
Football League Third Division winner 1963–64
Football League Second Division winner 1966–67
Affectionately known as ‘The Iron man’, George Curtis ranks alongside George Mason as the greatest centre-half and captain in the club’s history. He was signed from Snowdown Colliery in October 1955, on the recommendation of former player Harry Barratt. Curtis was an immediate success as a left back but by 1958, at the age of 19 he had established himself as the regular centre-half and was to miss only six games in the next nine seasons. During this period he became one of the most feared defenders in the Football League. Considered by many opposition fans to be over-physical, he always maintained he played the game in a fair but hard manner. He turned out for Coventry on many occasions when lesser mortals would have gone sick and his style epitomized the spirit of the club during this period.
Jimmy Hill’s faith in him was rewarded as George captained the side to the Third and Second Division Championships but many pundits doubted whether he would be able to cope with the refinements of First Division football. Alas, we shall never know because in his second match, against Nottingham Forest, he broke his leg. He recovered and returned in six months but was never quite the same and he moved to Aston Villa in December 1969 for a £25,000 fee. He returned to Highfield Road in the 1970’s to work in the commercial department and remained at the club for over 20 years, becoming commercial manager and later managing director.
When Don Mackay left the club in April 1986 George was asked to fill the breach and in tandem with John Sillett helped stave off relegation once again. The following season, with the duo still in charge, was perhaps the most successful in the club’s history with the FA Cup lifted for the first time. In 1987 Curtis stepped back upstairs when Sillett was appointed team manager. George continued to live in Coventry and was an avid golfer & regular visitor to the Ricoh. Curtis died on 17 July 2021, aged 82.
• Defender
• Joined from Snowdown Colliery Welfare (aged 16 years 11 months) under George Raynor
• Left for Aston Villa for £30,000 (aged 30 years 6 months) under Billy Frith
• Substitute appearances:
• Unused substitute:
• Bookings:
Own goals (9)
1960-61
1 October 1960 v Torquay United A
1961-62
19 August 1961 v Reading A
1962-63
21 August 1962 v Swindon Town A
18 September 1962 v Bradford Park Avenue H
1964-65
24 October 1964 v Manchester City H
1 December 1964 v Leicester City H
1965-66
12 February 1966 v Crewe Alexandra A
1966-67
7 January 1967 v Birmingham City A
1968-69
21 December 1968 v Manchester City A
Football League Third Division winner 1971–72 with Aston Villa.










































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































England Youth, 4 caps 1956-57