Brakes heartbreak at end of season

AP Leamington finished third in the Southern League Division One North in the 1974/76 season, seven points behind champions Bedford Town and just one point behind runners up Dunstable.  Jimmy Knox blamed the failure to go up by such a narrow margin to lack of goals and subsequently placed leading goal scorer Adrian Stewart (26 goals, but only 14 in the league) on the transfer list, along with fellow striker Ivor Talbot    They also lost the Birmingham Senior Cup at Highfield Road 1-0, Atherstone Town scoring from a penalty.

At the end of the season, manager Jimmy Knox was asked to assess his players.  Tactfully, the Scottish supremo replied:  ‘”If I could, I would have chosen the whole squad as the players that impressed me most.’ 

Getting Jimmy Knox to pick out any of his AP Leamington players for special mention is difficult not to say impossible – he worships the lot of ‘em.  But twist his arm and Knox will almost shed tears talking about his twin centre backs Roger Brown and Doug Griffiths.  Chips off the old block, Roger and Doug have the qualities that made their manager one of the outstanding non-League defenders. 

Skill, bravery, professionalism, love of the game … Brown and Griffiths have total involvement grafted into their muscle-bound frames.  Knox will talk for hours about football – he’ll spend years converting the Leamington public to Windmill Ground watchers.   Players as committed as Brown and Griffiths could make his job easier …. Of Brown, Knox is adamant.  “This boy is still looking for his right level … he is a great performer.  I signed Roger straight from amateur football.   He’s not only made his mark in the pro game – he’s made it in a big way.”

Big is the right description.  At 6ft 2in. [1.88 metres] Roger towers above most of his rivals.  He has the ability to match his physique.  “Roger’s attitude is first class,” says Knox.  “I have bawled him out and talked to him quietly.   He has the ability to match his physique.  Whatever you say or however you say it he is prepared to listen and learn.   I can’t speak highly enough of this boy – he is a perfect professional.”’

In February 1978 Brown was signed by Bournemouth on the recommendation of Harry Redknapp who had played alongside him at Leamington.     He played 63 times for the Cherries and was then transferred to Norwich City.   He was then sold to Fulham for £100,000 where he made 141 appearances before returning to Bournemouth under manager Harry Redknapp and was captain when they defeated FA Cup holders Manchester United 2-0.   After playing in the non-league system at Poole and Weymouth, he was manager at Colchester United from 1987-88.   Sadly he passed away in August 2011 aged 58 after a long battle with cancer.   Rest in Peace.

Doug Griffiths was a former captain of England Schoolboys and had been a full time professional with Wolves and Stockport County.   ‘At 24 he has never played better.  Dougie, the darling of the Windmill’s younger set, started the season out of the side.  He fought his way back and in the second half of the season he has been tremendous.   Knox said: “Doug is a hard man who never shirks a thing.  He would go through a brick wall for his team and has a fantastic attitude.”’