60 years ago this weekend Crook Town were at Wembley

The committee which ran the club went out to get the best players and tempted them with financial inducements to join and help the club in its bid for the ultimate glory of an appearance at Wembley in the amateur final.

Sixty years ago this weekend, Crook’s big spending tactics were successful: they reached the home of English football and played in the final against Hounslow.

But some of their players were wise to what was going on, and just before match two of them approached the committee and said: "If we are not getting the same expenses as everyone else, we are not playing."

That expensive hiccup must have been overcome because they both played.

Coach George Wardle and captain Derek Gardener lead out the Crook Town team at Wembley Stadium for the Amateur Cup Final against Hounslow on Saturday, April 14, 1962

Things had changed at Crook since their last Amateur Cup success in 1959. Stars like Seamus O'Connell and Mike Tracey had gone as well as centre half Colin Bainbridge, wing half Ray Wilkie and winger Arnold Coates. They were five excellent players who took some replacing.

But George Wardle was back as coach, which did not suit some players because he liked his forwards to take up defensive duties when the opposition had the ball. Crook may have attacked in a 4-2-4 formation but when they defended the formation became more 4-4-2. Players like Jimmy McMillan, who had been used to playing 'off the cuff' football in the 1950s, found this tactic hard to take.

The Crook team evolved over the course of the 1961-62 season. Left back Bert Steward, who had skippered the team to the 1959 victory, suffered a career ending knee injury in August, so Crook tracked down Frank Clark to replace him. Clark had impressed them when he played for Highgate United against them in the Durham Challenge Cup the previous season.

He joined the club at the same time as Peter Garbutt joined from Bishop Auckland, and they both made their debuts against Shildon at home in a league fixture on September 6. Crook won 1-0, Allan Brown the scorer.

John Tobin hit two goals in a 2-2 draw at Spennymoor before Crook beat West Auckland 5-0 at home on September 28 to take Crook to the top of the Northern League.

Crook's next move was to send Jack Bestford to Spennymoor to sign Bill Blenkiron. Bill had been playing at Spennymoor since leaving school at 17, and most of the time had played in the semi-professional Midland League against teams like Peterborough, North and South Shields and Ashington.

The next two big signings at the Millfield were Don Sparks and Dan Peary in December followed by the return of Arnold Coates for Crook's First Round Amateur Cup tie at home to Ossett Albion on January 20. An Oliver penalty put Crook through, but Oliver never played for Crook in the Amateur Cup again.

Crook Town line-up at the Millfield  before their visit to Wembley to play Hounslow in the FA Amateur Cup Final 

Arnold Coates proved his worth by hitting last minute goals against Windsor and Eton and Dagenham in Rounds Two and Three to put Crook into the quarter final stage and a home game against Wimbledon. For this game Barry Storey played right half, Dan Peary inside left, Arnold Coates centre forward and Don Sparks outside right. Coates and Sparks scored to put Crook into the semi-final against West Auckland, which was played at Middlesbrough’s Ayresome Park where goals by Coates and Sparks put Crook into the final.

Finals at Wembley affect players in different ways. Left half Allan Brown, playing in his first final, said that he was like a cat on hot bricks before the game and was amazed to find outside left Jimmy McMillan, playing in his third final, quietly having a nap in the corner.

Bill Blenkiron, fourth from the left of the players that are clearly shown, listens to Crook Town coach George Wardle, far right, and goalkeeper Ray Snowball next to the model of a pitch which is being used to demonstrate a technical point. Other players clearly shown, left to right, are Don Sparks, Allan Brown, John Heatherington, Bill Blenkiron, Peter Garbutt, unknown, Jimmy McMillan and Derek Gardener. 

The final, though, was disappointing, littered with mistakes and over-enthusiasm. Crook took the lead on 65 minutes when a centre-cum-shot by McMillan, wide on the left, sailed over the goalkeeper's head into the far corner of the net.

Don Sparks, the Crook Town outside right, celebrates after left-winger Jimmy McMillan puts Crook Town ahead in the Amateur Cup Final on Saturday, April 14, 1962

Crook Town players Barry Storey, Allan Brown, and John Heatherington watch the ball as Crook goalkeeper Ray Snowball is bundled over the line by a Hounslow player during the Amateur Cup Final

Hounslow equalised in a controversial way. Crook goalkeeper Ray Snowball, who has just celebrated his 90th birthday, recalled: "Hounslow won a corner on the right, and one of their players headed the ball towards our goal. It was a weak header which I took easily and I held the ball to my chest.

“The next thing I knew, one of their players charged into me and forced the ball from my hands into the net.

“I did hear later that referee Jack Taylor once admitted that awarding Hounslow a goal had been a mistake."

There were no more goals so the final ended 1-1 with Crook right back and skipper Derek Gardener limping badly on the final whistle with an injury.

A replay was arranged for Ayresome Park the following Saturday, April 21, and Crook immediately took control of the replay in the first half and Gardener, who was not fully fit, was never really put under any pressure from Hounslow winger Patterson, who had scored their equaliser at Wembley.

Crook scored three goals in a nine minute first half spell. The first two goals by the dynamic duo of Arnold Coates and Don Sparks were exact replicas of the goals they had scored against West Auckland in the semi-final. Coates hooked the ball through a ruck of players following a corner kick while Sparks went down the right wing, cut back inside and shot with his left foot from the tightest of angles. Once more the ball entered the net by the near left hand post.

McMillan hit a third while Coates scored his second goal in the 79th minute to leave Crook 4-0 winners.

Crook Town skipper Derek Gardener proudly displays the FA Amateur Cup on the shoulders of Allan Brown, left, and John Heatherington, right

The gamble of playing the injured Gardener paid off, but it was a risk because he was clearly struggling in the second half.

After the match, the Hounslow skipper George Taylor visited the Crook dressing room to congratulate the winners. He said: "It was a great game lads."

Heavy rain did not stop hundreds of Crook fans going to the Millfield Ground to welcome their team back.

Crook played five more league games after the final. They won two and drew three to finish in fifth position in the Northern League.

The Crook Town players, wives and girlfriends, committee and council dignitories sit down ready for a celebratory meal after the team won the Amateur Cup.  Fourth from the top on the left is Frank Clark, seventh is Allan Brown, next to him Bill Blenkiron, and then Ray Snowball. On the right and fifth from the top is John Heatherington with his wife Betty next to him

A civic reception in Crook after Crook had won the Amateur Cup. Far left is committee man Walter Trotter, then Bill Parkin and Johnny Wright.  Club secretary Harry Laws is fifth from the left. Betty Heatherington, the wife of the team's centre half John, is right in the centre holding a drink.  Bill Blenkiron is third from the right, Jack Bestford on his left, while in the doorway is Peter Garbutt. Trainer Charlie Peart is just in front of Bill Blenkiron

BILL BLENKIRON was one of Crook’s big signings in the 1961-62 season. He played in 20 of the club’s 43 matches, so he knew that when the final came around, his chances of playing were slim.

He recalled: “I had a pretty good idea that I would not play at Wembley, but after Derek Gardener got injured, I thought there might have been a chance of replacing him for the replay at Ayresome Park, because he wasn't fit.

"I enjoyed the visit to Wembley though, the changing rooms with three or four big baths and the walk on to the pitch.

“Crook looked after me and I enjoyed my time there. Training was twice a week and after the session our coach George Wardle often kept us back in the dressing rooms to go over some coaching or technical points. I liked George, who also took me for Keep Fit at college in Durham."

Bill left Crook af the end of the season and had a spell playing centre half for Stanley United.

"Stanley United were far away the best football club that I played for, they were lovely people up there, they really looked after you,” he said.

Bill Blenkiron with his wife, Margaret

He returned to Crook for the 1967-68 season, and recalled: "When I was at Stanley I got a job with the National Coal Board. When I signed for Crook again I found work at the Advanced Throwing Mills as the Crook president Ray Hampton had a link with the firm. He also had a link with Manchester City and when Crook opened their floodlights, I was in the team that played Manchester City."

Bill made a total of 91 appearances in the years he played at the Millfield. Although he did not make the Crook Cup final team in 1962, he certainly made the team at Warwickshire Cricket Club where he played first class cricket from 1964 to 1974. He was also picked by the MCC for a tour of Ceylon.

At first class level, Bill scored 1,467 runs for Warwickshire, which included two fifties, at an average of 13.45.

However, it was as a medium to medium fast bowler that he made his mark, taking 287 wickets at an average of 28.39. He took five wickets in an innings on seven occasions.

Thanks to Bill Blenkiron, Ray Snowball, Barbara Wood, Dave Kidd, Michael Manuel, Keith Oldfield and Simon Raine for their help.