IAN BUXTON IN DERBYSHIRE

Chris Hardstaff, a regular "reader", one of the few, when we met at yesterday's Packhorse Inn, came up with a brochure from the Ian Buxton testimonial, dated January 1972.
He thoughtfully said it might help me come up with a theme for a "blog", knowing how sometimes getting inspiration is a bit of challenge. Today in nearly on this day in 1948, which was the opening of the London Olympics...so I did have a starter. But this is more fun.

Ian Buxton, as you will know, was one of those "all year" sportsmen, who played football for Derby County and captained county cricket for Derbyshire-1959-73. That leads me onto the joke which starts: "Who played football for Manchester United and cricket for Scotland?....answer....
Denis Law and Mike Denness. Simple!
But dual sportsmen could do that way back-not so now if you are at the top of each game.
There were a few all rounders around in those days....Arthur Milton, Johnny Haynes  (what?? are you sure?, Jim Cumbes, Jim Standen, Willie Watson, Ian Botham.....

It's the Derbyshire link following on from yesterday's day out at New Mills. Ian started life in Matlock  1938 and ended it in Buxton 2010, schooling at Wirksworth Grammar School, lived in Cromford, interrupted by National Service with the RAF.

The Brochure is titled "All Rounder"; Ian played 310 matches in his county career, scoring nearly 10,500 runs at 24.00 and taking 420 wickets at 26 and 176 catches. An all rounder in one sport clearly. No internationals I'm afraid.

He was celebrated by Brian Clough, who mentioned himself about 10 times in his acknowledgement of Ian's career. There was also appraisal from John O'Hare, Ray Illingworth, Roy McFarland, Freddie Trueman, Ian Chappell and many others.

An inside forward. Ian's career started at Derby County in the 2nd Division 1959-67 145 apps, Luton Town, helping the Hatters to the 4th Division title 1967-8, Notts County in the 4th Div, Port Vale with promotion from 4th to 3rd Div 1969-70 and Ilkeston Town FC. He totalled around 216 games and 62 goals.

The brochure was an historic document with adverts on A5 pages from Gun and Moore with their famed Autograph bat (I had one!), Swafega, Double Diamond and Winit Sports Shoes. to name a few.

The testamonial season included a cricket match involving a "Derbyshire XI" v Lesley Crowther's XI at Cromford Meadows  The Chesterfield Cricket Lovers' Society Six-a-sides at Clay Cross, a few more local games and a Dinner Dance at The Green Man Hotel, Ashbourne...get your dicky bow on and no clown uniforms!