LES DIXON, one of the last survivors of the epic, twice replayed 1954 FA Amateur Cup final between Bishop Auckland and Crook Town, has died. He was 86, worked for ICI at Billingham and lived in Stokesley.

Sadly, we must also record two more deaths – that of former Hartlepools United wing half Jimmy Cain and of Dave Lumley, the man with the magic touch.

Les had played for Billingham Synthonia and Whitby Town, was also a fleet foot runner, at Kingsway became part of a forward line – Major, Dixon, O’Connell, Oliver, Watson – that between them scored 199 goals in all games that season.

Seamus O’Connell hit 65, Ray Oliver 50, Les 48. “Just think Messi, Naymar, Suarez,” says Bishops historian Alan Adamthwaite. “Les was also a great provider of goals, the Matthews to their Mortenson.”

He’d hit the opener in the first game of the trilogy, played at Wembley. Squeezing every episcopal pun, a wonderful period piece cartoon by Tom Webster talked of a Bishop being brought down practically in his own diocese and Dixon gaitering the free kick into the net.

Les’s place was taken the following season by Derek Lewin, though he remained faithful for another two years when every Northern League club longed for his translation. He’d turned up at last summer’s annual reunion – “a lovely, gentle man,” says Derek.

Les’s funeral is at 10 30am on Wednesday May 27 at St Joseph’s RC church, Stokesley.

JIMMY CAIN was a colliery fitter, could very likely have enjoyed a long professional football career but chose never to give up the day job.

Probably it started with his mother. Even when Manchester United manager Matt Busby and his assistant Jimmy Murphy came knocking at the door of 29 Oakdene Avenue, Fishburn, she wouldn’t let them in the house.

Mark, Jimmy’s son, recalls tales of more scouts than the average gang show. “My granddad liked a pint and they thought they could bribe him with white fivers, but it was grandma who had the final word in that house. She wanted him to have a trade.”

Jimmy was 82 and lived in Sedgefield. He made 30 Football League appearances as a part-timer with Hartlepool, but had earlier been spotted by Bristol City chief scout Jimmy Seed playing for Trimdon Grange in the Sunderland Shipowners’ Cup final at Roker Park. He signed for City on condition they found him a job down the pit. When they didn’t he returned, joined South Shields, played in the FA Cup team that famously thrashed Crewe Alexandra 5-0.

He’d also captained Ferryhill Athletic and Blyth Spartans and at Horden was in the same team as Malcolm Dawes, himself to make 215 Pools appearances. “He was my hero,” says Malcolm. “A good footballer, a brilliant character and a really lovely man.”

FORMER World Cup referee George Courtney hosts a 22-team charity tournament tomorrow to celebrate 50 years membership of Bishop Auckland Golf Club.

The high spot, he supposes, was his captaincy year in 2012 – though a wrist injury sustained in a holiday fell meant it was a non-playing role. He still raised almost £19,000 for the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation.

The nadir came the season previously when he won the annual Veterans’ Salver, held it for a few minutes and was then disqualified for forgetting to sign the card. “My partner should have reminded me,” he insists.

He’ll be joined tomorrow by former footballers like Micky Horswill, Alan Shoulder, John Anderson and Dick Malone, playing to help the Ian Larnach Cancer Charity – founded by a club colleague now clear of the disease – and the current captain’s causes.

IT’S George Courtney, of course, who famously was as fit as a butcher’s dog. Dave Lumley was the physio who kept him that way.

Dave, who was 82, had learned physiotherapy in the Army. “I saw him every Monday morning, a marvellous man who kept me in great shape and was very fit himself,” says George.

Dave was born at Hamsteels, west of Durham, went to school with Bobby Robson, volunteered at high level with the National Association of Boys’ Clubs and was physio for Durham Wasps ice hockey club, for Spennymoor Boxing Club, Brandon United football club and many more. He recently held clinics in Shildon.

“He was one of those men who genuinely did it for the love of it,” says Sharon, his daughter. “He could have been a millionaire, but he never wanted money. He always said the best payment was a smile. If he could see a complete stranger had a problem, he’d offer to help them, too.”

Dave lived in Meadowfield, near Durham. His funeral is at 12 45pm on Friday May 22 at St Andrew’s chapel in Brandon. “It could overflow the Cathedral,” says Sharon. “So many people have cause to be grateful to my dad.”

...And finally, the only man to captain winning sides in both the Scottish and English FA Cups (Backtrack May 7) was Martin Buchan, with Aberdeen and Man United. Billy O’Neill was first up with the answer.

Readers are today invited to name the only man to have captained England and managed a team in a European Cup final.

Final straw, the column returns next week.