John Atyeo
Peter John Walter Atyeo 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. 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.
He played semi-professionally for Bristol City while qualifying as a quantity surveyor, until signing full-time ahead of the 1958/59 season. Atyeo won six England caps from 1955 to 1957. There was conjecture that Atyeo's part-time status led to his being dropped by the England selectors despite his never having been on a losing side in his six international appearances, and scoring five goals including the goal that enabled England to qualify for the 1958 FIFA World Cup in Sweden. In 1963 he reverted to part-time status to prepare the way for his post-football career as a mathematics teacher.
Following his retirement from football, Atyeo became a full-time mathematics teacher at Kingdown School, Warminster, where he served for over 20 years, rising to head of mathematics, House Master of Arn House and Deputy Headmaster. He was regarded as a dedicated teacher. Atyeo also wrote a regular football column for the Plymouth-based Sunday Independent newspaper.
He died at home in Warminster of heart failure on 8 June 1993, survived by his wife Ruth and five children: Julie, Carol, Alison, Linda and Philip.Career
Portsmouth 1950–51
As a teenage amateur, Atyeo played twice in the top flight for the then-League Champions Portsmouth. Both were home matches at Fratton Park and finished as draws: vs Charlton Athletic 3–3, 11/11/50 and vs Arsenal 1–1, 26/03/51.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. The contract was unusual in having six specific clauses at the insistence of Atyeo's father. Atyeo should always be on top wages at Bristol City; he should always be allowed to live at home and continue his apprenticeship as a quantity surveyor; he should be allowed to drive to training on Tuesdays and Thursdays; City would donate £100 to Westbury United; City would play a friendly at Westbury United at the end of season 1952–1953 and Atyeo would not be put on the transfer list without the consent of his father.Season 1951–52
Atyeo joined Bristol City, a mid-table side in the Third Division South, in the summer
of 1951. Atyeo made his Football League debut at centre forward in the opening game of the 1951–52 season in a 3–1 win v Newport County on 18 August 1951. Cyril Williams made his debut for City on his return from West Bromwich Albion in the same match. Both Atyeo and Williams were scorers in the win. The other goalscorer was Arnold Rodgers who had been the top scorer for Bristol City in the previous season with 20 goals in the no.9 shirt. Rodgers played inside left in 1951–52 as newcomer Atyeo took the centre forward role. Atyeo made 44 appearances scoring 12 goals in 1951–52 finishing joint top scorer with Arnold Rodgers who netted his 12 goals from 36 appearances. In the FA Cup Atyeo scored both goals on his FA Cup debut in the 1st round 2–1 win at Brighton & Hove Albion. This was the first time that Atyeo appeared in the list of goalscorers, the second time was when Bristol City took a team to Westbury United on 24 April 1952 and won 2–0. On that occasion Atyeo was helped by scoring one goal from a penalty.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. The improvement was in part due to the signing by Pat Beasley of centre half Jack White for £5,300 from Aldershot. White was a dominant personality who was immediately installed as captain of the side. 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.Season 1953–54
Again Bristol City started the season badly and were 20th with four games played. Atyeo began the season at inside right with Arnold Rodgers at centre forward and Cyril Williams at inside left. Jack Boxley became the regular left winger while Alec Eisentrager, Jimmy Rogers and Ernie Jones tussled for the position of outside right. Andy Micklewright newly signed in May 1953 from Bristol Rovers quickly made his presence felt playing in several positions across the forward line and ending the season as 2nd top scorer with 16 goals. Atyeo missed only one league game, a 0–5 defeat at Swindon Town in October, as Bristol City made a steady rise up the table before Christmas to start the New Year in 8th place and finish in 3rd position a full eight points behind champions Ipswich Town. Atyeo made 45 appearances and was the leading scorer with 22 goals, his highest seasons tally to date, as Bristol City netted 88 goals during the season. Atyeo was most prolific in mid season scoring 17 goals in a 20 match spell between the end of September and 20 February 1954 when he netted his first hat-trick for the club in a 5–1 win v Swindon Town. Atyeo also scored a goal in each of the three rounds of the FA Cup as Bristol City eventually lost 1–3 v Rotherham United in front of 29,216 fans in the 3rd round. Atyeo also scored in a series of first team friendlies arranged throughout the season which saw the likes of Fenerbache, Chelsea, Hajduk Split and Arsenal visiting Ashton Gate. Although Atyeo was the leading scorer in 1953–54 it was Arnold Rodgers who had the best ratio for scoring with 14 goals in 23 appearances.Champions of Third Division South
Bristol City hit the ground running in season 1954–55 reaching top spot in mid September and staying in one of the top two positions throughout the rest of the season. Jimmy Rogers took over as the regular right winger to partner Atyeo who played all season in the no.8 shirt. Arnold Rodgers played at centre forward in the first half of the season with Jimmy Rogers switching to centre forward for the second half. In the absence of Rogers, Eisentrager returned briefly before England international outside right Arthur Milton was signed by Pat Beasley for £4,000 from First Division Arsenal for a cameo 14 appearances in the promotion run in. Milton became the last double England international at both football and cricket in 1958 when he made his Test cricket debut. Milton gave up football in the summer of 1955 to concentrate on cricket with Gloucestershire as a consequence of which Arsenal refunded half of the transfer fee paid by Bristol City. Atyeo scored regularly throughout the season including doubles at Coventry City and Walsall along with doubles at Ashton Gate against Aldershot, Millwall, Bournemouth & Crystal Palace. Bristol City finished as champions of Third Division South nine points clear of runners up Leyton Orient. The 70 points obtained by Bristol City equalled the record for the Third Division South set by Nottingham Forest four years earlier. Jack White and Atyeo were the only ever presents in the championship winning side of 1954–55. Atyeo made 46 appearances and was top scorer with 28 goals as City scored 101 league goals. Jimmy Rogers was next highest scorer with 25 goals and Arnold Rodgers again maintained a good goal ratio with 13 goals in 26 appearances. City continued to arrange first team friendlies entertaining Rheims and Linz at Ashton Gate and ending the season in May with a European tour including Hamborn 07, Linz and Stuttgart Kickers.