JOHN Kirkwood, the legendary goalkeeper from Worcester City’s FA Cup win over Liverpool, has died.

The ex-Reading stopper passed earlier this month aged 87.

Despite making 32 appearances for the Royals, arguably his finest hour came at St George’s Lane as City became the only non-league team to this day to topple the Reds.

According to the Daily Mail, John “had a great game” between the sticks, beaten only by an 84th-minute penalty from Geoff Twentyman.

Tommy Skuse netted for City with Dick White’s own goal putting the hosts in control in front of more than 15,000 at the Lane. The jubilant players were chaired off the pitch.

Born in Falkirk on February, 27 1932, John worked as a plasterer and played juvenile football with a local side Woodburn Athletic and Blairhall Colliery, a pit village team financed by miners which produced a number of professionals in England and Scotland.

He joined Reading in December 1949 and went on to sign for Dartford in the Southern League in 1954, remaining there until signing for City at the start of the 1957-58 season at the time of Roy Paul’s arrival and initially as deputy to former Welsh international Ron Howells.

John was a key part of the City team that earned a pair of fifth-place league finishes and two terrific FA Cup runs.

Early in the 1959-60 season, John suffered a serious stomach injury in a match at Gloucester City.

It required surgery and John was absent for several months but he was back in action before the end the season and had two further campaigns at City before signing for Dover where he eventually hung up his boots in 1965.

John played 256 matches for City, a club record for a goalkeeper at the time.

City historian Julian Pugh said: "What marked him out was his bravery and consistency at a time when goalkeepers were far less protected than nowadays.

"I only spoke to him once, he was a very quiet an unassuming man and I'm sure he'll be fondly remembered all City fans who saw him play."

John’s funeral will be at the West Chapel, Henley Road Crematorium, Caversham on Wednesday, January 15.

*Worcester News would like to thank Douglas Gorman and Julian Pugh for their assistance in putting together this tribute.