Its really sad to see the passing of Billingham Synthonia’s greatest supporter Jackie Weatherall who was known as Jackie Asher he supported the club for sixty five years, Jackie worked as a machinist at Head Wrightsons Stockton Forge. Patrick (Paddy) Basnett a Billingham lad was one of Bill Jeff’s Whitby Town young stars in the early sixties, one of his best games was at Whitley Bay & Whitby were down to ten men after quarter of an hour and Paddy put Neil Walton, Whitley Bay’s amateur international in his back pocket as Whitby went onto win, that day we had our after game meal in the Rex Hotel on the Whitley Bay seafront.
As you said Anon Head Wrightsons supplied Whitby Twon with many players. I played for themn 1954-56 seasons, before doing my National Service and joining Hereford United for two seasons. I also played a few games for them after leaving Stockton and then going to South Africa. We had a private coach which left opposite Stockton Police Staion for every home match. On long weekends when we had two home matches we stayed over in Whitby and used to dine at the Cutty Sark Restaurant in Whitby. They certainly looked after their players and we used to have fresh fish delivered by the local fishermen for the team. Good memories – it only seems like yesterday.
Whitby Town certainly done well with players from Head Wrightsons in the sixties, Gran. What with yourself, Eddie Graham & Keith Moody, there was also Barry Dickens, Peter Scott, Eddie Wilkinson & Edgar Fellowes. I wonder what Peter Scotts goals scoring exploits were over the seasons, surely one of the best goalscorers in the area.
It is really sad to hear of Keith Moody, Gran. He was a modest man & a great colleague to have at work as well as on a football pitch. Keith was a member as you say of Bill Jeff’s Whitby Town team that lost 3-1 to Hendon who had five internationals in their side and were managed by Ron Burgess the former Spurs & Swansea star(he was in the Great Britain side that played the Rest of Europe in 1947). Whitby had Maurice Crosswaite injured after eight minutes (a passenger no substitutes in those days) and Hendon got their third goal in the final minutes, after Jimmy Mulvaney had crashed a shot against the Hendon crossbar.
I met Lenny Sewell at the age of eleven when we both started at Richard Hind Seniors and played football with him all through school and for the minor and junior teams of West End. Lenny was a great guy, always full of fun and always in bother at school with varius members of the RH staff. Lenny and I organised a reunion for our year at Stockton Cricket Club and we managed to get the two remaining members of staff to attend, Mr Goodier and our sports master Mr Fenny. It was a great night and it’s sad to think that along with Len most of that year has passed on. It’s good to think that he is still remembered by a good number of people with whom he played football with like Gran and Anon.
It will be sad news to Anon and others about Keith Moody. Bill Jeffs recruited Keith, Eddie Graham and myself to Whitby, as newcomers, when he got the job there. Keith stayed and was one of the Wembley beaten finalists team.
Gran,I agree entirely regarding your comments of Lenny Sewell, also some of his Gasworks colleagues who were gas fitters on the bikes were Ralph Jordinson,Charlie Rose,a ginger lad called Norman who played outside left for Stockton West End and a young Tommy Murphy. Ralph Jordinson played in the same Stockton F.C.team as Frank Seddon.
Anon, I can’t let your mention of Lenny Sewell go by without saying he was one of the nicest characters you could wish to know. I can still picture him, when a young man riding around on his Gasworks Bike going to fix domestic gas problems with a cheery wave and smile. I am sure Ken Rhodes can add to comment on Lenny. I was saddened a few years ago now to learn of his death at home in Thornaby. Must confess I thought you a bit too young to have played with the lads mentioned.
I too played alongside both Lol & Arthur, Gran. Arthur was a character I remember whilst playing for Head Wrightsons against Grangetown Boys Club – their centre forward, a 6′ 4″ bruiser, caught Arthur late in a challenge & Arthur jumped up to seek retribution, but we (Lenny Sewell & myself)were fortunate to stop him before he could get to the bruiser.
Sad to read Anons comments regarding the death of Lol. He was indeed a very good, well built centre half. The goalkeeper is his brother Arthur, who played for Head Wrightson’s in the same team as myself. He died under tragic circumstances in the 60’s. The Billingham player in the centre of the photo is Irving Johnstone who was team captain for most of the 50’s.
Sorry to hear of the sad passing of the former Billingham Synthonia stalwart, Lol Hodgson, before Christmas. He was a gentleman & always had a word of advice for younger players, as mentioned above he is 2nd from the right in the photo.
The goalkeeper in this photo is the late Arthur Hodgeson brother of Lol the centre half 2nd from right.There is a photo of Harry Armstrong in the Blackhall Colliery team Ref:-t3896.
The game is Billingham Synthonia v Pegasus.David there are a number of photos of your late dad Harry on the Billingham Synthonia web-site gallery,in the 1930 to present squads section.
The goalie looks like my dad Harry Armstrong who played for Billingham Synthonia as well as Whitby , Crook, Blackhall and Newcastle – a nice surprise to come across this picture – I hadn”t seen it before
Its really sad to see the passing of Billingham Synthonia’s greatest supporter Jackie Weatherall who was known as Jackie Asher he supported the club for sixty five years, Jackie worked as a machinist at Head Wrightsons Stockton Forge. Patrick (Paddy) Basnett a Billingham lad was one of Bill Jeff’s Whitby Town young stars in the early sixties, one of his best games was at Whitley Bay & Whitby were down to ten men after quarter of an hour and Paddy put Neil Walton, Whitley Bay’s amateur international in his back pocket as Whitby went onto win, that day we had our after game meal in the Rex Hotel on the Whitley Bay seafront.
As you said Anon Head Wrightsons supplied Whitby Twon with many players. I played for themn 1954-56 seasons, before doing my National Service and joining Hereford United for two seasons. I also played a few games for them after leaving Stockton and then going to South Africa. We had a private coach which left opposite Stockton Police Staion for every home match. On long weekends when we had two home matches we stayed over in Whitby and used to dine at the Cutty Sark Restaurant in Whitby. They certainly looked after their players and we used to have fresh fish delivered by the local fishermen for the team. Good memories – it only seems like yesterday.
Whitby Town certainly done well with players from Head Wrightsons in the sixties, Gran. What with yourself, Eddie Graham & Keith Moody, there was also Barry Dickens, Peter Scott, Eddie Wilkinson & Edgar Fellowes. I wonder what Peter Scotts goals scoring exploits were over the seasons, surely one of the best goalscorers in the area.
It is really sad to hear of Keith Moody, Gran. He was a modest man & a great colleague to have at work as well as on a football pitch. Keith was a member as you say of Bill Jeff’s Whitby Town team that lost 3-1 to Hendon who had five internationals in their side and were managed by Ron Burgess the former Spurs & Swansea star(he was in the Great Britain side that played the Rest of Europe in 1947). Whitby had Maurice Crosswaite injured after eight minutes (a passenger no substitutes in those days) and Hendon got their third goal in the final minutes, after Jimmy Mulvaney had crashed a shot against the Hendon crossbar.
I met Lenny Sewell at the age of eleven when we both started at Richard Hind Seniors and played football with him all through school and for the minor and junior teams of West End. Lenny was a great guy, always full of fun and always in bother at school with varius members of the RH staff. Lenny and I organised a reunion for our year at Stockton Cricket Club and we managed to get the two remaining members of staff to attend, Mr Goodier and our sports master Mr Fenny. It was a great night and it’s sad to think that along with Len most of that year has passed on. It’s good to think that he is still remembered by a good number of people with whom he played football with like Gran and Anon.
It will be sad news to Anon and others about Keith Moody. Bill Jeffs recruited Keith, Eddie Graham and myself to Whitby, as newcomers, when he got the job there. Keith stayed and was one of the Wembley beaten finalists team.
Normans surname was Lee, he was a bit of a veteran winger when we played for Stockton West End
Gran,I agree entirely regarding your comments of Lenny Sewell, also some of his Gasworks colleagues who were gas fitters on the bikes were Ralph Jordinson,Charlie Rose,a ginger lad called Norman who played outside left for Stockton West End and a young Tommy Murphy. Ralph Jordinson played in the same Stockton F.C.team as Frank Seddon.
Anon, I can’t let your mention of Lenny Sewell go by without saying he was one of the nicest characters you could wish to know. I can still picture him, when a young man riding around on his Gasworks Bike going to fix domestic gas problems with a cheery wave and smile. I am sure Ken Rhodes can add to comment on Lenny. I was saddened a few years ago now to learn of his death at home in Thornaby. Must confess I thought you a bit too young to have played with the lads mentioned.
I too played alongside both Lol & Arthur, Gran. Arthur was a character I remember whilst playing for Head Wrightsons against Grangetown Boys Club – their centre forward, a 6′ 4″ bruiser, caught Arthur late in a challenge & Arthur jumped up to seek retribution, but we (Lenny Sewell & myself)were fortunate to stop him before he could get to the bruiser.
Sad to read Anons comments regarding the death of Lol. He was indeed a very good, well built centre half. The goalkeeper is his brother Arthur, who played for Head Wrightson’s in the same team as myself. He died under tragic circumstances in the 60’s. The Billingham player in the centre of the photo is Irving Johnstone who was team captain for most of the 50’s.
Sorry to hear of the sad passing of the former Billingham Synthonia stalwart, Lol Hodgson, before Christmas. He was a gentleman & always had a word of advice for younger players, as mentioned above he is 2nd from the right in the photo.
The goalkeeper in this photo is the late Arthur Hodgeson brother of Lol the centre half 2nd from right.There is a photo of Harry Armstrong in the Blackhall Colliery team Ref:-t3896.
The game is Billingham Synthonia v Pegasus.David there are a number of photos of your late dad Harry on the Billingham Synthonia web-site gallery,in the 1930 to present squads section.
The goalie looks like my dad Harry Armstrong who played for Billingham Synthonia as well as Whitby , Crook, Blackhall and Newcastle – a nice surprise to come across this picture – I hadn”t seen it before