NORMAN WILKINSON, still York City's all-time leading scorer, will be a notable absentee when the Minstermen make their Wembley debut in Saturday's FA Trophy final. He is unwell.

"It's a great pity, he'd have loved it, " says Marshall Lawson, his lifelong friend back at Annfield Plain, near Stanley.

Norman, now 78, hit 143 goals in almost 400 City appearances while remaining a part-timer, content to continue as a shoe repairer and to commute from north Durham.

He'd been a couple of years older than Marshall Lawson at Annfield Plain Upper Standard School - known as the Uppers - which at the same time produced footballers like Wilf Hobson, 200 games for Oldham and Gateshead and Joe Birbeck, Middlesbrough and Grimsby.

Norman was a key member of the City side which almost reached Wembley once before - the legendary 195455 team which lost an FA Cup semi-final replay to Newcastle United.

We'd last spoken to him in 2004, shortly before York's relegation to the Conference.

"I'd be sad, of course I would, but in a way the worst news out of York these last few days is the closure of Terry's chocolate factory, " he said.

"Think of all those people.

Terry's was always class."

City status notwithstanding, he has been content on match days to remain Annfield Plain's gateman. "He still potters about the place, ask him to do a job and it'll be done, " says Marshall, himself 75 and with the Wearside League club since 1960.

"It's like having a tiger by the tail. You just can't let go of it, " he says.

York, now safe from relegation, meet Stevenage in the final.

"Norman would be so pleased if they won, " says Marshall. "For him, it would be the best tonic in the world."

CLEARLY it is to be a Plain man's guide, for next we turn to Kenny Lindoe, manager extraordinary.

Kenny, local lad, managed Annfield Plain when, improbably, they won the Wearside league in 1997-98. He was Brandon United's manager when, unexpectedly, they took the Northern League second division in 1999-2000 and when, damn-near sensationally, they lifted the first division trophy three years later.

It was about that time that a magazine asked him the queerest thing he'd seen in football: "The expression on referee Barry Sygmuta's face when my son Kevin came on a sub for Eppleton wearing an Elvis Presley wig with the bench singing 'You aint nothing but a hound dog', " he said.

Now he's at Consett, needing probably only to draw at Whitley Bay last Saturday to win their first Northern League title. "People say it's like awaiting the birth of your first baby but it's not, it's a lot worse than that, " said Consett chairman John Hurst.

Consett led 2-0, lost 3-2.

Not only will the league's final game of a watery season - Penrith v Newcastle Benfield, tonight - decide if Consett or Benfield take the title but it's also the last Northern League game on Penrith's Southend Road ground, home these past 115 years.

Many tales are told of the dear old place, not least the long-gone occasion when Ephraim Dargue played the elephant from Sanger's circus at three pots-in, with a £5 sidestake.

Though the elephant allbut blocked the goal, old Ephie managed one of his three. The thick-skinned elephant failing completely to hit the target, he exultantly claimed his fiver.

The circus may not quite be coming to town tonight but a good gate's expected.

Kenny Lindoe, likely to be among them, earns the chairman's vote of confidence. "He's the best in the business, " says John Hurst.

WHITLEY BAY, incidentally, still have tickets available for Sunday's FA Vase final against Glossop at Wembley - £20 adults, £10 concessions.

Club secretary Derek Breakwell is on 07889 888187.

It's one of three games that Mr Ken Shaw from Sunderland plans this weekend - the Trophy final on Saturday, the Vase final the following day but first, Friday evening, the Brighton Charity Cup final between Chichester and Shoreham.

Ken's one of that zealous breed known as ground hoppers. "When people ask if I'm going to the final, " he says, "I simply ask which one?"

A SIGNIFICANT sideshow to the Ashes series, Australia's Over 60s side takes on a North Yorkshire XI at Great Ayton - Captain Cook country - on August 11. The fixture's heavy with associations.

It'll mark the 75th anniversary of the time that Cook's Cottage was dismantled brick by brick, shipped to Melbourne - 253 packing cases, 40 barrels and an ivy cutting - and re-erected in a park to mark the city's centenary. It remains Melbourne's only 18th century building.

"Great Ayton parish council and Melbourne City Council have been talking quite a lot about it. It's going to be a very special occasion" says Great Ayton veteran Norman Thurlow.

The owner, a Mrs Dixon, had resisted offers from several ever-acquisitive Americans, insisting that the cottage stay in England. After an £800 offer from Sir Russell Grimwade on behalf of the state of Victoria, she changed her mind on the argument that Australia was still part of the empire (upon which the sun never set. ) Norman, now 72 and once said by the Daily Telegraph to be the most famous Great Ayton resident since Cook himself, was in the England Over 60s team which played Down Under last year. In January, however, he told the column that he'd finally retired.

Will August 11 persuade him differently? "Pass, " he says, indicatively.

FOLLOWING Saturday's note on vintage cricketers, Tom Stafford reports that after joint replacement surgery he's back behind the stumps for Yarm.

"The only difference is that when we have drinks after 25 overs, I have a squirt of WD40 for my knee, " says Tom, a certainty for the Aussies match.

He's also seeking information on a small metal shield, obviously off a trophy and bought from the Internet, which reads "Eaglesciffe CC batting, A D Chisney, 1892."

Tom's research suggests that Eaglescliffe became Preston CC - but he'd welcome any further information.

We'll pass it on.

SHARON GAYTER'S latest attempt on the ultra-improbable ended disappointingly at the weekend. She finished 118th overall, just over 172k, in the European 24-hour championships in Italy.

The Guisborough-based athlete's personal best is almost 220k. "It's very frustrating for her, " says Bill, Sharon's husband. "Apparently she'd taken on too much salt, as opposed to a little before a previous race, and had to spend time in the medical centre being flushed out."

The winner covered 257k in 24 hours, the first woman - third overall - topped 243k. "Sharon has a 48-hour coming up soon, " says Bill.

"I'm sure she'll be fine for that."

THE sportsman's dinner season continued at the Old Assembly Rooms in Newcastle, Whickham FC's do, guest speaker Dean Saunders.

Once assistant manager at St James' Park - "the best looked after I've ever been" - he's now assistant manager of Wales, manager of Wrexham and still does a bit of speaking. "I'm going to have to give up one of my jobs, " he said and it shouldn't be singing for his supper. He's entertainingly different.