Tippy's claim to Roker fame

Northern Ireland international Phil Gray has just become the first footballer to represent both Sunderland and Stotfold at Roker Park - the surviving Roker Park's half hidden in Bedfordshire.

"Just about all they have in common is that there's a set of goal posts at either end of the field, " Phil, 36, tells Backtrack.

The column discovered the "other" Roker in January 1996 - Stotfold play in the United Counties League - when Gray was helping lead Sunderland's successful challenge for the First Division championship.

There was a low wooden stand, a clubhouse where three was a crowd and a set of floodlights which appeared to have been constructed from a giant Meccano set.

"What the two grounds principally have in common is that both have seen better days, " we wrote. "Stotfold may have rather less concrete, rather more clarts and infinitely better toilets." Known on Wearside as Tippy - something to do with PG Tips - Phil Gray agrees about the clarts.

"It's as boggy as they make them, but it's a game of football isn't it?" he says.

Capped 26 times, he began his English career at Spurs, moved for £275,000 to Luton and cost Sunderland manager Terry Butcher almost three times as much in the summer of 1993.

Before he could make his League debut, however, he and Butcher's three other summer signings - Alec Chamberlain, Derek Ferguson and Ian Rodgerson - were injured in a car driven by Ferguson when returning from a friendly at Middlesbrough.

Sunderland fanzine A Love Supreme dryly observed at the time that Ferguson had been confused by the major difference between Sunderland's traffic system and the rest of the world.

"He drove the wrong way round a roundabout." Having learned his lesson with Hamilton Academical, Ferguson - Barry's brother - is now at Alloa Athletic.

Top scorer in his first two seasons, Gray left in the summer of 1997 - 127 appearances, 41 goals - for the French club Nancy-Lorraine.

Subsequently he played in Holland, rejoined Luton, had spells at Oxford, Burnley and Boston and was assistant manager at Maidenhead before agreeing to help out Stotfold manager Steve Cook and complete the Roker round. The ground is named after Roker meadow, on which it stands.

"I would think that the only comparison with Sunderland is the weather we're having just now, " says Steve Cook.

"Phil has a lot of family commitments and we understand he can't play for us all the time, but he comes down with a smile on his face, fully appreciates that it's a long way from your Roker Park and is enjoying himself."

Club chairman Phil Pateman reckons him a likely starter this weekend. "Probably by his own admission he needs to gain a little bit of fitness, but you can see the quality. He's a nice lad, Phil." Gray, who lives in Bedfordshire -"golf course one side, pub the other, " he says, cheerfully - hopes to stay in the game.

"I had three fantastic seasons at Sunderland, particularly when we went up into the Premiership, but I can enjoy any kind of football.

"I've other interests so wouldn't be too disappointed if it didn't work out, but you don't stop loving the game. People say you should cherish playing while you can and they're absolutely right; you never know how badly you miss it until you pack up.

"I know it's a little bit different from the Roker Park I'm used to, but it's a game of football. Whatever the ground, however deep the mud, I'm just making the most of it."

STILL in Sunderland, and with a Roker hue, Tom Purvis seeks help in solving a mystery involving the legendary Len Shackleton and big Frank Swift, as affectionately remembered in Manchester as Shack is on Wearside.

The autobiographical Return of the Clown Prince quotes on page 14 a Football Legends programme, broadcast on Radio 5 in 1996, in which a recorded contribution from Newcastle-born Today programme presenter Brian Redhead recalled a Shack penalty against Manchester City.

"He put the ball on the spot and then walked back almost to the half way line, ran like a train at the ball and took a tremendous kick. Swifty dived, but the ball was still on the spot.

"Shack, who hadn't actually touched it, turned around and back heeled the ball into the net.

The crowd went raving mad; old Swifty walked out, took Shack's head between those great hands and kissed him." Tom's puzzled, because Shack only once took a Sunderland penalty against City - August 25 1951, when Bert Trautmann was in goal. Again the run-up was damn near a half marathon, but the shot with the outside of his right foot, the ball ambling inside the post with the deceived Trautmann helpless.

It was one of a hat-trick.

"Huge slices of play were stamped with his genius, " said the Sunderland Echo of the player who, famously, had been rejected by Arsenal manager and former Northern Echo reporter George Allison - again proving how much journalists know about football.

So if it wasn't Sunderland, could it have been during Shack's season with Newcastle United, 1946-47, before his £20,500 move down the road?

Tom thinks not, has bet someone a pint, and wins it.

Charlie Wayman scored all three in the 3-0 home win over Manchester City on October 25 1946, and was also a scorer in the 2-0 win at Maine Road the following May, Tom Walker hitting the other.

The season, incidentally, didn't end until June 7 because of the severity of the winter. Newcastle finished fifth in Division Two.

So if it was neither Newcastle nor Sunderland, could it have been wartime football when Shack did his bit for Bradford City and Brian Redhead was still a bit bairn?

Sadly, it is not possible to ask any of them. Redhead, having recently been made Chancellor of Manchester University, died, aged 64, in January 1994.

It's in readers' hands now.

SIR TREVOR BROOKING'S impending visit to the NorthEast - he launches Durham County Coaches Association at Durham FA's new place in Chester-le-Street on April 7 - stirs memories of a trip 20 years earlier.

Recently retired after 20 years at West Ham, Brooking accepted an invitation to turn out in the Wearside League for Newcastle Blue Star against Coundon Three Tuns. They'd first tried for George Best.

It was April 28, so naturally it snowed like billy-oh.

Brooking had put Blue Star 2-1 ahead before Gary Walton's late equaliser. The 600 crowd was twice Blue Star's usual, the guest player's fee put, conservatively, at £500.

"We will have to look at the profitability before deciding whether to do it again, " said club chairman Bill Dryden.

This time Sir Trevor's here as a member of the FA hierarchy.

The free launch event is from 68pm, details on 0191-387-2928.

STILL with the FA, Teesside Junior Football Alliance secretary Chris Ord has had some answers following his impassioned and widely distributed letter (Backtrack, February 18) on professional players' swearing.

One FA chap writes that it's really nothing to do with him but wishes Chris well, another cursorily confirms that the subject will be discussed at a forthcoming meeting with the PFA and the managers' association.

So far, however, the FA has had very much less to say for itself than Mr Rooney.

LAST Friday's question about post-war England international footballers whose surnames ended with the letter "O" reminded Malcolm Cundick in Darlington of his boyhood hero - John Atyeo, five years ahead of him at Trowbridge High School in Wiltshire.

Signed as an amateur by Portsmouth, then champions of the old First Division, he was poached by Bristol City and remained there despite offers in the 1950s from Chelsea, Spurs and Liverpool which would made him England's most expensive player.

City fans ascribed loyalty; Malcolm blames an over-protective father.

Like Len Shackleton, he won shamefully scant international recognition - five goals in six appearances. Shack made just five.

For Bristol City he hit 395 goals in 700 appearances, retiring in 1966.

"He was a prolific scorer at all levels with a celebration routine to match. He also wore big, brown dubbined boots which he insisted on cleaning himself," recalls Malcolm.

Peter John Walter Atyeo became a teacher back in Wiltshire.

He died, aged 61, in 1993.

FURTHER to Tuesday's column on North-East links with the 1931 FA Cup final, Steve Smith points out that nine of West Brom's successful side that day were in the team which lost 4-2 to Sheffield Wednesday in the 1935 final - and that Wednesday's Ellis Rimmer, described as "an accomplished musician", scored in every round including the final. Has anyone hit that note since?

... and finally

THE club for which Kevin Hector played before his 578 game career with Derby County (Backtrack, March 1) was Bradford Park Avenue, where he scored 113 goals in 176 appearances. County fan Eric Smallwood in Middlesbrough was first up with that one.

Brian Shaw in Shildon today invites the identity of the first goalkeeper to captain England. We return, quick as you like, on Tuesday.

Published: 04/03/2005