Following on from last week’s personal choice for Workington Town team I’ve been asked to do similar for the Reds.
Now I have watched the Reds since 1953 and written about them since 1967. I think you have to split them into a Football League X1 and a Non-League X1.
I’ve done this before over the years, and the teams were different in a couple of positions, which suggests it would be a tight choice to make in certain areas of the pitch.
Five keepers have to be considered – from Malcolm Newlands through to Mike Rogan, and incorporating Charlie Wright, Ian Ower and John Burridge.
It’s tight but the nod goes to Malky, a fiery performer on the field but a gentleman off it. Indeed I heard it said on several occasions if he could have controlled his temper while at Preston he would have played for Scotland.
There was one infamous game at Borough Park against Chester when Newlands was so incensed by the opposition centre forward that on clearing from his hands he deliberately kicked it against the opponent. Sadly the ball rebounded over the Reds keeper into the net!
Right back is a straight choice between John Ogilvie and Joe Wilson, two locals who were outstanding in their time at the Reds.
Joe got his move to Notts Forest after marking Dick Le Flem out of the game in an FA Cup tie and later played for Wolves.
Oggy had his chance to impress watching Spurs manager Bill Nicholson against Reading but chose to have one of the very few bad games in his Workington career as George Harris ran him ragged.
Overall though I’m going for Oggy at right-back.
Bobby Brown could operate in either full-back role or centre-half and in Reds Football League days played more games than any other.
John Lumsden and Alex Rollo were considered but Bobby gets the nod as skipper and his vast experience.
As a central defensive pairing I seriously considered Tommy Spencer and Brian Wood when Reds gave away fewer goals in a season than at any other time.
In the end I went for George Aitken alongside the man who took over from him at centre-half Roy Tennant. If George was the archetypal stopper centre-half, South African Roy was the ball-playing defender.
Three in midfield and first name on the sheet Jimmy Moran, who would win most polls as to who was the best footballer Reds had in their League days.
Dixie Hale would be alongside as a natural ball-winner, fierce competitor and the perfect man to add steel to the engine room.
Completing the midfield trio provided the most thought – Billy Griffin, Ernie Whittle, Rex Dunlop were in the shake-up but I’ve gone for the industry, competitiveness and extra scoring potential of Jackie Bertolini.
Up top under consideration were the Martins (Geoff and Johnny), Les Massie, Mike Commons (always a favourite of mine) and Norman Mitchell.
But I’ve packed the forwards with goals. Jimmy Dailey, the daddy of them all would lead the line with Kit Napier playing left side and Dave Carr to the right.
So the Reds Football League line-up would be: Newlands, Ogilvie, Aitken, Tennant, Brown, Bertolini, Hale, Moran, Carr, Dailey, Napier.
All in their prime I think they would give a very good account of themselves.
