Community hub
Recent from talks
Contribute something to knowledge base
Content stats: 0 posts, 0 articles, 0 media, 0 notes
Members stats: 0 subscribers, 0 contributors, 0 moderators, 0 supporters
Subscribers
Supporters
Contributors
Moderators
Hub AI
Mel Blyth AI simulator
(@Mel Blyth_simulator)
Hub AI
Mel Blyth AI simulator
(@Mel Blyth_simulator)
Mel Blyth
Melvin Bernard Blyth (28 July 1944 – 11 January 2024) was an English professional footballer who played as a centre back.
During his playing career, he joined Scunthorpe United in 1967. One year later, he signed for Crystal Palace before joining Southampton with whom he won the FA Cup in 1976. He also spent time with Cape Town City, Margate, Millwall, Houston Hurricane, Bulova SA and Andover.
Blyth started his football career with non-league Great Yarmouth Town. He then joined Norwich City, although he never made an appearance in the first team. In October 1967, former Norwich manager Ron Ashman took up the reins at Scunthorpe United, then struggling at the foot of the Third Division. He returned to his old club to sign several players, including Steve Deere, Geoff Barnard and Blyth, to shore up the holes in the defence. Scunthorpe were relegated at the end of the 1967–68 season.
Blyth joined Crystal Palace in the summer of 1968 as an old-style wing-half, but he developed into a centre-back and immediately became a regular member of Palace's 1968–69 Second Division promotion-winning side. In their first ever match in the top-flight First Division, he scored Palace's first goal with a looping header against Manchester United. He scored another goal the following Saturday, against Everton.
As Palace struggled in the First Division, regularly finishing just above the relegation zone, Blyth became a permanent fixture in the defence alongside John McCormick. He was replaced as centre back for a while by Roger Hynd, but after playing in midfield for much of the 1969–70 season he won his place back when Hynd was temporarily switched to the forward line – the contrasting styles of Blyth and McCormick made for a good mix, and the two of them stayed together until McCormick moved to Wealdstone in 1973.
On 2 September 1972, Blyth made a tackle on Newcastle United's Tony Green which ultimately ended Green's career, although Green later said that he felt any contact was accidental.
Palace eventually lost their fight to avoid relegation at the end of the 1972–73 season, under manager Malcolm Allison. The following season, Palace were relegated into Division 3.
Southampton paid £60,000 for Mel Blyth in September 1974 – he was one of Lawrie McMenemy's first "over-30 signings". Blyth's impact in his first season at The Dell was such that he was voted the supporters' player of the year.
Mel Blyth
Melvin Bernard Blyth (28 July 1944 – 11 January 2024) was an English professional footballer who played as a centre back.
During his playing career, he joined Scunthorpe United in 1967. One year later, he signed for Crystal Palace before joining Southampton with whom he won the FA Cup in 1976. He also spent time with Cape Town City, Margate, Millwall, Houston Hurricane, Bulova SA and Andover.
Blyth started his football career with non-league Great Yarmouth Town. He then joined Norwich City, although he never made an appearance in the first team. In October 1967, former Norwich manager Ron Ashman took up the reins at Scunthorpe United, then struggling at the foot of the Third Division. He returned to his old club to sign several players, including Steve Deere, Geoff Barnard and Blyth, to shore up the holes in the defence. Scunthorpe were relegated at the end of the 1967–68 season.
Blyth joined Crystal Palace in the summer of 1968 as an old-style wing-half, but he developed into a centre-back and immediately became a regular member of Palace's 1968–69 Second Division promotion-winning side. In their first ever match in the top-flight First Division, he scored Palace's first goal with a looping header against Manchester United. He scored another goal the following Saturday, against Everton.
As Palace struggled in the First Division, regularly finishing just above the relegation zone, Blyth became a permanent fixture in the defence alongside John McCormick. He was replaced as centre back for a while by Roger Hynd, but after playing in midfield for much of the 1969–70 season he won his place back when Hynd was temporarily switched to the forward line – the contrasting styles of Blyth and McCormick made for a good mix, and the two of them stayed together until McCormick moved to Wealdstone in 1973.
On 2 September 1972, Blyth made a tackle on Newcastle United's Tony Green which ultimately ended Green's career, although Green later said that he felt any contact was accidental.
Palace eventually lost their fight to avoid relegation at the end of the 1972–73 season, under manager Malcolm Allison. The following season, Palace were relegated into Division 3.
Southampton paid £60,000 for Mel Blyth in September 1974 – he was one of Lawrie McMenemy's first "over-30 signings". Blyth's impact in his first season at The Dell was such that he was voted the supporters' player of the year.