Flash in the pan

by

John Phelan

THE top goal-scorers at Crook Town FC, when the club was it's peak in the 1950s, included legends like Ronnie Thompson (32 goals in 1952-53, and 39 goals in 1953-54), Ken Harrison (54 goals in 1954-55 and 23 in 1955-56), before Brian Keating (30 goals in 1958-59) and Seamus O'Connell (41 goals in 1959-60).

It is easy to forget Peter Duffy, who was top scorer with 31 goals for the Black and Ambers in 1957-58, his only season at Crook. This included a club record seven goals scored in a 10-1 win over Whitby in November 1957.

Peter also hit two important goals for Crook at Whitley Bay, 63 years ago on January 11, 1958, in an Amateur Cup 1st Round tie. Crook were 2-0 down to a lively Whitley Bay team when Peter pulled a goal back just before half-time and then hit another in the second half to help Crook win 4-2, Bert Steward and Arthur Gardener also scoring.

Peter also recalled hitting a hat-trick against Bishop Auckland in an 8-0 win at Crook. "All their stars were on, Sharratt, Thursby, Cresswell, Nimmins, Bradley, Lewin, O'Connell," he said. "What annoyed me afterwards was that a sportswriter called Ranger said that I hadn't done much. How can you hit a hat-trick and not do much?"

Now 82, Peter lives in Cullercoats and has just had his coronavirus jab.

He said: "Crook Town were a great club. For cup ties away from home, we had the best hotel, the best food, everything was the best at Crook. The meal after a home game was something else, served by ladies in a smart uniform. We were well looked after.

"At the start of the 1957-58 season I was with Consett, after being on Newcastle United's books since I was 14. We played Crook in the FA Cup and lost 4-3.

"Shortly after, a delegation from Crook arrived at my dad's pub, the Cumberland Arms, in Walker, Newcastle. Sam Bartram, the York City manager, was also there, as well as committee members from Consett. Sam offered me money to go to York, but I thought Crook were a well run club, so it didn't take me long to sign for them.

"On the field, I got on well with Ray Wilkie, Colin Bainbridge, Kenny Grant and Cyril Gowland, great lads. Ray Wilkie was tough, but he was straight, and he told you how it was. In one game I'd been quiet in the first half, so he started to wind me up at half-time. 'You're just a flash in the plan,' he said. Of course I went out to prove that I wasn't.

"It was like that all the time. We played Corinthian Casuals in an amateur cup replay on the Oval cricket ground in Surrey. Bill Jeffs took a free-kick which I could have got a head to, but I ducked out of it when I saw their keeper Paul Ahm come off his line – we would have collided if I had gone for it. At half-time Bill came over and said: 'You ducked out of that header, Peter.'

"I knew I had, but I made sure that I didn't duck out again. After the game, Bill said: 'You were better in the second half.'

"Surrey and England cricketers Tony Lock and Jim Laker watched the Oval game which we won 2-1, while Doug Insole, who became the England cricket team chairman of selectors was in the Corinthian Casuals side, as was Mike Tracey, who later played for Crook.

In the showers after the game, Doug Insole was moaning that they had been robbed, while Bert Steward, our skipper, brought Jim Laker in to our dressing room to meet us.

"Bert scored with a penalty at the Oval but he missed one in the semi-final at Roker Park against Ilford. I was stood right behind him at Sunderland and I knew he would miss. Normally, he just came up and thumped the ball either side of the keeper but at Roker Park he tried to place it. The ground was soft, and their keeper had time to dive and make a save, and we lost 1-0.

"I meant to stay at Crook for the 1958-59 season, but Charlie Crowe, the old Newcastle United player, offered me some good money to go to Whitley Bay, so I took it. I was a couple of stone overweight though, and not as keen.

"In fact, Charlie arranged a friendly game with a Newcastle side at St James' one evening and I left at half-time because I had a date in town.

"Then it was two years in the Merchant Navy, and football was over."

Crook's team on January 11, 1958, versus Whitley Bay: Snowball, D Gardener, Steward, Jeffs, Bainbridge, Wilkie, Coates, Corrall, Duffy, Gowland, A Gardener.

Thanks to Peter, Dave Kidd, Michael Manuel, and Michael Burke for their help this week. Please keep the letters and emails coming: john.mphelan@yahoo.co.uk.