyril's career was curtailed because of the Second World War which began when he was approaching his 24th birthday, having taken away the best years of his career he was alsmost 31 when he signed for the Reds. Sidlow with Charlie Ashcroft and Ray Minshull were the goakeepers vying for the number 1 jersey at Anfield for the 1946/47 season the first competitive season following the war, but it was Cyril who got the job which he did in 34 of the 42 games that saw Liverpool win their first championship for 24 years, much of which is owed to him as the final game of the season was a must win for the Reds, Sidlow's former employers Wolves needed just a point to win the title and Liverpool had to face them at Molineux, the Reds were a point back on their hosts and, obviously, needed a victory, after a comprehensive 5-0 win at Anfield, Wolves must surely have thought that the title was as good as theirs but goals from Jack Balmer and Albert Stubbins plus Sidlow and the backline keeping Wolves down to 1 meant the Championship trophy would be heading to Merseyside.
Sidlow tasted disappointment with the Reds too when they reached their first Wembley final in 1950, Arsenal where the opposition who took the FA Cup back to Highbury after a 2-0 win.
Cyril's Liverpool days were drawn to a close during the 1950/51 after he originally begun the season as first choice. Charlie Ahcroft and Russell Crossley took over for 4 games before Sidlow came back in to play his last match for the club, Anfield was the place and Newcastle United were the visitors, things didn't go well for Cyril and the Reds as The Magpies went back to St James Park with the points after a 4-2 win.
Crossley came back in to the side and Cyril retired in the August 1952, upon retirement from the top level, he went on to play for New Brighton.
Cyril earned 7 caps for Wales during his career.
[edit] Career details
- Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. (? - 1946)
- Liverpool F.C. (1946 - 1952) - 165 appearances - Football League Champioship (level 1) winners medal (1947), FA Cup runners-up medal (1950)
- Wales 7 caps
