On a fine July evening in Tow Law - perishing cold, black as your hat but not exactly raining until the final whistle went - football folk gathered on Friday evening in affectionate memory of John Noddings.

Precisely a year earlier, John - a Northern League title winner with Evenwood Town in 1970 and 1971 - had lined up on the same ground for a charity match between sides representing Tow Law and Weardale.

Halfway through the first half, he collapsed and died on the ground where he'd learned his football. He was 58; the post-mortem discovered an undetected heart disease.

"He died with his boots on, so he'd have died happy," said his magnificent widow Marylin, who'd been in the crowd in 2003 and was back again on Friday.

It was still Tow Law v Weardale, this time for the John Noddings Memorial Cup and for the dedication of a plaque at the Ironworks Ground in his eternal remembrance.

"Marylin has given precise instructions that the game is to be a celebration," said Charlie Donaghy, the organiser. "The idea is that you run yourselves silly, as John would have done."

Les Hann, Weardale's Methodist minister, dedicated the plaque. "We remember John's enjoyment of the game," he said. "He would want you to look to the future."

A good match passed uneventfully until 65-year-old Robin Coulthard, one of a Weardale football family, fell in a heap and was taken off to Bishop General with a torn leg muscle.

He'll be fine, probably want to come on as sub again next year.

Marylin, faithfully fund raising for the British Heart Foundation since her husband's death, will be able to give them another £422. As probably they say in Tow Law, there are clouds and silver linings.

Paul Adamson, another grand lad who died playing the game he loved, will be remembered at a match at West Auckland on Sunday August 29 (2pm) - again in aid of the British Heart Foundation.

Adder, who was 43, died last November while playing five-a-side football for the Darlington referees' side. He had also spent almost 20 years in the Northern League, mainly with West Auckland.

West general manager Stewart Alderson hopes that many players who appeared with Paul over the years will want to play in the match. "Everyone who met him knew how much he loved his football" he says. Stewart's on 01388 834211.

For the first time since his shock resignation exactly a year ago, former Durham County Cricket Club chairman Bill Midgley was back at the Riverside last night.

"To be fair, they've asked me before but I didn't have time and I didn't want to get into wrangles with any of the members," he says.

"Unfortunately there were some who were more concerned about how many chips there were on a plate than securing the long term future of the club."

Midgley, 62, was hosting a hospitality box at the Twenty-20 game. It was, he insists, just another match.

A man of many hats, he has recently become chairman of Gateshead Thunder Rugby League club. Friday's column will have much more on the Thunder struck Mr Midgley.

Still Mad Frankie Fraser prompts sane reaction. Retired gangster and unreconstructed Arsenal fan, the 81-year-old made the column a couple of weeks back after his guest appearance at Spennymoor Boxing Academy's annual do.

When he was in Durham, he said, prison officers would shout news of Gunners' defeats through the door in the knowledge that he'd smash up the cell and be back in solitary.

We have now heard from a former Wandsworth officer, in Stockton these days, who recalls Mad Frankie's arrival at the London prison.

"His possessions included an Arsenal rug, which they wouldn't let him keep. Never mind the cell, he smashed up reception before he even got there.

"He was only little, even then he walked with a limp and looked insignifcant, but he was the third most frigthening man I ever met."

Only the third? "Well, you should have seen the other two."

These days, of course, things would have been different. "If he'd been inside during Arsenal's last season," reasons our friend, "he'd have been a model prisoner."

John Briggs in Darlington, who among other things runs a Subbuteo spares website, is engaged in classical debate about his miniature heroes. The name of the table football game is taken from the Latin for the hobby hawk - but should it be pronounced sub-boot-eo (as Bernard Matthews might) or sub-beaut-eo (as per the average Australian male lager drinker)? The message board overflows, Latin dictionaries and Italian in-laws have all been consulted. Perhaps because birds of a feather flick together, sub-boot-eo leads.

A reminder that Kimblesworth Cricket Club's reunion - all former players warmly welcomed - is at the clubhouse this Friday evening. Further details from Robson Smith, 07775 883624.

T'other side of Durham, Coxhoe CC have another past players' reunion on Saturday September 4 at which long serving former Hartlepools United full back Fred Richardson is expected to ve among those in attendance.

Appropriately, the do's at the Cricketers. Details from Ron Taylor, 01740 620708.

Back home on Saturday evening to present the awards at the Shildon Games League annual encomium, the chief topic of conversation - not for the first time - about how you can't beat the bookies.

Against all the odds, it may be recalled, Shildon FC reached the FA Cup first round proper last season for the first time in 42 years.

Next season they're quoted at just 12-1 to repeat the achievement, though it's the bookies who've achieved a mean feat.

The games league's mixed, a fair few females among the winners. The Cross Keys were overall champs but mightn't win a punctuation competition. A sign in the pub window identifies them as the Cross Key's.

And finally...

Friday's question sought the identity of the first footballer from the old third division to play for England after the war. It caused problems on an international scale.

Arnold Alton in Heighington supposed it to be former Chelsea goalkeeper Reg Matthews, Paul Tully in Newcastle reckoned John Atyeo of Bristol City, several others thought Steve Bull and were in the wrong china shop entirely. A chap from Spennymoor spent most of Durham Big Meeting on Saturday begging for the answer. It was the great Tommy Lawton, signed by Notts County for a third division record £20,000 in 1947 and capped shortly afterwards.

Brian Shaw - him again - today invites readers to name the chap who, aged 62, became in 1974 the oldest person to be given his first job as a Football League manager.

Old, old story? The column returns on Friday.

Published: 14/07/2004