Part 5 Walkin’ Back To Happiness..
 |
| John Rennie and Peter Kearns attacking the Sittingbourne goal at Occupation Road |
1961 was a big year, the year I stepped up into the ‘Big’ school, Samuel Lloyds Boys School. Having failed the ’11 Plus’ this was my destination which to be quite frank I wasn’t too displeased about. First thing I thought on hearing the result of the exam was ‘great, well at least I won’t be forced to play rugby instead of football!’ One thing bothered me though. The dread of being thrown down the ‘banks’. An initiation new inmates had to face. The ‘banks’ were grass slopes alongside the Telfords Lane side of the school. Our friend Graham Henderson had been thrown down them the year before and suffered a dislocated shoulder! The summer months were thus spent worrying about this foreboding adventure. When the day arrived, thankfully, after being hurled down the banks into the railings, I survived.
Thinking about the Grammar School and the rugby, Alan Murphy, one of our football mad mob on Studfall Green still shudders about his first experience of chasing the egg. "We had trials at the Grammar School", Alan recalls, "an attempt to teach us the rudiments in the art of the game. I dreaded it. They put me on the wing which I thought was OK as I thought I was out of the way. Then somebody passed the ball to me. I thought 'what!', then 'help!' I looked up and saw this burly figure charging at me. I thought 'bollocks to this' and promptly threw the ball out of play. The Headmaster Mr Kemp on the touchline went bananas. 'You're a disgrace boy!' 'An embarrassment!' 'Get off" he roared. He was furious. Kemp later would leave the Grammar School to become Head of Gordonstoun School where Prince Charles was a student. Alan; "Many said it was my flagrant disregard of the rules and spirit of Rugby Union that made up his mind to leave Corby! It worked in my favour though. I wasn't asked to partake again!"
The Boys School turned out to be great for the sports minded. The sports teacher Charlie Kluk was a very amiable pleasant spoken fellow. Nice guy and fondly remembered by everyone who came across him. Word had it that Charlie was a Polish international athlete, a Pole Vaulter, who had appeared in the Olympic Games. Indeed, Larry Wealthall recalls Charlie demonstrating his pole vaulting skills 'in the new sandpit, which impressed us all'. So, a few years down the line, whether we all thought it was bullshit, or not, think everyone did believe it but whatever, Charlie was a keen sports master. Used to call me in his pidgin English, ‘Smeez’. I also remember another lad in the street, David Marrs, claiming that Charlie’s surname was Klukiawowski or something like that. “He abbreviated it to Kluk because it was easier to say” David said with conviction. You believe anything at that age!
During the 1950s the Boys school had produced many a fine football team, had a great reputation and a good few went on to play league football, including Len Chalmers, Jim Fotheringham, Andy McCabe, Dennis Martin.
 |
| Corby Boys School 1962. Charlie Kluk back row, far right, Dennis Martin seated with ball. |
The summer months were spent with great anticipation by Steelmen supporters wondering who was going to be appointed the next Corby manager. Johnny Morris had formally left on June 1st, and signed for Kettering to team up with his old Leicester pal Jack Froggatt and the Corby directors started their search for his successor. They obviously couldn’t decide or agree on who it should be as with the season just around the corner, the seat was still vacant. So it was for the opening game at Hinckley on August 19th they picked the team themselves. And afterwards must have thought ‘what was all the fuss about?’ ‘Managing football teams is a doddle!’. Corby humped Hinckley 6-2!
Who it was who signed the new players that turned up I couldn’t say but they made a good job of it. Irishman Jimmy Fisher arrived from Linfield, given digs in James Watt Avenue and a job in the ‘Works’. Gas Board worker John Harris came from Worcester City. Winger Danny Liddell came down from Scotland, he didn’t last long, don’t think he was too enamoured with the ‘job in the Works’ which was a pity. Painting gas holders for contractors Pearce’s or ‘knocking bricks out of the Blast Furnaces’ for Shank & McEwan - which was the final straw for me after an absolute shite week doing all the crappiest jobs going in the Rolling Mills, BOS Plant in 1970, but I digress - wasn’t everyone’s cup of tea! No doubt Danny thought likewise and said ‘bollocks to this’. He’d had a fantastic start to his brief Steelmen career before he went home but there you go. It’s believed he signed for Stenhousemuir in exchange for 800 notes. Peter Kearns, a diminutive inside forward described as ‘a prodigious worker’ arrived from Plymouth and as far as I know, didn’t end up in the steelworks. Peter was a carpenter who became a massive favourite. If you wanted a door fitted or a rabbit hutch built or something, Peter was your man. Centre forward Jim Kelly also arrived, from Yeovil. No idea what Jim did, maybe he was on the dole. The directors had been busy and their endeavours were rewarded with a 13 game unbeaten run, the best start to a season for many a year and the joy felt around the Occupation Road ground was tangible. Encapsulating the mood of the supporters was ‘Walkin’ Back To Happiness’ by Helen Shapiro, a huge hit at the time. Another favourite receiving plenty of airplay from the resident DJ was Jimmy Dean’s ‘Steelmen’,
resurrected in the 2000s by match day commentator and all round good egg, Gerry Lucas.
Dean’s ‘country’ classic blasted out of the speakers attached to the floodlights when captain Barry Parsons emerged into the daylight from the depths of the grandstand, like a gladiator, complete with cigarette out of the side of his mouth. Yes, I’m kidding there, everyone knows of Barry’s partiality to a Woodbine but I’m sure he left them behind in the dressing room before the kick off. However, it wasn’t unknown for goalkeepers to have a packet of fags in the back of the goals. Keeper Jackie Elder was famous for this back in the post war years of the 40s, lighting up and having a quick ‘drag’ when Corby were attacking at the other end of the field. It’s a true story folks. Came from the horse’s mouth. So to speak. I worked with Jackie, who was a Burner, and a right case, in the tube works in the late 60s.
 |
| Back; Smith, Rodgers, Parsons, Williams, Harris, Fisher. Front; Liddell, Kearns, Kelly, Rennie, McCorkindale |
After the blistering start at Hinckley you’d have thought the directors would have been well pleased and quite smug with their team selection but whether it was a ploy to bring the players back down to earth, or not, in the programme for the first home game against Barry Town the following week, whilst admitting it was ‘a grand start at Hinckley’, they ventured that they could do better!!
One interesting addition to the Occupation Road ground at the start of the 61/62 season was a brand new club flag, unfurled in ceremonial fashion before the kick-off for the Barry game. ‘Presented as a gift from Mrs Bell and her lady friends’ it said in the programme. Over 1500 fans turned up for the unveiling. Quaint. Things were looking up. A week later it was announced that ‘Mr Goodall and a group of his regulars in the Corby Hotel, (The Raven)’, had presented a cheque of 100 guineas towards the Steelmen cause.
With all this gratification and good will going around it was no wonder the vibes were escalating, mirrored by the boys on the pitch. And all with no manager!
Goalscoring legend Peter McKay announced his retirement in October after losing his battle to return from the serious injury he had endured the season before at Poole. In a gratuitous move, the directors offered him a job in the ‘Boot Room’ as trainer to work alongside Tommy Hadden and Don Johnson. Some of his methods in training, garnered from his Dundee United and Burnley days, was recalled ruefully by goalkeeper Larry Wealthall, then a youngster waiting to get his chance in the first team; “Peter McKay used to get the wingers to cross the ball into the area, and the forwards would batter into me. It was his way of toughening you up!”
It obviously worked as by December, Larry had taken over from Les Williams to become the number one keeper!
The team that was doing so well in the first half of the season was usually; Williams; Fisher Harris; Rodgers Parsons Smith; Liddell Kearns Kelly Rennie and McCorkindale. A good run in the F.A.Cup saw the Steelmen defeat St Neots, Stamford and Bourne Town before they fell in the 4th qualifier after a replay at Worksop. Progress in the Southern League Cup included a great victory away at the so-called ‘glamour’ side Cambridge City. City were one of the top non league clubs and boasted a team put together for around £45,000! That’s what it said in the papers. Unbelievable. They included one time Everton and Liverpool centre forward Dave Hickson who had cost them 9K himself! Didn’t impress the Steelmen though, we beat them 1-0!
The reporter on duty was ecstatic; ‘Was the best performance of the season’, he wrote, ’Whilst Cityprovided the dainty football and short passed themselves to nowhere, Corby Town dished out the good old fashioned stuff. Stop em’, hold em’, and attack! Kearns scored a cracker of a goal that even the bias City supporters applauded’. Sounds like a good night. Buoyed up with this result the Steelmen looked forward to a clash with Poole Town on the Saturday, a game that was packed with incident and controversy. Jimmy Fisher was sent off in an ill tempered match for starters. Remembered by John Crawley who was a witness on the touchline; “The Poole winger had been giving Fisher stick all game and then after another clash, Jimmy Fisher picked himself up, and belted the guy right in the face! It was a cracker!”
 |
| John Crawley |
My memory is of a highly charged game full of emotion, a twice taken penalty, goals disallowed, the referee having a nightmare. A Corby supporter running onto the pitch to confront the ref, we thought he was going to stiffen him. The ref did too. The supporter was escorted off, as was the ref at the final whistle by two policemen. Everyone thought he was being arrested, he should have been! The game ended 3-3, a crescendo of abuse hailing out from the terraces. Eventful to say the least.
In October, the directors relinquished their selection duties, probably bored with it once the novelty had worn off and trainer Tommy Hadden was duly promoted. ‘Tough talking Tommy’ the Press dubbed him following his opening gambit, “I will demand 100% effort from everyone, all of the time!’ said Tom.
Over the next few years Tommy, who worked as foreman in the Steelworks Engineering Shop, would create some of the finest sides in Steelmen history.
The Youth team were echoing the first team, beating everyone in sight, they won their first two games of the season 20-1 and 7-0. When they were drawn away to Derby County Youth in the Youth Cup, hopes were high that they could create an upset. Ultimately the young Rams were too strong and won 3-1, Corby’s goal described as ‘a penalty by Corby’s dashing winger Gordon Anderson’. Larry Wealthall’s main memory of the encounter? “We were treated to fish and chips after the game.”
Both had been impressing this season and they earned a call up to the first team when Tommy Hadden’s patience with a dip in form grew ever more thin. Liddell had now departed. He was replaced by another Irish signing, Harry Robinson from Portadown. And like his predecessor from a year before, Robin Trainer, Harry too was a member of the Ireland World Cup squad of 22 in 1958 which earned him a transfer to Fulham where he rubbed shoulders and chin with Jimmy Hill and players of the calibre of Johnny Haynes and Bobby Robson. He must have picked up a few cracks from the chairman, show biz personality Tommy Trinder too. Maybe not.
Early season optimism about sustaining a promotion push was dissipating by the week as the Christmas period approached. Willie Armour and John Tomlinson were recalled to the first team, Big ‘Corky’ was running out of steam, Williams was dropped. The hoped for run in the League Cup was ended by the Poppies in January after a replay. To quell the tide Hadden signed veteran striker Andy Easton from Bedford. The balding inside forward scored on his debut against Dover, managed a couple of more goals in ten appearances before injury and lack of pace saw him left out and released at the end of the season. Could have ran past Andy myself. Obviously the ‘quick fix’ Hadden had been hoping for failed to materialise. Kearns and Kelly were still getting their share of goals though, 60 between them come the end of the season.
 |
| Andy Easton v Dartford |
Two home defeats virtually sealed Corby’s fate as promotion contenders. Wisbech who would be crowned the champions won 2-1 and then Dartford arrived the following week to put the tin lid on our hopes of going up. Another defeat by the same score brought another scathing report from the disappointed E.T. reporter. Full back Jimmy Fisher was the chief culprit according to ET. His own goal giving the Darts, themselves fighting for promotion, an undeserved equaliser after Andy Easton had put the Steelmen ahead. Early pressure gave the impression the Steelmen would win at a canter too. Well done Jim! Even managed to send our goalkeeper Wealthall the wrong way to boot! Larry was excelling in goals despite Fisher’s efforts, and had the reporter drooling with one save, ‘brilliantly tipping a shot onto the bar and as the keeper was lying prostate, the ball landing back into his arms’. Sounds hoachy to me to be honest. But ET finished off by saying ‘Corby’s atrocious passing - the ball invariably went to an opponent - and lack of ideas, were almost as bad as the disastrous Wisbech game!’ He wasn’t happy. Bet he gave his wife a miserable night that Saturday too. Assuming he was married that is.
 |
| Peter Kearns shoots for goal against Ramsgate |
Two other boys who were mad keen supporters were brothers Lawrence and Syd Smith who spotted themselves in the photo of the Sittingbourne game at the head of the page. "That's me just to the left of the left hand post in my customary position behind the goal," said Lawrence, "I'm in the white jumper with the dark band across it. Syd is standing behind me. We were ever presents behind the goal that Corby attacked, changing ends at half time. We used to cycle to the away games that were in reach. Hinckley, Nuneaton and Cambridge were about the furthest we got to. We got a write up in the Corby Leader as Corby's best fans, or daftest!"
The season petered out in disappointing fashion after what had been a most promising start. Ten players were released on free transfers, including Les Williams, Andy Easton and John McCorkindale.
For those who welcomed the cricket season after nine months of soccer, and I for one did, Pakistan were over here for a five match Test Series. And best of all, they played a warm-up match against Northants in which our teacher at the Boys School, Chad Furniss, organised a trip to the game. Brilliant day it was watching the likes of Hanif and Mushtaq Mohammed, Saeed Ahmed, Intikhab Alam, Nasim -U-Ghani and the rest, funny how you can recall names like that but can’t remember what you were doing last week aint it! Age thing. For those who didn’t like the sound of leather on willow, the 1962 World Cup was taking place in Chile. England were there, the team of Bobby Charlton, Jimmy Greaves, Peter Swan, Ron Springett and co. Brazil with the wee guy with the funny legs, Garrincha, ‘Little Bird’ they called him, knocked us out. Nobody over here saw it though. TV coverage was zero back then. Took a bit longer to catch on. Only four years previously when Wales were the outstanding team in the Sweden World Cup, such was the interest in Wales, when they returned home fairly well chuffed with themselves, forward Mel Charles of Arsenal was greeted by a ticket collector at Swansea…’been on holiday Mel?’
Nobody in Wales knew or were interested in the World Cup, or football come to that…bit like at home in our house!
 |
| Rocky Road Juniors with stars and lifelong Steelmen supporters goalkeeper John McKensie, and Dougie Wilson second from left at the back. |
No comments:
Post a Comment