Graham Bressington

Bressington just for the Geoff Thomas nutmeg

— Alex parky (@madeofstone71) April 18, 2018

Yes, there was the Geoff Thomas nutmeg, but there was also a lot more to the midfielder, perhaps more than he would truly let you see. Graham Bressington was the last of a generation, a maverick that harked back to the days of the 1970s where a player could drink a skinful with the fans on a Friday and turn out for his club the next day.

My recollections may be different to some, as a young boy I loved him for being an all action midfielder, comfortable in defence but perhaps described in the modern-day as a defensive midfielder. In the late 1980s you were either midfield or not, but I think he was perhaps a bit before his time in some respects, and a bit after his calling in others.

He impressed against City for Wycombe in 1987/88, so we bought him. He then helped us win the GMVC and firmly established himself as a City stalwart once we were back in the league. those early 90s years were neither great nor terrible, Allan Clarke aside we did what we needed to do and I think it stifled Bressington’s ability at times. Not that he would complain, he was as happy kicking people up in the air as he was scoring great goals. One that I recall was against Gillingham in 1990, a fine solo effort that gave us a 1-0 lead. We lost that game 3-1, but his contribution was never in doubt.

He won player of the year in 1990/91 but missed almost all of the following season through injury. Sadly, he moved back to his native Essex in July 1993, Southend paying £25,000 for his services.

Almost anyone you speak to will remember the hard-drinking lad about town, the ‘character’ and ‘a bit of a boy’, but that doesn’t do justice to a slick and able midfield player with 136 City appearances to his name.