A former Cockermouth man is trying to locate missing members of a West Cumbrian Sunday League side he helped form 62 years ago.
Tom Allen was left back in the first Orchard side which was formed in 1962 and played early matches on the RNAD pitch at Great Broughton.
Tom contacted Cumbria Crack to say: “A West Cumbrian Sunday league league side is about to celebrate a remarkable achievement this coming season.
“The Deer Orchard club has seen 62 years of unbroken service in local Sunday league football. The team from Cockermouth was formed in 1962 by a group of school boys at Cockermouth Grammar School.
“Two of those founder members are John Walsh, local sports writer with Cumbia Crack and myself, now living in Misterton, a village near Gainsborough.
“Both of us are keen to know the whereabouts of the original team members. Most players have been located but three players still need to be found.
“They are back row third from the right, goalie Bob Burrow. (who was originally from London), front row second from the left Cliff Burrows and front row far right Eddie Mullholland (originally from Great Clifton).
“Deer Orchard are known to be one of the oldest Sunday League sides in the country and it would be great if the missing players could be located.”
Anyone with any news on these three players is asked to contact John Walsh at [email protected] or Tom Allen at [email protected]
Like several of those original members Tom and John were keen supporters of Workington Reds. John has gone on to report on the fortunes of the club for 57 years while Tom has written two books on the club – Reds Remembered and The Team Beyond the Hills.
The original team and club officials pictured are: Back row, left to eight: Jimmy Robinson (secretary), Vic Holliday, Allan Walsh (chairman), Tom Allen, Billy Patterson, Brian Young, Keith Davis, Bob Burrow, John Fleming, Eddie Perkins (treasurer).
Front row: John Walsh, Cliff Burrows, Brian Perkins, Mike Skillen, Eddie Mulholland.
