Soccer heroes spotted (From Warrington Guardian)

Soccer heroes spotted

A HOST of sporting memories surfaced following publication of a 1935 photo (this page, February 5) showing Manchester United defensive legend Bill Foulkes as an infant, posing with the five-trophy Nutgrove Athletic team.

It was forwarded by Jean Ellison who identified her dad, Alf Ellison, and her uncle Dave Ellis in the line-up, and had hoped that long-memoried fans of this page could name others.

Quick to respond were Bill Ireland and Tom Roberts. Tom and his brother were almost certain that their father, Tommy Roberts, was one of the players. And Bill, from Old Lane, Eccleston Park, positively identified his dad, the late Billy Ireland, who died in 1940.

He thinks the goalkeeper was Bill Foulkes's dad and also in the celebratory shot was Bill's granddad. Bunny Waddington and Dickie Birchall are others recognised, and possibly Neddy Birchall.

Bill recalls childhood Saturday mornings helping his father mark out the pitch behind Emily Street in preparation for afternoon games. Bill's mother worked at the Brown Edge Inn, mentioned in the flashback item, for about nine years until her death in 1949.