Savdunin Vladimir Grigorievich

Multiple champion of the USSR national football team and the Russian hockey team stands out even among the vivid personalities of the older generation of Russian athletes. During the war Savdunin served in intelligence, was awarded three orders and many medals. Today the legend of national sport is split football memories.
Seven heads with a hole in his hand
- Born in Moscow Lefortovo in 1924, he studied and played football for local team when he was still a schoolboy caught war. Then, in 41-meters, he was evacuated to Samara, where he played several matches for the local "Lokomotiv", speaking in the championship field. In one of these games "Lokomotiv" beat team "Wings of Soviets, Moscow Aviation Plant.
- Should be the game of the young Savdunina already attracted attention, and soon he was again in Moscow on the same aircraft factory, where up to September 1942 in the workshop gathered engines for Soviet ground attack aircraft. And then, despite the received book, he volunteered for the front.
- During the spring offensive in 1944 Savdunin was wounded in the arm, and because of overcrowding in front of hospitals, he was sent to Moscow for treatment. There, he accidentally met with Konstantin Beskova, footballer Moscow Dynamo. It was he who persuaded Savdunina play a match in the Cup in Moscow with "Fraser" for the 7 th regiment of Interior Ministry. And the wounded scout with the bandaged hand, which managed to conceal from the judge, under long-sleeved shirts, scored in that match 7 goals!
- And his future was now a foregone conclusion. He first appeared in the 7 th Regiment MIA, . and in autumn 44 th, . after winning the regimental team at the championship of the MVD, . it drew the attention of coaches Moscow Dynamo, . at the request of the chief who ordered the blue and white transfer promising player in the team masters,
.
- In this team Vladimir Savdunin the fall of 1945 went on a tour of England. Visit to Britain, however, began with a misunderstanding. Soviet players Englishmen placed in so-called Royal Barracks. And it was such a hole that the team management has flatly refused to enter the provided "number". In the end, after some ordeal, Russian resorted to his hotel proprietor of the hotel "Imperial" - liberal Englishman, who was tempted to "bribe" in the three cans of caviar and two bottles of Russian vodka.
. In memory tore buttons
. - Under the training we were given a small stadionchik, which generally is carried dog races, so we had to train in the true sense of place fouled
. This too is well viewed the British Government's attitude to us, the Soviet people and all Soviet people, - says Vladimir G.. - At our training has come a lot of experts who concluded that the Moscow "Dynamo" - just a good lyubitlsky club, but no more.
- British opinion has changed after the first match against Chelsea, which ended in a draw - 2:2. Even before the match excitement was terrible, people were sitting on rooftops around the stadium and almost at the crest of a football field, well and what happened after the match, it is impossible to convey in words. With British Field takes us on his hands. Evening at a banquet Chelsea's owner, Lord Alexander, . admiring the game our goalkeeper Alexei Khomich, . invited him to move to the English team, . with the amount of the contract he could ask any, . But Lesch said, . that is not for sale, . and his fervor much amused prim English,
.
- And all the while we lived in England, we felt close to the attention of the British intelligence. They searched in our lack of numbers, rummaged in suitcases. There was once a case. Go down the corridor, we - I, Khomich, Sasha Nazarov and defender tsev, and meet us is a man in my acquaintance hat. I Nazarova pushing and said: "Sasha, look, it's your hat". From the studio KGB hat, special. Well, we're a thief, and this tied in number, and then began to beat. Then the police told us that this is a rogue, his hat back, apologized, and badly bruising agent increase with a. Searches in our rooms at the time stopped, it is true, then started again. We are the agent between them was nicknamed James Bond ...
- The second match against Cardiff City, we won 10:1. Then a draw with Glasgow Rangers. And in the final match against Arsenal, the British put virtually his team. Began this match in such a dense fog, in five steps nothing can be seen not been. We even offered to move to the British game, but then they rested. However, after the first goal scored in their gates, already English coach ran up to us, offering to postpone the game, the match was still a finish to the final whistle and ended with our victory - 3:2
. - By the time we have become celebrities in England, . We learned on the streets, . as soon as we go to the store, . trade in it would freeze, . Customers and employees were mingled in a crowd, . surrounded us, . stretched hands, . newspapers, . notepads for autographs, . race tried to shake hands, . clapped shoulders, . and some even kept trying to tear anything from clothing to remember,
. Clearly, most suffered buttons. Even the British are very impressed by my restraint on the field after the goals scored, so unlike the manic enthusiasm of today's forwards.
- In addition, all 33 days of our stay in England they are not left trying to find out what is still our feed. By the way, we ate only those foods that were brought to our embassy from the USSR, is nothing "local". One photographer, by some miracle managed to get to our kitchen and make it a couple of shots, but on the way back he was caught fellow journalists and took away the camera and not just lit up, and tore to shreds the film.
- After a memorable tour of Vladimir G. ten years played for Dynamo Moscow, becoming the champion of the Union four times in football and twice - in hockey. He played in the "puck", and also a very good level, but this facet of his talent was not revealed - because they stand in the "buck" its soccer bosses do not want to undergo a triple player loads. But the USSR Cup, former intelligence officer managed to hold in your hand only once.
- After speeches, Savdunin learned English, together with Khomich finished fotolektory in the House of Journalists. He was even invited in the early 60's to work in the "Soviet sport". For a time he worked in the KGB, and later was transferred to work in the Foreign Ministry courier. Then it seemed that temporarily, but it turned out - for a long time. And on this service have occurred to him funny stories. In the mid-80's our hero with a colleague flew in transit through England. Their plane made an emergency landing in Glasgow, and our diplomatic couriers were British visa. While repairing the plane, passengers ran to the waiting room and forget. However, such a disrespectful attitude towards our citizens has changed dramatically after one of the airport officials acknowledged in Savdunine one of the Russian players who came in 45 th year in a match with local team. More British did not look upon them as dangerous Soviet spies, but quite the contrary, accepted them as dear friends, throwing many questions.
I believe in a better
- Vladimir - busy man, always aspires to something new. He graduated from the Institute of Physical Education, High School Coaches. From MGIMO left with the fourth year - not seen for themselves the future prospects in this field, too late, in his view, was to begin careers in 40 years. So three decades and traveled with a courier bag. Most recently, the 100 th anniversary of football, he was awarded the Order of Merit to the Fatherland ". Almost at the same time created a foundation named after her, found sponsors willing to help impoverished lonely or sick veterans. The only recent case in the Fund are not very good. But Vladimir G. believes that everything will change for the better, as believed and that sooner or later, our football again regain the glorious name. And the Western clubs will be considered a modest success in the match with a draw the champion of Russia.