FEW North-East cricket folk won’t have heard of Philadelphia. Fewer yet may know where, or why, it is. Little use consulting the Ordnance Survey, either, save with a magnifier. Any smaller and the print would disappear.

So in saluting the club’s 150th anniversary, and the publication of a splendid sesquicentennial history, let’s first have a geography lesson, and a bit of history, too.

Philadelphia, forever Phili, is a former pit village between Chester-le-Street and Houghton-le-Spring, once home to the Margaret and the Dorothea (aka the Dolly) and named by the colliery owner following the British capture of that city in the American War of Independence.

Bunker Hill, the club’s home for all these years, is named after another battle in the same conflict.

John Yearnshire’s history is simply called Phili, records many great days and some darker ones, none more penumbral than in 2012 when the club that in the 1970s had won the Durham Senior League six times in seven years finished bottom in the league’s final season.

That’s when they launched the Philadelphia Challenge.

DAVE CARR, nearly 50 years with Phili and described in the book as “a rock”, was in the same form as I was at Bishop Auckland Grammar School, nicknamed Noddy on account of a perceived, if fanciful, resemblance in style to Geoff Pullar, the Lancs and England opener.

He’d played since schooldays for North Bitchburn, the Mid-Durham Senior League side near his home, joined Phili after becoming a teacher at Houghton, headhunted by legendary club skipper Tom Clish.

At North Bitchburn his personal best had been an undefeated 155 – “I forget who against”; with Phili he recalls once being pressganged into bowling in a cup tie at Etherley and taking nine wickets for 30-or-so, including that of John Baker, another former classmate.

Former Kent opening bowler Norman Graham, 6ft 7in and size 14 boots, grabbed a single wicket at the other end.

“Obviously there was a big difference in standard between North Bitchburn and Phili but both teams had a winning mentality, that’s what was important,” he says.

After the seventies, success evaporated. When the North East Premier League began they were at first refused membership – “we weren’t really sure that it was entirely for cricket reasons,” says Dave – joined in 2002 but were relegated back to the Durham Senior League four years later.

“When results went against them players left, understandably following the money,” says Adam Walter, 64, a Phili player since 1981 but, he insists, in his last season.

The club, he says, lost its soul – “and in losing its soul lost its identity and its loyalty. Recreational cricketers didn’t want to be travelling all over the North-East, maybe 12 hours every Saturday.”

In 2013 the first team were among 26 teams in the new Durham Cricket League where, nearer bottom than top, they remain. The ambition’s still to be back in the NEPL.

Now, though, there are ten teams – Saturday and Sunday, women’s and youngsters – and they’re formally Philadelphia Cricket and Community Club and a registered charity. Helps with the grants, they admit. Boro boy and former England opening batsman Geoff Cook is coach.

“Among the differences is that we’ve made it a priority to look after the youngsters,” says first team skipper Shaun Smith. “Before we just turned them out. We’ve come a long way these past five years.”

GAUNTLET DOWN, the Challenge had formally been accepted by Adam and Denise Walter and by club chairman Malcolm Pratt, a former Chester-le-Street council leader who in 60 years has held every possible position with the club – except possibly forward short leg – and is still said to work almost full-time on their behalf.

“The club might well have folded without his financial expertise and wisdom,” says Adam, known universally as Rodders.

The pavilion, destroyed by fire in 1995, was re-built by 1999 and has recently and impressively been refurbished. A beer festival, another Dave Carr production, was held last weekend. The community’s behind them.

A large montage depicts former glories, the trophy cabinet contains the six goblets awarded to Tom Clish, now 80, in each of those insuperable seasons in the sun.

It’s every bit as glorious when we gather over coffee, Penshaw Monument dominating from the hill above, ground staff grafting in the middle.

“I’ve been really impressed,” says John Yearnshire, who’s written other club histories. “Phili just seem to be so well organised, so professional in all that they do.”

Richly and nostalgically illustrated, his book embraces amateur and professional – shamateur, too – remembers the characters, rattles a few cages, stirs a few ghosts.

It might even help put Phili back on the map.

*Phili costs £10 including postage and is available from Adam Walter at ajrwalter@hotmail.co.uk