Gerry Wolstenholme's Blog - Posts Tagged "wrexham"
Lawrence of Salford
Cyril Lawrence 1920-2020
As history records, Lawrence of Arabia was quite a hero for his deeds in Palestine during the First World War, well here is our own local 'Lawrence' hero, Cyril of that ilk who has sadly passed away on 14 April 2020 less than a couple of months away from what would have been his 100th birthday.
Cyril was born in Salford on 12 June 1920 and was believed to have been an outside right when his junior form brought him to the attention of Blackpool. He was duly given a trial in the pre-season of 1938/39. And he made his first appearance for the club in the Blackpool ‘A’ side against Blackpool’s Fylde League side (Whites v Stripes) in a pre-season practice game on 20 August 1938 when the match report stated, 'Lawrence and Kirkham were the best wing for the stripes' as the game was drawn 3-3.
Blackpool signed him in October 1938 at a wage of £3 per week plus £1 extra when in the Central League (reserve) side. He was apparently signed in what were termed 'unusual circumstances'. A caller at the Bloomfield Road offices of the football club announced that he knew of 'a young outside right who deserves a trial'. The club acted, gave him a trial and were sufficiently impressed to sign him. He then played a few games for the colts at outside right. A few months passed and he was in conversation with manager Joe Smith one day when he said to the boss, 'By the way, when shall I be playing in my proper position?' Smith looked perplexed only to be told, 'I have never been an outside right, my position is inside right!'
One of his early goals for the club came for the Blackpool ‘A’ side as they defeated Bury ‘A’ 8-2 in the first round of the West Lancashire Cup on 8 October 1938. And on 5 November 1938, playing in the West Lancashire League side against Bury ‘A’, he and McLaren, the wingmen, were 'brilliant' as Blackpool annihilated Bury 12-1.
As the season progressed he continued to make good progress and in a friendly game against a Scottish Juvenile FA XI on 22 April 1939, by which time he had restored to his favoured position, he was reported as 'a sharp shooting inside man' as Blackpool won 6-0. And the praise continued when he, Dick Withington and Harry Jones were said to be 'the pick of the forward line' as Blackpool ‘A’ defeated Darwen 7-0 on 29 April 1939. He then completed what was a fine first season with three goals as the ‘A’ team defeated Denton United 12-0 on 1 May 1939.
Although he had played solely in the junior sides, the 'A' team and the North West Midweek League side, in the 1938/39 season, he was regarded as youngster for the future and proof of this was demonstrated when he gained representative honours, being selected for the North West Midweek League Rest of the League XI against Preston North End at the end of the season.
He was re-signed for what was to be the ill-fated 1939/40 season when his weekly terms were £3 summer, £3 winter plus £1 extra when in the Central League side.
Despite missing the pre-season practice game and the subsequent Football League Benevolent Fund game against Preston North End, he earned his first £1 bonus when he was at inside right in the Central League side for the opening game of the season against Bury reserves on 26 August 1939 when Blackpool lost 1-0. He also played in the second, and what turned out to be the final, Central League game of the season against Everton reserves on 2 September 1939. Blackpool lost 2-1 but he turned in a good performance and was classed in the match report as 'a good forward'. Sadly after just the two games, and as he was making a name for himself, the official 1939/40 season was abandoned.
When wartime football quickly restarted, he held his place in the side and was in the Blackpool reserve side against Liverpool reserves in a wartime Lancashire League fixture on 16 September 1939.
With footballers all over the country joining the armed forces, he joined the Royal Navy as World War II began and he enlisted and served on HMS King George V. Apparently he doctored his age to join the Royal Navy before conscription was introduced; speaking of this in later life he said, 'I spent my childhood alongside the Salford docks and I decided the navy was to be my new life so I volunteered.'
Back home prior to being posted, he played a number of games for Hyde United before he was deployed on the brand new battleship HMS King George V, which was assigned to the Home Fleet at Scarpa Flow in the Orkney Islands. He spent more than five years serving on the ship and he eventually became the ship's longest serving seaman. HMS King George V ended its wartime service in the Pacific Ocean and he was on board when the Americans borrowed the ship's wardroom table and chairs to complete the Japanese surrender on board the USS Missouri.
During his naval career he was able to continue playing the occasional football match and he represented the Royal Navy in exhibition matches in Cairo and Alexandria and he also played against New South Wales at the Sydney Cricket Ground. In addition he managed to make his initial first team appearance for Blackpool at inside right in the North West Division game against Bolton Wanderers on 2 December 1939 when Blackpool lost 3-1. Due to his naval commitments, it was to be his only game for the club in the wartime 1939/40 season.
He played a second wartime League game for Blackpool when on leave, and with players injured and unavailable he played his first League game of the 1943/44 season at the unaccustomed left half position against Stockport County on 25 September 1943 when Blackpool won 3-2. Also, when HMS King George V was in dry dock at Liverpool prior to redeployment to the Eastern Fleet, he married his wife Claire, who was to be his beloved and lifelong partner.
When the war ended his promising football career, along with many others it should be said, had been so rudely interrupted but he returned to the fold at Blackpool and he was readily re-signed in February 1946 with his weekly terms for the 1945/46 season being £5 plus an extra £3 if and when he played in the first team. The extra bonus for the Central League side had been replaced by one for first team appearances for he was regarded as a likely first team prospect. However, Blackpool had assembled a powerful side and it was not going to be easy.
He did, however, play his first senior game, once again at outside right, against Newcastle United at Workington on 3 April 1946 in a game played for the benefit of the Cumberland Football Association. Sadly it ended in tears as he pulled a muscle less than half a minute into the game and he 'limped to half back' before Newcastle gave permission for a Workington player to substitute for him at half-time. He was to be out of the game for a number of weeks.
But Blackpool had great faith in him and re signed him in May 1946 for the 1946/47 season when his increased weekly terms were £5 summer, £6 winter plus an extra £4 if and when playing in the first team.
He began the season in the Central League side and he made his first appearance at outside right against Sheffield Wednesday reserves on 12 September 1946 when Blackpool lost 2-1. He kept his place for the following game against Huddersfield Town reserves on 14 September 1946 when Blackpool won 3-1 but with Blackpool experimenting with their reserve side he was in and out of the side, playing in a further six games, even making an appearance at centre forward on 30 November 1946 when he scored both goals in Blackpool's 3-2 defeat.
He also scored one of Blackpool's goals in a 3-1 victory over Everton reserves on 4 January 1947 but because of the uncertainty of his future, he reluctantly put in a request for a transfer in January 1947. It was not a straightforward decision for the club but after a directors' meeting he was placed on the transfer list in March 1947. And he was transferred to Rochdale in April 1947, having played in two official wartime League games and one friendly game plus 10 Central League games (including the two in the abandoned 1939/40 season) in which he scored three goals.
After making his League debut for Rochdale as an inside forward in front of a crowd of 25,000 in a scoreless draw against Hull City in the second match of the 1947/48 season, he was switched to outside right and he spent the rest of his time at Spotland in that position. He went on to play 44 League games and score five goals for Rochdale.
In September 1950 Rochdale transferred him to Wrexham where he made his debut at centre forward in a goalless draw against Gateshead on 14 October 1950. He led the attack for a further nine games in which he scored three goals. He later returned to outside right and he played 58 League and Cup games and scored 12 goals in a two-season stay at Wrexham.
He played non-League football after the 1951/52 season and on retirement from the game he worked as a plumber and glazier.
At the time of his death, in hospital on 14 April 2020, he was Blackpool's oldest surviving player and he is survived by his wife Claire, who will be 100 in June 2020, and their daughters, Elaine and Norma and their families. Rest in Peace, Cyril, your part in Blackpool's proud footballing history is secure.
As history records, Lawrence of Arabia was quite a hero for his deeds in Palestine during the First World War, well here is our own local 'Lawrence' hero, Cyril of that ilk who has sadly passed away on 14 April 2020 less than a couple of months away from what would have been his 100th birthday.
Cyril was born in Salford on 12 June 1920 and was believed to have been an outside right when his junior form brought him to the attention of Blackpool. He was duly given a trial in the pre-season of 1938/39. And he made his first appearance for the club in the Blackpool ‘A’ side against Blackpool’s Fylde League side (Whites v Stripes) in a pre-season practice game on 20 August 1938 when the match report stated, 'Lawrence and Kirkham were the best wing for the stripes' as the game was drawn 3-3.
Blackpool signed him in October 1938 at a wage of £3 per week plus £1 extra when in the Central League (reserve) side. He was apparently signed in what were termed 'unusual circumstances'. A caller at the Bloomfield Road offices of the football club announced that he knew of 'a young outside right who deserves a trial'. The club acted, gave him a trial and were sufficiently impressed to sign him. He then played a few games for the colts at outside right. A few months passed and he was in conversation with manager Joe Smith one day when he said to the boss, 'By the way, when shall I be playing in my proper position?' Smith looked perplexed only to be told, 'I have never been an outside right, my position is inside right!'
One of his early goals for the club came for the Blackpool ‘A’ side as they defeated Bury ‘A’ 8-2 in the first round of the West Lancashire Cup on 8 October 1938. And on 5 November 1938, playing in the West Lancashire League side against Bury ‘A’, he and McLaren, the wingmen, were 'brilliant' as Blackpool annihilated Bury 12-1.
As the season progressed he continued to make good progress and in a friendly game against a Scottish Juvenile FA XI on 22 April 1939, by which time he had restored to his favoured position, he was reported as 'a sharp shooting inside man' as Blackpool won 6-0. And the praise continued when he, Dick Withington and Harry Jones were said to be 'the pick of the forward line' as Blackpool ‘A’ defeated Darwen 7-0 on 29 April 1939. He then completed what was a fine first season with three goals as the ‘A’ team defeated Denton United 12-0 on 1 May 1939.
Although he had played solely in the junior sides, the 'A' team and the North West Midweek League side, in the 1938/39 season, he was regarded as youngster for the future and proof of this was demonstrated when he gained representative honours, being selected for the North West Midweek League Rest of the League XI against Preston North End at the end of the season.
He was re-signed for what was to be the ill-fated 1939/40 season when his weekly terms were £3 summer, £3 winter plus £1 extra when in the Central League side.
Despite missing the pre-season practice game and the subsequent Football League Benevolent Fund game against Preston North End, he earned his first £1 bonus when he was at inside right in the Central League side for the opening game of the season against Bury reserves on 26 August 1939 when Blackpool lost 1-0. He also played in the second, and what turned out to be the final, Central League game of the season against Everton reserves on 2 September 1939. Blackpool lost 2-1 but he turned in a good performance and was classed in the match report as 'a good forward'. Sadly after just the two games, and as he was making a name for himself, the official 1939/40 season was abandoned.
When wartime football quickly restarted, he held his place in the side and was in the Blackpool reserve side against Liverpool reserves in a wartime Lancashire League fixture on 16 September 1939.
With footballers all over the country joining the armed forces, he joined the Royal Navy as World War II began and he enlisted and served on HMS King George V. Apparently he doctored his age to join the Royal Navy before conscription was introduced; speaking of this in later life he said, 'I spent my childhood alongside the Salford docks and I decided the navy was to be my new life so I volunteered.'
Back home prior to being posted, he played a number of games for Hyde United before he was deployed on the brand new battleship HMS King George V, which was assigned to the Home Fleet at Scarpa Flow in the Orkney Islands. He spent more than five years serving on the ship and he eventually became the ship's longest serving seaman. HMS King George V ended its wartime service in the Pacific Ocean and he was on board when the Americans borrowed the ship's wardroom table and chairs to complete the Japanese surrender on board the USS Missouri.
During his naval career he was able to continue playing the occasional football match and he represented the Royal Navy in exhibition matches in Cairo and Alexandria and he also played against New South Wales at the Sydney Cricket Ground. In addition he managed to make his initial first team appearance for Blackpool at inside right in the North West Division game against Bolton Wanderers on 2 December 1939 when Blackpool lost 3-1. Due to his naval commitments, it was to be his only game for the club in the wartime 1939/40 season.
He played a second wartime League game for Blackpool when on leave, and with players injured and unavailable he played his first League game of the 1943/44 season at the unaccustomed left half position against Stockport County on 25 September 1943 when Blackpool won 3-2. Also, when HMS King George V was in dry dock at Liverpool prior to redeployment to the Eastern Fleet, he married his wife Claire, who was to be his beloved and lifelong partner.
When the war ended his promising football career, along with many others it should be said, had been so rudely interrupted but he returned to the fold at Blackpool and he was readily re-signed in February 1946 with his weekly terms for the 1945/46 season being £5 plus an extra £3 if and when he played in the first team. The extra bonus for the Central League side had been replaced by one for first team appearances for he was regarded as a likely first team prospect. However, Blackpool had assembled a powerful side and it was not going to be easy.
He did, however, play his first senior game, once again at outside right, against Newcastle United at Workington on 3 April 1946 in a game played for the benefit of the Cumberland Football Association. Sadly it ended in tears as he pulled a muscle less than half a minute into the game and he 'limped to half back' before Newcastle gave permission for a Workington player to substitute for him at half-time. He was to be out of the game for a number of weeks.
But Blackpool had great faith in him and re signed him in May 1946 for the 1946/47 season when his increased weekly terms were £5 summer, £6 winter plus an extra £4 if and when playing in the first team.
He began the season in the Central League side and he made his first appearance at outside right against Sheffield Wednesday reserves on 12 September 1946 when Blackpool lost 2-1. He kept his place for the following game against Huddersfield Town reserves on 14 September 1946 when Blackpool won 3-1 but with Blackpool experimenting with their reserve side he was in and out of the side, playing in a further six games, even making an appearance at centre forward on 30 November 1946 when he scored both goals in Blackpool's 3-2 defeat.
He also scored one of Blackpool's goals in a 3-1 victory over Everton reserves on 4 January 1947 but because of the uncertainty of his future, he reluctantly put in a request for a transfer in January 1947. It was not a straightforward decision for the club but after a directors' meeting he was placed on the transfer list in March 1947. And he was transferred to Rochdale in April 1947, having played in two official wartime League games and one friendly game plus 10 Central League games (including the two in the abandoned 1939/40 season) in which he scored three goals.
After making his League debut for Rochdale as an inside forward in front of a crowd of 25,000 in a scoreless draw against Hull City in the second match of the 1947/48 season, he was switched to outside right and he spent the rest of his time at Spotland in that position. He went on to play 44 League games and score five goals for Rochdale.
In September 1950 Rochdale transferred him to Wrexham where he made his debut at centre forward in a goalless draw against Gateshead on 14 October 1950. He led the attack for a further nine games in which he scored three goals. He later returned to outside right and he played 58 League and Cup games and scored 12 goals in a two-season stay at Wrexham.
He played non-League football after the 1951/52 season and on retirement from the game he worked as a plumber and glazier.
At the time of his death, in hospital on 14 April 2020, he was Blackpool's oldest surviving player and he is survived by his wife Claire, who will be 100 in June 2020, and their daughters, Elaine and Norma and their families. Rest in Peace, Cyril, your part in Blackpool's proud footballing history is secure.
