BILLY Atherton, tough as a chunk of granite and not the kind of person to pick an argument with, enjoyed his hard-knock heyday from around the 1950s to 60s.

But the reputation of this 'little big 'un' from St Helens still reverberates to this day . . . apparently as far away as the Australian Outback!

His 55-year-old nephew, Colin Atherton, has now contacted me from his Middlesborough home to report that he recently received a 1996 cutting, snipped from this long-running column, featuring battling Billy, who was the younger brother of Colin's father, Stanley.

Stan moved across the Pennines after wartime army service, taking in action in Burma during which he suffered wounds that would bring an end to his civilian occupation as a St Helens glass-blower.

"Billy made a tough impact when visiting us in Middlesborough", reports Colin. Apparently such visits spelled trouble with a capital T.

Revealed

And the former sporting all-rounder then goes on to relate an amazing little tale concerning his battling uncle. "My brother, also named Billy, lives near Sydney, Australia. Travelling in his caravan, he ended up in the Outback. In a run-down pub, in the middle of nowhere, he got talking to two elderly couples sitting in a corner".

He gave them his name and revealed that he originated from St Helens in England, whereupon one of the ladies exclaimed: "You aren't Billy Atherton from Fingerpost, are you!"

Either an ex-pat, or on a holiday visit to Oz, she was, of course, referring to his tearaway uncle. But, unfortunately, Billy junior didn't follow this up, to the disappointment of brother Colin who is keen to learn more about his family links.

Colin writes: "I would like to hear from anyone who knew my father from his Fingerpost days". He can be contacted by by phone on 01642 456609 by e-mail on b.atha@ntlworld.com