Treated like lords at Cornsay

"We were lord mayors of Cornsay that day. Flags and bunting lined the street, most of the village turned out to meet us, the landlord threw up the shutters and asked what we were all having. That was before the match even started."

We'd recounted that Durham Challenge Cup tie in Friday's column - Cornsay Park Albion 1 Sunderland Reserves 1, February 1958 - and are grateful to Andrew Kendrick in Consett for his recollection that Johnny, born in South Bank, had been working with his wife at the CIU convalescent home in Saltburn.

Jack Amos, the Durham CIU branch secretary, remembered him, too. "We called him Johnny the Cat," says Jack, though half the goalies in the land were probably The Cat (and one or two others The Flying Pig.)

Before returning to the carnival in Cornsay Colliery, however, there is a skeleton in Johnny's boot bag which must briefly be exhumed.

Searching the Internet, John Briggs in Darlington came across an Oldham Athletic website on which a chap now in Tanzania recalls "incompetent or just plain unlucky" Latics keepers like Bill Molyneux, Barry Gordine, Maurice Short (Middlesbrough lad), John Fitton and Jim Curran.

The "most famous of all goalkeeping blunders at Boundary Park", however, came on January 22 1966 and involved poor old Johnny - who, the website concedes, wasn't a bad goalie at all.

Johnny groans, begs not to be reminded of it but - good chap that he is - relives the nightmare one more time.

Oldham, bottom of the third division, led first division West Ham - Moore, Peters, Hurst - 2-1 in the FA Cup third round.

It was the day that Newcastle United won 3-1 at Chester, that Bishop Auckland won 3-1 at Finchley thanks to a "masterstroke" by a young manager/coach called Lawrie McMenemy, and centre forward John Burton - now Tony Blair's constituency agent - hit all three in Stockton's Challenge Cup victory over Stanley United.

At Boundary Park, 70 minutes had been played on an icy pitch. "Jack Rowley, the manager, insisted I wear tracksuit bottoms, although I never liked them," recalls Johnny, now 65 and recently retired.

"One of their players, Bobby Moore I think (the Echo said Dennis Burnett) hoofed a huge clearance from defence. I let it bounce, which mightn't have been wise because it skidded on the ice, but still thought there wasn't a problem.

"I back-pedalled, went to catch it, but my studs caught in my tracksuit bottoms and it rolled into the net. I could have crawled through the lace holes in my boots." The Hammers won the replay.

He'd first played for Oldham under George Hardwick in 1954-55, made 61 Football League appearances for Sunderland between 1955-59, had a spell with Bolton Wanderers then returned to Oldham for a further 131 League matches.

Back in Cornsay Colliery, a mining village west of Durham, the match ended 1-1 after Bollands saved a penalty.

"There was a huge crowd, just a rope round the field, and this chap behind the goal who promised me two chickens if I let it in.

"After I saved it, I remember him saying: 'That's your bloody supper gone, then'."

They did get a couple of pints in the Oak, though - "the trainer said it was all right after the match."

The Bank of England club, playing seven men with first team experience as County FA rules demanded, won the replay 3-1. "It was one of those days you simply love, getting close to the public," says Johnny the Cat.

"Maybe one of the things that's wrong with the game today is that players don't really do that any more."

His other claim to fame may have eternal expression in the English language. After January 22, 1966, a monumental error has been known as dropping a Bollands.

A CHAP from Bishop also rings with distant memories of Cornsay Colliery, of a local youngster called Parkin who signed for Arsenal before the war, became friends with the legendary Ted Drake and regularly invited him back to the pit village for holidays. Drake's progress? Can anyone add substance to the story?

DEREK Lewin, another who made a few appearances in Oldham Athletic colours - though far better remembered as one of those who won three successive FA Amateur Cup medals with Bishop Auckland from 1955-57 - is recovering from a heart bypass.

So, reports Derek, is former Bishops favourite Warren Bradley, 67 - the only man ever to win English amateur and full international caps in the same season.

Warren had the operation in October and appears fully to be recovered. Derek, now 70 and a member of the FA Council, underwent surgery three weeks ago.

He's going well. "I'll be back in Soho Square soon," he insists.

BEDLINGTON Terriers may not be going to the final at Villa Park - Berkhamsted regarded Sunday's FA Carlsberg Vase semi-final win as the biggest thing to hit the town since the English surrendered to William the Conqueror at the castle up the road - but Hartlepool Lion are.

Remember Hartlepool Lion? They lost in the FA Sunday Cup semi-final to Liverpool Fantail, the occasion (Backtrack, March 16) of the Billingham Synthonia streaker.

Now, happily for the Hartlepool lads, even more has been revealed - Fantail, who won 1-0, played the last 15 minutes with a sub who was under contract to Prescott Cables of the North West Counties League.

Not only that, but the gentleman in question had been playing while under contract elsewhere for almost two seasons.

Lion's lifeline came with a call from the team whom Fantail had beaten in the quarter-final - unable to protest themselves because they discovered the irregularity after the statutory seven days.

An FA spokesman (shall we say) confirmed all this at Berkhamsted's pre-match reception, held (rather appropriately) in the local police club.

"It's very unfortunate because Fantail may not have known about the contract, but they have been expelled from the competition," he confirms.

The final, Hartlepool Lion Hillcarter v FC Houghton Centre, is at Aston Villa, 3pm on May 13.

STILL among the Sunday best, the Guardian reports that four days after the New Inn at Hetton-le-Hole qualified for their first ever final - the FTC Motorcycles President's Cup - the Stepy's Coaches Durham and District Sunday League held an emergency meeting.

So great the winter's woes, clubs agreed overwhelmingly to abandon all cup competitions in order to finish the league programme.

The voting was 65-1. No prizes for guessing the one.

F OR the handsome price of 50p, John Raper picked up a cup of his own last week - at a car boot sale.

It was presented to T Mart, for his part in Summersons' Athletic Club's Darlington and District League B Division triumph in 1938-39.

"They were a good side in those days, my dad and brother used to work there," says John.

He's now anxious to return the eight inch high trophy, elbow greased but still a bit battered, to Mr Mart's family.

We'll pass on information. "I don't even want my ten bob back," says John.

BELATED recognition, Friday's column noted Alf Sanders's 1906 bowling figures - 65 at 3.95 for Etherley, and a mounted cricket ball for his efforts.

Jack Chapman, meticulously compiling his history of the club fame in Co Durham - "good to see cricket coming out of the Backtrack woodwork," he suggests - points out that Ryton leg break bowler Tom Graham was the only man that season to claim 100 wickets.

His 103 at 4.2 included 7-2 against Newburn, who departed collectively for five.

He and his brother John (6-3, 4-4) also saw Whickham away for nine, eight of whom failed to trouble.

Darlington;s Irwin Smith, notes Jack, was probably the first Durham club cricketer - in 1887 - to take 100 wickets in a season

Others between 1887-1906 included Willie Tolson (Darlington), Dick Clarke three times for Raby Castle - where the surname still seems familiar - Thompson Smith of West Hartlepool, Arthur Welch (Stockton) and John Butler (Burnmoor).

Tom Graham bagged over 1000 wickets in 11 Ryton seasons, did the hat-trick 15 times but got so drunk on his wedding day that he collapsed in a heap at the wicket.

The local killjoy, says Jack, called the constabulary. "A kindly bobby refused to lock him up and deny Jack his deserved but altogether fuddled nuptials."

THE three players who've missed penalties in League Cup finals at Wembley (Backtrack March 23) are Ray Graydon (Aston Villa, 1975), Clive Walker (Sunderland, 1985) and dear old Nigel Winterburn for the Gunners in 1988.

Brian Shaw from Shildon today seeks the identity of three clubs, apart from Middlesbrough in 1997, who reached the FA Cup final in the season that they were relegated.

More ups and downs on Friday.

Published: Tuesday, March 27, 2001