A hugely successful exhibition on Doggarts' stores, famous throughout the North-East for most of the 20th century, ended in Bishop Auckland at the weekend.

"We've had more people here in one day than many exhibitions attract in a month," says Derek Toon, Bishop's town centre manager.

Amid that spangled emporium of retail reminiscence, however, what everyone forgot was the sports department. A closed shop now, of course, but worth once again pulling up the blinds.

Arthur Doggart, the founder, came to Bishop Auckland as an assistant in a drapery store. Whatever sporting prowess he may have had has little troubled history's scorers.

Graham, his son, was a double Cambridge blue who played first- class cricket for 11 seasons, won England football caps at both amateur and full international levels and in 1963 was FA chairman when - the answer to Friday's question - he died while conducting the annual meeting.

Hubert Doggart, Graham's son, twice played cricket for England in 1950 and held at least two batting records - one of which still stands.

Eighty last month, Hubert is now in poor health. "He's had a wonderful life but I'm afraid he won't be able to talk to you now," says Jamie Doggart, his nephew.

Simon Doggart, Hubert's son, also played first-class cricket for Cambridge University and the MCC and is now headmaster of Caldicott public school.

Truly, every Doggart has his day.

The future FA chairman was born in Bishop Auckland, attended King James I and Darlington grammar schools, played football for the Bishops, for Darlington and, most notably for the then celebrated Corinthians - 160 goals in 170 matches.

In just two games for the Quakers in 1921-22, the club's first Football League season, he scored four goals. In the second, a 3-0 win over Stockport County, fellow Cambridge blue Norman Creek made his only appearance - and scored the other goal.

Creek, more old school tie than Doggarts' haberdashery department, became manager of the England amateur side when North-East players needed several pounds of gelignite to break into the team. George Brown tells a good tale about him, but not for the public prints.

Graham Doggart won his only full England cap against Belgium in 1924, while still with the Corinthians, made seven appearances for Durham County Cricket Club - his brothers Norman and James also played for the county - played first-class for Middlesex and Cambridge University, was an MCC committee member and a selector at Sussex.

Still a director of the burgeoning family firm, he succeeded Arthur Drewry as FA chairman in 1961 and but for his untimely death, would probably have been at the helm when England won the World Cup.

The Cricketer magazine obituary talked chiefly about his life in football. "He was conspicuous for his patience in a game full of conflicting forces and opinions, and it was ironical that one of retiring disposition should in his last years rarely be far from publicity."

FA secretary Denis Follows said he had been a man of high principle and tremendous sense of duty. "There has never," concluded The Northern Echo, "been a more popular personality."

Hubert, another member of that remarkable Doggarts' club, made his two Test appearances against the West Indies in 1950, despite totalling just 14 in the trial match.

The histories describe him as a stylish middle order batsman, useful off-spin bowler and superb slip fielder. Though commentators tipped him for the England captaincy, he averaged just 19, didn't bowl and wasn't picked again.

His maiden first-class innings, an undefeated 215 for Cambridge University against Lancashire in 1948, is still believed to be an English record; his unbroken second wicket stand of 429 with John Dewes - Cambridge against Essex - beat by 31 runs the world record set 59 years earlier by Arthur Shrewsbury amd William Gunn.

He played for Sussex from 1948-61, captained the county in 1954, and was MCC president in 1982.

Derek Toon realised none of it. "I think," he says, "that we'll have to have another exhibition now."

The three Doggart brothers who played cricket for Durham - James became an eye surgeon, Norman captained Darlington for many years - weren't, surprisingly, the biggest fraternity to represent the county. The Beardless Wonder - a long time since that gentleman appeared hereabouts - points out that Whitburn brothers Fred, Tom, Charlie and Willie Dobson, their father head groundsman at Whitburn Hall, all won county honours in the 1890s. Two of their sons followed them into Durham's ranks.

Celebrations were shortlived for Durham fast bowler Steve Harmison, among England's Sunday best in the dramatic Ashes win. Having ultimately bagged Kasprowicz, big Steve exchanged a few handshakes then dashed to Chester-le-Street, where his kid brother Ben was making his Durham first team debut, against Bangladesh A. Swings and roundabouts, Steve arrived just in time to see Ben make a first-ball duck.

After the heroics of Freddie Flintoff, what of John Flintoff - playing for Yorkshire against Warwickshire tomorrow in the semi-final of the ECB Over 50s Cup?

John - sadly no relation to the Lancastrian scion - plays for Sessay, near Thirsk, joined in the county side by Des Wyrill from Thirsk and by our old friend Tom Stafford, still keeping very canny for Yarm.

Tom, Arsenal supporting Eaglescliffe newsagent, reckons he gets a game because Yarm are members of the Yorkshire Cricket Board. "I tell them I'm the overseas pro," he says.

The match is at Elland, 1.30pm. More on Friday.

Spennymoor Town's ground having passed muster - there's even talk that the Brewery Field might be serving a good pint before the end of the week - the Arngrove Northern League season kicks off on Friday when Town entertain Darlington RA.

As well as being the first Northern League match in Spennymoor for 15 years, it will be RA's first in the league since 1926.

The ANL chairman may have more reason than most to hope for a good gate, having bet two pints with Spennymoor managing director Ken Houlahan that the crowd will exceed 400.

Spectators are thus urged to drop everything and turn up for the historic occasion. There may even be a beer in it.

Relegated from the ANL in May, Willington FC begin their centenary season in the Wearside League - down, but by no means out. After last week's Ernest Armstrong Memorial Cup game with Consett, the column presented last year's player of the year award to 18-year-old James Seymour, who'd won the junior team's top award as well.

"The games didn't always coincide. He was able to get in about 20 in the first team and was brilliant," said club secretary Alan Stewart.

James, who commutes from Chester-le-Street, has rejected several offers from ANL clubs in order to remain, unpaid, at Willington. "It's a fantastic example of loyalty," says Alan. Quite right.

It was absurdly forgetful to suggest, as Friday's column did, that Dickie Davis in 1949-50 was the last Sunderland footballer to finish leading scorer in the top division. Commendably gentle, Tom Purvis in Sunderland points out that Kevin Phillips's 30 goals in 1999-2000 not only made him the Premiership's top marksman but won the European golden boot as well.

Since the column was principally talking about the 1913 FA Cup final - Aston Villa 1 Sunderland 0, 121,000 overflowing the Crystal Palace - Steve Smith turned to a book which reproduces back page coverage of all the finals.

It not only shows spectators hanging from every branch but a section of stand roof, with fans who'd been watching from it being rescued.

Steve's restrained, too. "I think," he says, "that cup finals in those days may not have been all ticket."

And finally...

Matthew Hayden's failure to score in the first innings at Edgbaston brought to an end a sequence of 67 Test innings without a duck. Readers are today invited to name the cricketer who scored in 119 successive Test innings - by some way a world record.

Ducking and diving, the column returns on Friday.

Published: 09/08/2005