Junior footy - who did you play for?

Z

zico_bamber

Well-known member
Growing up my best memories were playing junior footy. I played for Blackpool Rangers then moved to Poulton so joined Poulton Youth at U10. School leaving year was 1992. It was a great league and I don't think the same team won the league twice. I know Straighters played the same year group for North Fylde - they were eventually a top team.

Who did you play for?
 
I just played at Poulton Youth, rather than for them.

A measure of my incompetence can be judged by them not having a problem with me playing at least one year longer than the age limit allowed. Finished around 1980-81
 
I started at Spirit of Youth my debut was at Fishers Field in 1980 Vs Foxhall playing at Centre half in a 1-0 defeat. I loved playing on the well kept pitches at Seafield Rd so later joined YMCA, we were a good side but Blackpool Rangers complete with Andy Gouck were the real powerhouses of my age group.
 
I had a trial for Foxhall before they started competitively. At the time I was too bothered about my mate being shown up so didn't play my best. Anyway, I was never a fan of Sunday league football.
 
Last edited:
Great question/op: my distinguished career began in the late 60’s in the famous & internationally recognised yellow & green of Norbreck juniors (Plus Timpsons ‘Shooting Stars’ sidelace boots, as my parents refused to fork out for genuine George Best Stylo Matchmakers), including a career highlight of one subsitute appearance for Blackpool schoolboys.

Following an unwelcome familial move to Leeds, a less-distinguished & enforced rugby-based Grammar School education led to a hiatus of several years, afore the shrewd eyes of Horsforth Town FC (QPR-style blue/white hoops) rekindled my dreams via the Leeds Combination Sunday League.

It’s safe to say a glittering few years ensued, resulting in successive promotions to Div 2 of aforementioned league (As well as a change of kit to blue shirts with white sleeves - altho’ they quickly became blue shirts with pale blue sleeves, after one of the lads missus gave the kit a boil-wash). I still have the wooden shields/plaques to show for it (The promotions, not the boil-wash). By now, the boots had become a respectable, if a little fancy-dan, Adidas ‘World Cup ‘82’’ as befitting my hard-earned status.

Nothing great, of course, lasts forever & in due course the lure of ladies, lager & Sunday morning lie-ins was to sadly prove enough to rob the beautiful game of one of yet another maverick talents that could’ve been (But actually never was….) 🤣😉
 
After captaining the Norbreck Primary School ream I went to Arnold ( football frowned upon) where I was encouraged to play other sports which I did , notably hockey. I did play a few games for St John's ( central Blackpool ) Youth Club when 15/16 before playing in the local Saturday and Sunday
Leagues when I started work in Lytham.
 
In the early seventies I played for Northbeach in Thornton - who had a tiny pitch near the industrial estate - then for Birkdale who played at the sports centre. Birkdale were probably good enough to win the league at the next age level and were full of lads who went on to be very good semi-pro players.

I damaged a cartilage at 14 and briefly stopped playing, but a manager of a team in Poulton came to my house and offered to pay for an operation if I would play for his team. I played a few games for them (Highcross) but didn`t take up his offer on the op, and didn`t play again until I was in my early twenties...
 
zico_bamber said:
Growing up my best memories were playing junior footy. I played for Blackpool Rangers then moved to Poulton so joined Poulton Youth at U10. School leaving year was 1992. It was a great league and I don't think the same team won the league twice. I know Straighters played the same year group for North Fylde - they were eventually a top team.

Who did you play for?
Click to expand...
Didn't Straighters and his alter egos have a team of their own ?
 
Wyre Juniors. We got twomped 16 nil some games then after a season or two made it to mid table.
Then a bunch of cod heads started and their parents bullied the wimpy coaches into playing their kids all the time and that was the end of my career 😂
 
Poulton St John’s. Became Poulton Town. Civic Centre was our home ground. Played in the Junior West Lancs league so I never played against any Blackpool sides. Was always travelling up to Longridge and Garstang.
 
Played for Brooklyn for most of my youth under the management of the great Ken Wilson. Was also part of a successful team at Warbreck for a good number of years too.
 
Alfie Conn said:
I started at Spirit of Youth my debut was at Fishers Field in 1980 Vs Foxhall playing at Centre half in a 1-0 defeat. I loved playing on the well kept pitches at Seafield Rd so later joined YMCA, we were a good side but Blackpool Rangers complete with Andy Gouck were the real powerhouses of my age group.
Click to expand...
Same age as me then, I was Clifton Rangers, i remember we were the only team they didn't beat one season, think we got a scabby draw to stop them going the whole season winning every match

Then Brooklyn who became Blackpool Mechs juniors
 
Phil_bfc deux said:
Same age as me then, I was Clifton Rangers, i remember we were the only team they didn't beat one season, think we got a scabby draw to stop them going the whole season winning every match

Then Brooklyn who became Blackpool Mechs juniors
Click to expand...
We managed to actually beat them at their own ground,they were crying as they came off the pitch!.
Colquhoun their manager had them locked in the dressing room for a hour afterwards, that was after him and my father nearly got in a fight!.
 
Phil_bfc deux said:
Same age as me then, I was Clifton Rangers, i remember we were the only team they didn't beat one season, think we got a scabby draw to stop them going the whole season winning every match

Then Brooklyn who became Blackpool Mechs juniors
Click to expand...
Clifton till about 80 and then Brooklyn under Mikey Strutton and ended up at Our Lady..
 
Alexander Boys in the Blackpool & Fylde Combination U16 league in 73/74. Went through the season without dropping a point and won the cup final which l was dropped for because l went to see Black Sabbath in Manchester when the semi was played!🤬🤬🤬
 
Blackpool Rangers then Poulton… Bandagem’s dad was Manager at Poulton and he basically recruited all of the Blackpool boys team to play for him… Me and Bandagem Centre halves… midfield had Thommo and John Butler…Stevie Helm on the wing… it worked we won the League and Cups and also the Lancashire cup against Nova who had Paul Stewart and Dave Bardsley in it… good times..
 
Last edited:
Very briefly, Brooklyn Corinthians, (Thornton)started by Grant Lawrences dad circa 1970? But I was a swimmer, so training twice a day seven days a week meant my love of football took a back seat.
Grants name just came back to me after 50yrs.
 
Chunkylad said:
Chris and Ant Beech, Robbie Boal, Stu Parky, Brandsey - off the top of my head.
Click to expand...
Nice. Thinking you're the age group up from me. Guess Ali Baker was playing with you and Graham Birch. Steve Rial and his old man Kevin always involved if I remember. All good lads.
I played with Parky, Brandsey, Kev Barnes, Si Crellin all the way through. Robbie played with us when it went to Under 17s in our last season.
 
FC Rangers 78 - 85. Played in year above team for 3 years, then dropped to own age in 80 / 81 (under 12's).
Carl Lancashire (played for Blackpool) was in same team until u14's.
Poulton (inc Macauley & Clarkson) or YM always won the league.
 
Sea sea seasiders said:
Blackpool Rangers and Poulton youth along side some class players.. Steve Macauley and The Ghost Phil Clarkson. 👍
Click to expand...
We must be the same age. I was at BJFF all the way through starting aged five or six until I found other interests at aged 14 or thereabouts.

At that time, Poulton were head and shoulders above everyone else. I remember Mcauley very well but strangely have no real recollection of Clarkson being anything special.

My favourite memory of playing Poulton was a season when you had won every single game until we played you at your place at the last game of the season with no real expectations

You had beaten us seven nil at our ground and we managed a 1-1 draw. We were looking like a win until McAuley got a late equaliser with a header- he was about a foot taller than everybody else at the time so no surprise there!

Happy days
 
straightatthewall said:
Nice. Thinking you're the age group up from me. Guess Ali Baker was playing with you and Graham Birch. Steve Rial and his old man Kevin always involved if I remember. All good lads.
I played with Parky, Brandsey, Kev Barnes, Si Crellin all the way through. Robbie played with us when it went to Under 17s in our last season.
Click to expand...
Yes!! I was killing my self trying to remember Birchys name. I had Graham and even his sister as Michelle. Also remember Ali who was our Blonde Sammer.
Si was our goalkeeper
 
I never played junior football but I've a rather sad story concerning my eldest lad at Foxhall.

When he was 7 he asked if he could play football at fishers field on a Sunday with the team in green and white. I went down there and a big fat fella was pointed out to me as the manager of my lads age group.
He started his 'trial' in September, never missing a training session or turning up on a Sunday and never getting a game. I kept asking him if he really wanted to continue and he said yes. Early December I overheard some of the parents talking about the Xmas party and the pantomime that was being organised for the lads, I asked about it and was told the manager had the tickets. When I asked him about it he just turned round and told me that he didn't think my lad was good enough and he shouldn't come again.
I said , you're not getting out of it that easy YOU tell him, which he did without giving a shit!!
My lad ran home in tears and when I got home my Mrs told me he was upstairs.
He was crying his eyes out and had crossed out the Blackpool shirt and football boots he had on his Christmas list. He wanted nothing to do with football for probably the next 3 years.
He went on to swim for Lancashire and play rugby for Blackpool scorpions.

Fortunately he regained his love for football and he's a Blackpool supporter but I'll never forgive that ** at Foxhall who ruined a little lads dreams
 
straightatthewall said:
Nice. Thinking you're the age group up from me. Guess Ali Baker was playing with you and Graham Birch. Steve Rial and his old man Kevin always involved if I remember. All good lads.
I played with Parky, Brandsey, Kev Barnes, Si Crellin all the way through. Robbie played with us when it went to Under 17s in our last season.
Click to expand...
Great team North Fylde ! Didn't expect to see my name here, and my Dad !!! Steve Rial!!!
Remember couple of Hogan Cup finals at Bloomfield against Spirit and then Fleetwood Gym
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top