West End juniors and seniors football team c1944. Photograph courtesy of Jan Moore 
Picture Stockton Archive
A Pictorial History of Stockton-on-Tees
West End juniors and seniors football team c1944. Photograph courtesy of Jan Moore
Middle Row, 1st left, Ronnie Snowden, about 1948 he was offered a contract with Middlesbrough, his father insisted he finish his apprenticeship first, which was as a fitter and turner at the Furness Shipyard, Haverton Hill. Did he ever sign for any club and play professional?
I have only just seen the messages about West End Football Club and realise that they go back over many years. My interest in them is that my grandad and uncle are in the photo. My grandad is the gentleman on the front row and he was Tom Wells, sometimes known as ‘Pop’ and his son Matt, my uncle, is sitting next to him. From what I remember Tom was on the committee, he may have been chairman and Matt could have been secretary, he certainly was not a player. If anyone can help me put more detail on their roles I would be very pleased to hear from them.
Yes Bob,I think you will be right because I turned out for two different teams that won the Stockton Youth League Five A Side competition held at Newham Grange Park in the summers in the late fifties and both teams did not get trophies. A far cry from today when youngsters get them for their teams player of the year(even if the team has won nothing), and best clubman of the year etc. All meaningless awards. The youth league was a way the youngsters who were not good enough or ambitious enough to play in the Middlesbrough Junior League or Stockton and District League to get a game after they left school(a fifteen year old had to toughen up quick), because in those days there was no Sunday football. The pitches at Yarm Back Lane, Newham Grange Park and Tilery Rec. and others were terrible and the small changing sheds with about six teams in, with no lighting or washing facilities. So the lads who lived in the town in a two up and two down house, it was in the backyard under the cold water tap or the old tin bath before a Saturday night out.
Anon. There was also a team from Oxbridge which was very good with a couple of names I remember, Escritt and Bradshaw. We won the league title and Oxbridge the league cup in its first year, but I can’t remember any trophies. I can remember one occasion when the pitch we were playing on and the goal mouth area was filled in mud. Although the match going to start our goalkeeper refused to play. I had played goalkeeper at school so I volunteered. We won the match but I was so freezing and up to my eyes in mud the lads had to dress me. There was one good thing about all teams playing there we could see how other teams were doing.
The pitches the youth league played on were nearer to the Medds Nurseries than the one that Hartburn & Primrose Hill used, those pitches were all hilly billy & uneven surfaces. Teams in that league were the Co-op Club, Holy Trinity, Elmwood, Newtown Methodists & St Johns to name a few, Bob. The pitch we are discussing was further across the field which was a better playing surface & better changing facilities. Gran, is the K Monaghan in the Synthonia team photo with Bill Duckling in 1953-54 season the one you were trying to contact.
AS GRAN STATES ANON, JUNE NEAL LIVED IN PARKFIELD WHERE AS ERIC LIVES IN OXBRIDGE. I LAST SAW ERIC AT THE DOCTORS LAST YEAR AND HE DIDN’T LOOK WELL AT ALL. HE HAS BEEN POORLY SINCE HIS WIFE DIED A FEW YEARS AGO. I HAVEN’T SEEN CORA FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.
I know they played as Hartburn Amateurs in the Teesside League at Yarm Back Lane about 1958, with the Duckling bros, Whelan bros & Eddie Graham playing for them. Gran you are right about the Northern Gas Board team playing up there about 1954. Bill Duckling Snr. must have been playing at Synthonia for a good while, he is in photos on their web-site in 1946 & again in 1954.
Gran in the middle 50’s they started a youth club league in which I played for the Co-op Youth Club and all the teams played there on different pitches on a Saturday. I often wonder now if there had been any broken bones what would have been done. No cars, mobile phones and the nearest we would be to a phone would have be Medds Nurseries, some half mile away.
Anon, the answer to your question is no. Ebbie (Eric), lived in Norfolk St, Oxbridge and his younger sister was called Cora. Regarding Synthonia, we were both at one time fairly regular in their Teeside League team along with the Duckling bros., Bob Mineham, Jackie Fox and others I can’t remember. You have mentioned some of the above yourself. One thing I cannot remember is Hartburn being in the Teesside League in those days(50’s), but I do know the Darlington Back Lane pitches, and think that they were used by Stockton and District league teams, maybe Northern Gas Board?
Was the June Neal in the photo the sister of Ebie Neal who played for Billingham Synthonia, Ken Rhodes? Stockton West End seem to be on the way back in senior football with a team now competing in the Teesside League.
Harry Rhodes. Like you I have often wondered what became of the people we went to school and grew up with. You mention John Gill, he and I were in the same class (Frank Showell”s) at Oxbridge Lane, and like me he was a founder member of the Eagle Club. He was a terrific table tennis player, and a good footballer. I didn”t know that he had gone to sea. Another ex apprentice from Furness was Alan Walton, he was a year or two younger than us, he lived in Yarm, went to sea with Palm Line, was Chief with them for 18 years. With the decline of the UK MN in the eighties he set up his own boat (pleasure craft) surveying company, and was quite successful until ill health forced his retirement, he died in 2001. Those of us who survive and soldier on are now almost octogenarians.
Looking at all of those young faces set me wondering what had happened to them all and whether life had dealt them all a fair hand. Some of them I met up with in later life and I was surprised at how many had finished up in Drawing Offices. A few of us saw service in the Merchant Navy as Engineers. John Gill and I served on different ships with the same Panamanian Company. He on the Supertanker “Wapella” and I on the Supertanker “Sovac Brilliant”. Charlie (Chuck) Clements I met up with in King George Fifth Dock in London. Both of us with Port Line. He on the Port Brisbane and I on the Port Dunedin. It was, as I remember a very liquid evening. We also met up at the Marine School at South Shields where we were taking our Second Engineer”s Tickets. However, since about “54 nothing on either John or Charlie. Where are the lads of the village tonight? Several of them I believe are no longer with us as I received word a couple of years ago of Jack Thomas”s passing and Rex Hazelton”s departure a few years before that. Some of us still survive and Soldier on.
This has really brought back wonderful memories. The West End club was formed by the friendly amalgamation of Hartburn Minors (14-16) and Park Rangers (16-18)for the 1944-45 season. I was left back in the Hartburn Minors side with Alan Smith at right back, Rex Hazelton in goal. He was also a good wicketkeeper! I had gone away to start teacher training by the start of that season. The 2 original clubs (1 season only?) were formed from lads who kicked footballs about, with coats down as goals, on the large green area at Ropner Park and we all knew each other well. Others in the original Hartburn team were the 2 Dumbles, Johnny Pike,Alf Holligon, Jack Connors (note spelling), Brian Booth, Johnny Gill, Wilf Tennet and Sammy John. I taught at Richard Hind School for 8 years before leaving Stockton.
Hi Paul neither my dad or uncle played pro football although my uncle was asked to go to Sunderland for trials but my grandad wouldn”t allow it. It is possible though uncle Tom did play cricket Thanks for the names Ken its funny how folk are connected my husband used to work with J Pikes son Goodday Jan
Perhaps Jan Moore nee Dumble can enlighten me. I recall a son of Sid Dumble playing cricket for the Old Boys vs Stockton Secondary around 1049/50. He was reputed to be a professional footballer (with Hull City ?) and was looked on with awe by us kids. Was this correct and was he on this photo ? Perhaps it was a mistaken identity and it was Ken Furphy. Incidentally it was interesting to learn that Furphy managed several US teams in the 70s – it was a little early then for soccer to take on. Now it is different,there are soccer pitches galore and huge numbers of kids playing. The “soccer mom”is now a political entity in the US as pollsters guess how “she” will vote.
Alan, Reg died a few years ago. Jan I now have the names of the full team you put on the site. Back row. A.RIDGE, B.DUMBLE, R.HAZELTON, R FURPHY, JUNE NEAL, BETTY HUTTON, MARGARET WEGG, A.CORDUKES, J.PIKE, A.HOLLIGON, J CONNER. MIDDLE ROW.R.SNOWDEN, A OUTHWAITE. C CLEMENTS, B.BOOTH, J CONNER. MIDDLE ROW. R.SNOWDEN, A OUTHWAITE. C.CLEMENTS, B BOOTH, H.EMMERSON, A SMITH, K.COOK, D.NOBLR FRONT ROW.J.GILL, K.HOLLIGON, J.THOMAS, MR.WELLS, M.WELLS, MR.LEE, K.WILKINSON, T DUMBLE, W.TENNET, S.JOHN. I managed to obtain a copy along with many others from Mavis Holligon Alf’s wife. When I get my comp back from the repair shop I will put them on the site.
Reg Furphy was a member of Holy Trinity Youth Club during my membership of the Club. He seemed to have some disability with one of his legs,maybe an old football injury. Anyone know if he is still around?
Ken I thought it was Reg but was not sure, he was an Head Wrightson”s employee at Teasdale,Thornaby, I knew he was involved in running the West End team in the fifty”s, but I did not know he played. West End folded as a senior team about 1960, but they have been a good junior outfit for about the last 30 years, I see they have got Keith Maude at the helm now, Keith has managed some good senior teams in his time.
Brian Bennison – re Ken Furphy, he went to the Secondary School in Nelson Terrace. He appears in the Stocktonian Year Book for 1947-78 having gained his school certificate in 1946. He joined The Stocktonians on leaving school but is only on record for 1947 with an address of 1 Mary Street.
Len its Reg Furphy stood next to Rex. And I agree both Harry and Alf were good referees along with Alf Holligon who is also on the photo.I was refereed by all of them when I played and you are right they all had different attitudes to refereeing. I dont thing Ken Furphy is on the photo although at some time in his careea he did play for West End. When Reg Furphy stopped playing he along with other old West Enders ran the three teams, Minor, Junior and Senior. Its funny on this site how we jump from fish shops, railways onto various football teams in the area. All good fun.
Imagine my Grandads thoughts on the maths subject neither my sister or I had any leanings towards maths (my dad Barry was none to happy either) Talking about my relatives brings them so clearly to mind Jan
Ken Rhodes is it Reg or Ken Furphy next to Rex Hazelton?.Two of the chaps in the photo Harry Emmerson & Alf Cordukes were good referees in the sixties,Harry Emmerson could defuse a situation with his jovial attitude.
Jan,Harry,Ben I have just spoken to Harry Emerson on the phone about the photo, he has a copy and will phone me back with all the names he can remember so we should know all the teams if his memory is still intact.Sixty-three years is a long time ago.Cheers
I find that I am remembering some of the names and faces shown. Unfortunately, the names and faces do not always seem to fit together. Of those that do we have, in the back row in Goalkeeper”s strip is the ubiquitous Rex Hazelton then dropping to the second row we have, second from the right Alan Webster. In the front row, first left there is John Gill and third left is Jack Thomas. Other than the names already mentioned that is all that I can manage for the moment. Brian Bennison, your name cropped up in my copy of the New Stocktonian which arrived in Oz today. Ken Furphy or Fluff as he was known was I believe from Oxbridge and attended the Stockton Secondary School in the early fourties. He was also a member of Frank Showell”s Eagle Club, and I believe that I have a photograph of him in running togs with the Club Team from the late fourties. Ken Rhodes, it is nice to read your input into these subjects. Fancy you remembering that I was a bit of a runner in my early days. It probably accounts for my knees being worn out these days. For this situation I feel that Jan Moore (Dumble) must play a small part as it was her Grandfather Sid Dumble who encouraged me when he was Sports Master at the Secondary School. Having difficulty in getting a reasonable understanding of Maths into my head, he would shake his head and groan “Stick to Rugby Rhodes. Stick to Rugby”.
Did Cordukes have a shop somewhere in the St Cuthberts rd area can remember Mrs Dawson”s on Gladstone st and Birds Arlington st corner?? Cheers Jan
Back row 4th from right is Alf Cordukes I worked with alf at Pickerings from 1955 till when !!a long time
I can now answer my own query. If it is that Ken Furphy, born 1931, he was on Everton”s books before playing for Runcorn(1951-53) then Darlo (1953-62). Player-manager at Workington 1962-64, taking over from Joe Harvey. Watford manager 1964-71. Blackburn manager 1971-73. Sheff Utd manager 1973-75. Managed in America (New York Cosmos, Detroit Express, Washington Diplomats) between 1975 and 1980. Also manager of Bermuda. Does anyone know which part of Stockton he was from and schools attended?
Ken was from Oxbridge. My dad, Bob Bailey, was a founder member, captain and selector for West End. He’s missing from this picture, probably in hospital.
Ken had a brother Reg who was involved with Stockton West End, he lived on the Whitehouse Farm Estate.
This, presumably, is the Ken Furphy who had a professional career as a player (Darlington and ?) and manager (Watford? Sheff United?)
Back Row fouth from right Alf Cordukes, I worked with Alf at Pickerings lifs in the drawing office
Looking at this photo now that names have been mentioned by Jan I think that the Blackie Wilson she mentions is on the middle row, 2nd from the right. I worked with Blackie at Hills and he was a Machinist there.
Good morning gentlemen I do have some names on the back of the picture although they dont seem to be in any order. The only 2 I can definitely vouch for are my dad Barry Dumble 2nd from left back row and Uncle Tom Dumble 3rd from right bottom row. Other names I can make out are in no particular order: Blacky Willson, Alan Smith, Alf Cordukes, John Pike, Wilf Tennant, Ken Furphy, Artie Outhwaite, Reg Furphy, Jack Connors, ?? Emmerson. Uncle Tom has also given me his account of how West End was founded (I find his writing very hard to decipher) but if anyone is interested I could send them a copy. Cheers Jan
Good Day to you Harry. I think between the two of us we will be able to fit the rest of the names in. Sadly most of the team have past on. One that is still with us is Harry Emmerson and I might be able to contact him for more details
Good Day Jan. An interesting photograph even though I never did play Soccer. I do seem to remember a few faces shown. The Lady supporters would be; I think, left to right—- June Neal who lived in Arlington Street (the posh end) At the time of this photograph she was attending Stockton Secondary School. Centre, no idea. Right is I believe Margaret Wegg who lived in St.Cuthbert”s Road. Also at Stockton Sec. at this stage. Being of the same age as many of the players shown I am surprised that I am unable to identify more than half a dozen of the lads. Can anyone put names to some of them?
Hello again Jan. Although before my time I can put a few names to the above teams. The three girls if I remember correctly all lived in Parkfield and I think June and Margaret if they are the outside ones on the photo lived in Arlington Street.I dont know more than i do know. Not known–NK. KN-Dumble, Hazelton, Furphy-3Girls-Cordukes, NK, Holligon, NK. Snowdon, NK, NK,NK, NK,Emmerson,NK,—-NK, Holligon and im afraid that”s your lot. Maybe somebody out there will know the rest. Ill keep trying.
West End juniors and seniors the ladies are supporters I think and are June ??? Betty ??? and Margaret ??