This is a photograph of the West Row football team in 1962-63. The photo is courtesy of Derek Overton who believes this was the year the team won the Stockton & District League (Saturday) by one point from Billingham Social.
Picture Stockton Archive
A Pictorial History of Stockton-on-Tees
This is the team that become Stockton Shamrocks & their home ground became Newham Grange Park, where they also ran a reserve team. Colin Taylor played for this club before becoming a stalwart in the defence of Head Wrightsons Teesside League team for many years.
It was with great sadness that I read in the Evening Gazette that Ernie Johnson in this photo had died. E.J.was a great local footballer & a top man at Harkers Engineering, R.I.P.
About the same time West Row joined the Stockton & District League about 1960 from the Stockton Youth League, there was another team called Elmwood who did the same. A couple of the players were goalkeeper Fred Rutherford & full back Tommy Cox,they became a good team then changed their name to the Fiesta & became a top team. Then joined the Teesside League about 1970, they changed the team name while in Teesside League to Titos then Baileys, they were run by Keith Maude all the time & two players who gave the team outstanding service were Harry Chapman & Ernie Popple.
Albert Wood in the photo was a well known Stockton referee.Stockton Referees Association won the All England Referee”s Five A Side Knockout Competition at Keele University, Stoke on Trent in the eighties.
Billingham Social were founded in 1967, they were in the Stockton & District League 1968-74, which they won three times,then the Teesside League 1974-82 which they won twice 1977-78,81-82.
Ernie did play for Ashmore”s, but before that played for Urlay Nook with Billy Kelly, Arnie Marshall & his brother, Davie Hawk also played at the same time. Terry Cooper stayed at Thorp, who changed their name to Stockton Shamrocks they won the cup final at Ashmores and Terry scored the winner from a penalty,I think it was against Primrose, he then joined Ashmore”s
When Billy Kelly played for Aer-ex at Newham Grange Park,team-mates were Stan Hind,Eddie Harrison & Hughie Thompson. Stan signed for them because he served his time at Joe Williamson”s Garage at Phoenix Sidings near to Aer-ex,Stan also played for Middlesbrough A team in the North Eastern League alongside Bob Appleby,Nev Chapman & Billy Horner about 1960.
Ernie Johnson & Terry Cooper were playing for Ashmores in season 1966-67 & then Ernie joined Head Wrightsons where he was a member of the team that was successful from 1967-72,he also starred for the Portrack Social(THE BLOOD TUB)in the Teesborough Sunday League.
Re- Billy Kelly, he played for & captained Aer-ex,broke his leg, and as he worked at Harker”s with Ernie,Norman&Ray, they persuaded him to play for them. Lennie Turner( the original Mr. T)& Peter Mcneil(snr)used to run the team.Ernie &Terry Cooper later joined Urlay Nook where they went on to win many trophies
Billy Kelly was compere at the Buffs Club & Fiesta, before compering at Ceasars Palace,Jersey, then moving to Spain.
Another blast from the past I used to pal about with the younger sister of the Wilkinson boys ,Winnie in about 1958 and Billy Kelly was always at the house as he was courting Shirley Wilkinson at the time,whenever they were at the club at Fairfield they always had people watching them as they were very good at jiving. Sorry to hear Billy has passed away, but that they did marry,I moved away to Lincoln so did not know what happened and of course lost touch with Winnie. If anybody out there still sees any of them please pass on my regards.
It was great to see this photo. Barry mentioned Billy Kelly, Harold and Charlie Wilkinson were his brother in laws. I was on Teesside for two days, met Ernie he comes to Benidorm regularly.
Nice to hear from Barry Parkin. Bill was a top guy and friend. And to Irene, Ray was a lovely man, I knew him for over fifty years
DEREK OVERTON – THE PHOTOGRAPH BROUGHT BACK MEMORIES, THE LATE BILLY KELLY, WE HAD SOME GREAT TIMES ON THE MALLEABLE CLUB TRIPS TO BLACKPOOL, AND IT WAS BILLY KELLY WHO MADE THOSE TRIPS THAT EXTRA BIT SPECIAL, HE WAS A GOOD FRIEND AND BRILLIANT COMEDIAN.
What a lovely pic of the late lovely Ray Hartley. He is very sadly missed.
Back L-R Kenny Umpleby, Derek Overton, Norman Bellerby Ray Hartley,Billy Kelly Tom Bainbridge. Front L-R Harold Wilkinson, Albert Wood, Terry Cooper, Charlie Wilkinson, Ernie Johnson. We played under the arches at Thorpe Thewels. We would wash in the beck to get the mud off, call in the Hamilton Russell before going home get to get ready and meet down in the William IV then the Maison or the Jubilie Hall.