Still four years to go to the big occasion, plans are under way to mark the centenary of West Auckland's first "World Cup" win with a nationally touring theatrical production.

It will be a project of "unique historic and sporting importance", says Co Durham based Jack Drum Arts, who've already commissioned it.

The latest version of the West side story, with the working title "How We Won the World Cup - and Kept It", follows a £1.5m film, made in 1981 and starring Dennis Waterman. A new book by John Wotherspoon is also expected in May.

Though with a cast of just four or five - each with "a host of parts" - the play will also involve local schools in projects aimed at raising awareness of life in the former mining community 100 years ago.

West Auckland were invited after the FA refused to nominate a team for the original tournament, in Italy. Even then, legend has it, the Italians mistook "WAFC" for Woolwich Arsenal.

They won 2-0 in the final against FC Winerhour of Switzerland, having beaten Stuttgart in the previous game. Invited to return as defending champions, they thrashed Juventus 6-1 in the final two years later.

Strapped for cash after the second trip, the club loaned the Sir Thomas Lipton trophy to a local pub landlady in exchange for £40 - and only repaid it 50 years later. In 1994, the cup was stolen from West Auckland WMC and has never been recovered.

Jack Drum hopes that the "small scale" production will premiere at the workmen's club, where a replica is now kept under tight security.

"We're looking forward to it," says designer and director Simon Pell. "The play will poke fun at the FA and give West Auckland the recognition they deserve."

Evenwood Town FC's new manager Brian Maitland took charge of his first game on Saturday - away at Easington Colliery. His new house is less than 100 yards from Easington's ground. Evenwood are also on their travels tonight - in the Craven Cup at Easington Colliery. It's yet another example of the Albany Northern League trying to make folks feel at home.

A long way from home, former Evenwood cricketer Alastair Milroy e-mails from the Caribbean with news of the club's new West Indian professional - 23-year-old Trinidad and Tobago all-rounder Rayad Emrit.

Presently playing against Jamaica - 2-55 in Jamaica's 316 all out - he has a first class batting average of 10.94 but has 31 first class wickets at 20.39, including three five wicket innings in just nine matches.

He averaged 68.50 for Lewes in the Sussex County League, however, and twice played for Sussex II last season.

Ali, also a familiar Cockfield footballer, is also looking forward to Trinidad and Tobago's next game - against the USA - while working in the West Indies. "I'm in the all you can eat and drink stand," he says.

You don't get those in Cockfield, either.

Beneath the banner of Trimdon Grange colliery, where once he'd toiled, Len Watson's funeral was held at St Alban's, Trimdon, yesterday.

To Backtrack readers he was Len the Leap, of course, the column celebrating his 90th birthday brandished from the pulpit. "A man who made the world brighter and better," said Tom Thubron, the officiating priest.

Still world Over 75 long jump champion, Len was mourned by a squad of Durham City Harriers, comparing ligament strains, and remembered for the time he was chased out of a pub in the borders for the venal Scottish sin of eating his own sandwiches.

"Mind," said his mate Barry Parnaby, "they'd never have caught Lenny."

He was 90, had run a straight race, swore by a noxious and top secret embrocation called Watson's No. 6, in which the main ingredient was reputedly dandelion leaves.

"I remember once telling him at Chilton Club dance that our lass couldn't make it because she had sciatica something terrible," said a chap outside the church.

"The next thing I knew, Lenny was round the house with a bottle of the horrible stuff."

Mind, he added, the following week at Chilton Club, their lass was light fantastic.

Fastidiously foregoing Lenny's wake, we nonetheless fell into conversation with veteran Durham City Harrier Bryan Mackay - a Willington footballer in the long gone days when young Martin Burleigh kept goal there.

Remember Martin Burleigh? There may never have been a more appropriately named sportsman - but, pound for pound, he was still a top class goalkeeper.

Signed by Newcastle United from Willington in 1969, he made 11 first team appearances but was plagued by the scales, finally topping 16 stones and finding himself in a heavyweight contest with Magpies manager Joe Harvey.

"The things that were said between me and Lord Westwood and Joe Harvey were anything but nice," he once told the column.

Subsequently he made 30 Football League appearances for Darlington, another 26 for Carlisle United, returned to Darlington where he was player of the year in 1977-78 and, after another dispute, ended his career with 84 league games for Hartlepool.

"He was a big lad even at 17, but a wonderful keeper even then," recalled Bryan.

Martin, who'll have been 54 last week, was last encountered painting and decorating around Ferryhill. Cut and paste, anyone know what happened next?

Marsden Veterans, another outfit whose name barely tells the story, have finally won their first game of the season in the Over 40s League. Though the team includes 58-year-old ex-Arsenal man Davy Jones (Backtrack, November 30), it was Martin Salter who made it all possible. Morning after the heavy night before, he was still abed when they came ringing - and scored twice in the 3-1 over the Board Inn, Sunderland.

With little cavity insulation, our old friends at Hole in the Wall FC - president, Backtrack - have reached the final of the Darlington Invitation Trophy for the fourth successive season.

Not for the first time, they haven't won a game in order to do so.

Since the Darlington and District League is down to six teams - Darlington GSOB having resigned in despair after losing to Hole in the Wall - one of the cup competitions was played on a league basis. The first four would be in the semi-finals, the other two in the Invitation Trophy, though rather more by default than invitation.

Though again pointless, though the league faces extinction after 112 years, Hole in the Wall secretary Alan Smith still produces his splendidly upbeat match day programmes.

With just four games left this season, the man with his finger in the Hole in the Wall refuses to give in. "Reports of our demise have been wildly exaggerated," says Alan. They lost the other three finals.

And finally...

the English team which is still unbeaten at home in European competition (Backtrack, February 4) is Sunderland - won one and drew one in the 1973-74 Cup Winners' competition.

Since we've been discussing West Auckland's World Cup chances, readers are today invited to come up with the proper name of that early days trophy.

All that glisters, the column returns on Friday.

Published: 08/02/2005