Monday Comment
This article has been written for Bulls News by Simon Wright of the West Bromwich Grorty Dick fanzine.
Respect
Back in my teenage years, those uncomplicated days that freedom that Shakespeare described as 'salad days', I had heroes. Dudley Tyler, Ken Mallender, Billy Meadows, Bruce Walker, Colin Addison - I thrilled to every move and every pass.
As I grew older and wiser, I no longer had any heroes for every idol seems to have clay feet. Respect for ability is as far as I would normally go but I was always willing to make exception for footballers who was as much a star off the field as on it. A move to the Black Country broadened my horizons. I never saw Jeff Astle play, save a few minutes as a fifty year old in a charity event but this guy will always be special as a man. More latterly 'Super' Bob Taylor and Richard Sneekes also have natural charisma by the bagful. And up there deserving respect for his off-the-field charm is John 'Tucka' Trewick.
I remember him first as a player in the late 70s/early 80s. He'd come to Albion straight from his North-East school but this was a time of plenty for the Baggies and Tucka always struggled to maintain a regular place either in midfield or at left back because he was up against England internationals like Derek Statham and Bryan Robson. I have two clear memories of that period, firstly John's spectacular afro perm and secondly his infamous 'Great Wall' remark. Tucka was part of an Albion squad who were touring China in ground-breaking fashion. This was big news and with the players travelled a retinue of journalists and a camera crew. To this day, JT maintains he was stitched up. He had a five minutes session with the TV people and replied to one question about the Great Wall of China with 'once you've seen one wall, you've seen them all.' It was a joke. Tucka had a great sense of humour but the effect was changed completely on the BBC documentary when the throw-away line is used in complete isolation. To this day, Albion supporters will regularly remind him of his faux-pas.
Tucka's playing career never really hit any heights after he'd left the Albion and he slowly moved onto the coaching side. He's so good at it. John's not a ranter or raver, his touchline suggestions are inevitably well reasoned and sensibly put. He likes and insists upon passing football. It provides more evidence that the best players aren't the best coaches.
Let's be clear that JT is perfectly capable of coaching adults as well as kids. He's even had a couple of brief spells as Albion caretaker manager - and as he'll tell you himself - the team were unbeaten under his tutelage. His solitary game in charge against March 2000 against Tranmere somehow put the smile back into the club. The players responded to the rational promptings and played with the sort of style unseen for at least a year. "It's no secret that I'd like to manage at some stage, to work at first team level," said John in an interview a few years back. "I've tasted it on two or three occasions at WBA. With the youth team, though, there is a lot of satisfaction, it's a medium to long-term environment, there's not that be-all and end-all result at the end of the week which I miss."
I've long suspected that Albion first team managers saw him as a threat with this charm and honesty. Several fell out with him and his final departure was a very shabby episode in the recent history of WBA. I know a little of what went on and I suspect much more but John is too professional to tell tales. One day he was there, one day he was not. Let's just say that Gary Megson isn't on his Christmas card list. A few months later, Richard O'Kelly was shoved out in an equally unsatisfactory manner. Since then the Albion Youth went into decline and Tucka hasn't had the best of times. But I'm getting ahead of myself.
During the all too brief days of Ray Harford managing the Albion, Tucka was his trusted assistant. With travelling a big issue for Ray from his Southern base, Johnny T took training by himself as often as three days of the week.
But it's his work with the kids when Tucka stood out. His budget was next to nothing and facilties and equipment down to what he scrounge, bed or borrow. He was fund-raiser, pitch-marker, minibus driver, diplomat, agony aunt - he did everything. Once I suggested to him as a joke that he and Richard O could get involved in a discreet nude WI type calender as a fundraiser. Tucka was so up for it that I had to back off hastily.
Yet he produced super players. Lads comfortable on the ball in any part of the pitch. Lads who'd played in a variety of positions and had a great admiration for their coach. The legacy of John and Richard O was largely wasted but in their time they'd bought on Danny Gabbidon, Adam and Jay Chambers, Chris Adamson and Adam Oliver (the latter's career ended at 20 due to injury) all made some impact at first team level but there were others who deserved a chance and never got one. Like Tam Mkandawire - John was full of praise for the lad at the age of 16. Going back to the 'Chambo' twins, they were bought up by their Dad to follow the Dingles of Wolverhampton and at the age of 15, the Dingles tried to poach them. The lads turned down the offer out of loyalty to John and Richard O. Parents, charmed by the silver tongue of John, not only got little Johnny to sign for the Albion, not only turned up to watch but got involved in the day to day tasks of making a series of youth teams work with no resource.
Some of my favourite moments of 25 years of backing the Albion came with following Tucka's kids. In one memorable season, they won two knockout competitions, one of which was won at Wembley. The team spirit was exceptional throughout and you always felt that the management were genuinely pleased to see you there. Grorty Dick fanzine, in various partnerships did our bit to raise money, putting together over five grand in the end but the Board received the cash with no great enthusiasm so we gave up in dismay.
Post-Albion, Tucka scratched around a bit as competition was fierce. The period that he enjoyed the most was as first team coach at Derby under Jim Smith. He had help with training and the best players he'd ever worked with. Sadly, Derby were in a mess and there is so much that training can do. John's worked with local colleges, done some scouting and final horror was taking a job at the Wolves Academy. He has bills to pay, I understand that (your favourite wine doesn't come cheap, eh John?) but the Dingles? Dear oh dear..
In this game it's as much who you know as what you know. Tucka has a lot of friends in and out of the game. Try Jim Smith, Cyrille Regis (an agent with a lot of young players on his books), Gary Hackett (Stourbridge manager), Chris Evans (Academy manager of First Division Wolverhampton) Richard O'Kelly of course and Super Bob Taylor (needs a club?) just for starters.
John has a comfortable house in Solihull where he lives with wife Yvonne and a rather unfriendly cat. His son is or was at university. Believe me , you'll like this guy and so will the players. I can think of no one better to replace Richard O'Kelly.
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