John Atyeo

Peter John Walter Atyeo (7 February 1932 – 8 June 1993) was an English footballer who played as a striker. He spent the majority of his career at Bristol City. He won six England caps between 1955 and 1957, scoring five goals. Atyeo made 645 appearances for Bristol City and scored a record 351 goals for them.

He played as an amateur for Portsmouth in 1950/51, then as a part-time professional for Bristol City while qualifying as a quantity surveyor until signing full-time ahead of the 1958/59 season. In 1963/64 he reverted to part-time status to prepare the way for his post-football career as a mathematics teacher.

Biography Atyeo was born at Clivey on the outskirts of Dilton Marsh, Wiltshire. He went to Berkley Primary School, near Frome, Somerset after his parents had moved the short distance over the county line to Standerwick when he was about six months old. He went on to Trowbridge Boys' High School (now The John of Gaunt School). As a schoolboy he played competitive football, rugby and cricket.

His first competitive games were for Westbury United, then Football League champions Portsmouth gave him two first team appearances in the 1950/51 season as an amateur, but he signed as a professional for Bristol City in the following season.

He enjoyed a fifteen-year career with Bristol City despite offers from Chelsea, Spurs, Liverpool and AC Milan which were worth around £20 million in today's money and could have made him the most expensive player in England. He made 645 appearances and became Bristol City's all-time top scorer with 351 goals by the time he retired in May 1966. He captained the team during their promotion-winning season in 1965.

Signing for Bristol City It was due to the endeavours of the then Bristol City chairman, Harry Dolman, that Atyeo was signed by Bristol City rather than Portsmouth or other interested clubs. Dolman had a friend of his William Grant C.B.E. take the contract for the services of Atyeo down to Dilton Marsh, Wiltshire on 14 June 1951. He walked along the main railway line to the signal box where Atyeo's father worked and returned with a signed contract.

Season 1952–53 Bristol City started the season poorly, Atyeo failed to score in the opening three matches at centre forward and moved to inside right for the remainder of his league appearances. Arnold Rodgers reverted to centre forward and scored four goals in the next four games and then followed this up with three successive doubles late in September. After the first 13 matches Bristol City lay in 10th place in the Third Division South and Atyeo had netted three goals. Atyeo then dropped out of the team until returning in the New Year on 3 January 1953 at Brighton & Hove Albion with the team on a 7 match unbeaten run and by this time in 3rd position in the table. Atyeo netted his first league double in a 5–1 win v Walsall on 7 March 1953 and played in front of a crowd of 35,606 in February in the 0–0 draw with Bristol Rovers at Ashton Gate. Bristol City finished the season in 5th place but the disappointment was that they were five points behind local rivals Bristol Rovers who won promotion to the Second Division as Champions. Atyeo made 33 appearances and score 11 goals which proved to be the lowest for any season of his prolific goalscoring career. Rodgers was leading scorer with 26 goals, Cyril Williams netted 17 times and Alec Eisentrager scored 12 goals from the right wing. Atyeo enjoyed a post season friendly tour of Cornwall scoring twice at Penzance and four goals at Newquay in May 1953.

Atyeo won his 3rd England cap at inside right in a 0–0 friendly draw with Sweden in Stockholm on 16 May 1956 in a forward line of Berry (Man Utd); Atyeo; Taylor (Man Utd); Haynes (Fulham) and Finney (Preston).

Atyeo won his 4th England cap at inside right in a 5–1 World Cup win over Republic of Ireland at Wembley on 8 May 1957 in a forward line of Matthews (Blackpool); Atyeo; Taylor (Man Utd); Haynes (Fulham) and Finney (Preston). Taylor (3) & Atyeo (2) scored.

Atyeo won his 5th England cap at inside right in a 4–1 World Cup win over Denmark in Copenhagen on 15 May 1957 in a forward line of Matthews (Blackpool); Atyeo; Taylor (Man Utd); Haynes (Fulham) and Finney (Preston). Haynes, Taylor (2) & Atyeo scored.

Atyeo won his 6th and final England cap at inside right in a 1–1 World Cup draw with Republic of Ireland in Dublin on 19 May 1957 in a forward line of Finney (Preston); Atyeo; Taylor (Man Utd); Haynes (Fulham) and David Pegg (Man Utd). Atyeo scored the goal.

Overall Atyeo won 6 England caps scoring 5 goals and played alongside experienced England internationals like Tom Finney 76 caps (1946–1958), Stanley Matthews 54 caps (1934–1957), Johnny Haynes 56 caps (1954–1962), Nat Lofthouse 33 caps (1950–1958) and Tommy Taylor 19 caps (1953–1957). Bill Perry 3 caps, Colin Grainger 7 caps, Johnny Berry 4 caps and David Pegg a single cap made fewer appearances but it must be remembered that there were far fewer internationals played in the 1950s than nowadays. National team!!Year!!Apps!!Goals

6!!5

Scores and results list England's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Atyeo goal.

Honours Bristol City Football League Third Division South: 1954–55 Football League Third Division runner-up: 1964–65

Memorials

Atyeo Close, Dilton Marsh is built on the site of "Glenthorne", the house his family moved to in the late 1930s. Atyeo Place, Warminster, BA12 9BL is built on the grounds of 2 The Avenue, his last place of residence. The new stand that replaced the Park End at Ashton Gate in 1994 is named the Atyeo Stand after him. Bristol City Supporters Trust commissioned the statue of Atyeo that now has pride of place outside Bristol City's revamped stadium.