The Coventry City Former Players Association was very sad to hear that veteran Sky Blue Albert McCann had passed away after a long illness on January 9th. He was aged 72.
Born in Maidenhead, Alby’ started his professional career at Luton Town after joining as a youth though made only a handful of first team appearances. City manager Billy Frith brought the young inside forward to Highfield Road in August 1961 and Jimmy Hill (a CCFPA member) inherited the youngster when he took over in November turning the Bantam into Sky Blue.
Known for his rather stocky, bow legged gait Albie quickly made his mark with the Sky Blues and, when he impressed (and scored) in a F.A.Cup game for City at Fratton Park, Pompey were encouraged to sign him for £8k at the end of that season. In his only season with CCFC Albert scored just three times in his 22 first team outings so Hill seemed vindicated in letting Albie go (fellow CCFPA member Jimmy Whitehouse was recruited to take the no.10 shirt and wore it with distinction from 1962-63).
In a more than decade long career at Portsmouth Albie became a firm favourite, scoring 98 goals in 372 appearances and bamboozling many a defender with intricate dribbles. He was also an early exponent of the ‘banana’ shot, much more difficult with the heavier balls of the day. Albie also scored for Pompey at Highfield Road in their winning F.A.Cup re-replay against Hull City in 1962 and much later, in 1973, was awarded a testimonial with Portsmouth before trying his luck in South Africa from 1974-76. On his return he became a newsagent on the south coast and also ran a senior citizen’s home before retiring.
CCFPA sends it’s sincere condolences to Albert’s family and friends and will pass on details of the funeral arrangements when we get them.