South Shields AFC

[jack2133]

When I was a youngster in Shields the "Mariners" did not exist.They wre known as the "Babes" and played at Horsley Hill Stadium which doubled up as a "dog track".My paternal grandfather was a part time gardener there and I used to assist him ,or I should say I did the work and he smoked his pipe.His other job was guard on the "Marsden Rattler" when he wasnt pinching dogs and claiming the reward for "finding" them! I can still remember the names of some of the players.Chris Marron,who later went to Chesterfield,a centre forward who scored 10 goals in a 13-0 win over ,I think, Murton CW.The outside right was a flamboyant ,moustachioed fellow named George Harvey.There was a goalkeeper called Agar who used to get very excited and very often finished up on the halfway line - not the best place to be for a goalie! Phillips was right back and later joined Man. City.Cummings was left back and later joined Queens Park.McGlasham was right half. Alan Grenyer was centre half. Maddison was outside left and later joined Grimsby Town.

[mr-angry]

nice piece of history there Jack in my early teens we used to play on
the stadium when it was derelict had some great time's.
Then ended up buying a house on the estate lived there for a few year
then moved on.
Anyway heard all sorts of stories about the past.
The Mariners if only

[jimmywizz]

welcome to our boards jack, any more stories for us ?

[jack2133]

As I recall there used to be a Charity match played at Horsley Hill during Easter when Harton Colliery FC took on a team made up of former stars and current local players. I remember seeing Warney Cresswell ,Alex James , Hughie Gallagher and George Camsell all sedately cruising about while the youngsters got "stuck in".One of the young ones was Corbett Cresswell - I think he was Warneys son.He played for Bishop Auckland and later joined Manchester United together with Bob Hardisty and Ernie Taylor in 1958 after the Munich disaster to bolster the playing staff as so many of the team hah either been killed or severly injured.I saw the "Busby Babes " play at Roker Park .They were a great team.They soon pinpointed Len Shackleton as the danger man and Duncan Edwards,who was built like a tank, hit poor old Len with a crunching tackle and damaged Lens ankle.I do not think he was the same player after that.George Camsell once held the record of 59 goals in a season when he played for Middlesbrough.Dixie Dean then broke it with 60 playing for Everton.I think Warney Cresswell was Evertons captain when they won the 1st Division Championship in 1928.That was also the year South Shields afc was bottom of the then 2nd Division before being swallowed up by Gateshead! Warney was one of the finest full backs ever to play for England and if I am correct he was a South Shields lad as was Stan Mortenson. Warneys niece ,Dorothy Cresswell was certainly a South Shields lass.She was my first true love in my teens- gorgeous then and probably still is !!!

[andysfootball]

warney creswell spent his later years living in a flat in mortimer rd

he used to go and watch shields play regularly

on the nights after the vaux floodlit leagues games

we would walk him home after getting off the 32 bus

at the west park hotel

[jimmywizz]

great stuff this keep it coming in

[andysfootball]

South Shields v Wigan Athletic 29/3/69

Northern Premier League 9th placed Shields against 2nd placed Wigan.

Wigan were desribed as the "Arsenal of the Chesire League" with a burning ambition to have the towns name back in the football league

Advertisers in programme included

Baker Bros.....rope and metal merchants

The Ocean Grill Steak House......for a good steak after the match dial 6200

Barber and Heron....contractors to the ship building and ship repairing industries and ancillary trades

R.Rodgers Ltd......for coal

Coulsons Taxis.......get out of town or into town

Tyne Marine Store Ltd.....adjacent to Gasworks

Looks like Wigans burning ambition paid off !

[andysfootball]

QPR v South Shields 30/1/70

FA Cup 3rd round

Team. Bert Garrow, Billy Thompson, Bobby Mcleod, Dave Adams, Bobby Elwell, Jimmy Potter, Gerry Donoghue, Ken Ellis, Eric Johnstone, Len Smith, Dominic McCallum sub Billy Graham

Score lost 4-1 Rodney marsh scored 2 with goals from Frank Clarke and Mike Ferguson. Len Smith scored from the spot for South Shields.

QPR were 5th place in Div 2

South Shields were second in the Norther Premier League and had beaten Bishop Auckland, Bradford City and Oldham on the way to the 3rd round. Smith scored in every round.

Other league scalps were

58/59 Crewe 5-0 at home
59/60 Chesterfield 2-0 at home
65/66 York City 3-1 at home

[billymorgan]

LEN SMITH

i remember him !!!

saw him when i was a bairn !!!

it was a big deal in the town that Q.P.R. match.

[jimmywizz]

keep it up lads, also if any one has any old photos of south shields fc then please send them on to us as we will be making a history page for the club on our main website and are on the lookout for any items of interest

[Gateman]

Did anyone see super Len in the Gazette the other day winning £500 in the Gazette bingo competition, still a winner after all these years.

[andysfootball]

It was on the night of Monday 25th April 1966

That Shields welcomed Sir Stanley to Simonside Hall

Playing against a Port Vale X1 that included Matthews as outside right

And Jimmy Hill in the number 10 jersey.

Entertainment was provided by the South Shields Caledonian Pipe Band

And the Simonside Mariners Junior Jazz Band

Three month later Geoff Hurst slotted three passed the Germans !