This photo is in an unusual format, it is a folded card the same as any greeting card with the image on the front and the players and officials names on the back, the inside is blank, possibly for a message.
It is titled Billingham Football Club but it doesn’t specify if it is The Synthonia or another Billingham Club. I remember the Synthonia and North End were the two teams in the 1950s and 1960s, the North End played on a pitch where the Forum now stands but in 1935 the ICI houses in the Pentland Avenue area were still under construction so that team were probably not yet formed. If anybody knows differently then please let me know.
Back Row L-R: Thompson (Secretary), Finlayson, Simpson (Captain), Redpath, Bains, Walker, Lowes, Ferguson (Trainer), Front Row L-R: Skeldon, Downs, McLean, Harforth (President), Thompson, Anderson. Unfortunately the name of the dog was omitted!
This picture is from 85 years ago and many of the people in it will have been born before the First World War. This card is one of a series all showing small town football teams such as Shildon and St. Helens, I wonder if they were for presentation to the players.
Photograph and details courtesy of Bruce Coleman.
Picture Stockton Archive 
Only one name is familiar to me – (simply) Downs. I was an army cadet in my teen years and the commanding officer was, initially, Captain, subsequently Major, and if my ninety-three-year-old memory is to be trusted I do believe that an even loftier promotion came his way. His son worked his way to a cadet commission, too. (Ian?)
Sorry I can’t add anything regarding the sport depicted here.
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I could well have a photo of you Ronald, the photo’s are on this forum, “A” Company as a group in the Quadrangle at William Newton School when Major Downs was in charge, Ian Downs was a Staff sergeant. Another photo is of the 8th Battalion at camp Catterick I do remember you Ron Haslock.
I saw the Name Downs and did wonder. Ian and I were Pals for years although Major Downs and I fell out big time over a private matter and he actually shouted I was not fit for promotion and he would never see it happen whilst he was in charge, then he left and I got the promotion from Captain then Major Fiddess. I often wondered what Major Downs would have said had he known I got to WO1 in the Regular Army.
The second name in the other post on the subject was Lance Simpson, I went to Norton Board School with him, not sure if he was named Lance after his Dad or his Uncle.
No knowledge of the actual team just a name struck a memory and at 91 it is nice to have those memories.
Frank.
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The Billingham team photo is the front of a cigarette card from Ardath Tobacco. The names are on the back. I have the card. Lance Simpson, the captain, was born in 1910. He was my Dad. No idea which Billingham team it was. Dad later on was recruited by Stockton. He played right back. He lived in Norton.
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He was married to one of the Reynold sisters from Derwent Street area.
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