Stockton FC programme from when they were playing in the Midland League. Photograph courtesy of Benny Brown, Australia. 
Picture Stockton Archive
A Pictorial History of Stockton-on-Tees
Stockton FC programme from when they were playing in the Midland League. Photograph courtesy of Benny Brown, Australia.
ANYONE KNOW THE STOCKTON LINEUP WHEN THEY BEAT BISHOP AAUCKLAND IN AMATUER CUP IN 1958
Can you tell in the 40s did you have a goal keeper called Heseltine?
Rex Hesletine
Rex Heseltine played in goal for Stockton F.C. in the fifties, he started with Stockton West End & finished with Primrose Hill in the early sixties, he played cricket for Stockton C.C. & was a schoolteacher at Tilery & Newham Grange.
He was called Rex Hazelton, and taught me at Newham Grange in late 1950s/60s.
He also played cricket for Stockton, hard hitting batsman enjoyed hitting sixes.
Same chap I was a colleague when we were playing football, also go back to when he played the church organ at North Terrace Church on Norton Road about 1950.
I have heard that Teddy Lowe died lat year. Maybe Anon can fill us in on the details? Everytime I visit Teesside these days I hear of another one of my friends having passed away. I checked the Newham Grange twam of the 1949/50 season shown on this website and of the 14 in the squad there are only six still going strong. It makes you realise time is moving on. I will be visiting Teesside in May to August 2012 and was wondering if any of the contributors to this site would be interested in getting together for night of chatting over pint at a local pub. Anyone interested can contact me through the Picture Stockton site staff who have my e-mail. If there is good reponse maybe we can organise the get together for some time in June/July.
Was Teddy Lowe the Stockton & Billingham Synthonia footballer. the father of Kenny Lowe the Billingham professional footballer who had ten clubs in his career, he was signed twice by Barry Fry first for £40,000 for Barnet & second for Birmingham City £75,000. He also gained two England semi-professional caps, but his sister Kendra Slawinski OBE, is the most capped England netball player. Kenny manage Barrow where he had Lee Turnbull another local lad as his assistant, he now lives in Australia where he was coach at Perth Glory.
Alf Coverdale, the Stockton goalkeeper in the programme, is from Norton and has his own driving school. Big Alf is the father of Drew who was a good footballer who played for Bishop Auckland in the Northern League. Sid Monkhouse was the brother of Alan the ex-Newcastle United player & Powderhall runner.
For the record, this game was played on 9th May 1959 and Peterborough won 3-0. It was, I believe, the final game of the 1958/59 season. Stockton were away again to Peterborough for the first game of the 1959/60 season and lost 7-0. It must be said that Peterborough were a very good side, won the Midland League and were elected to the Football League Division 4 for the following season, replacing Gateshead who failed to be re-elected. (Was it that North Eastern bias again?).
A few other Stockton players who I played with in the Midland League, Brian Armstrong captain of Norton Cricket Club, Eddie Lowe a well Known Billingham footballer, Tommy Thomson from Tilery went on to play for England Amateurs and Blackpool as a professional, Barry Geldart, who went to Wembley with Whitby Town and became Chief Scout for Blackburn Rovers, Trevor Cockerill Who I believe entered the professional ranks later on, Neil Moody who also went to Wembley with West Auckland Town. All great local players who made their marks in Amateur Football. Many of these players could have played professionally but the money available in those days was not worth the risk of going full time in such a precarious occupation. not so now a days when money is so freely available even to mediocre player, and there are many of them plying their trade today.
Looking at the Stockton football programme I noticed the name of Jimmy Rayner playing for Peterborough I played with Jimmy for Stockton. Jimmy was a very good player we played in the Midland league together.
I remember you Andy, as you say the days when we took our own hot water boiler and sandwiches to the away games, great memories great players also,another few names to remember,Stewy Fellows, Bob Dickens, big Joe Livingston, Jimmy Dilworth, Ron Greener, Alan Mowby, and many others, Bill Harris was the coach for a season or two also.
i played for stockton in the midland league in the 70-s the league was very competetive but also some very good football was played. The victoria ground was a fantastic ground with its own special atmosphere, we used to travel early to away games stopping to eat our sandwhiches we also used to take our own tea boiler with us. Some players to mention kevin mulgrew, colin smith, david armstrong, bobby evans, kenny morton, charlie morrison, peter taylor – great memories of a great club
This is a programme from when Stockton FC were playing in the Midland League. Stockton were the only Amateur team to compete in this all Professional League. Other North East teams in Midland League were Ashington, North Shields, South Shields, Blythe Spartans, Scarborough, Scunthorpe United, Spennymoor United. this was a very strong league and could be compared to the Conference League of today. Stockton had some very good wins in this league and the North Riding Senior Cup in 1959 season,beating North Shields, South Shields, Scarborough, Middlesbrough and York City in the Final of the North Riding Senior Cup. Des Clough brother of Brian was Captain of this team and was a visitor to the Stockton dressing rooms on occasions. It has always been mystery to me as to why Stockton have never gained Football Leaguer status when they have a much greater History in Football than either Darlington or Hartlepool , and have always provided excellent young players to the professional ranks over the years.I think it boils down to the backers that have been behind Stockton over the years, local business men never seemed to have the sort of cash available to promote a successful team.I would love to see the rebirth of this very famous amateur team in future years.
Looking at the recent Videos of the Stockton team matches that has been so successful in the English Non League Cup over the past few years, I do not think the standard is up to what was achieved in the Midland league in the late fifties and early sixties. My memory may be playing tricks as it was so long ago, but that is my present day opinion, That is not to say that Stockton Town have not brought great credit to the area with their wonderful performances over the recent past. I look forward to enjoying their future successes, and maybe one day they could join the ranks of the Football league which would be overdue for an area that has provided so many outstanding footballers over the years. I may not live to see it as I am 84 years old on July 6th 2019 if I make it. Good luck to Stockton Town in their future.