Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Goalie Les Barr played just one game – and picked up a medal!
Park to play the final and finding out that our goalkeeper – Tony McLinski, I think – had called off injured.
“That left us short, and a call was put out to our feeder team – Northfield U/18 – for a replacement goalkeeper.
“Northfield’s goalkeeper must not have been available, so it was another of their outfield players, Les Barr, who answered the call.
“I remember him being very competent and playing very well.
“It’s over 50 years ago now, but I think we won 1-0 and Violet were the opposition.
“I also played in another winning Kiddie final, possibly against Osborne.”
Menzieshill resident
Willie, a plumber to trade in his working life, went on: “So Les has the distinction of playing just one game for North End and picking up a medal.”
Willie, brought up in Beechwood in his early years, was also very well-known as spending the last 22 years of his working life as a shop steward convener, and he concluded by explaining the Northfield connection to his former club, offering: “North End and Maryfield Juveniles had a connection and the committees wanted a younger feeder team.
“So, combining the two names, that is how the name Northfield came about.”
Good chum Dennis Elder also got in touch to say he played in the 1968-69 final – and sent in a photo of his medal (see left).
■ THERE was once a football match played entitled “In Honour of Bungay”.
The amusing and kindhearted match took place in the town of Bungay in Suffolk, England.
All the people who participated in this match had the surname Bungay.
That’s all 22 players, with the match referee, a doctor in attendance, and even the mascot was a Bungay!
Indeed, Bungay is one of Britain’s rarest names, with only 455 people called Bungay in the country . . . just 12 people per million.