Wigan Album

Is that the Parry Gordon who went on to play rugby for Warrington?

Alan Ashcroft went on to play for England schoolboys. I think he signed for Mancheater United? but didn't do anything.

How many of the team came from the Linacre? I know 'Nobby' Naylor and Fred Podmore and yourself. Was there any more. My cousin played in goal after you? At that time there was a few lads from the Linacre in the team.

Looking through my newspaper cuttings we were the only threefrom linacre in town team in that year,I left school that year and don,t know about year after.Parry Gordon was also good at rugby and possibly went on to play for warrington

Parry Gordon did play for Warrington alongside Jack Melling who is also pictured

Graham Pearson(center front row)got an English amateur international cap.

Jacky Melling played for Warrington with Parry Gordon,I think

Goalkeeper Keith Bradley went to the Linacre, he came from Adlington.
Graham Pearson from Ince played for England and was Captain, as I'm pretty sure Alan Ashcroft from Newtown did too !

I suspect this photo is from early in the 1959-1960 season because it seems to be the team just before I got into it. I remember the trip to Stockton very well, it was quite an adventure for young lads like us. There was a problem with the ground where the game was due to be played and the game was switched to Billinham Synthonia's ground which was a brand new stadium provided by ICI for it's workforce. The pitch was superb, just like a bowling green, but it rained all through the game. Nevertheless, it was a great experience even though we lost 6-2. I scored our first goal and I think either Colin Hopkinson or Jackie Melling got the second. Stocken had a really good side with a number of England internationals in it. After the game we were taken babk to the hotel for lunch and then to Ayresome park to watch Middlesborough take on Liverpool. The Middlesborough centre forward that day was Brian Clough, later to become more famous as a manager.

i remember that trip to stockton liverpool were on that train it made you feel like a footballer we stayed at the queens hotel in darlington would like to get in touch with some of these lads,sorry to say parry passed away a few weeks ago

There is a photo of the Stockton 1960 team that beat Wigan taken before the game on the picturestockton web-site.There was one schoolboy international in the team Dennis Thwaites,four of the team became professional footballers Dennis Thwaites(Birmingham City),Don Heath(Middlesbrough,Norwich City & Swindon Town,was in Swindon team that beat Arsenal at Wembley in the Football League Cup-Final),John Pickering(Newcastle Utd.He was Blackburn Rovers & Middlesbrough's first team coach) & Davvy Butler(Watford & Workington,he was Terry Venable's physio at Spurs & England.

This is Alan Ashcroft (of the above photo fame) and I can clarify that sadly I did not sign for Manchester United but Bolton Wanderers instead. However I did go on to play for England School Boys from 1961. Does anyone have archive footage of England versus Wales School Boys 1961?

I didn't realise Les Chamberlaine played at this level. He was a brilliant athlete. His style of running was something to treasure.

I went on to play football for Portsmouth fc

I have this photo in my album, but reading the comments brings back a lot of memories. Me and Graham went out together from school and I remember him going to Stockton on Tees. It's ironic the mention of watching the Middlesbrough match as I've met Alan Peacock who played alongside Brian Clough there and Leeds Utd and who also played in the Workd of 1962 in Chile and in the squad if the winning 1966 team. Graham was the first Youth International Wigan produced and gained 3 caps for the NABC England team. I have a programme of the Wales match in 1962 but don't think it's the Schoolboys game mentioned by JP. Graham went on to do a spell under Jimmy Adamson at Burnley and then under Nat Lofthouse at Bolton. He also had 500 appearances for Wigan Rovers and played for Hindley Green FC with Fred Podmore. By the way Fred, I never knew you'd played for Portsmouth!!

i scored the other goal at Stockton

I played for England schoolboys the year after Alan Ashcroft.I got picked for the West Germany game at Wembley, but got injured
a fortnight before the game. My leg was in plaster for six weeks. Causing me to miss the Scottish game as well.