Gerry Wolstenholme's Blog, page 6

A Century of League Goals

Thomas (Tommy) White 1939-2019

Tom White was born at Musselburgh on 12 August 1939. He was a bustling centre forward who started his career with Bonnyrigg Rose before moving to Scottish League side Raith Rovers, where he scored 11 goals in 30 games, his career there having been interrupted by two years' National Service. He moved on to St Mirren, where he scored 20 goals in 35 League games before being transferred to Heart of Midlothian, where he played 37 League games, scoring 30 goals, eight Cup games, scoring five goals, and 16 other games, scoring 13 goals, a record of 48 goals that earned him the moniker 'Goal-a-game White'. However, a serious car crash curtailed his career at Hearts, from where he was selected for the Scottish League against the Irish League but he had to withdraw through illness. Also while at Hearts he played for Tottenham Hotspur in The John White Memorial Match for his older brother John White, who was tragically struck by lightning on a golf course aged just 27, against an All Star Scotland XI at White Hart Lane on 10 November 1964, when he scored the first of Spurs' goals in a 6-2 defeat.
He left Hearts finally when he was exchanged for Aberdeen's Don Kerrigan in the summer of 1965 and his brief spell at the club saw him score four goals in 14 games before a move into English football when he joined Crystal Palace along with team-mate John McCormick in May 1966. He went on to play 37 League games, make two substitute appearances and score 13 goals for Palace. He was then signed by Blackpool from Crystal Palace for a fee of £19,000 on 11 March 1968.
He made his League debut for Blackpool against Aston Villa on 16 March 1968 when Blackpool won 1-0 with a goal from Gordon Milne. He scored his first League goal for the Seasiders in his third game when Plymouth Argyle were defeated 2-0 on 30 May 1968. Then after five games in which he failed to score he scored both goals in the 2-0 victory over Portsmouth on 27 April 1968. He scored one further goal, in a 3-1 victory over Derby County on 4 May 1968 which gave him four goals in the 11 League games he played in the 1967/68 season. And he was such a wholehearted player that the endearing chant of 'Tom, Tom, Tom. Tom, Tommy White' regularly rang round the terraces at Bloomfield Road.
He began the 1968/69 season in fine form and he scored both goals in the 2-0 defeat of Hull City on the first day of the season, 10 August 1968, and he featured in the opening 11 games before injury interrupted his season. He was in and out of the side for the remainder of that season as Blackpool tried to replace him with a variety of occasional centre forwards. On one occasion he returned from his injury for his first Central League game of the season and he scored twice as Blackpool defeated Burnley reserves 3-1 on 14 December 1968.
And perhaps not surprisingly, he was 'way below form' as 'the attack seldom functioned smoothly' despite Blackpool defeating Norwich City 2-1 on 19 March 1969. In an injury-hit season he played 22 League games, scoring five goals, one FA Cup tie, two League Cup ties, scoring two goals, and four Central League games, scoring three goals, in the 1968/69 season.
He was unfortunately not fully fit when the 1969/70 season began and on 3 September 1969 Blackpool reluctantly announced that they were ready to listen to offers for him and he was placed on the transfer list.
Supposedly recovered from his ankle injury, he made his first League start of the 1969/70 season against Watford on 20 September 1969. With Blackpool one goal behind, he was replaced after 68 minutes and Blackpool went on to lose 3-0. Although at one time he 'seemed a little slow off the mark' when chasing a Hutchison cross, he did have a couple of memorable moments when on the field. They came when his 'shot on the turn from 16-yards was going low into the corner of the net when Walker dived full length to save' and then when he was 'spoken to by the referee for challenging goalkeeper Walker'.
It was his only League game of the 1969/70 season and it turned out to be his final game for Blackpool, for whom he played 34 League games and scored nine goals plus three Cup ties scoring two goals. Blackpool gave him a free transfer on 19 June 1970 and he immediately joined Bury and went on to play 46 League games, make two substitute appearances and score 13 goals for the club. He had one final League club when he was transferred to Crewe Alexandra in December 1971 but he played only four League games for the club without scoring a goal. However he did score a most creditable total of 100 goals in his 241 senior League games for his various clubs.
He later had a spell with then non-League Fleetwood before he was appointed caretaker-manager of Blackpool in April 1990 after Jimmy Mullen had resigned and he was in charge until the end of the season when Graham Carr was appointed on a permanent basis.
He was later a business man, a hotelier at the Boston Hotel, in Blackpool and served for 12 years on the club’s board of directors until Owen Oyston took over.
He died in Blackpool on 17 December 2019 after a lengthy illness. Tommy White was a wholehearted player and a lovely man and will be sadly missed by family and friends alike.

The last of the 1953 Blackpool FA Cup winning side

Cyril Robinson 1929-2019

Cyril Robinson, the last surviving member of Blackpool Football Club's FA Cup winning side of 1953 has died aged 90.
Born in Bulwell, Nottingham, on 4 March 1929, Robinson's talent at half back was spotted by a Blackpool scout after he had played for the England Boys’ Clubs' side. Blackpool duly signed him from Basford Hall Boys’ Club (Nottingham area) on 10 September 1949 after he had been on the books of Mansfield Town as an amateur. Ironically a scout for another Football League club said at the time 'I had my eye on him for a long time and twice I reported to my club about him but they would not listen to me. Now look what has happened, Blackpool stepped in and signed a jolly good prospect.
He spent his first season with Blackpool playing in the junior sides, appearing regularly in the Blackpool ‘B’ side and starring for it when Blackpool defeated Bolton Wanderers ‘B’ 4-0 at the Co-operative Ground, Marton on 22 October 1949. His performances were such that he gained promotion to the Central League side, making his debut at that level against Manchester United reserves on 26 August 1950 when the game was drawn 0-0.
He earned praise from the critics at whatever level he played, for instance when playing for Blackpool ‘B’ on 28 October 1950, Jack Ainscough was 'well supported by wing halves Proctor and Robinson' in his endeavours to keep Fleetwood at bay and in the Blackpool Lancashire Mid-Week League side’s 2-0 victory over Southport on 25 October 1950 'The Blackpool defence had little wrong with it. Cyril Robinson played another fine game, his third in five days as a full back.' Blackpool won the game 2-0.
He played 25 Central League games, scoring one goal, - his first senior goal for the club in a 2-1 defeat by Aston Villa reserves on 13 January 1951 - in the 1950/51 season, proving his versatility by operating between left half and left back.
Due to the strength of the Blackpool first team, he had to wait two years for his debut in the League side and he made it at right half against Middlesbrough on 27 October 1951. And 'he made a most satisfactory debut considering that he was up against will o’ the wisp Mannion' as the game was drawn 2-2. He gave another sound display at left half against West Bromwich Albion on 3 November 1951 as the game ended in a 1-1 draw. And he boosted his reputation even further with a polished performance against mighty Newcastle United on 10 November 1951 and he scored one of Blackpool’s goals, his first League goal, in a 6-3 victory. The press comment was 'Robinson still has to master the finer arts of the game and it would not be wise or fair to lavish praise at this early stage of his career.'
Having returned to his more familiar position of left half, he scored his second League goal for the club in a 4-2 victory over Stoke City on 24 November 1951. Ironically he was not in the side for the following game and it was not until 22 December 1951 that he returned to the League side in a 3-1 victory over Huddersfield Town. And he made his first Christmas Day appearance for the club in the 1-1 draw with Liverpool on 25 December 1951 but the return of Hughie Kelly for the following game saw him out of the side once again.
He ended the 1951/52 season having played 10 League games, scoring two goals, one FA Cup tie and 21 Central League games, scoring one goal. In the Central League side he played most of his games at left half but he also appeared at left back and outside left and he showed his capabilities once again by playing at inside left in a Lancashire Senior Cup tie against Preston North End on 23 January 1952 as Blackpool lost 1-0.
Having played a close season friendly game against Hamburg at Bloomfield Road on 29 April 1952, injury to Eddie Shimwell gave him a place in the League side at left back against Preston North End on 25 August 1952. The game was drawn 1-1 and the comment in the following week’s programme was 'Cyril Robinson, introduced into the team at left full back, was allotted the unenviable task of marking the elusive Tom Finney, and as the object of our visitors appeared to be to utilise the England outside right at every possible opportunity, our young defender had a very busy time indeed, yet he came through with flying colours.'
Despite these plaudits he played only one further League game that season when injury to Hughie Kelly meant a recall to the League side in the final game of the season when he appeared at left half in a disastrous 5-0 defeat by Manchester City. However, there was a silver lining for Robinson as Kelly’s injury also gave him a place in the FA Cup final side against Bolton Wanderers at Wembley on 2 May 1953. He did himself no harm as Blackpool won 4-3 and he gained a Cup-winners medal after having played in only 12 League games and one FA Cup tie for the club. In addition to the Final, he played two League games and 26 Central League games, scoring one goal, in the 1952/53 season.
At the close of the 1952/53 season, along with Dave Durie, Billy Wright, Stanley Hepton and Ken Booth, he was regarded as one 'destined to win fame' at the club. [Ironically of this group, only Durie had an extended Blackpool career.]
The 1953/54 season saw him sidelined from the League side and he did not make his first League appearance of the season until 24 October 1953 when Blackpool defeated Middlesbrough 1-0. His absence was no reflection of his ability, it was simply that Blackpool had a settled team of internationals and seasoned professionals. Indeed he played only four League games in the 1953/54 season - he also played 20 Central League games - but he did give another fine performance in an FA Cup tie as Blackpool defeated Luton Town 2-0 in the third replay of the third round FA Cup tie against Luton Town on 25 January 1954. Charlie Buchan in the Daily Express wrote of the match, 'Rarely have I seen Blackpool’s half backs play better, and really it was a reserve line on duty. John Crosland and Ewan Fenton always met the ball squarely and Cyril Robinson worked like a Trojan in attack and defence.'
After touring the continent and playing in a 2-1 victory over RW Essen on 16 May 1953, it was the same scenario in the 1954/55 season when his only opportunities came when Hughie Kelly was injured. He made six consecutive appearances as a replacement for Kelly before he returned to the Central League side, for which he played 18 games during the season. His final League game for the club turned out to be a 2-1 defeat by Preston North End on 9 October 1954 and the last game he represented Blackpool was in the Central League against Barnsley reserves on 30 April 1955 when Blackpool won 3-1. His lack of opportunities had caused him to ask for a transfer in December 1954 and he was placed on the transfer list at his own request.
His Blackpool career had encompassed 22 League games, scoring two goals, three FA Cup ties, 110 Central League games, scoring three goals, and two European games when he moved on to non-league side Northwich Victoria for the 1955/56 season after Wrexham had been keenly interested in signing him until they eventually dropped out of the bidding.
He spent one season at Northwich Victoria before he returned to League football when he joined Bradford Park Avenue in June 1956. He was immediately made captain at Bradford although he was still training at Blackpool. He went on to play 89 League games and score three goals for the Yorkshire club before being transferred to Southport in July 1959; he played 37 League games for the Sandgrounders.
After his League career he played for a number of non-league sides, Lancaster City for whom he signed in December 1960, Buxton FC, Fleetwood and Blackpool Mechanics, a club that he later managed in the mid-1960s. In addition he spent the summer of 1961 playing for Toronto City in the Eastern Canada Professional Soccer League and he also played for Hellas of Adelaide from 1963-65 when in addition he spent some time with Newcastle FC of Sydney.
He became head groundsman at Bloomfield Road for a number of years after retiring from the playing and administrative side of the game and fine tuned his golf, playing at Blackpool North Shore with his great pal and former team-mate Bill Perry. He also ran a newsagent’s business in Blackpool.
He remained a great supporter of Blackpool Football Club, was much admired by supporters and was ever willing to attend special events. He died, after a lengthy illness, on 9 November 2019.

A team-mate of both Tom Finney and Stan Matthews

Leslie (Les) Campbell 1935-2019

Les Campbell was that rare breed of player who, at some point in his professional football career, was a team-mate of those great friends and rivals Tom Finney and Stan Matthews. He played with Finney at Preston North End and Matthews during his relatively short spell at Blackpool.
He was born at Wigan on 26 July 1935 and after junior football, as a winger, playing either outside left or outside right, he was offered trials at Football League club Notts County but he chose not to sign for them. Instead he joined Crompton Recreation's FC before moving to Lancashire Combination side, Wigan Athletic. He played only five games for Wigan Athletic before he was spotted by Preston North End, who signed him in June 1953 for a fee of £1,250. He went on to play 64 League games, scoring six goals, for Preston. He had also been a regular member of the RAF team during his national service days.
After seven seasons at the club Preston transferred him to Blackpool for a fee of £1,500 on 9 July 1960. Blackpool considered Stan Matthews to be coming to the end of his career (how wrong they were!) and with outside left Bill Perry injured, Campbell, being capable of playing on either wing, was an ideal substitute for either of them. His weekly wage at Blackpool was to be £16 in the summer, £17 in the winter plus an extra £3 when playing in the first team.
He made his League debut for Blackpool at outside left against Leicester City on 20 August 1960 when the game was drawn 1-1. He played in the following game against Tottenham Hotspur on 22 August 1960 but then an injury, that he was later to say he carrying when he signed for Blackpool, kept him out of the following three League games. He returned to action in a 4-1 defeat by Everton on 5 September 1960.
He was in and out of the side for the following few League games but he did play in Blackpool’s first-ever League Cup tie against Leeds United on 28 September 1960 when the game was drawn 0-0. He also played in the replay on 5 October 1960 (a game that I attended) when Blackpool lost 3-1.
Perry returned after injury so he was left out of the side until what turned out to be his final League game at outside left for Blackpool, an exciting 4-3 defeat by Newcastle United at St James's Park on 12 November 1960 (another game I attended and well remember Newcastle's very late winner). Thereafter he played irregularly in the Central League side until being recalled to League action to replace the injured Matthews at outside right.
His first game in that position proved to be the first victory he experienced as a Blackpool player after having appeared in the side on 10 previous occasions. Blackpool defeated West Ham United 3-0 on 4 February 1961. With Matthews out for two further games, he played in a 2-2 draw with Chelsea and then, ironically, what turned out to be his final League game for Blackpool was against his former club Preston North End on18 February 1961 when Preston won 1-0.
With Blackpool having then signed the flying South African winger Des Horne and with Matthews being fit once again, his place in the side looked in jeopardy. Reluctantly, therefore, the directors decided to place him on the transfer list on 10 March 1961. And after the 1960/61 season he was transferred to Tranmere Rovers for a fee of £900 on 13 June 1961. He had played 11 League games and two Football League Cup games during his one-season stay at Bloomfield Road and in addition he had played 19 Central League games, scoring two goals. He did receive £100 as his share of the transfer fee.
During his time at Blackpool he had become friendly with Stan Matthews and when Matthews went to Toronto and later to Africa he wanted to take Les with him on both occasions but Campbell chose not to go. And after Matthews had returned to Stoke City in October 1961, he later approached Campbell about joining the Potters but once again Campbell declined the offer.
He remained three seasons with Tranmere Rovers and he played 99 League games, scoring nine goals, for the club up to his departure at the end of the 1963/64 season, when his persistent knee injury ended his League career. Overall he had made 174 League appearances, scoring 15 goals, for his three clubs.
He later played for Wigan Athletic, under former Blackpool player Allan Brown, Altrincham, where he was captain for three years, Oswestry and Netherfield [Kendal], where he was player-manager. He had a sparkling career in non-league football and won the Cheshire League title three seasons in succession, once with Wigan Athletic and twice with Altrincham.
On his retirement from football he returned to his trade as an electrician and in later life he became a church organist.
He died on 10 November 2019.

A dedicated professional

Kevin Stonehouse 1959-2019

Kevin Stonehouse was born in Bishop Auckland on 20 September 1959. He was a midfield player or forward who began his senior career with non-league Shildon before moving to Blackburn Rovers in July 1979. He was a most popular player at Ewood Park and he played 77 League games, made eight substitute appearances and scored 27 goals for Rovers, also playing in two FA Cup ties and three League Cup ties plus making one appearance as a substitute in the competition and scoring one goal.
Blackburn transferred him to Huddersfield Town for a fee of £25,000 in March 1983 and he went on to play 20 League games, make two substitute appearances and score four goals for Huddersfield. Blackpool signed him from the Yorkshire club for a fee of £25,000 on transfer deadline day, 23 March 1984. The fee was covered by the money Coventry were paying for the transfer of Dave Bamber. Blackpool manager Sam Ellis commented, 'The signing is a bit special. It's one for the future as well as boosting our promotion chances.' And Kevin Stonehouse said, 'Sam didn't have to sell the club very hard. It has obvious potential and I'm so excited about the move that we'll be moving house quicker than we've done before.'
He made his League debut for Blackpool against Chester City on 24 March 1984 when he 'struggled to fit into the system' as the game was drawn 3-3 after Blackpool had 'tossed away a two-goal lead'. He 'swept home his first Blackpool goal' in a 1-1 draw with Stockport County on 10 April 1984 and he went on to add another four goals, including two against Colchester United in a 3-2 victory on 1 May, when he earned the headline 'Two-goal Kevin caps a corker', and the only goal of the game against Hartlepool United on 20 April, in the 13 games that he played in the 1983/84 season.
After scoring twice in the opening game, a 2-0 victory over Halifax Town on 25 August 1984 his season was plagued by a niggling knee injury but even so he played 26 League games, plus making one substitute appearance and scoring 11 goals, and he was considered to have played a key part in Blackpool’s promotion to the Third Division as runners-up to Chesterfield.
The knee injury delayed his start to the 1985/86 season and at one point it was deemed serious enough for Blackpool to consider his future at the club. But manager Same Ellis decided to keep him on the wage bill in order to give him a chance to prove his fitness. And after returning to action in two games as substitute he regained his first team place in a 2-1 victory over Chesterfield on 22 October 1985. he went on a run of 14 consecutive games, scoring two goals, before, after some disappointing results, he was left out of the team after what proved to be his final league game for the club, a 0-0 draw with Reading on 18 January 1986. He was not happy as he felt he had been made the scapegoat but Ellis threatened that he would put him on the transfer list. He had played 14 League games, made two substitute appearances and scored three goals in the 1985/86 season.
A broken leg kept him out of action in the early part of the 1986/87 season and in late September 1986 he was seeing a specialist about the possibility of a comeback. But that was delayed and he did not begin his comeback until late November 1986 when he appeared in the Blackpool ‘A’ side. He did not appear in the league side in the 1986/87 season and he was released on 11 May 1987 after a total of 56 senior appearances in all competitions for Blackpool and he scored 19 goals.
He joined Darlington in July 1987 and he played 59 League games, made 13 substitute appearances and scored 20 goals for the club, who, in March 1989, loaned him to Carlisle United, where he made just three substitute appearances.
In July 1989 Darlington transferred him to Rochdale, where he played 13 League games, made one substitute appearance and scored two goals.
When he retired from league football, he had made 252 League appearances scoring 72 goals for his various clubs.
He later played non-league football for Bishop Auckland, South Bank, Northallerton and Willington. At the last named club he was also assistant-manager and physiotherapist. He was later in charge at Shotton Comrades and he took the team up as runners-up from the Northern League Division Two to Division One in the 1998/99 season.
He subsequently returned to Darlington where he spent time working in a variety of roles, including being the Football in the Community Officer.
Latterly he was a scout at Newcastle United and he was set to assist head coach Steve Bruce at the start of a new managerial era at St James' Park for the 2019/2020 season.
He died of a heart attack on 28 July 2019 while watching a pre-season friendly game at Hillsborough, only two days after returning from an international scouting expedition.
Kevin was much loved by all the clubs with which he was involved and he will be hugely missed by family, friends and supporters.

An Opportunity Missed

Alan Frederick Graham Skirton 1939-2019

Blackpool Football Club missed a golden opportunity to sign tenacious right winger Alan Skirton early in his career, some 13 years before he did finally sign for the club. Skirton, born in Bath on 23 January 1939, had begun his football career with West Twerton Youth Club and had been an amateur with Bristol City, helping the club reach the FA Youth Cup semi-finals in the 1955/56 season. He then joined Bath City, which was where Blackpool first spotted him and recognised his precocious talent. A small fee was agreed with Bath City but Skirton's parents did not want him to be going north so he remained for a time at Bath City where his talent blossomed as he scored 44 goals in 144 games. Arsenal spotted this and he signed for the Gunners for a fee of £5,000 in January 1959 and he went on to play 144 League games, make one substitute appearance and score 53 goals for the club.

Blackpool eventually got their man when the club signed him from Arsenal for a fee of £35,000 on 12 September 1966, apparently while he was on the injured list. He recovered in time to make his League debut for Blackpool against his former club Arsenal on 17 September 1966 and he scored Blackpool’s goal in a 1-1 draw, but unfortunately he had to limp off with a recurrence of his old injury. He missed three games but returned to League action against Tottenham Hotspur on 15 October 1966 when once again he scored as Blackpool won 3-1. And his goalscoring continued as, in his third game, a League Cup tie against Chelsea, he scored twice as Blackpool unexpectedly won 3-1 at Stamford Bridge.

By then he had not played at Bloomfield Road and prior to his first home game against Newcastle United on 22 October 1966 the press commented, 'Until last weekend, Skirton had had a most unsatisfactory start to his career as a Blackpool player. Signed on September 12 while still injured, he made his debut five days later against his old club, scored a goal but limped off injured again. This injury kept him out of action for another three weeks until he returned in the Reserve side on October 8. Well, Skirton came back with a bang last weekend, and answered all the critics who had been complaining about his purchase. There can be no complaints about four goals in three matches, and if he keeps up his scoring rate, Alan will undoubtedly win many friends among Bloomfield Road patrons. Mr Suart [Blackpool manager], who took a lot of criticism over the Skirton deal when the player went down injured again, saw his faith in his new purchase fulfilled at White Hart Lane and Stamford Bridge. He told me, "We have had to wait patiently until Alan was fit again and I’m glad to say he rewarded our patience." I feel that Skirton could become a big favourite at Blackpool. Tall and strong, he should continue to add firepower to the attack. His physical attributes will add weight to the line and help take the pressure off Ray Charnley who for too long has had to bear most of the goalscoring responsibilities. He has proved that he is good in the air, having scored three of his four goals with his head, and this should give the opposing defences something further to worry about. Too often in the past the instruction has gone out to centre halves, "Bottle up Charnley and you bottle up Blackpool." It should be different now.'

Skirton continued his goalscoring exploits in the game against Newcastle United when he scored twice in a 6-0 victory. He had 'a memorable home debut' with his first goal, Blackpool’s third, coming in the 31st minute when, 'playing with great confidence, [he] had helped infuse a new spirit in the Blackpool side' as 'Moir held the ball on the right then played it through as Lea ran into space … the lively winger cut inside then sent a low cross into goal and Skirton was right on the spot to side-foot the ball past the helpless Hollins'. His second, Blackpool’s sixth, came in the 57th minute when he 'volleyed a great shot into the roof of the net after a Charnley pass had been deflected into an open space by an unhappy Newcastle defender'. Ironically this was Blackpool's only home victory of the season - they won more games on Merseyside, beating both Liverpool and Everton] and they finished bottom of the table and were relegated to Division Two.

In his first season with the club, Skirton played 25 League games, scoring eight goals, three League Cup ties, scoring two goals, and three Central League games.

He missed the opening of the 1967/68 season but returned for the third match of the season when, in his first taste of League football outside the top flight, Blackpool lost 4-1 at home to Millwall. But Blackpool's form improved with Skirton playing his part and when Blackpool defeated Birmingham City 2-1 on 3 February 1968 he scored two opportunist goals to secure the victory and complete a double over the midland side. From his right wing position he was a regular on the scoresheet and at the end of the season in 37 League games and one substitute appearance, he had scored 17 goals, as Blackpool missed promotion at the first attempt by the narrowest of margins. Skirton also played two FA Cup ties, scoring one goal, and two League Cup ties in the 1967/68 season.

As the 1968/69 season began under the management of Stan Mortensen his time at Blackpool seemed to be running out and, without a goal in his 14 League games and three League Cup ties, he was transferred to Bristol City for a fee of £15,000 on 20 November 1968. He had played 75 League games, plus making three substitute appearances, scoring 25 goals, two FA Cup ties, and eight League Cup ties, scoring two goals for the club.

He remained at Bristol City until the close of the 1970/71 season by which time he had played 75 League games, made three substitute appearances and scored 14 goals. He then joined Torquay United on a free transfer in July 1971 and, in his one season at the club, he played 36 League games, made two substitute appearances and scored seven goals.

He then had a brief spell at Durban City in South Africa before returning for a two-season spell at Weymouth, who he helped win the Southern League Cup in the 1972/73 season and where, just before his retirement from the game he became assistant commercial manager at the club.

He rejoined Bath City in July 1974 when he was appointed commercial manager, a post he held until he joined Yeovil Town in the same role in October 1981. In that role he returned to Bloomfield Road in 2000 when his then non-League side achieved a memorable FA Cup victory. It was said that he 'masterminded a revolution at Huish Park', being part of the team that engineered a move to the new Huish Park ground, before becoming a familiar voice with Yeovil fans on the Tannoy system at the ground before his final retirement in 2002. However, he did remain to work on a consultancy basis for the club when needed and was in the stands when Yeovil Town gained entry to The Football League in 2003.

He died on 12 May 2019 after a long illness due to Alzheimer's Disease and everyone's thoughts are with his wife Jane and their family and friends.

Seasiders' striker who went on to score more than 100 League goals

Christopher Robin Anthony (Kit) Napier 1943-2019

Kit Napier was born in Dunblane on 26 September 1943 and played for Arniston Thistle, a Scottish junior club as an inside forward; he later became a centre forward. He was signed by Blackpool as an amateur of considerable promise in October 1959 following a recommendation from a Scottish headmaster to Blackpool’s trainer Johnny Lynas.

He was said to have shown much promise in his early games with the Blackpool Youth side {I once saw him score seven goals in a 10-0 victory for Blackpool Youth} and he was also a more than useful golfer, having tied for a trophy at West Linton Golf Club before joining Blackpool.

Blackpool signed him as a full time professional on 30 October 1960 when his weekly wage was to be £7 per week with an extra £13 if and when playing in the first team and an extra £2 when playing in the second team. He earned that £2 when making his debut for the Central League side in a 3-1 defeat by Aston Villa reserves on 27 August 1960; it was his only Central League game in the 1960/61 season.

He was a regular goalscorer, scoring twice as Blackpool defeated the Lancastrian Brigade 4-1 in the North West Regional Challenge Cup Final on 20 April 1961 to win his first trophy with the club.

His weekly wage for the 1961/62 season was adjusted to £9 with an extra £5 if and when playing in the first team and an extra £2 when playing in the reserve side. He was still playing in the Youth side and in a Youth Cup game against Liverpool on 13 December 1961 he was 'the best forward' and 'over the 90 minutes he was tricky deceptive but not always direct'. He scored Blackpool’s goal in a 2-1 defeat.

Still only 18 he made his first team debut in the League Cup third round against Workington on 5 November 1961. Blackpool won 1 0 and he had 'a promising match' when 'with not a lot of support he showed some splendid touches, [and a] willingness to stand up for himself', he even had 'a surprise shot which smacked against the crossbar with Wright hopelessly beaten'. But he was mainly confined to the Central League side and he impressed in a 4-3 defeat by Everton reserves on 11 November 1961 and with the first team centre forward position in doubt, it was thought that he might be given a chance of a League debut. In the event Ray Charnley recovered from injury and he was not required. So, the League Cup tie was his only first team game of the 1961/62 season but he did play in 17 Central League games, scoring just one goal, that in a 3-3 draw with Chesterfield reserves on 9 December 1961.

His play had developed considerably and he was fully expected to get his chance in League football in the 1962/63 season and, consequently, his weekly wage for the season was £13 plus an extra £10 if and when playing in the first team and an extra £2 when playing in the reserve side.

He missed another opportunity for a League debut when he was pencilled in for his debut in place of Ray Charnley against Liverpool on 15 December 1962 but at the last minute manager Ronnie Suart felt that the going would suit Charnley better so Napier did not play; Blackpool lost the game 2-1.

However, the following week he was selected for his League debut against Wolverhampton Wanderers on 22 December 1962 but fog descended and the game was abandoned {I was at the game and it lasted about seven minutes as the fog descended from an almost cloudless blue sky]. Then came the big freeze and Blackpool only played one game, against Tottenham Hotspur on 19 January 1963, until they restarted their fixtures with a match against Manchester United on 23 February 1963. And that was the game that Napier finally made his First Division debut at centre forward in the 1 1 draw at Manchester United.

He kept his place for the following game, a 3-2 win over Leyton Orient on 2 March 1963 when he was considered 'not yet a First Division centre forward' and he was left out of the side after this game. He returned to Central League action in which, over the 1962/63 season, he was the top scorer with 15 goals from 33 games, in addition to his two League games.

He was transferred to Preston North End for a fee of £700 on 24 June 1963 after his Blackpool career had encompassed two League games, one League Cup tie and 51 Central League games.

He made just one first team League appearance, for Preston North End at outside right against Charlton Athletic, and he was allowed to leave after just one season at the club. His appearances in the reserve side were deemed 'more spirited than talented'.

Preston transferred him to Third Division Workington in July 1964 and he went on to play 58 League games and scored 28 goals for the club in a 16-month stay. He had one of his best days at the club when he scored twice as Workington eliminated First Division Blackburn Rovers 5-1 from the 1964/65 League Cup and he also scored the equalizer as his club earned a deserved replay against eventual winners Chelsea in the quarter-final. His 13 goals for Workington in his final season ensured a transfer to First Division Newcastle United for a £20,000 fee on 5 November 1965. And rather ironically, he made his first team debut the day after signing, in a 2 0 defeat of Blackpool at St James’s Park on 6 November 1965. He went on to play only eight League games for Newcastle United and, perhaps surprisingly, failed to score a goal.

Newcastle transferred him to Third Division Brighton and Hove Albion for a fee of £8,500 in September 1966 and he had his most successful spell in League football as in 249 League games, plus seven substitute appearances, he scored 84 goals for the club. He was a fans' favourite at Brighton, being the club's top goalscorer in five of his six seasons, equalling the club post-war record of 28 goals in a season in 1967/68 and scoring 19 goals in Brighton's 1971/72 promotion season. In all games he scored 99 goals in 291 appearances for Brighton and is the club's third all-time leading goalscorer, behind Glenn Murray and Tommy Cook. It was said of him at Brighton, 'He was a ball-playing attacker, skilful with both feet, and with tremendous talent for goalscoring. At the Goldstone, Napier’s class and quick-witted play endeared him to the crowds.'

In August 1972 he was on the move once more when he was transferred for a fee of £15,000 to Blackburn Rovers, where he played 63 League and Cup games, made one substitute appearance and scored 13 goals. He left Ewood Park after the 1973/74 season.

His League career saw him make 379 appearances and score 119 goals.

After leaving Blackburn Rovers he moved to South Africa where he played for Durban United and after retirement from professional football he had a career in the motor trade. He continued to play golf and appeared in many pro-am tournaments in South Africa.

He died on 31 March 2019 at his home in South Africa after a long illness.

A £135,000 Capture

Robert (Bobby) Doyle 1953-2019

Bobby Doyle was born in Dumbarton on 27 December 1953 and, as an experienced midfield player, he had already played 278 League games prior to his signing for Blackpool in July 1979 from Peterborough United for a fee of £135,000 (Peterborough sources mentioned £110,000 and other sources mention £100,000, which was the original fee, but the £135,000 was said to include 'other incidental expenses').

He had begun his career as a junior at Barnsley where he signed as a professional in December 1972. He went on to play 148 League games, make one substitute appearance and score 16 goals for the club. He was transferred to Peterborough United for a fee of £20,000 in July 1976 and he played 130 League games and scored 10 goals for the Posh before his move to Blackpool. Ironically, it was reported that had the Blackpool directors been a little more forthcoming, Doyle could have been signed for £55,000 less during the previous season.

He made his first appearance for Blackpool in the Anglo-Scottish Cup against Blackburn Rovers on 1 August 1979. The game was drawn 2-2 and one report stated, he 'looked well worth his record £135,000 price tag in an impressive debut' and 'Had the control of the front men been better to bring Doyle and Co into the forays on goal Blackpool would have won.' In addition, 'in the first 20 minutes the middle three of Doyle, Bobby Kerr and Brian Smith found an exciting blend which they recovered in the last 15 as Blackpool foraged for the winner'. Overall he and two other new signings, Tom McAlister and Brian Smith, 'looked bright prospects, with Bobby Doyle in particular impressing'.

He played in the 3-1 Anglo-Scottish Cup defeat by Preston North End on 4 August 1979 when 'Doyle and Kerr occasionally managed to set things up but were hampered by lack of passion and control all around them'. And then, his 'defensive work was first-class' as Blackpool defeated Burnley 3-2, also in the Anglo-Scottish Cup on 7 August 1979.

The glowing reports of him continued for when Blackpool defeated Rochdale 1-0 in the first round of the League Cup on 14 August 1979 they were 'spurred on almost entirely by the hard-working and immaculate Bobby Doyle' and his 'all-round contribution and McAlister’s saves on a treacherous night were the outstanding features of a stuttering Blackpool display'.

He made his League debut for the Seasiders against Gillingham on 18 August 1979 when Blackpool won 2-1 when, with the game poised at 0-0, his 'skills were not enough to break the deadlock' but overall he had 'a great match'. Later that month it was noted, 'Brian Smith’s ability to put himself in the thick of the action is necessary to take physical pressure off Bobby Doyle and allow him to exert his obviously superior class.'

Appearing for the first time against his former club Peterborough United on 29 August, he 'came close to breaking the deadlock when he took a return pass and hammered a fierce low drive inches wide after 75 minutes'. The first leg League Cup second round tie was drawn 0-0.

By 8 September 1979 he was reportedly 'feeling at home' and was enjoying his time at Blackpool. He was living at Tom White’s Boston Hotel prior to him and his wife purchasing a home at Hambleton and he commented, 'I think I’ve settled in well. The team performances have been a bit up and down but I have no regrets about coming to the club and I am really enjoying my football.'

After a 3-1 defeat by Sheffield United on 18 September 1979 the comment of many Sheffield fans was 'If Alex Sabella is worth £650,000, what is Bobby Doyle worth?' The reason for the question was reported thus, 'The Blackpool midfielder had the brooding Argentinean in his pocket for much of the game, only losing out under enormous pressure in the second half.' Overall the comment was 'Lapses of concentration in defence are something for the individuals to put right, but in terms of a team performance, backed by outstanding displays by Kellow, Doyle and Malone, Blackpool have nothing to be ashamed off. This sort of effort will carry the day nine times out of 10.'

He scored his first goal for Blackpool as they fought back from three goals down to lose 3-2 to Sheffield United in a top of the table clash on 3 October 1979. The goal came just before half-time when 'Smith and Weston worked the ball sweetly across the middle and Doyle thundered in a low 20-yarder'.The following week he missed what was only his fifth game in two-and-a-half years when he was missing through injury against Bury on 10 October 1979 and after the 2-1defeat manager Stan Ternent said, 'We missed Stan [McEwan] and Bobby Doyle a lot.'

His first season at Blackpool saw him play 36 League games, plus two substitute appearances, scoring two goals, two FA Cup games, four League Cup games and three Anglo-Scottish Cup ties in the 1979/80 season.

After Blackpool had gone a goal down to Fulham after just two minutes on 6 September 1980 he 'played an important role in the first half in turning the game Blackpool’s way' as the Seasiders went on to win 2-1. But after a 3-0 defeat by Brentford on 20 September 1980 he was knocking on the manager’s door as there were rumours that he was on the transfer list. However, manager Alan Ball said the report was 'a complete fabrication' and that Doyle was very much part of his future plans. However, he was to play only three more League games for the club.

He was brought back into the side for three games in November 1980 when all three results were recorded, a 2-0 victory over Oxford United, a 4-0 defeat by Rotherham United and, what turned out to be his final game for the club, a 1-1 draw with Swindon Town. He played 11 League games, one FA Cup game, four League cup games and five Anglo-Scottish Cup games in the 1980/81 season. And his short-term Blackpool career saw him make 68 appearances, in which he scored two goals, in all competitions.

He was transferred to Portsmouth for a fee of £90,000 [Portsmouth report £75,000] in December 1980 and he immediately 'gave the squad a solid look'. He went on to play 188 games and score 18 goals for Portsmouth where he won a Division Three championship medal in the 1982/83 season.

Portsmouth transferred him to Hull City for a fee of £30,000 in August 1985 and he gave 'the Tigers midfield the creativity that it had previously lacked'. He went on to play 43 League games, scoring two goals, three FA Cup games, three League Cup games and four other games for Hull City.

A broken leg and ankle, suffered in a heavy tackle by Dave Cussack, during a 1987/88 pre-season friendly game against Doncaster Rovers sadly ended his League career.

He died on 26 February 2019 and everyone's thoughts are with Bobby's family and friends at this sad time.

A Goal to Remember!

Barrie Martin 1935-2019

Barrie Martin was born in Birmingham on 29 September 1935. His family moved to Blackpool when he was a youngster and he played his football as a full back with the local side Highfield Youth Club. His potential was spotted and Blackpool signed him as an amateur from Highfield in May 1952.

He played only in the junior sides in the 1952/53 season but Blackpool thought highly of him and signed him as a professional on 17 December 1953. Once again he played only in the junior sides in the 1953/54 season and then he joined the Forces to complete his National Service on 4 March 1954.

On completion of his National Service he returned to the club and he made his Central League debut at left back against Derby County reserves on 24 March 1956 when Blackpool won 2-0. He went on to play seven Central League games in the 1955/56 season, appearing at left back, left half and right back.

The following season he returned to Central League action at left half for the game against Preston North End reserves on 17 September 1956 when Blackpool lost 2-1 and he ended the 1956/57 season having played 19 Central League games. He, ended the season in the left back position, once again having played in both full back positions and at left half throughout the season.

His weekly wage for the 1957/58 season was £10 with an extra £7 if and when he played in the first team and an extra £2 when he played in the Central League side. And he started the 1957/58 season at left half in the Central League side but played his second game of the season in the unaccustomed position of right half. However, thereafter, he played at full back, eventually making the left back position his own.

Injury to the regular left back Jackie Wright gave him the opportunity to make his League debut against Bolton Wanderers on 28 December 1957 when Blackpool lost the game 3-2. Interestingly, it was erroneously stated that he was 'the first Blackpool born full back to play for the club in First or Second Division football for over 30 years'. But, being born in Birmingham this was obviously not the case; Herbert ‘Taffy’ Jones was said to have been the previous player to have, and at that time retain, the honour.

He was back in the League side for the final three games of the season, replacing Jimmy Armfield at right back in a 2-0 victory over West Bromwich Albion and then left back Jackie Wright in two defeats, 1-0 at home to Everton and 2-1 at Tottenham Hotspur. The four League games that he played augmented his 34 Central League appearances in the 1957/58 season. And although he had only made fleeting appearances in the League side, the critic in Blackpool's weekly football newspaper The Green stated before the final match of the season, 'For the player most likely to succeed next season I choose local full back Barrie Martin. In his three games for the first team before today, Martin showed the coolness, skill and positional sense that go to make a player of quality. Those attributes should develop next season.' The critic was not wrong, he could obviously spot potential when he saw it!

The club obviously also thought the same as his weekly wage was increased for the 1958/59 season to £14 with an extra £6 if and when he played in the first team. He earned £36 from that appearance bonus because Jackie Wright and Tommy Garrett shared the left back position with Barrie replacing them in only four games when they were injured, plus once again replacing Jimmy Armfield in two other games. Thus he played six League games to add to his 38 Central League games in the 1958/59 season.

Once again he earned a wage increase for the 1959/60 season, £17 in the summer months and £20 in the season. And he became the regular first team left back at the start of that 1959/60 season; the Armfield/Martin full back partnership had begun.

On 12 December 1959, he scored his first, and as it turned out only, senior goal for the club in a 3-1 defeat of Chelsea at Bloomfield Road. And, remarkably, I still remember it well (even though I was only a 13year-old). He received the ball from goalkeeper George Farm and began a mazy dribble out of his own half that ended with him driving a shot past the Chelsea goalkeeper from just outside the penalty area; I can see it even now!

A 1-1 draw with Wolverhampton Wanderers on 6 February 1960 brought the Armfield/Martin full back partnership more into focus as one critic wrote, 'A compact half-back line, in which Roy Gratrix was superb and Peter Hauser and Hugh Kelly forever active, plus two sound, assured full backs in Jimmy Armfield and Barrie Martin, played a major part in achieving a deserved draw.'

Losing his place only temporarily in the 1959/60 season, he played 38 League games, scoring that one goal, three FA Cup games and three Central League games. But in the 1960/61 season, the re-emergence of Tommy Garrett cost him his place for much of the season and he ended it having played 18 League games, two League Cup games and 21 Central League games. Even so, his weekly wage for the 1961/62 season was increased to £24 with an extra £5 if and when he played in the first team.
And he missed only one game, and that through injury, in the 1961/62 season, playing in 41 League games, eight League Cup ties and two FA Cup ties.

He was always a robust player but always a fair one and it was something of a surprise when he received an FA warning after being booked in the game against Bolton Wanderers on 6 April 1963; perhaps Blackpool's 3-0 defeat had something to do with it! However, he was an ever-present in the 1962/63 season, playing in all 42 League games, three League Cup ties and two FA Cup ties.

Injury caused him to miss two League games in the 1963/64 season so he ended the season having played in 40 League games, two League Cup ties and two FA Cup ties. It was also the season of a most unusual event for Barrie. A hand-ball offence by a Bolton defender gave Blackpool a penalty in the game against the Wanderers on 7 March 1964 and as on critic reported, 'Martin unexpectedly chose to take it' and he 'sidefooted it over the bar on to the Kop' but Blackpool did go on to win 2-0.

But the emergence of a new full back, Tommy Thompson, meant that Barrie's time at Blackpool was coming to a close. He appeared in the opening Central League game of the season, a 0-0 draw with Sheffield Wednesday reserves on 22 August 1964 and it was to be his final game for the club as Blackpool transferred him to Oldham Athletic for a fee of £7,500 on 28 August 1964. He had given Blackpool loyal service, having played 213 League and Cup games plus 123 Central League games.

He played 42 League games, scoring four goals, and three FA Cup ties, scoring one goal, for Oldham Athletic and, as I was working in London at the time when and we had no game on a particular Saturday and I saw that Oldham were coming to town, I was able to watch Barrie playing for his new side in a game at Brentford, a game I went to watch just to see Barrie once again!

Oldham transferred him to Tranmere Rovers in June 1965 for a fee of £4,000 and he played 99 League games and made three substitute appearances for the club.

After retirement from football he returned to the Fylde Coast and became a car dealer in Blackpool.

He died in Trinity Hospice, Blackpool, on 27 February 2019. He is an integral part of Blackpool Football Club history and, certainly for this supporter, he will be remembered for that one magnificent goal! Rest in Peace, Barrie.

Blackpool FC Hat-Trick Hero at Deepdale

Frederick (Fred) Pickering 1941-2019

Whatever else Fred Pickering achieved in football, and he achieved plenty, he will forever be remembered by Blackpool football fans as the Seasiders' player who scored the hat-trick at Deepdale on 13 April 1970 that sent Blackpool back into the top flight of English football.

Fred was born in Blackburn on 19 January 1941 and, as a centre forward, he was signed by Blackpool from Birmingham City for a fee of £45,000 on 17 June 1969. He had begun his career as a junior full back at Blackburn Rovers, a club that he joined as a non-contract player in May 1956 and for whom he signed as a professional in January 1958. He played 147 League and Cup games for Blackburn and scored 72 goals before he was transferred to Everton for a then club record fee of £85,000 in March 1964. His 115 League and Cup appearances for Everton brought him 70 goals before he moved on to Birmingham City for a fee of £50,000 in August 1967. He played 74 League games and scored 27 goals for Birmingham. He had won three England Under-23 caps, scoring four goals, and three full international caps, scoring three goals on his debut against the United States of America and five goals in all. He had also represented the Football League.

He made his Blackpool debut in the opening game of the 1969/70 season against Portsmouth on 9 August 1969 and although in the first half 'he hadn’t yet got to a position to have a go at goal he was moving well in the middle'. He had a chance in the second half but 'centre half Hand did well to get in a sliding tackle on the Blackpool leader and push the ball back to his ‘keeper' as Blackpool won 2-1.

He scored his first goal for Blackpool against Norwich City on 16 August 1969 in the 49th minute when 'Hutchison’s flag kick was nudged on by Burns, missed about three Norwich defenders and Pickering, unmarked at the far side of goal, nodded into the unguarded net' but, despite this goal, Blackpool suffered a 3-1 defeat.

After five games of the 1969/70 season he contracted pneumonia but, after an absence of only five games, he was rushed back into the side when the club had 17 of their 22 contracted players undergoing treatment for injuries. He said, later, 'We were third-bottom, and I had a knee injury and wasn’t training. Then we got our players fit and never looked back.'
His return to League action was against Middlesbrough on 27 September 1969 when Blackpool won 2-0.

On 4 October 1969 one critic stuck his neck out when writing 'I’m still sure that Pickering is going to get among the goals one of these days and prove a valuable buy. Although he did not play well against Crystal Palace, he did well against Middlesbrough last Saturday and laid on Alan Suddick’s second half goal in great style.' Two weeks later, on 18 October 1969, he scored 'two well-taken second half goals' in a 3-2 victory over Sheffield United. His first came in the 61st minute when 'Burns managed to keep possession to cross from the line [and] Pickering, charging in at the far side of the goal, hit the ball first time low into the net with the home defence almost standing.' His second came in the 81st minute when Craven had a shot charged down and 'the ball broke loose to Pickering, who hit it first time from 16 yards past Hodgkinson'.

A 35th-minute header gave Blackpool a 1-0 victory over Watford on 10 January 1970. The goal came after 'Hutchison did the early work before passing to Suddick on the left, and the Blackpool forward immediately centred for Pickering to leap above the retreating Watford defenders to head the ball down into the net. It bounced high on the line and then into the top of the goal.' And in the dramatic FA Cup third round replay against Arsenal on 15 January 1970 he scored Blackpool’s second goal as they came back from a half-time two-goal deficit to win 3-2. By then the critics felt that he had played 'some fine stuff' and scored some vital goals.

PICKERING PIRATES THE POINTS was the alliterative headline in The Green after Blackpool’s 2-0 victory over Charlton Athletic on 28 February 1970. He scored 'two tremendous goals in the second half', his first after 59 minutes when 'Hutchison centred a perfect ball and Pickering, who started his run outside the box, charged into the six-yard box to meet the ball and ram it home via the top of the head of a defender stationed on the goal line' and his second came after 68 minutes when 'Blackpool broke out of defence [and] Craven’s strength told in a series of tackles just inside the Charlton half when the ball broke back to him after Setters had challenged and he sent Burns away to force a corner off Kinsey. Once again the corner Suddick sent was an outswinger to the edge of the box, where Pickering, a yard clear of the nearest Charlton man hit it on the volley as he turned and the ball sped knee high like a rocket into the corner of the net.'

In the Easter Saturday fixture against Aston Villa on 28 March 1970 he scored twice, once from the penalty spot, as Blackpool won 2-1. He struck first after 13 minutes when 'unmarked at the edge of the six-yard box, he jumped to pick his spot with a well-placed header' and, after Hutchison had been brought down, he stepped up to drive a 59th-minute penalty past Dunn. He earned the headline HAPPY EASTER FROM FRED!

He wrote his name large in Blackpool football folklore when he scored a hat-trick in the game against arch-rivals Preston North End on 13 April 1969. In front of a packed 34,000 crowd, his three goals without reply sent Blackpool back into the First Division after a three-season absence and sent North End down to Division Three. He later recalled, 'It was more special because it was Preston. The fans were against each other and there were 20,000 Blackpool supporters there. It’s always brought up whenever I go back to Blackpool and is one of my fondest memories. They’d had so many great players in the past — Matthews and Mortensen — but hadn’t done anything for years until we got them up. We had three games over Easter and had to win two. We beat Sheffield United at home on the Saturday, then won at Preston and we were up.' He remembered his hat-trick goal because he felt Tommy Hutchison’s shot was going in but decided to make sure and he commented, 'The ‘keeper got a hand to it and it was rolling over the line but I didn’t know who was behind me so I put it in to make sure. I wasn’t thinking about my hat-trick.'

He played 35 League games, scoring 17 goals, two FA Cup ties and three League Cup ties, scoring one goal, in the Division Two promotion season of 1969/70.

Manager Les Shannon suspended him from first team action for 14 days on 28 August 1970 for a breach of club discipline, missing training. He denied that he had immediately made a transfer request and said that although he had not had a chance to discuss the situation with manager Les Shannon, he would be having talks with the manager to 'clear the air' on the following Monday. Consequently he missed two League games. One critic, perhaps unfairly, felt he had become 'a hot handful in the disciplinary stakes'.

He was placed on the transfer list in late September 1970. And after injury had caused him to miss two games, Les Shannon suspended him for another breach of club discipline, missing training once again, in early October 1970. Shannon commented he was suspended 'for repeatedly breaking club discipline' and the chance of a reconciliation between player and manager was rather slight and it was deemed that the best solution would be a parting of the ways. He missed two further League games when he received no pay and missed out on any special bonuses that were paid.

Back in the side and in one of the most dramatic games seen at Bloomfield Road in a long while, he scored twice in the first half and an Alan Suddick goal gave Blackpool a 3-0 half-time lead against Chelsea on 24 October 1970. For his first goal he 'took a return pass from Green and, with Phillips off his line and a gap yawning in the Chelsea defence he hit the ball quickly and high into the net from a couple of yards outside the penalty area'. His second goal was deemed 'one of the best he has scored in his career' as 'Suddick found Burns with a pass to the right. Burns fashioned the chance beautifully when he slipped past Chelsea’s tough tackling Harris on the outside to cut back a low centre which Pickering met on the volley about nine yards out, slashing the ball into the roof of the net.' In the 75th minute, with Blackpool leading 3-1, he was replaced by John Craven and 'Pickering seemed as surprised as many people in the crowd that he was being taken off' and Chelsea came back strongly to win 4-3 with an unfortunate last minute own goal by Dave Hatton.

He was suspended by acting-manager Jimmy Meadows in early November 1970 for failing to report for treatment when injured and it was noted, 'He obviously poses a disciplinary problem.' He was not pleased at the club's decision and he stated that he would from then on be playing for himself and the consensus of opinion was that Blackpool should therefore put the club first and take some stronger action even though there was no doubt that he was the best centre forward on the club’s books.

On 17 November 1970 he commented, 'I am determined to prove myself again in the team. I don’t hold any grudges against anyone for what happened. The club needs everyone at the moment and I am going to do my best for Blackpool.' Meadows commented, 'I had Fred in my office yesterday and we ironed out any problems there were. We have sorted things out and he is prepared to put his back into the job and give everything he has got for the club. Fred felt his statement about not playing for Blackpool again had been said in haste and he retracts that. I’m pleased we have sorted this out, for whatever problems arise, the job still has to be done.'

Having patched up his differences with the club he was reintroduced to the League side against Derby County on 21 November 1970 when 'not much was seen of Blackpool’s two big men in attack, Craven and Pickering' as Blackpool lost 2-0.

Thereafter he was in and out of the side until he returned to League action, after Bob Stokoe had taken over as manager, as a 54th-minute substitute for Tommy Hutchison against Liverpool on 9 January 1971 and he scored Blackpool’s second goal after 59 minutes in a 2-2 draw. And with only his second touch of the ball, five minutes after taking the field, he was 'lying handy at the near post to flick the ball low past Clemence' after a cross by Tony Green. The following week he scored twice in a 3-3 draw with Manchester City on 16 January 1971. After nine minutes he was able to 'run between two City defenders and plant the ball firmly past Corrigan with his head from close range' and then after 63 minutes he followed up Kemp’s shot that Corrigan could only palm out and 'squeezed it [the ball] over the line under the ‘keeper’s body'.

He played what turned out to be his final League game for Blackpool against Derby County on 20 February 1971 and he had one chance but 'Big Fred didn’t hit it properly. Boulton managed to parry the ball and the ‘keeper did a marvellous job for Derby when he managed to recover and smother it on the line as Hutchison slid in and got in a second shot.' Blackpool lost the game 1-0. He had played 14 League games, made one substitute appearance and scored seven goals, one FA Cup tie up and four Central League games, scoring two goals, one from the penalty spot, for Blackpool up to the time of his transfer in the 1970/71 season. And his senior Blackpool career encompassed 56 League and Cup games in which he scored 25 goals.

In what was termed 'a surprise deal' he was transferred to Blackburn Rovers on 10 March 1971 for a fee of £9,000 plus an extra £1,000 should Rovers remain in Division Two at the end of that season. Rovers did not do so and the additional £1,000 was waived. Blackburn manager Johnny Carey had contacted Bob Stokoe by telephone on the morning of the transfer, the deal was agreed and Pickering travelled to Ewood Park to quickly agree personal terms. The transfer was a major blow to Preston North End who had an offer for Pickering discussed at a board meeting the previous evening.

He played 11 League games and scored two goals in his second spell at Blackburn. He went to Brighton and Hove Albion for a trial in February 1972 but he was not retained by the club.

After retirement from football he lived and worked as a driver in the Blackburn area. Always a fans' favourite he returned to Bloomfield Road for various celebrations over the ensuing years, including Jimmy Armfield’s 70th birthday celebrations in September 2005. I last saw him at Ewood Park when Blackpool, in their solitary Premier League season, played Blackburn and he was just as ebullient as ever and he was delighted to be watching two of his former sides playing in the top flight.

He died on 9 February 2019 and everybody's thoughts are with Fred’s three children and his family and friends at this sad time.

New England Patriots Superbowl Champions Again

New England Patriots 13 Los Angeles Rams 3

The New England Patriots went into the record books last night after defeating the Los Angeles Rams in Superbowl LIII in Georgia, They become the second team to have won the trophy on six occasions, following in the footsteps of the Pittsburgh Steelers. And quarterback Tom Brady surpasses Charles Haley, once of the San Francisco 49ers and the Dallas Cowboys, with six Superbowl rings to his name. Haley previously held the record with five, two with the 49ers and three with the Cowboys; all Brady's rings have come with the Patriots.

After the exploits of the two teams over the NFL season, most people were expecting an offence driven game but it turned out very differently. Defences were on top throughout with the result that the 16 points scored is the lowest in Superbowl history. The 21 points scored in the Miami Dolphins versus Washington Redskins Superbowl of 1972 was the previous lowest.

And speaking of statistics, it was the second lowest scoring first half in a Superbowl, beaten only by the two points scored in Superbowl IX when the Steelers led the Minnesota Vikings two-nil and it was the first Superbowl to have no touchdowns scored in the first three quarters of the game. What is more, neither team had a possession in the red zone until seven minutes 43 seconds were left in the fourth quarter. That was when the game changer came about.

Needless to say, it was Tom Brady who provided it with an incisive 29-yard pass to Rob Gronkowski who made an excellent catch on the Rams' two-yard line. On the very next play running back Sony Michel ran in the game's only touchdown, the other points coming from two Stephen Gostkowski field goals and a point after touchdown for the Patriots (he also missed from 41 yeards, the first point after touchdown missed in the Georgia Dome all season) and a field goal from the Rams' Greg Zuerlein, who also missed a long distant attempt late on.

The game began badly for Brady for Cory Littleton intercepted his first passing attempt but the Patriots strong defence prevented the Rams from capitalising on it. In the final analysis, Brady completed 21 of 35 passes for 252 yards, including 10 for 141 yards to the game's most valuable player, the elusive Julian Edelman.

As for quarterback Jared Goff of the Rams, he had an extremely quiet first half but finished with 19 completed passes out of 38 attempts for 229 yards and one late-game interception by Stephon Gilmore. Goff, who has had a fine season, seemed somehow out of his depth as Patriots' coach Bill Belichick outfoxed his rival coach the young pretender Sean McVay, who has a great future ahead of him.

Poor Goff looked like a rabbit in the headlights as the Patriots' defence completely fooled him most of the time. He did have one moment when it looked as though he might secure a touchdown but his fractionally late release to a wide open Brandin Cooks in the end zone allowed cornerback Jason McCourty, playing in the side alongside his twin brother Devin, to get across and make a sensational play. And that was about it as the Patriots' defensive dominance continued.

As for Brady he was under more pressure than usual but Aaron Donald, the Rams 20.5 sackmaster from the regular season, and his team-mates could not get to him often enough to disrupt his rhythm. And so the Patriots' dynasty continued ... and we are left to wonder, 'Where will it end?'

Brady certainly made it clear that he intends to carry on, and why shouldn't he? Belichick has given no intimation, even at 66 that he intends to retire, although one wonders how long can the Patriots keep Josh McDaniels waiting in the wings to take over. Belichick is now the oldest coach to win a Superbowl, surpassing Tom Coughlin of the New York Giants, who was 65. And tight end Rob Gronkowski has said that he will party and then consider his future.

It was very definitely a game for the purists rather than the casual observer but nevertheless, it was an historic night that ended in glory for owner Robert Kraft's Patriots and in tears and disappointment for the Los Angeles Rams.