FOOTBALL'S rewards were rather humbler when Ron Davies-Evans was a linesman in the 1960 Amateur Cup final at Wembley - £3 13s 6d or a gold medal, wrote the FA, adding in three foot between the lines letters that it was definitely one or t'other.

It was Kingstonian v Hendon. Ron, never much of a lad for storing up riches on earth, took the medal. "The Amateur Cup final always seemed to feature Bishop Auckland or Crook so they were never going to choose a linesman from Darlington," he recalls. "You grabbed the chance while you could; in a way I was rather relieved that a Northern League side didn't make it for once."

Forty years later he still has a long-suffering season ticket at Middlesbrough, watches Darlington when they don't clash and remains in great demand as a Methodist local preacher.

An American woman he met on a train even persuaded him to give a series of addresses in California. "The minister in Spennymoor said people kept asking him to preach as well, but they were always from Ferryhill."

He is 79, a former Bomber Command officer and retired principal of the British Railways School of Transport in Darlington, born in the town despite his double-barrelled Welshness.

He was a JP, is still an active freemason, public speaker and broadcaster, admits that he's been lucky but quotes the golfer Gary Player who was asked about the same thing.

"Sure I'm lucky, but the funny thing is, the harder I practice the luckier I get," said Player.

It was in Spennymoor, a bit closer to home, where Ron held forth last Sunday morning - Rose Street chapel, now known as Trinity, changed entirely since last we were there 30 years ago.

Built in 1868 for the precise sum of £1,869 14s 1d, the church was magnificently transformed between 1974-82, a daunting DIY exercise that still cost £68,000 (and probably a few shillings and pence as well.)

"Truly tremendous" reflected a booklet to mark the rededication, and even then may have understated the case.

The worship area is now on the first floor - there's a lift, particularly appreciated by pall bearers - a welcoming gathering of 80 or so present for Ron's latest guest appearance.

His voice remains firm, without need of a microphone, but (doubtless not for the first time) he tells them the story about the boring old preacher who asks if everyone can hear.

"Yes," a voice pipes up, "but I'll happily swap places with someone who can't."

Ron likes humour. One of his three self-published fund raising books - You Must be Joking - is described as "a collection of rib tickling anecdotes, quips and stories".

Yes, but strictly in a Methodist sense....

Nor is he the oldest person on active duty. Ken Parkinson, appropriately playing My Living Will Not Be In Vain before the service starts, has been a church organist around Spennymoor for more than 60 years.

"I'll go anywhere; we're a dying breed," he says.

John Newman, 95, was a chemistry teacher at Bishop Auckland Grammar School (nicknamed Stench for purely scientific reasons) and a local preacher for 60 years, too. He likes, he says, to listen to the youngsters.

Trinity's real youngsters stay for the start of the service, entertained by Ron's memories of the Arcadia cinema in Darlington - "we used to call it the Ranch, because it only seemed to show cowboy films" - before departing for Sunday school.

Several older members mistakenly assume the column to be related to a lady who was a local head teacher, another to a different Mrs Amos entirely.

"You never sent for the doctor if you poorly in Spennymoor. You always sent up the street for Mrs Amos."

The bairns departed, Ron delivers a hugely lucid address entitled "God and the dignity of man" - educated too. How many other preachers, however many prefixes before their name or letters after it, pray for "those less fortunate than we"?

A piano's playing from the direction of the Sunday school; unless the old ears are deceiving, it's the Hokey-Cokey.

Afterwards someone kindly gives us a set of Trinity Church pens ("in an envelope marked "From Head Office"), John Newman recalls that his grandfather attended the chapel opening and Ron Davies-Evans offers a lift home and is fulsomely thanked for it.

"Not a problem," he says. "If you've preached as much about caring as I do, it's no good just going through the motions."

l Ron Davies-Evans's books, sold in aid of charities, are available (£3 each) from him at 165 Hummersknott Avenue, Darlington. The latest is Personal Reflections. Sunday services at Trinity Methodist church are at 10.30am and 6pm. Superintendent minister, the Rev John Mason, is on (01388) 815198.