Dickie Guy
Encyclopedia
Dickie Guy is an English
former non-league goalkeeper
for Wimbledon FC
during the sixties
and seventies
. Today, Guy is the President of AFC Wimbledon
, the supporter-owned club which represents Wimbledon
.
. During his Wimbledon career, he once made 275 consecutive appearances, and only missed a single game in a run of 449 consecutive matches between January 1970 and August 1977.
Guy shot to national fame during the then non-league club's spectacular 1975 FA Cup
run, initially keeping a clean sheet as the Dons knocked out First Division Burnley
at Turf Moor
in the third round, thus becoming the first non-league club in a century to beat a First Division
team on their own ground. But it was in the fourth round that Guy became a Dons legend, with a heroic display at Elland Road
, not only keeping another clean sheet but, most famously, saving a Peter Lorimer
penalty
to earn Wimbledon a replay against reigning English Champions, Leeds United. In the replay, he was again superb and was eventually only beaten by a single deflected own goal.
When Wimbledon were elected to The Football League
in 1977, he made a total of 19 appearances for the club before deciding that he wished to remain a semi-professional player, rather than give up his successful career outside football. His final game for Wimbledon was at Plough Lane
against Torquay United on 21 February 1978. Guy talks about his time at Wimbledon, and their move into the Football League, in the New Season 2011-12 issue of BACKPASS, the retro football magazine (www.backpassmagazine.co.uk). At the end of the season, in recognition of his devoted service to the club he was awarded a testimonial match against Chelsea
on 11 April 1978.
He moved to Maidstone United
after leaving Wimbledon and played in their giant-killing defeat of Charlton Athletic
.
, and their subsequent re-branding as Milton Keynes Dons
. He was hence a hugely popular choice among Wimbledon fans when appointed as President of AFC Wimbledon
in 2004.
More recently, Guy made a brief comeback playing for a Wimbledon old boys team against a rival Liverpool
team at a charity event at Kingsmeadow in 2004.
On 21 April 2010, Guy suffered a serious heart attack and was subsequently taken to hospital and operated on.
He has made a full recovery and continues to attend all AFC Wimbledon fixtures to the delight of all his fans.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
former non-league goalkeeper
Goalkeeper (football)
In association football, the goalkeeper occupies a position that represents the last line of defence between the opponent's offence and his own team's goal. The primary role of the goalkeeper is to defend his team's goal and prevent the opposition from scoring a goal...
for Wimbledon FC
Wimbledon F.C.
Wimbledon Football Club was an English professional association football club from Wimbledon, south-west London. Founded in 1889 as Wimbledon Old Central Football Club, the club spent most of its history in amateur and semi-professional non-League football before being elected to the Football...
during the sixties
1960s
The 1960s was the decade that started on January 1, 1960, and ended on December 31, 1969. It was the seventh decade of the 20th century.The 1960s term also refers to an era more often called The Sixties, denoting the complex of inter-related cultural and political trends across the globe...
and seventies
1970s
File:1970s decade montage.png|From left, clockwise: US President Richard Nixon doing the V for Victory sign after his resignation from office after the Watergate scandal in 1974; Refugees aboard a US naval boat after the Fall of Saigon, leading to the end of the Vietnam War in 1975; The 1973 oil...
. Today, Guy is the President of AFC Wimbledon
AFC Wimbledon
AFC Wimbledon is a professional English football club that traces its origins to Wimbledon in the London Borough of Merton. Based at Kingsmeadow, Kingston upon Thames, the club are members of Football League Two, the fourth tier of English football....
, the supporter-owned club which represents Wimbledon
Wimbledon, London
Wimbledon is a district in the south west area of London, England, located south of Wandsworth, and east of Kingston upon Thames. It is situated within Greater London. It is home to the Wimbledon Tennis Championships and New Wimbledon Theatre, and contains Wimbledon Common, one of the largest areas...
.
Playing career
Guy made nearly 600 first team appearances for Wimbledon between 1967 and 1978. He was signed from local rivals Tooting and Mitcham who had taken him on as a junior from MillwallMillwall F.C.
Millwall Football Club is an English professional football club based in South Bermondsey, south east London, that plays in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football. Founded as Millwall Rovers in 1885, the club has retained its name despite having last played in the...
. During his Wimbledon career, he once made 275 consecutive appearances, and only missed a single game in a run of 449 consecutive matches between January 1970 and August 1977.
Guy shot to national fame during the then non-league club's spectacular 1975 FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
run, initially keeping a clean sheet as the Dons knocked out First Division Burnley
Burnley F.C.
Burnley Football Club are a professional English Football League club based in Burnley, Lancashire. Nicknamed the Clarets, due to the dominant colour of their home shirts, they were founder members of the Football League in 1888...
at Turf Moor
Turf Moor
Turf Moor is a football stadium in Burnley, Lancashire. It is the home ground of Burnley Football Club, which has played there since moving from its Calder Vale ground in 1883. The stadium, which is situated on Harry Potts Way, named so after the club's longest serving Manager, has a capacity of...
in the third round, thus becoming the first non-league club in a century to beat a First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
team on their own ground. But it was in the fourth round that Guy became a Dons legend, with a heroic display at Elland Road
Elland Road
Elland Road is an all-seater football stadium in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It has been the permanent residence of Leeds United A.F.C...
, not only keeping another clean sheet but, most famously, saving a Peter Lorimer
Peter Lorimer
Peter Patrick Lorimer is a former footballer who formed part of the much-admired and feared Leeds United team of the 1960s and 1970s....
penalty
Penalty kick
A penalty kick is a type of direct free kick in association football, taken from twelve yards out from goal and with only the goalkeeper of the defending team between the penalty taker and the goal.Penalty kicks are performed during normal play...
to earn Wimbledon a replay against reigning English Champions, Leeds United. In the replay, he was again superb and was eventually only beaten by a single deflected own goal.
When Wimbledon were elected to The Football League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
in 1977, he made a total of 19 appearances for the club before deciding that he wished to remain a semi-professional player, rather than give up his successful career outside football. His final game for Wimbledon was at Plough Lane
Plough Lane
Plough Lane was a football stadium in Wimbledon, south west London. It was the home ground of Wimbledon Football Club from September 1912 to May 1991, when the club moved their first team home matches to Selhurst Park as part of a groundshare agreement with Crystal Palace. Both clubs' reserve teams...
against Torquay United on 21 February 1978. Guy talks about his time at Wimbledon, and their move into the Football League, in the New Season 2011-12 issue of BACKPASS, the retro football magazine (www.backpassmagazine.co.uk). At the end of the season, in recognition of his devoted service to the club he was awarded a testimonial match against Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
on 11 April 1978.
He moved to Maidstone United
Maidstone United F.C.
Maidstone United Football Club is an English football team from Maidstone, Kent.The current club is a continuation of the old Maidstone United, which was a member of the Football League between 1989 and 1992. The club was forced out of the league by financial ruin but the youth squad formed the...
after leaving Wimbledon and played in their giant-killing defeat of Charlton Athletic
Charlton Athletic F.C.
Charlton Athletic Football Club is an English professional football club based in Charlton, in the London Borough of Greenwich. They compete in Football League One, the third tier of English football. The club was founded on 9 June 1905, when a number of youth clubs in the southeast London area,...
.
More recently
As a renowned former player, Dickie Guy was a very outspoken opponent of the club's proposed re-location to Milton KeynesMilton Keynes
Milton Keynes , sometimes abbreviated MK, is a large town in Buckinghamshire, in the south east of England, about north-west of London. It is the administrative centre of the Borough of Milton Keynes...
, and their subsequent re-branding as Milton Keynes Dons
Milton Keynes Dons F.C.
.Milton Keynes Dons Football Club is an English professional football club founded in 2004 and based since 2007 at Stadium mk, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire...
. He was hence a hugely popular choice among Wimbledon fans when appointed as President of AFC Wimbledon
AFC Wimbledon
AFC Wimbledon is a professional English football club that traces its origins to Wimbledon in the London Borough of Merton. Based at Kingsmeadow, Kingston upon Thames, the club are members of Football League Two, the fourth tier of English football....
in 2004.
More recently, Guy made a brief comeback playing for a Wimbledon old boys team against a rival Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
team at a charity event at Kingsmeadow in 2004.
On 21 April 2010, Guy suffered a serious heart attack and was subsequently taken to hospital and operated on.
He has made a full recovery and continues to attend all AFC Wimbledon fixtures to the delight of all his fans.