The cast of custodians to have kept goal for Halifax
IN THE second part of his special feature for the Courier on Halifax Town goalkeepers, club historian Johnny Meynell looks at those who hit the headlines in the post-war period.
Upon the return to peacetime football, Halifax Town were blessed with two able goalkeepers in Ted Rayner, who served the club in many capacities long after he’d finished playing, and Reg Elvy, who later had an outstanding career at Blackburn.
But they were eventually succeeded by a keeper who’d joined the club as a recognised centreback. Halifax-born Dave McCormick had been turning out for Halifax & District League side St. Malachy’s and made his league debut in the half-back line in September 1947.
But an injury to reserve goalkeeper Rees saw McCormick emerge as a genuine custodian in his own right. He vied for the position with Ted Elliot and Alf Taylor, and became first choice until the signing of the exceptional Jack Savage in March 1952.
But when Savage injured his wrist in a match at Bradford in December 1952 it opened the door to the first team once more for McCormick, just as Town were embarking on their historic FA Cup run. McCormick thus found himself heavily involved, starring in the giant-killing defeats of First Division sides Cardiff City and Stoke City, and retaining his place for the fifth round clash with Tottenham, watched by a record Shay gate of 36,885 on 14 February 1953.
Alex Smith wrote himself into the history books by making more appearances than any other Halifax Town goalkeeper.
After playing second fiddle to Eddie Hopkinson for six years at Bolton Wanderers, Smith was signed by manager Alan Ball in January 1968 and went on to star in many of Town’s most memorable matches.
Though standing only 5ft 8in, what he lacked in height he made up for in agility, and he was ever-present in 1968-69 as Town climbed out of the Fourth Division as runners-up to Doncaster Rovers.
On 31 July 1971 he memorably saved a Willie Morgan penalty as Town shocked star-studded Manchester United in the preseason Watney Cup competition by winning 2-1,.
Local league player John Hough followed in the footsteps of pre-war Ernest Ferneyhough by being on the winning side on his one and only Football League appearance when he turned out for Town on 15 September 1979.
Hough, a member of the IDC West Riding County Amateur side, had been registered as a non-contract player by manager George Kirby.
Following the transfer of regular keeper Mick Leonard to Notts County, Kirby moved to sign John Kilner, who had already been on loan at the club, from Preston North End, but when coach Mickey Bullock’s car broke down en route to Football League HQ with the registration forms – the fan belt went – Kilner wasn’t cleared to play in time and Kirby had little option but to call up Hough for the visit of Hereford United, and Hough kept his nerve as Town won 1-0.
No keeper likes being reminded of their howlers, but Ian Dunbavin would find it hard to hide form his when Halifax played Carlisle on 28 March 2005.
Both sides were in the hunt for a Conference play-off place and the game looked to be heading for a goalless draw.
When Dunbavin gathered the ball with Carlisle striker Glenn Murray bearing down on him, there was something of an altercation between the pair.
But when referee Bob Pollock saw that Dunbavin had hold of the ball and signalled to play on, the Town keeper misread his actions and assumed he wanted to talk to him. He stepped out of his area still clutching the ball, only for Pollock to whistle for a free-kick for handball. Dunbavin then tossed the ball to Murray, who, in an instant, transferred it to Magno Vieria, who duly slotted the ball into the unguarded net for the only goal of the game.
ONLINE: Read the full article at www.halifaxcourier.co.uk