Where's Vince? He must be poorly! Vince never misses a match. There's got to be something wrong.

These were just some of the comments overheard at the Hill Top ground last Saturday when Stanley United's popular secretary and manager Vince Kirkup was a

notable absentee.

In fact, Vince was not well, having fallen victim to a bug on the Friday night but is now fully recovered and will lead his side's fight against

Thornaby-on-Tees in the Monkwearmouth Charity Cup tomorrow.

It was only the fourth time in 25 years that he had missed a game but still managed to keep in touch. "I have moved heaven and earth in the past to attend matches but there was just no way I could go last Saturday," said Vince.

"The result, though, was a perfect tonic after we had failed to win in our previous six games.

"My assistant Ivan Moxon and captain Colin Nicholson took charge but a lot of other followers chipped in to make the sure the day went off successfully."

Vince was last absent when he attended a wedding in Rugby five years ago. "I managed to get back to Stanley just as the game was ending. Everybody thought it funny that I left a wedding in Rugby to hurry home. Previously, I missed our match at Whitehaven when I was ill and 21 years ago I couldn't attend the fixture against Bishop Auckland South Durham because I was in hospital. But I was back in action within a week," said Vince, who is well known through the North East for his dedication to his beloved Stanley United.

Golden Oldies were certainly in abundance last Saturday. Alan Blackburn, 39, was in splendid form for Redcar Town, helping his side to victory at Cleadon SC when he scored one of the goals.

"Alan was man of the match and sprinted 40 yards to score!" said a Redcar source.

And North Shields had two veterans in the their line-up at New Marske. Mick Tait, who is 44 and formerly managed Hartlepool, played the full 90 minutes and 41-year-old Paul Ross went on as a substitute.

"Both players were in good form helping us to a splendid victory and will certainly be in the plans of manager Terry Paddison for what looks like being a gruelling end to the season," said Robins secretary David Thompson