Any Mill Hill St Peters veterans?

[jodrell]

1 hour ago, DeeCee said:

I worked at Stanhill Ring with an uncle of Stuart Metcalf, Reg Metcalf, always on about, our Stuart, our Stuart lol

 

i'm not sure if it's the same person but i worked at Rothwells in Church and worked with Reg but he told me Stuart was his Brother late 60's early 70's

[DeeCee]

Mid 70s I was a teenager, Reg must have been mid/ late 40s?

Edited August 28, 2019 by DeeCee

[perthblue02]

12 hours ago, Preben said:

Does anyone else remember St. Thomas's football ground?

I believe they had 7,000 on for a St.Thomas's Medal Cup Final

On the corner of Eanam and Lamberth St (sp?)

My Grandad played for St Thomas's and remember him telling me when we were walking past once that St Thomas's ground used to be on Bottomgate/ Futhergate,  one set of houses back from the main road , between St Clements Street and Newton Street as they where then. 

Edit: Looks like it was there from before 1848 up until 1966/67  according to these old maps 

https://www.old-maps.co.uk/#/Map/369718/428118/13/100765

Edit 2:

Part of it is still a grassed area 

https://www.google.com/maps/@53.7485151,-2.4616091,438m/data=!3m1!1e3

Edited August 28, 2019 by perthblue02

[Claytons Left Boot]

8 hours ago, Exiled in Toronto said:

It must be me who has dementia as my dad is second from the right. 

Haha, I’ll make sure you’re in a good home John.

I looked at who you thought was your dad and wasn’t sure but now I’ve seen your ‘second from the right dad’ I can tell!

[Preben]

1 hour ago, perthblue02 said:

My Grandad played for St Thomas's and remember him telling me when we were walking past once that St Thomas's ground used to be on Bottomgate/ Futhergate,  one set of houses back from the main road , between St Clements Street and Newton Street as they where then. 

Edit: Looks like it was there from before 1848 up until 1966/67  according to these old maps 

https://www.old-maps.co.uk/#/Map/369718/428118/13/100765

Edit 2:

Part of it is still a grassed area 

https://www.google.com/maps/@53.7485151,-2.4616091,438m/data=!3m1!1e3

That's correct, thanks

[oldjamfan1]

Great photo and lovely reading this thread. Is there anywhere on these forums where local/amateur footie stories are shared?

One of my personal favourite football stories happened at Mill Hill St Peters. I was playing for Sunnyhurst in the Blackburn Combination in a midweek game and we needed a point to take the title. We had brought a fair following from Darwen that night and they were all packed into that little stand at MHSP ground, behind the dug outs. Four of our team (myself included) arrived at the very last minute due to various work commitments and we were 2-0 down within the first 10 minutes or so. Anyway gradually we clawed our way back into the game, but every time I touched the ball a voice from that stand shouted "Number 10 you fooking donkey" or "You couldn't control a fart", that sort of stuff. Anyway I rattled the post from about 25 yards and Graeme 'Smutly' Smith (RIP) tapped in the rebound to make it 2-1. The voice from the stand boomed "How did you miss that number 10, you fat useless bald w@nker?"

He was utterly relentless with his abuse, but the more this bloke shouted, the more determined I was to shut him up. Finally, with about 15 minutes to go, I scored from all of 2 yards to make it 2-2. It was the simplest of simple tap-ins but I celebrated like I had just scored from the half way line, ran over to the stand and bellowed "Where are you now you gobby fooker, you're not shouting now are you? Come on, show your face you fooking coward, let's see you!", at which point my dad, who I had thought was driving a lorry in the south of England that night, and was only about 5' tall, pushed his way to the front of the crowd and said "That's no way to talk to your dad, is it?" to howls of laughter from all the assembled Darreners. 

(MHSP scored a late winner in that game to delay our title celebrations by a week, and they also beat us 3-2 in the cup final, but I always loved playing them, especially at their place).  

 

[JacknOry]

Just now, oldjamfan1 said:

Great photo and lovely reading this thread. Is there anywhere on these forums where local/amateur footie stories are shared?

One of my personal favourite football stories happened at Mill Hill St Peters. I was playing for Sunnyhurst in the Blackburn Combination in a midweek game and we needed a point to take the title. We had brought a fair following from Darwen that night and they were all packed into that little stand at MHSP ground, behind the dug outs. Four of our team (myself included) arrived at the very last minute due to various work commitments and we were 2-0 down within the first 10 minutes or so. Anyway gradually we clawed our way back into the game, but every time I touched the ball a voice from that stand shouted "Number 10 you fooking donkey" or "You couldn't control a fart", that sort of stuff. Anyway I rattled the post from about 25 yards and Graeme 'Smutly' Smith (RIP) tapped in the rebound to make it 2-1. The voice from the stand boomed "How did you miss that number 10, you fat useless bald w@nker?"

He was utterly relentless with his abuse, but the more this bloke shouted, the more determined I was to shut him up. Finally, with about 15 minutes to go, I scored from all of 2 yards to make it 2-2. It was the simplest of simple tap-ins but I celebrated like I had just scored from the half way line, ran over to the stand and bellowed "Where are you now you gobby fooker, you're not shouting now are you? Come on, show your face you fooking coward, let's see you!", at which point my dad, who I had thought was driving a lorry in the south of England that night, and was only about 5' tall, pushed his way to the front of the crowd and said "That's no way to talk to your dad, is it?" to howls of laughter from all the assembled Darreners. 

(MHSP scored a late winner in that game to delay our title celebrations by a week, and they also beat us 3-2 in the cup final, but I always loved playing them, especially at their place).  

 

Great story!

[Exiled in Toronto]

1 hour ago, Claytons Left Boot said:

Haha, I’ll make sure you’re in a good home John.

I looked at who you thought was your dad and wasn’t sure but now I’ve seen your ‘second from the right dad’ I can tell!

Only got my left and right mixed up Mark! ?

Give the age and size of the St. Thomas’s ground, would they have been rubbing shoulders with Rovers and Olympic back in the early days?

This is the game we love, not some fooking Chilean twat goes to some poncey Italian team, which was above the demise of past FA Cup winners Bury on the BBC website.

Edited August 28, 2019 by Exiled in Toronto

[Uddersfelt Blue]

13 hours ago, Preben said:

Yep, me too.

He was still throwing the chalk then too!

I was there 1964 to 1970

Taught me maths at SMC. Remember him blowing bubbles in class. 

[oldjamfan1]

Just now, Uddersfelt Blue said:

Taught me maths at SMC. Remember him blowing bubbles in class. 

Was Bubbles a pupil?

[old darwen blue]

3 hours ago, oldjamfan1 said:

Great photo and lovely reading this thread. Is there anywhere on these forums where local/amateur footie stories are shared?

One of my personal favourite football stories happened at Mill Hill St Peters. I was playing for Sunnyhurst in the Blackburn Combination in a midweek game and we needed a point to take the title. We had brought a fair following from Darwen that night and they were all packed into that little stand at MHSP ground, behind the dug outs. Four of our team (myself included) arrived at the very last minute due to various work commitments and we were 2-0 down within the first 10 minutes or so. Anyway gradually we clawed our way back into the game, but every time I touched the ball a voice from that stand shouted "Number 10 you fooking donkey" or "You couldn't control a fart", that sort of stuff. Anyway I rattled the post from about 25 yards and Graeme 'Smutly' Smith (RIP) tapped in the rebound to make it 2-1. The voice from the stand boomed "How did you miss that number 10, you fat useless bald w@nker?"

He was utterly relentless with his abuse, but the more this bloke shouted, the more determined I was to shut him up. Finally, with about 15 minutes to go, I scored from all of 2 yards to make it 2-2. It was the simplest of simple tap-ins but I celebrated like I had just scored from the half way line, ran over to the stand and bellowed "Where are you now you gobby fooker, you're not shouting now are you? Come on, show your face you fooking coward, let's see you!", at which point my dad, who I had thought was driving a lorry in the south of England that night, and was only about 5' tall, pushed his way to the front of the crowd and said "That's no way to talk to your dad, is it?" to howls of laughter from all the assembled Darreners. 

(MHSP scored a late winner in that game to delay our title celebrations by a week, and they also beat us 3-2 in the cup final, but I always loved playing them, especially at their place).  

 

And that my friends is how to motivate a player. A practice historically common on the Riverside. 

[arbitro]

19 hours ago, WIR Second Coming said:

Me and my two brothers all played for MHSP at some point or other, younger bro being the best footballer out of us. We were all St Mary's College boys too, although the footballing side there was destroyed by a certain priest saying there wouldn't be any team with a player sporting our surname in it (Fr. Wynne, gawd rest his hairy soul). I only played a handful of games, in the West Lancs League for MHSP - disclocated my shoulder on a slippery pitch (at Burnley UTD I think) on the day our club linesman kicked a heckling (burnley) spectator in the nuts and shouted at him "don't rub em, count em!" Them were the days

I have been reliably informed that Fr Wynne is alive and well living in the Revidge area.

[Preben]

Did any of you ex SMC boys see or hear about the book by an ex-pupil describing his grooming at the hands of Rev Kev?

When challenged about it the t**t said "it takes two to tango"

 

[Exiled in Toronto]

25 minutes ago, Preben said:

Did any of you ex SMC boys see or hear about the book by an ex-pupil describing his grooming at the hands of Rev Kev?

When challenged about it the t**t said "it takes two to tango"

 

Arbitro told me about it and pointed me toward an article about the book. Too keen to hang out with pupils rather than other teachers/priests, so I guess many of us didn’t meet his criteria. I bet at least some of the other priests knew. 

[Alex Rover]

Crickey lads, what was going on at SMC?

[oldjamfan1]

22 hours ago, Preben said:

Did any of you ex SMC boys see or hear about the book by an ex-pupil describing his grooming at the hands of Rev Kev?

When challenged about it the t**t said "it takes two to tango"

 

Yeah I saw that. Rev Kev eh? I was horrified and saddened to see the bickering on the SMC “All Aboard Spam’s Bus” FB page when the lad involved posted the link to his story. 

Just because the Rev didn’t abuse you doesn't mean he wasn’t an abuser!

On a happier note it is lovely to see that Tommy and Mrs Duckworth are both still alive and very well into their 90s!

They are a lovely family who had to endure the loss of their son (Andrew) in his teens. He was a very talented footballer if I remember correctly.

Edited August 29, 2019 by oldjamfan1

[Preben]

10 minutes ago, oldjamfan1 said:

Yeah I saw that. Rev Kev eh? I was horrified and saddened to see the bickering on the SMC “All Aboard Spam’s Bus” FB page when the lad involved posted the link to his story. 

Jus the cause the Rev didn’t abuse you doesn't mean he wasn’t an abuser!

On a happier note it is lovely to see that Tommy and Mrs Duckworth are both still alive and very well into their 90s!

I never thought to look for the FB page.

I've read the book

Fantastic that Tommy is still alive, great man and much unlike the pathetic Mick Devoy

[Exiled in Toronto]

16 minutes ago, oldjamfan1 said:

Yeah I saw that. Rev Kev eh? I was horrified and saddened to see the bickering on the SMC “All Aboard Spam’s Bus” FB page when the lad involved posted the link to his story. 

Jus the cause the Rev didn’t abuse you doesn't mean he wasn’t an abuser!

On a happier note it is lovely to see that Tommy and Mrs Duckworth are both still alive and very well into their 90s!

Illustrating the health benefits of refereeing games without ever leaving the centre circle!

[Preben]

Tommy Duckworth did a great job with the kids penalty shoot outs at half time at Ewood

[Gone to seed]

20 hours ago, Alex Rover said:

Crickey lads, what was going on at SMC?

Some things they did very well - the football side (mostly) for one, with some good players coming through (Mike Duxbury being the cream of the crop, but others like Danny Keogh, the Barrow brothers also doing well). Other things would probably merit the kind of witch hunt that seems fashionable these days, but should probably be left in the past. Good things - Ken Holt, Tommy Duckworth, Ma Riley !, Peter Rose, Fred Rose, Mike Neild, Mike Finlay, Spam Eastham & the barmy school bus amongst others. Some good memories, some crap ones!

[Exiled in Toronto]

Just now, WIR Second Coming said:

Some things they did very well - the football side (mostly) for one, with some good players coming through (Mike Duxbury being the cream of the crop, but others like Danny Keogh, the Barrow brothers also doing well). Other things would probably merit the kind of witch hunt that seems fashionable these days, but should probably be left in the past. Good things - Ken Holt, Tommy Duckworth, Ma Riley !, Peter Rose, Fred Rose, Mike Neild, Mike Finlay, Spam Eastham & the barmy school bus amongst others. Some good memories, some crap ones!

John Waddington also

[oldjamfan1]

Mark Brennan arguably the best of them all

[Claytons Left Boot]

Mick Higgins, Rovers reserves and I think, Workington Town.

And me, of course. Only one thing kept me out of the England team in the early 80s...I wasn’t good enough..sorry.

[Preben]

Bernard Reidy cricketer with England under 18's and Lancashire.

As the thread title is MHSP I should probably mention Dave O'Neil, one of their old boys, who had a great career with Rossendale Utd.

Also, the greatest of them all, Dave "Haggis" Hargreaves of Accy Stanley fame, also Rovers very briefly, and sadly no longer with us.

[MCMC1875]

On 29/08/2019 at 18:06, WIR Second Coming said:

Some things they did very well - the football side (mostly) for one, with some good players coming through (Mike Duxbury being the cream of the crop, but others like Danny Keogh, the Barrow brothers also doing well). Other things would probably merit the kind of witch hunt that seems fashionable these days, but should probably be left in the past. Good things - Ken Holt, Tommy Duckworth, Ma Riley !, Peter Rose, Fred Rose, Mike Neild, Mike Finlay, Spam Eastham & the barmy school bus amongst others. Some good memories, some crap ones!

Harry 'Get Off That Pitch!' Pilling, top groundsman. The pitches went to seed (no pun intended) when LCC took over.