A selection of football programmes for Stockton Boys Football Club. Photographs courtesy of Sue Bruce. 
Picture Stockton Archive
A Pictorial History of Stockton-on-Tees
A selection of football programmes for Stockton Boys Football Club. Photographs courtesy of Sue Bruce.
My mistake Anon, another Senior moment of mis-understanding. I thought I was starting to lose my memory when I read what you had written.
Benny, I don’t think I got any dates mixed up regarding you playing for Stockton Boys, because I only referred to Brian Winn playing against East London Boys. Brian ask any of your former Stockton team mates if they received a badge. I only stated the time lapse of sixty odd years since Benny received his Stockton badges.
Benny – I saw the ‘Dutch Golden Girl’, Fanny Blankers-Koen compete in the 1948 Olympic Games at Wembley. I was serving in the Army then and I was given tickets for the first 4 days by the CO of the Depot Battalion RASC. He said that I had served the Depot Battalion in sporting activities, especially cricket and athletics. I was not in the RASC but as the senior of the Education Corps staff I was In Charge of the Education Centre. We were based in buildings that had been part of an American Air bomber base until the end of the war. Remarkably I met men from Stockton serving in the RASC and a friend from college days in York. He was a very good bowler and after a word with the cricketing enthusiast CO he was transferred from the RASC to the Education Centre staff!
I think you have your dates mixed up Anon, I played for Stockton boys in the 1948-49 season. I was the youngest in the team as I went on to captain them in the following season being the only one out of the 48-49 season to play in the 49-50 season. I certainly did not play against East London in the semi Final of the English Trophy, what year was that? I remember some players from the 48-49 season were Stacka Denholm (RH) inside left, I played outside left, Barry Butler (RH)centre half, Les Mitchell (NG) right half, Talla Taylor (RH) centre forward, Eddie Dunne (OXBRI)left back, Geoff Burdon (ST Bds)in goal, Big Harold Atkinson (BSt) Right Back. Maybe Anon can remeber the other members of that team? The 49-50 team was Denis Grubb (NG)in goal,John Speck (BSt) right back, Edgar Fellows (RH)left back, Ray Frost (NG) right half, Trevor Briggs (NG)Centre half, John Duffy (StB) left half, Johnnie Pattinson (RH) outside right, Harding (BSt)inside Right Eddie Wilkinson (RH) centre forward, Benny Brown (NG) inside left, and Ducka Smith (RH) outside left. We played in white shirts and black shorts. As for getting badges for playing for Newham Grange in sports teams we never did, but I have a Netball badge my late wife Marie Kennedy was presented with for the Netball team, but not one for Hockey or Atletics which she also represented the school in. So what happened to the Football Cricket and athletics and Hockey badges I do not know. My Wife Marie was selected by the Stockton Harriers to run against some of the worlds best athalets, namely Fanny Blankers Kohne The Dutch Golden Girl, Betty Cuthbertson,S hirley Stickland Marlene Mathews, of the Australian Olympic Team, and enjoyed all the local athletics meetings that used to be held at that time especially the Richmond meet.
Stockton still have teams in the English Schools Inter Association Trophy U13 & U15, in the U13 competition this season Stockton were knocked out at Newcastle 6-2, the U15 side won away to Sunderland 2-3 in round 2, they beat Hambleton & Richmond 6-2 at home in rd 3, played at Ian Ramsey School, in rd 4 they were beaten at Bishop Auckland 3-0, the Stockton team played in yellow shirts & blue shorts. The E.S.F.A. now has competitions at every age level from U11 to U18 except U17.
Brian Winn, you had the same experience as the Late Derek Banks, the Newham Grange Centre Forward of the 49/50 season, Derek only played in one game and was never the recipient of a badge, to which he never stopped reminding me – as I had been the captain of the team he seemed to believe I should have sorted it out for him. I did write to then incumbent secretary of the Stockton Schools football association in 2009, asking if it was possible to get Derek his badge, although he promised to try to get some recognition for Derek nothing ensued so I am afraid Derek who died early last year never received his badge, even as late as last year we tried to get Derek his badge. You could try the same route and you may have more success than I did. I remember the one and only game Derek played for Stockton Boys, during the early stages of the match Derek complained to me that the Bishop Auckland centre half kept kicking him, my reply was well kick him back, which Derek duly did. We lost the match which was the Final of the Hartlepool Hospital Cup, we had also lost the Final against Bishop Auckland the previous year 48/49. I wonder if this Cup Competeion is still played for today. We had some wonderful games in this competion, one that sticks in my memory was when we beat the Boro Boys on the victoria Ground 3-2 after extra time after being 0-2 down with five minutes to go, most of the crowd had left the ground before we equalised and missed the conclusion and would not believe that Stockton had won the match when told later. Wonderful memories of sixty odd years ago. Maybe Ken Sawyer remembers this match.
How right you are Benny, I’ve been thinking about the year England won the World Cup. I haven’t noticed in the local press any details of Stockton Boys fielding a team in the Schools Trophy but Anon or Len might know.
Yes Brian and you played for a Stockton Schoolboys team that went to the English Schools Trophy semi final against East London Boys. Benny, you must have been having a senior moment – it would have been sixty odd years for you since you got your badges for representing the town, but did you get your school colours at Newham Grange for sport(ie football, cricket & athletics) which were presented in the late fifties. The Wearside League team Stockton Town play on the Our Lady & St Bedes School, in Bishopton Road West, so maybe Stockton Schoolboys team could now play their games there.
I played for Stockton Boys about 10 times and never received my badge, I just wonder if it might have been because I left school at Christmas before the season finished?
We all have Senior Moments Ken so I suppose you have realised that you were twenty years out in your Stockton Boys Team of 1946. Do Stockton Boys still field a team in the English Schools Trophy, and if they do where do they play their home matches now that the Victoria Ground has been desecrated for a housing development? How many other Stockton Boys teams reached the later stages of the English Schools trophy, maybe Anon or Len Nicholson have some information? I remember the thrill it was to receive your Stockton Boys Badges for Football and Cricket, they were a very prized item for the schoolboys of fifty years ago and I suppose they still are. Mine still hold pride of place in my China cabinet as my mother kept all the bits and pieces from my school and teen years and presented them to me when I came over to Australia. If it had been left to me they would have disapeared as so many other items have over the years.
HAD A VISIT FROM ALF THOMAS LAST WEEK AND IN THE PASSING CONVERSATION ALF SAID HE THINKS THAT HE AND ONE OTHER MEMBER OF THE 1966 STOCKTON SCHOOLBOYS TEAM ARE THE ONLY ONES STILL WITH US. ALF DID MENTION HIS NAME BUT I’VE FORGOT THE NAME. ALF ALSO SAID THAT HE HAD GONE TO ALL THE INTERNMENTS BUT ONE THAT WAS DOWN SOUTH. VERY SAD.
My brother was born on 16th June 1933 so would have been 78 on 01/08/2011 had he survived.
How old would your brother John Thomas have been now?
My late brother John Thomas (who tragically died at the age of only 57) used to be a member of The Stockton Boys Football Team at a time when there were 3 of the team called Thomas. We lived in Thornaby and he went to the Arthur Head School at the time. I used to go with my dad and uncles (all Stockton born and bred)to watch him at the practice matches. We used to follow his career with pride. He went on to be a motor mechanic and worked at the ICI (Billingham)garage where he became the foreman. I would be grateful if anyone has any photos of the team when he was a player.
My dad use to talk of a “Cocky” Weatherall – is this the same man? Also, is this club still on the go? I know there is a Stockton Westend FC
The Syd Weatherall shown in this Stockton Boys Football Programme is a younger brother of Charles Cliford Weatherall, both of whom are my cousins.
I think that S Weatherall in the photograph is my Uncle Sydney who was born in Stockton in 1931. If anyone can help I would love to have some more information about him and particularly about my Dad, Charles Clifton Weatherall who sadly died in 1969. He lived in Vane Street Stockton.
Mark , you”re correct. If you have any photo”s of My dad Stuart Bruce and his football days i would appreciate it if you could submit them?
Mark. Thanks for the information. I thought the information might be on the writing below the thumbprint photos but it was too small for me to be able to read it.
Hi Bob, the schools that the team came from as follows. Sudron (Bailey Street) Weatherall ( Richard Hind) Galloway (Tilery) Russell ( St Bedes) Bruce (Richard Hind) Richardson (Newham Grange) EEles ( Bailey St) Carrigan ( Richard Hind) A B Thomas ( Richard Hind) Clarke (Newham Grange) J Thomas (Bailey St). Some of the nicknames were Stewey Bruce. Scurr Richardson. Talla Clarke & J Thomas was known as Totty Thomas.
With living in Norton I can only remember Geoff Carrigan. I would only be 8 when these teams played in the Final. I wonder if anybody can place the players to the Schools they attended?
My uncle Leonard Colin Clarke played for Stockton Boys who, I am sorry to say is no longer with us. I believe he also played at Wembley
Glad to share some of these photo”s with you all, I have some old newspaper clippings too of my dads when they played at Leicester, about the Stockton Boys FC. Also some old telegrammes I”ve submitted them I hope they get published.
My cousin, Syd Weatherall lived in Palmerston Street in the 1940s.
I remember some of the lads names on the Leicester/ Stockton football programme they lived at Portrack, those were the days.
Thanks for that Sue, such good condition too, my stepfather is C Eeles (inside right) I will have to ask him if he has a copy of that.
My dad was the Captain of Stockton Boys FC and also Richard Hind FC.