Tuesday 7 October 2014

FRILLY KNICKERS WILL COME OUT OF THE NEXT TEAM WASH

If you can access BBC i-player, then tune into “Marvellous” a drama shown on BBC2 about the life of Neil Baldwin, from Westlands in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire. Baldwin, who is an honorary graduate of Keele University, was appointed as Stoke City Football Club's kit-man by the manager Lou Macari in the 1990s. A man tagged at school with the “learning difficulties”, he then went on to become a Circus Clown, Lay Preacher, unofficial student greeter at Keele University and Stoke City kit man.  Stoke City has Carthusian connections, so I am not going to let that slip past, but this is a moving drama worth seeing.
In a previous blog, I mentioned Norman Rimmington from Barnsley who was the “kit man” at Oakwell for 69 years. Recognised by the Queen and having attended one of the royal garden parties, he was Barnsley’s  goalkeeper in the Wartime league and then became first team coach, assistant manager, groundsman, physio and laundry man.
Malcolm Stedman is 72 and does for Gillingham’s laundry as Norman does, but has also been called into help with team talks and even to be the fourth official when needed.
Jack Northover, at 61, is at Rochdale a hero, who has fought cancer, sky-dived to raise money for charities and been there through thick and thin at Spotland.
Finally, Harry Parsons at Cardiff City deserves a special mention, for he forgot the team jock straps (athletic supports) when the club visited Sporting Lisbon in the European Cup Winners Cup in 1964-5. Harry went down town, could not find a suitable sports’ shop and had to buy from a ladies’ lingerie pairs of knickers. No frills there then? Bless!

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