Cricketing-footballers

Leslie Compton (Arsenal and Middlesex/England); Chris Balderstone (Carlisle United and Huddersfield Town at football/ Yorkshire at cricket); Ian Botham (Scunthorpe United/Yeovil and Worcestershire/Somerset); Jim Cumbes (Tranmere/WBA/ Aston Villa goalkeeper and Surrey/ Worcestershire bowler); Jack Dyson (Manchester City FA Cup winner/Lancashire), Arnie Sidebottom (Manchester United, Huddersfield & Halifax/ Yorkshire and England Test cricketer), Jim Standen (FA Cup winner with West Ham/ County Championship winner with Worcestershire), Ken Taylor and Willie Watson (both of Hudderfield Town/Yorkshire), Ted Hemsley (Shrewsbury Town/ Sheffield United and Worcestershire), Andy Goram (goalkeeper with Oldham Athletic/Hibernian/Manchester United briefly/ WBA/Rangers and Scotland cricketer),

We can also add Denis Compton (Arsenal/England during WW2 and Middlesex/England), Keith Barker, Mike Barnard, Jimmy Cook, Joe Hart, Chris Hollins, Geoff Hurst (England’s 1966 World Cup star), Arthur Milton (Arsenal and Gloucestershire), Stuart Leary, Gary Lineker, Barry Meyer, James Milner, Gary Neville, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Sid O’Linn, Dave Smith, Mickey Stewart, Ron Tindall and even Viv Richards (Antigua World Cup footballer/West Indies batsman).

Facts:

■ Eric Houghton played pre-war for Aston Villa and Warwickshire CCC.

■ Footballers Les Ames (Clapton Orient), Johnny Arnold (Fulham), Bill Edrich (Spurs) and Lawrie Fishlock (Millwall) also played cricket for England.

■ Reg Foster played for Worcestershire, Oxford University and England at both sports in 1890s, winning five football caps and appearing in eight Test matches.

■ Other dual footballer cricketers from yesteryear include Andy Ducat (Arsenal/ Aston Villa/Fulham and Surrey), C.B. Fry (Corinthians/ Southampton and Surrey/ Hampshire), Les Gay (Old Brightonians and Cambridge University), William Gunn (Notts County and Nottinghamshire), Harry Hardinge (Sheffield United and Kent), Patsy Hendren (Brentford/Coventry City/Manchester City and Middlesex), The Hon. Alfred Lyttleton (Old Etonians and Worcestershire) and Jack Sharpe (Aston Villa/Everton and Lancashire).