THE glory days of amateur cup finals have long gone for Bishop Auckland - but the memories remain very much alive.

Names like Hardisty, Lewin and Bradley are still talked of with great affection by those who remember The Bishops as the country's most famous amateur football club.

Today is a poignant day for those who treasure those memories, as the last game is played at the famous old ground called Kingsway.

Sadly, memories are not enough in the modern era. Falling crowds have enforced a move and Kingsway is to be sold to developers.

The Northern Echo was proud to save The Bishops from a financial crisis in 1996 with a campaign which climaxed with Manchester United sending a team to play a fundraising match on an unforgettable night.

It represented the payment of a debt of honour after Bishop Auckland had sent players to help United rebuild in the wake of the Munich air disaster.

Six years on, we hope Kingsway gets the send-off it deserves, with a decent crowd watching a final home victory over Bradford Park Avenue.

That would be the perfect way for the town to repay its own debt of honour - and to say "thanks for the memories".

A true winner

THE world needs people like Lloyd Scott.

Lloyd provided one of the most heart-warming stories of the year last night when he finally finished the London Marathon in a 120lbs diving suit.

For many people, just picking up that kind of weight would have been a challenge. To carry it for 26 miles over eight hours, 29 minutes and 46 seconds, is hard to imagine.

In the process, he raised £100,000 for young leukaemia victims, and the publicity he has earned his charity is worth a lot more.

Paula Radcliffe, who was there to meet him at the finish, was the star of the London Marathon after her wonderful victory on Sunday.

Unlike Paula, Lloyd Scott will never compete for his country - but his country won't forget him in a hurry.