THIS year’s reunion of former Bishop Auckland footballers was held last week but, sadly, it featured plenty of fabulous stories but only one player from the club’s glory days of the 1950s.

In 1957, Bob Thursby, who joined the Bishops from Stanley United before the start of that season, was the youngest player on the Wembley pitch as Bishop beat Wycombe Wanderers 3-1 to lift the Amateur Cup for a record third year running. 

The Northern Echo:

Bob Thursby, who played in the 1957 amateur cup final at Wembley in front of 92,000 people

But there were a bundle of other stories from old players. For instance, Allan Barker recalled the time that he was travelling up from Bishop to St James's Park, Newcastle, on an evening for training. He said: "I was getting a bit tired of going up to Newcastle mainly because I relied on my brother Joe for a lift, and that was after he had done a day's work. Anyway Colin Summerson, who ran the Bishop junior team, got in touch and one night he agreed to take me up to Newcastle. 

“That very night after training, I was asked to go and see the club manager Joe Harvey, who then offered me a contract which I was happy to sign." 

Allan was never a regular choice at left back for the Magpies but he made 29 competitive starts. His debut was on February 28, 1975, against West Ham and his final game was on December 23, 1978, against Burnley.

The Northern Echo: Terry Jackson, John Fowler, John Phelan, Arnold Alton, David Bayles, Ray Russell, Alan Barker,

Guests at the 2023 Bishop Auckland FC reunion. Back: Terry Jackson, John Fowler, John Phelan, Arnold Alton, David Bayles, Ray Russell, Alan Barker, Peter Cooke, Steve Newcomb, Steve Coulthard. Inset: Bob Thursby. Front: Mike Amos, Kevin Cross, Barry Poole, Alan Adamthwaite, Wilson Blair, Clive Nattrass, Bill Roughley, John Barker, Charles Townsend

Former Echo columnist Mike Amos recalled a function at Ushaw Moor Cricket Club when a former Bishop Auckland player gave a speech that went on a little too long. Mike said: "One person, bored to tears, shouted out: 'It's time for the first turn’.” 

"Unfortunately," added Mike, "nobody could see or find the first turn, until he was discovered fast asleep in a store cupboard." 

David Bailes recalled the start of one season when the owner of a TV shop in Shildon promised to supply a new television to any Shildon player who hit a hat-trick. David said: "I won one right at the start of the season and then we signed a striker called Doug Grant and he won about five."

Bishop Auckland club director Terry Jackson and former players David Bailes and Kevin Cross named their top three defenders.

Terry named Kenny Hills, Brian Magee and Mark Salmon. David went for Dave Lobb, Mark Salmon and Micky Nelson while Kevin went for Paul Brown, Kenny Hills and Clive Nattrass.

Clive just happened to be playing golf at Bishop on the afternoon of the reunion, so he popped in to say hello, as did Crook Town's longest serving player Dennis Pinkney, who was also playing golf.  He joined in, despite the intense rivalry that always existed between the two clubs.

Terry Jackson also had some photographs of Sligo Rovers’s ground where Seamus O'Connell played from February to April 1952 after leaving Queens Park and before joining Bishop Auckland. The legendary O’Connell made 16 appearances for Sligo and scored seven goals, and the ground had a commemorative plaque dedicated to him.

The Northern Echo: Exhibition of Bishop Auckland FC's "glory days" paintings by Alan Adamthwaite at Bishop Auckland

Alan Adamthwaite looking at picture of himself in action for Bishop Auckland

Last Friday’s reunion at the town golf club was organised by Alan Adamthwaite, famous for his two excellent books on the football club, Glory Days and Never Again.

Glory Days, which has an introduction from Sir Bobby Robson and a forward by Lawrie McMenemy, tells the story of the glory days between 1950 and 1957 when the Bishops appeared in six FA Amateur Cup finals, winning the trophy on a record three successive occasions in 1955, 1956 and 1957. 

Never Again told the story of Bobby Hardisty, widely recognised as England's most famous amateur footballer.

Alan, besides having a lifelong interest in the football club, was also very keen on horse racing and once won such an enormous accumulator bet that he was able to buy a brand new bungalow with cash. 

Once a tipster with Sky Racing, he doesn't bet much these days. "I have so much hassle in the betting shops these days just trying to place a bet, I've lost a lot of interest."

But he was once red hot where racehorses were concerned. A couple of weeks before Cheltenham 2012, he was at a dinner at Heritage Park in Bishop Auckland when somebody asked him: "Who will win the Gold Cup, Alan?" 

He immediately answered: "Synchronised."

Synchronised went on to win at 8/1 with AP McCoy on board.