The Tipton football scout who discovered Steve Bull, Andy Thompson and David Burrows dies aged 87
Tributes have been paid to the Black Country non-league football coach who discovered Steve Bull, Andy Thompson and David Burrows.
Sid Day, who was youth-team manager at Tipton Town in the 1980s, has died aged 87 after a period of illness.
At the time he was working as a scout for West Bromwich Albion, and he recommended the trio to Albion manager Nobby Stiles.
Bull, who had scored 13 goals in 17 games for Tipton Town, had been working in a factory when he signed for the Baggies on October 23 - three days after Burrows signed for the First Division club.
Stiles had just taken over from Johnny Giles as manager, and Featherstone-born full back Thompson also signed the following month.
However, Stiles' reign was short-lived, and the following year Bull and Thompson were off-loaded to neighbours Wolves - where they spearheaded a stunning revival for the struggling club. Dudley-born left back Burrows remained at the Hawthorns until 1988, when he secured a move to high-flying Liverpool, where he played 146 games.
Bull, who went on to become Wolves' all-time record goalscorer, described Mr Day as his 'friend and mentor', and said he had been a huge influence on his career.
"He was one of the what we used to call 'Men with a Jack Russell' who would stand at the side of the pitch, but I got to know him well after he recommended me to Nobby Stiles at Albion.
"He certainly had an eye for a player, I think he discovered Thommo and David Burrows to name but two and he didn't do bad with me!"
Mr Day, who died last month (April), lived in Farmers Way, Tipton, a stone's throw from Tipton Town's ground at what is now Tipton Sports Academy.
He played for Greets Green FC in the Smethwick League in the early 1960s.
His daughter Jayne Kiely said her father lived and breathed the game.
"I don't think people realise how dedicated he was to football," she said.
"I remember when I was a young child, he used to scout for the Albion. Nobby Stiles used to phone up every day."
She said she later met Stiles while working at Villa Park, where the former England legend was a guest, and the pair reminisced about her father's work.
