Dapper Doog and Phil the Phoot – Norman’s cartoon capers
NO one could quite capture the essence of a person in a few deft penstrokes like Norman Edwards.
Norman was a cartoonist who specialised in sports stars, as well as popping into factories throughout the Black Country and Birmingham to sketch the staff. His work appeared for several decades in the Birmingham Evening Despatch and the Sports Argus, and our regular contributor Clive Corbett was an avid collector of certain examples ... those of Wolves players, of course.
We bring you a few from Clive’s old scrapbook here, all dating from that golden age at Molineux, the early 1970s. It’s no surprise that Derek Dougan features prominently. At bottom right is a cartoon of the
Doog with the caption ‘Taylor Made for Anything’ – dating from December 1972, it was apparently drawn to mark the Northern Irish striker’s winning of a Best Dressed Man award. Whether that was bestdressed at Wolves, in football generally, or in the entire country, we have no idea, but he was certainly a man who embraced the fashions of the day.
Bargain
Doog is shown again at top right, with full back Derek Parkin – an all-time Wolves great who was well worth the ‘Parkin Fee’ they paid Huddersfield for his services. He was indeed – with more than 600 games under his belt he still holds the record for the most appearances by a Wolves player.
Below left is a sketch of Hugh Curran. At Wolves between 1969 and 1972, Curran was a striker who, according to Norman’s cartoon, liked a bit of fishing in his spare time. Whether it’s true that he hampered his own efforts by eating the bait himself, who knows.
And finally, below, is keeper Phil Parkes. Lofty, as he was always known, is shown saving penalties with his feet, something he pulled off against Ferencvaros of Hungary in the UEFA Cup in 1972.