BRIAN Murfield, who does the photography for Yarm Cricket Club's website, is clearly very much on the ball.

Here's a splendid shot of the column's old wicket keeping friend Tom Stafford, standing up against Whitby as he does to everyone else but momentarily rueing the one that got away.

It was, says Tom, a wild swipe by the batsman that shaved a few whiskers. Happily for Yarm, the chance was taken – “brilliantly” he adds – at first slip. The second image shows the bespectacled wicket keeper’s manifest relief.

The Northern Echo:

RELIEF: Tom Stafford. Picture: Brian Muirfield

Now a “very junior” member of the Over 70s club, the retired newsagent and avid Arsenal fan still represents Yorkshire Over 60s but regrets that his customary place at No 11 restricts the chance to show his batting ability.

In 15 Yorkshire years he’s had just four innings. Perhaps they’re unaware that in eight tail-end Charlie appearances for Yarm this season, he’s been out just once, thus averaging 38.

Tom’s also been sounded on his availability to represent England Over 70s in Australia this winter, but since the trip would cost £12,000 for him and his wife, has declined. “Playing all these years with cash conscious Yorkshiremen has rubbed off,” pleads the exiled Londoner.

He’s assured, however, that it won’t affect his chances of national selection when the Aussies come here next summer – and thus has banished any ideas of retirement. “At any age, the thought of playing for your country is a real privilege. I’ll be available if required.”

AMONG those at Ian Larnach’s golf day at Bishop Auckland – last week’s column – was former Leeds United full back Peter Hampton, spotted by Bishop-based scout John Atkinson and signed in 1971 after United manager Don Revie personally pitched up at the grammar school. Legend has it that a Sunderland supporting scholar let his tyres down, though it wouldn’t do to name the guilty party. Now 63, Hampton has a physiotherapy practice in Carlisle.

The 50th anniversary of one of the greatest results in North-East non-league football history approaches as quickly as time flies: a reunion is envisaged.

It was December 13 1967. Knocked out, frozen out and quite likely not yet thawed out, Mansfield Town were thrashed 5-1 at Tow Law in the FA Cup first round.

“The Mansfield players were literally screaming with the cold,” Lawyers’ goalkeeper Mike Ingoe once recalled.

Mansfield, it was reported, had sought the help of the altitude expert advising the 1968 British Olympics squad in Mexico, but nothing could have prepared them for Tow Law in December.

The first match was abandoned, goalless, in a blizzard. The second went ahead four days later after volunteers had cleared several feet of snow from the pitch.

It was little more clement. “After our third goal they just seemed to give up,” said George Brown, scorer of two of them.

Club secretary Steve Moralee now seeks survivors. “It’s truly legendary, folk still talk about that game up here,” he says. “We’d love to see them all again.” Terry Hunt died, aged 60 in 2002 and his cousin Harry in 2011.

In the second round, the Lawyers drew with Shrewsbury Town at home – the Monday afternoon wind said to be “bone chilling” – and by the time of the replay knew that the winners would be at home to Arsenal, without thoughts of switching venue.

“For Arsenal it would be a fate worse than death,” forecast the Daily Mirror. Perhaps fortunately for the Gunners, Shrewsbury won the replay 6-2.

*Steve Moralee can be contacted at stephen.moralee@btinternet.com or on 07810 238731.

BILL Shevels, who died last week, had been involved with Darlington Cleveland Bridge FC for 50 years and was manager for 30, guiding the club to the Northern Alliance title in 1982-83 and to promotion to the Northern League.

His son David succeeded him at the helm, though often with little support from outside the family. When I became Northern League chairman in 1996, the club was in crisis.

Anxious to be hands-on, I persuaded Fergy, one of the dominoes team lads, to take over as chairman. In his first game, at Horden, he was pressganged into making up numbers to ten, proved himself more adept at fives and threes than football and saw the side lose 16-1.

Cleveland Social (as they had become) resigned two days later. Fergy went to Hong Kong.

Bill was 95 and had been married to Kath for almost 74 years. His funeral was on Tuesday.

….AND finally, the last off-spinner before Moeen Ali to take ten or more wickets in a Lord’s Test (Backtrack, July 13) was Roy Tattersall – 12-101, also against South Africa, in 1951. Inevitably nicknamed Tatters, the Lancastrian died, aged 89, in 2011.

Martin Birtle today invites readers to name the four Sunderland footballers twice to have won the club’s player of the year award since it began in 1976-77.

At the double, the column returns next week.