Bird in the hand is worth a small fortune

8:37am Tuesday 8th January 2008

KIP Watson - and there is no better name with which to start another year of Backtrack columns - spent the festive holiday with family in mid- Wales. His son was given a couple of local prints - "really attractive," says Kip - by renowned water colour artist John Bird.

Remember John Bird, the man who launched a thousand feathered puns? He made 87 craggy appearances at the heart of Newcastle United's defence, another 151 for Hartlepool United and managed Hartlepool, York City and Halifax.

He'll be 60 in June, hasn't been to a football match for 10 years, these days is really flying.

Recently he was among the elite few invited to view the Turner Bequest at the Tate Gallery. His work is owned by the Duke and Duchess of Wessex, by opera singer Lesley Garrett and by actor Russell Crowe.

"I was convinced I could become a top football manager but it didn't happen," says Bird, long back in his native Doncaster. "Happily the painting seems to be going pretty well, instead."

His playing career had begun at Donny, before a move to Preston under Alan Ball senior - "a rough, tough guy who did more for my playing career than anyone" - and a big money move to St James Park.

Bobby Charlton, who'd succeeded Ball at Deepdale, swore that if Bird went he'd be up and off, too. He was, and never managed again.

While at Newcastle, Bird opened an art gallery and shop at Whitley Bay, chiefly painted Northumberland castles and found a ready market among visiting Norwegians - in particular that country's biggest grower of cucumbers (who may not necessarily have been the biggest cucumber grower.) His team-mates were astounded. "They think if you're an artist you're a bit - well, you know," he told the Echo at the time. He also admitted to using his fingers almost as much as a brush.

He succeeded Billy Horner as Hartlepool manager, club chairman John Smart resigning when the rest of the board refused to sack the manager after the first season. Smart eventually returned.

In 1987-88 Bird won two manager of the month awards, the highlight when Brian Honour's goal direct from a corner brought a Sherpa Vans Trophy win over Sunderland - then top of the old third division - at Roker Park.

Sunderland manager Dennis Smith called it a stigma on his club; Bird was somewhere up in the clouds.

He'd also appointed as fitness coach 70-year-old former British rock n' roll champion Lenny Hepple, whose daughter became British ladies table tennis champion and married Bryan Robson.

"Managing Hartlepool was the most enjoyable part of my career," he says. "We'd had six straight wins in September. I didn't do anything. I just thought it was easy."

He resigned, became manager at York, also had a spell at his native Doncaster under incendiary chairman Kenneth Richardson.

These days he's so greatly in demand that he paints up to 60 hours a week: a Bird in the hand is said to be worth a small fortune.

BACK on home territory, Kip Watson reports that for Saturday's Over 40s league match between Regency Windows and Millfield Club, from Sunderland, Millfield striker Kevin brown turned up with just a pair of trainers and had to be loaned boots by the team manager. He scored a hat trick.

THE piece a few weeks back on former Sunderland and Newcastle star Ivor Broadis's 85th birthday noted that - though fit and well - he'd not watched his beloved Carlisle United all season. The family stand at Brunton Park was named after the ex-England international last year.

We've now heard from Ross Brewster, like Ivor a long-time denizen of the Carlisle press box. "I remember playing against him in a charity game in the 1970s and being totally bamboozled by his foot work,"

he says.

So why does Ivor no longer attend matches? "When they name a stand after a chap, then charge him £2 to park his car three-quarters of a mile away, it's no wonder he doesn't go any more is it?"

AMONG the list of "losers", the Christmas round-up included 30-stone former Consett FC secretary Ian Hamilton, on the grounds that he'd only lost three pounds on his sponsored slim. Hammy insists that it was nearer three stones. "Three pounds was about the total of what other Northern league clubs sponsored me for."

SEARCHING diligently, if ecclesiastically, for information on the Wensleydale town of Hawes, we discover a surprising entry on the Wikipedia website.

Among the usual claims to fame - the Wensleydale Creamery, the waterfalls, the 300-year-old market - is news of the Sunderland FC "promotion/relegation" party which, it says, takes place in Hawes every summer.

Further Internet exploration reveals little more, though Arthur Hawes - known universally as Tricky - scored 39 goals in 147 Sunderland appearances between 1921-27.

He also had the curious habit of carrying a handkerchief in his left hand throughout the match, something which may or may not be sniffed at.

By putting the terms "Sunderland", "Hawes" and "promotion" into the search engine, it's also possible to discover a 2004 Northern Echo story about the "infamous" Hawes urinals finally getting running water, though that may not be strictly relevant, either.

It hasn't been possible to discover details of this year's red and white extravaganza, and details would be welcome - but it's not going to be a promotion party, is it?

FAITHFULLY reflecting Catholic tastes - as always it does - the Hexhan and Newcastle diocesan newspaper Northern Cross advertised in December for a racing tipster.

We reported as much at the time, a story taken up by half the nationals, the television and, most recently, by The Tablet, the national Roman Catholic newspaper.

Though there was interest across Britain, none from the North-East was in the frame until Cross editor John Bailey was reminded of the punting prowess of Peter Barron, editor of The Northern Echo.

Pete, as once or twice he has reminded us, was sacked as racing tipster on the Scunthorpe Evening Telegraph after what might best be termed a pretty poor run. It's with such form that he's now been appointed for Cross purposes, too.

You wouldn't bet on it.

Shouldn't, anyway.

ON SATURDAY to Prudhoe v North Shields, where the post-match clubhouse was enlivened by a table tennis match, played on the boardedover pool table. "It's really popular, hardly anyone plays pool any more," they insisted. Is ping-pong bouncing back?

Hollie - fondly remembered as the goal grasbber

JOHN Hollingworth, who has died suddenly, aged 60, was one of Darlington's best known football men. He'd have made a good professional, it's reckoned, but for the double right leg fracture he suffered as a 16- year-old.

The man they called Hollie also became chairman of the Darlington and District League, now defunct, and secretary of the Darlington Charity Cup.

Mostly, however, he is remembered as a prolific goal grabber.

"He'd play for anyone so long as it could be centre forward,"

recalls Anthony, his son.

Born in the Rise Carr area of town, John had already played for Darlington reserves and for the Durham County youth side when his injury happened when playing for Albert Hill juniors on the Hundens Lane pitches.

"Apparently he was under strict orders from Darlington FC not to play, but as they were having an away day he took his kit to Hundens and with fateful consequences," says Anthony.

Though he was offered terms by several Northern League sides, and travelled by bus to play for Shildon United, he preferred to be among his mates in the Darlington leagues.

Geoff Miller, a former team mate - and partner at the Oak Leaf golf course in Newton Aycliffe - recalls a passionate football man. "John could be a bit feisty at times, but I loved the guy.

"He'd go anywhere for a game of football and showed his commitment when he became a manager and administrator. He just lived for the game."

Doug Hawman, who succeeded him in the Darlington and District League, remembers a highly efficient chairman. "He called a spade a spade, but he was brilliant at what he did - just the sort of chairman you need."

John also leaves a widow. His funeral, where there will be a collection for the British heart Foundation, is at Darlington crematorium at 1.15pm today.

...AND FINALLY

GARY Speed's (pictured) recent transfer from Bolton to Sheffield United means that there are just three players presently with Premiership clubs who played in the "old" first division - before 1992-93. One has a strong North-East connection.

Readers are invited to name them. The old, old story returns on Friday.

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