RETURN TO FOOTBALL - THE MIDDLESEX FOOTBALL FAMILY

[Rhodes]

Agamemnon3 - That's a nice post, I had noticed that Willie Whigham had sadly passed away on Thursday and there are some glowing tributes to him from various sources, I vaguely recall seeing him play at Millwall in the late 1960's, obviously I saw his successor at Ayresome Park Jim Platt play on a regular basis:

Willie Whigham (Shotts Bon Accord, Falkirk, Middlesbrough) | NonLeagueMatters Forums

RIP Willie Whigham | Page 3 | FMTTM (fmttmboro.com)

THROWBACK THURSDAY: WILLIE WHIGHAM – LEGEND – Falkirk Football Club (falkirkfc.co.uk)

BBC - Tees - In Pictures - Ayresome Angels - The boys of '67

[Rhodes]

On 06/03/2021 at 11:11, agamemnon3 said:

This is probably the pre-season photograph for the 1971/72 season.

Back row:  Gates, Smith, Moody, Boam, Whigham, Hickton, Maddren, Vincent.  Front row:  McMordie, Stiles, Downing, Mills, Spraggon, Laidlaw.

Agamemnon3 - Perhaps we should begin a Middlesbrough thread or else get a room, sadly four of those players in the photograph are no longer with us are they. 

[agamemnon3]

'sadly four of those players in the photograph are no longer with us...'

Well, we have to be realistic Rhodes.  Obviously Willie Maddren and Johnny Vincent died tragically early, but the rest of the guys are all in their mid-to-late seventies now, so we must expect them to be leaving us at some point.  As I have pointed out elsewhere, given his erratic lifestyle, Wille W did remarkably well to make 81.

Quite a few of the guys in the photograph are active members of the Middlesbrough FC Former Players' Association, run by the 83-year-old Alan Peacock, and, at 69, the relative youngster, Jim Platt.  In normal times, the Association regularly holds dinners and fundraisers in aid of local charities and tries to help out any former MFC players known to have fallen on hard times.  Toward the end of his life, I believe the Association helped to pay for Wille W 's move back to his hometown of Airdrie.      

[Rhodes]

Savagebee - You may find this interesting about Hanwell Town, fair play to the Club:

 

[Rhodes]

Here's another starter for ten for Agamemnon3, name that ground although the sign on the floodlight is a big clue:

Edited May 7, 2021 by Rhodes

[Savagebee]

On 25/04/2021 at 12:08, Rhodes said:

Savagebee - You may find this interesting about Hanwell Town, fair play to the Club:

 

Yep loads of new things going on at the club these days.

[petethegreek]

On 05/05/2021 at 20:59, Rhodes said:

Here's another starter for ten for Agamemnon3, name that ground although the sign on the floodlight is a big clue:

Ayresome Park.

[agamemnon3]

This is a strange one Rhodes.  It's clearly the visitors' end, but I don't ever remember sections being boarded off like that.  Why would they do that ?

Perhaps this is almost the end, when the place is closing anyway.  And look at the visitors -- a feckless bunch, at best... 

Could this be Luton Town, on the last day, perhaps ? 

From time's distance, I envy them -- at least they were there...

Edited May 10, 2021 by agamemnon3

[Rhodes]

Agamemnon3 - They don't look like Luton Town fans as some are wearing blue colours, I therefore don't think that is the last competitive game played at Ayresome Park you are referring to on 30 April 1995. These photographs may be of interest:

https://www.gettyimages.dk/photos/ayresome-park?family=editorial&page=3&phrase=ayresome park&sort=mostpopular

[Rhodes]

Agamemnon3 - Apparently the game is against Brighton & Hove Albion according to where I got the photograph from however Brighton didn't play at Ayresome Park in 1994/95 so it's a bit puzzling, it wouldn't be the League Cup Second Round First Leg tie in 1993/94 as there are surely too many Brighton fans for that on a Tuesday night in a poor crowd of just over 5,500: 

[Rhodes]

Savagebee - Did you see that Peter Gelson sadly passed away recently, Brentford legend. He joined Hillingdon Borough after leaving Griffin Park and had two spells at the Middlesex Stadium, he was briefly at Hounslow FC  before ending his playing career at Walton & Hersham in 1979. They don't make them like that anymore do they:

First, Best, Worst: Peter Gelson - News - Official website of Brentford Football Club (brentfordfc.com)

Brentford F.C. is saddened to report the death of one of our greatest ever players, Peter Gelson.
Peter died last night, Monday 26th April 2021, at the age of 79.
The club will be paying tribute to Peter at our game against Rotherham United this evening.
Peter is one of only four men to play more than 500 games for The Bees and is in the Club’s Hall of Fame.
Born and raised in West London, Peter had such an affinity to the club that he was still a season ticket holder in our last season at Griffin Park, our historic stadium where he made his name.

He was so well respected by Brentford supporters that in 2013, almost 40 years after his last game he was placed second in a poll for all time fan favourite, conducted to mark the 125th anniversary of the Football League.

Edited May 16, 2021 by Rhodes

[the leatherhead lip]

16 hours ago, Rhodes said:

Savagebee - Did you see that Peter Gelson sadly passed away recently, Brentford legend. He joined Hillingdon Borough after leaving Griffin Park and had two spells at the Middlesex Stadium, he was briefly at Hounslow FC  before ending his playing career at Walton & Hersham in 1979. They don't make them like that anymore do they:

First, Best, Worst: Peter Gelson - News - Official website of Brentford Football Club (brentfordfc.com)

Brentford F.C. is saddened to report the death of one of our greatest ever players, Peter Gelson.
Peter died last night, Monday 26th April 2021, at the age of 79.
The club will be paying tribute to Peter at our game against Rotherham United this evening.
Peter is one of only four men to play more than 500 games for The Bees and is in the Club’s Hall of Fame.
Born and raised in West London, Peter had such an affinity to the club that he was still a season ticket holder in our last season at Griffin Park, our historic stadium where he made his name.

He was so well respected by Brentford supporters that in 2013, almost 40 years after his last game he was placed second in a poll for all time fan favourite, conducted to mark the 125th anniversary of the Football League.

Edited May 17, 2021 by the leatherhead lip

[the leatherhead lip]

41 minutes ago, the leatherhead lip said:

 

He was never at the Middlesex stadium, He played for the original Hillingdon Borough at the Leas stadium another Iconic non league ground gone forever. 

[Rhodes]

The Leatherhead Lip - Yes, of course, thanks, I stand corrected. I see that after retiring from football Gelson took a job at Heathrow Airport in security, compare that to the mercenaries and prima donnas of today who never have to work again after hanging up their boots.

[Rhodes]

Savagebee - Not SSML but you may find this interesting, all about Brentham FC, who were established as long ago as 1919, and there are also photographs from their Middlesex FA Intermediate Cup Quarter Final tie with Pitshanger Dynamo Reserves on Saturday 17 April. Their ground looks decent albeit no scope for moving higher up the Pyramid:

Co-operative Spirit by David Bauckham - Centre Circle Publishing (exposure.co)

2021 Middlesex FA Intermediate Cup Quarter Final | Flickr

[Rhodes]

Savagebee - Not SSML but you may be interested in this photograph of a young Gordon Riddick who went on to play numerous games for Brentford between 1973 and 1977, sadly he passed away three years ago. I didn't realise Gordon was born and bred in Hertfordshire and cut his teeth in the game at Luton Town, arriving at Kenilworth Road at the tender age of seventeen, he was also a good cricketer. They sadly don't make players like that anymore as is also the case with his Brentford team mate Peter Gelson who died earlier this year:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gordon_Riddick

https://www.lutontown.co.uk/news/2018/august/gordon-riddick-obituary/

[Rhodes]

Savagebee - I see that the sandwich brigade were very much out in force at the Middlesex FA Annual Awards event on Friday 24 September at the plush Brent Civic Centre, overlooking Wembley Stadium, here are over 100 photographs courtesy of photographer Chris Benn:

MIDDLESEX FA HOST A SUCCESSFUL AWARDS EVENING - Middlesex FA

Edited October 23, 2021 by Rhodes

[Rhodes]

Something for Savagebee, an insight into what has been going on at Hanwell Town of late and their prestigious 'Grassroots Club of the Year' Award, I wonder how long it takes to get a cup of tea at half time at Reynolds Field  these days as when they were a SSML Club back in they day you gave up waiting:

 

[Rhodes]

Savagebee - The sandwich brigade were out in force again at an awards ceremony for Hampton & Richmond Borough's long serving Hilary Denning on Tuesday 9 November following the Hampton & Richmond Borough v Harrow Borough Middlesex FA Senior Challenge Cup Second Round tie, photograhs courtesy of photograher Chris Beard:

 

[Rhodes]

Photographs from the recent Middlesex FA Annual Awards event, on Thursday 13 July, held at Brentford FC, courtesy of photographer Chris Benn, you have to say what a difference to Griffin Park but ask any Brentford fan which ground they prefer: 

Edited July 18, 2023 by Rhodes