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Wanderers Ways. Neil Thompson 1961-2021

Where in Farnworth did Alan Ball grow up ?


Benny The Ball

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2 hours ago, Francis Fogarty said:

@Not in Crawley

 

Crawley, is your nana Lillian Collier? Bessie (Elizabeth) was father Alan's mum. Lillian had two daughters, one was called Hazel but I can't think of the other daughter Heather maybe?

Father Alan's wife was Violet but was known to all as Val.

All this from Mrs. Fogarty who used to take Bessie to Everton to watch Bally jun. She used to take her to Preston when Bally Sr. was manager there.

 

Yes she was Lilian. Hazel is my mum, Heather, obviously my aunty. My uncle is Hadrian.

Wow, who is Mrs. F?

 

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8 minutes ago, Not in Crawley said:

Yes she was Lilian. Hazel is my mum, Heather, obviously my aunty. My uncle is Hadrian.

Wow, who is Mrs. F?

 

Mrs. Fogarty used to know the family from the pubs, Shuttle and Canary in Farnworth. Her dad had a younger brother Thomas who was married to an Emily who was related in some way to Val Ball.

She was Anthea Bentley of Glynne Street.

Small world ,eh? 

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30 minutes ago, Francis Fogarty said:

Mrs. Fogarty used to know the family from the pubs, Shuttle and Canary in Farnworth. Her dad had a younger brother Thomas who was married to an Emily who was related in some way to Val Ball.

She was Anthea Bentley of Glynne Street.

Small world ,eh? 

Yeah - it's a shame my mum was supposed to be down tonight and I could have asked her. Will do though.

Used to love going round Farnworth with my Nana and Grandpa, everyone knew everyone else. I was just, "is this your Hazel's son?"

 

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9 hours ago, Dr. Feelgood said:

Well, if you want a list of our misses over the years it makes for sorry reading.

Every club misses some but jeez.

We had the nephew of Tommy Banks on out books, mid 50's. A schoolboy predicted to be a great player. He was ill with flu & so not signed when shitehawk Busbyturned up at his home & persuaded him to sign. One Duncan Edwards.  That didn't end well.

In that era we didn't give Bolton fan Roger Hunt a try when he asked 3 times. We declined to take up Alan Ball. We lost Frannie Lee as he was poached from us. At least we had actually signed him. We'd have had more players than West Ham in the 1966 final & it would have been Bolton who won the World Cup. 

Martin Dobson, as said, was in our Juniors but released. We were offered a look at Colin Bell ffs.

Later seasons saw Mariner, Paul Flitcroft & Jason Wilcox missed. Presumably many more.

Take it you mean Gary

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16 hours ago, Johnnyrotten said:

My late father in law was best mates with Mariner's Uncle, Billy Carroll.  He lived up Markland Hill (the uncle, not Mariner).  

That's as tenuous a claim to fame as I can muster.

Mariner taught us football at school.  Then when he left it was Mike Duxberry from United. 

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On 23/12/2020 at 13:23, Dr. Feelgood said:

Well, if you want a list of our misses over the years it makes for sorry reading.

Every club misses some but jeez.

We had the nephew of Tommy Banks on out books, mid 50's. A schoolboy predicted to be a great player. He was ill with flu & so not signed when shitehawk Busbyturned up at his home & persuaded him to sign. One Duncan Edwards.  That didn't end well.

In that era we didn't give Bolton fan Roger Hunt a try when he asked 3 times. We declined to take up Alan Ball. We lost Frannie Lee as he was poached from us. At least we had actually signed him. We'd have had more players than West Ham in the 1966 final & it would have been Bolton who won the World Cup. 

Martin Dobson, as said, was in our Juniors but released. We were offered a look at Colin Bell ffs.

Later seasons saw Mariner, Paul Flitcroft & Jason Wilcox missed. Presumably many more.

We do seem to be beyond ridiculous when it comes to stuff like this.

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On 23/12/2020 at 13:23, Dr. Feelgood said:

Well, if you want a list of our misses over the years it makes for sorry reading.

Every club misses some but jeez.

We had the nephew of Tommy Banks on out books, mid 50's. A schoolboy predicted to be a great player. He was ill with flu & so not signed when shitehawk Busbyturned up at his home & persuaded him to sign. One Duncan Edwards.  That didn't end well.

In that era we didn't give Bolton fan Roger Hunt a try when he asked 3 times. We declined to take up Alan Ball. We lost Frannie Lee as he was poached from us. At least we had actually signed him. We'd have had more players than West Ham in the 1966 final & it would have been Bolton who won the World Cup. 

Martin Dobson, as said, was in our Juniors but released. We were offered a look at Colin Bell ffs.

Later seasons saw Mariner, Paul Flitcroft & Jason Wilcox missed. Presumably many more.

I think Duncan Edwards was a relative of Dennis Stevens who had the clothes shop in Harwood not Tommy Banks.

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57 minutes ago, Good Knee said:

I think Duncan Edwards was a relative of Dennis Stevens who had the clothes shop in Harwood not Tommy Banks.

Correct. My bad.

The principle remains ... we had Duncan Edwards on our books. He was snatched from us. He shouldn't even have been on that plane. 

We should, in the 60's have had Edwards, Ball & Hunt in our team. Add Lofthouse, Hill & Hopkinson. Or, post Lofthouse, Lee & Wyn Davies. Then the odd additional signing. 

Ah well.

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4 minutes ago, Dr. Feelgood said:

Correct. My bad.

The principle remains ... we had Duncan Edwards on our books. He was snatched from us. He shouldn't even have been on that plane. 

We should, in the 60's have had Edwards, Ball & Hunt in our team. Add Lofthouse, Hill & Hopkinson. Or, post Lofthouse, Lee & Wyn Davies. Then the odd additional signing. 

Ah well.

That would have been some side, we finished up selling Franny Lee and buying Terry fucking Wharton for more money. 

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3 hours ago, Good Knee said:

That would have been some side, we finished up selling Franny Lee and buying Terry fucking Wharton for more money. 

To be fair, we signed both Terry Wharton AND Gareth Williams for just a tad less than we got for Frannie.

Just wanted the pain the a little less for you. 😢😢

Edited by Dr. Feelgood
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45 minutes ago, Dr. Feelgood said:

To be fair, we signed both Terry Wharton AND Gareth Williams for just a tad less than we got for Frannie.

Just wanted the pain the a little less for you. 😢😢

We got £60,000 for Lee.

Wharton cost £70,000.

Williams cost £45,000.

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53 minutes ago, Dr. Feelgood said:

To be fair, we signed both Terry Wharton AND Gareth Williams for just a tad less than we got for Frannie.

Just wanted the pain the a little less for you. 😢😢

Haha its pained me for long enough. cheers. 

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5 hours ago, Good Knee said:

I think Duncan Edwards was a relative of Dennis Stevens who had the clothes shop in Harwood not Tommy Banks.

They were 2nd cousins 

Played together from a young age - shown below playing for Dudley town in 1948, would later play in the same England under 23 side 

 

 

Dudley Town FC 1948 featuring Dennis Stevens and Duncan Edwards

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3 hours ago, Benny The Ball said:

They were 2nd cousins 

Played together from a young age - shown below playing for Dudley town in 1948, would later play in the same England under 23 side 

 

 

Dudley Town FC 1948 featuring Dennis Stevens and Duncan Edwards

Dudley Town must've been a decent side .

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On 27/12/2020 at 07:29, jeep said:

Skippy88

Don't stretch your brain too much conjuring up such imaginative labels :roll:

Don't suppose King Condescension read the post properly. Never mind. Too much time on his hands at this time of year. No fucker wants choc ices.

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5 hours ago, mickbrown said:

I once saw Paul Mariner walking down Shepherds Cross st, 1982 ish.

Remember thinking what the fuck England's striker was doing in Halliwell.

I used to knock about with his cousins John and Paul Marriner in Harwood and he was often round seeing family.

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On 22/12/2020 at 21:20, Not in Crawley said:

My Nana was his aunty, so my mum's side of the family grew up with them. Came to my mum and dad's wedding after a game. 

Also the reason Uncle Trevor and the rest of the Balls still support Everton.

My Nana and Grandpa lived on Eskdale close for a long time, lots of pics at the Flying Shuttle with them all, me in a pram. All the family lived near around the estate.

Went to visit him in Southampton once when we were on holiday down there as a kid, quite cool seeming his medals etc 

 

Played for Trevor Ball Senior at Breightmet United, Trevor junior was midfield General.

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On 26/12/2020 at 13:57, Steejay said:

We got £60,000 for Lee.

Wharton cost £70,000.

Williams cost £45,000.

Is that right?

Before my time but I'm assuming we signed Wharton in the mid to late 60s?  The highest transfer fee at that time couldn't have been much higher (Dennis Law £125k?)

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