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Birmingham Amateur Football Teams

Eric Gibson said:
My younger brother Gordon Gibson was an avid footballer from about five years old, played for many teams including for his school and works, he was signed as a junior for Aston Villa then Walsall but I've never had a team photo of him.
There must surely be one somewhere, anyone ever come across one?
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Hi Eric it might be wise to put an age and what period he played in, John.
 
He was born in 1940 and I think he got into the Villa juniors in his teens John, he was at Dulwich Road school until he was fifteen and I think he played for them and some local club teams as well.
 
John Keogh said:
Hi, I played for Kenwick Dynamo from 1976-1986, the manager at that time was Ken Mitchell, we trained at Harborne school just down from the Green Man pub, I remember in my early days, I was 15/16,and Kenwick were getting started again after a year or two off the scene, so with an influx of us younger lads and several of the "older" players we would rebuild Kenwick Dynamo into the top Birmingham amateur Sunday league team. I remember starting to train with these "older" players thinking I was so fit and Energetic that I'd run rings around them... No chance!! You could hardly get near the ball! With their body positioning, awareness and skill. Most of these guys would have been about 7/8 years older than me, Steve Cattier was the goalkeeper, Extremely good, Ray Webb defender, had played for Aston Villa youth team, fast and tenacious in the tackle, Dave Gubbins defender, Roy Paine midfielder, Keith Crowd midfielder, played semi-pro, Brian Mcgetrick midfielder also semi-pro, Geoff Ballard midfielder played professional in Belgium, Mick Ballard striker (Geoff's brother), and Mickey Lillis the best striker I have had the pleasure to play alongside, don't know why he never played professionally. We played for a year or two in the Birmingham Works League (1977-1980?) Teams like Dunlop, Willmott Breadon, Co -op, West Midlands travel etc, pitches and facilities on a professional standard, in those 2 or 3 years we won the silver Palethorpe Ball (in a glass"box") and the massive Bass Cup (I'm sure you can view these on Google). After this we joined the South Birmingham Premier Division, many of the "older" players retired or moved on. It took a year or two to get our footing but we went on to win the Premier League 2/3 times and appear in two cup finals. In the summer of 1986 I myself moved on and played for many clubs and then veterans football before "retiring" in 2010. Would be great to hear from any ex team mates and enjoy recalling our days of Glory, thank you. John Keogh.
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Apologies but should have read Keith Crowe (not crowd!) .
 
kbg9263 said:
Re: South Yardley Amateurs A and B teams. I played in goal for the team that had Graham Lovett, Les Sparkes, Alan Jones, Jeff Mayo, Alan Robinson, Ray Taylor, Jimmy Ravenhill, Mickey Cartwright, Kennt Dixon. We started out as Yardley Stonehouse in the South West Birmingham Boys League when I was 12 years old and then we changed to South Yardley Amateurs. Made the Villa Cup final where Ray South was in the team which means that the A and B teams were combined for this game. Albert Hill was our Manager. I remember an A v B game somewhere. Great set of Mum and Dad supporters.
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Hi,I remember as a young lad, obsessed with football, watching this team play at Gilbertstone Park Yardley. A bit of hero worship as I had just started at Sheldon Heath Comp and Graham Lovett and Jimmy Ravenhill were 5/6 years older and school and football royalty. I remember some teams who played at Gilberstone had such exotic European names like Rapide and Toledo. It was a high standard of football. One team had a giant of a centre forward called Graham Buffery who was exciting to watch as he banged in the goals.
 
mossg said:
I wonder if anyone can help a friend of mine.A friend of his celebrates his 70th birthday this year,and he is looking for any information he can get on a Sunday morning team he played for in the early to mid 1960s.
The team were called ROCKWOOD ALBION they were based in Alum Rock/Washwood Heath area.
Some of the names he remembers are.Brian Phillips.Graham Spencer.Graham Baffery.John Wellings.Bobby Heath.David(Ginger)Bryan.? Webb.
The manager was known as Satchmo.
Any information would be much appreciated.Moss
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Hi my husband Ken played for Rockwood Albion Bunny Stallard was the manager
 
paulyx said:
Yes Satchmo went on to manage Saltley amateur gardeners and possibly the Wolsey. Nice bloke off the pitch. ⚽
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Sorry he was kown as Aspro, and when I was playing for the Travellers on Aston Cross and he was managing Saltley Amateur Gardeners he came on as sub and scored a hatrick, he will be 80 this year,
 
Birmingham Football Club Challenge Shield

I have a silver medal that belonged to my Dad. He played football 1930/35. The medal is for the shield winners but does not say which year or which club. Does anyone know where I might find further information?
 
I think the Birmingham Shield was a works competition. Does it have his name, we could look in the Sports Argus. Where did he work ?
 
Tinpot said:
Small Heath Champions 1932-33.
Some of the same faces appear in Jack Moulds Athletic 1934-35
My Dad was goalie Norman(Jack or Lew) Lewis.
Les Bishop and Bert Powles are names I heard him talk about.
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This earlier post shows a team that were Small Heath Champions but I don’t know which team. My mother thought he played with a team with a name that ended with Robins. Jack Moulds Athletic seem to have lots of cups and medals and maybe it is a company team.Tinpot
 
Pedrocut said:
This is from the Birmingham Gazzette, January 1933 and mentions a FH Lewis first, maybe the Goalkeeper?

View attachment 172045
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F H Lewis is in the right team but Dad was JWN Lewis and seems to be using Norman in the photo of JMAthletic. The medal datemark is 1934/35
 

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Evening Despatch May 1935 says that on Monday 27th May the Birmingham Football shield will be presented at the White Horse Hotel, Congreve St.

John Wright and Co. were the Winners. Perhaps that was a gold medal ?
 
Pedrocut said:
Evening Despatch May 1935 says that on Monday 27th May the Birmingham Football shield will be presented at the White Horse Hotel, Congreve St.

John Wright and Co. were the Winners. Perhaps that was a gold medal ?
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Thanks Pedrocut. I think my Dad worked at Morris & Jacombs builders of Hobmoor Road before the war. I have read that Small Heath Alliance became Birmingham Football Club which in 1943 renamed as Birmingham City Football Club. I am guessing that my Dad was taking part in local competitions that were set up by SHA and BFC. He was always very proud of his sport medals and said the only real way to enjoy sport was to take part. He refused his medals for WW11 service. Tinpot
 
Has anyone heard of the Boden Cup, which was an amateur works football competition held annually possibly by the Morris Commercial factory? My dad won 3 silver (hallmarked) Cups, replicas of the Boden Cup, in the 1930s, but I know nothing more about it, e.g. where the name came from? was it just a works competition? are just two questions I would like to have answered.
Any info. appreciated.
 
FNQBRUMMIE said:
Hi,I remember as a young lad, obsessed with football, watching this team play at Gilbertstone Park Yardley. A bit of hero worship as I had just started at Sheldon Heath Comp and Graham Lovett and Jimmy Ravenhill were 5/6 years older and school and football royalty. I remember some teams who played at Gilberstone had such exotic European names like Rapide and Toledo. It was a high standard of football. One team had a giant of a centre forward called Graham Buffery who was exciting to watch as he banged in the goals.
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Just found these reports from the brilliant Sports Argus with some mention of SouthSYA2.JPGSYA1.JPG Yardley Amateurs
 
i have an old photograph of Small Heath Ath Midland Templars AFL 2nd division champions 1937-8 which my grandad played for, I am presuming he stopped playing when war broke out as he became a home guard (was not called to war as he was a metal roller and they were required to manufacture items for the war)
 
hi alison could you post us your photograph we would love to see it...thank you

lyn
 
bobsummers said:
I played for South Yardley Armatures in the mid 60's, at that time they where reported to be the oldest Junior club in brum. They had a team on a Saturday playing in the ? league HELP!
We had 2 teams on a Sunday Team A and Team B. we did not change players between teams, in 1963 season both teams got through to the B'ham Junior Cup final at the BSA ground. We the B side that was mostly made up of players from the Villa Cup Winning Schoolboy team Waverley Grammar. the A team was made up of guys one year older, Graham Lovett (WBA), Les Sparks & Barry Ansell (Villa) played in this team.
We the younger B side where all over the A side, but we could not penetrate their defense. They Broke away and where unworthy winners by the one goal that settled the match watched by a very large crowd.
After that year we where swallowed up by Jack Mould Athletic of the Mid Comb, but unfortunately they folded due to financial problems, their pitch is now part of Robin Hood Cemetery.
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I was in the Sunday A team in goal. Alan Jones and Jeff Mayo were full-backs with Alan Robinson at Centre-Half. Les Sparks was a midfielder and Stuart Masefield a prolific centre-forward alongside Ray Taylor. Micky Cartwright (Coventry), Graham Lovett (WBA) played their part over the years. Played at Villa Park against Lea Village that we won 4-1. Ray South played in that game. Wonderful years they were. I stopped playing when I left Brum for Cheshire to go to a Teacher Training College. In the 70's I then played for the Mackadown and Knowle.
 
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