Everton vs Villa 1959 - Sports Argus query

[villafan86]

I'm trying to track down a photograph from what I believe to have been the front cover of the Sports Argus on the 14th, 15th or 16th of February, 1959. Aston Villa played Everton away on February 14th and my Dad, as a 12 year old, traveled alone on the train to Liverpool to see the game and back again. His parents knew nothing of this until they saw him on the front cover of the paper soon afterwards posing for a photo with some other travelling fans. This story has been the stuff of legend in my family for years and whilst my Dad did have this photo in a frame, unfortunately it was stolen many years ago. He's 80 in May and nothing would give me greater pleasure than tracking it down for his big day.

I'm going from his memory here so it's possible that it was a different newspaper, but the date should be correct given that it's quite a famous game ('The Valentine's Day Massacre') and I don't think he went out to another away game, so wouldn't be mixing it up. I've tried the club, the central library, the Birmingham Mail and a few other places but have never had any luck.

Any help would greatly be appreciated!

 

[Keith R]

Fathers name please ?
Villa won 4-1 and Ron Wylie got hat trick...but cant find a headline for Argus or Evening Mail.

 

[villafan86]

He wasn't mentioned in the article, he was just photographed in a group of supporters in front of the train station in Liverpool (or so he thinks)

 

[Keith R]

He wasn't mentioned in the article, he was just photographed in a group of supporters in front of the train station in Liverpool (or so he thinks)

Thought that might be the case after I posted...lol....

 

[pjmburns]

Sports Argus of Sat 14th Feb contains a report on the Match but no photo.

 

[AnnS]

Might it have been the Sunday Mercury?

 

[villafan86]

Sports Argus of Sat 14th Feb contains a report on the Match but no photo.

Thanks! That makes sense it being the same day. Are you able to see the next edition/s?

 

[villafan86]

Might it have been the Sunday Mercury?

Could be! I'm going on his memory but it's from a long time ago so I don't want to rule anything out. Any local paper from the era is a viable option

 

[pjmburns]

Might it have been the Sunday Mercury?

I wondered that. Will have a look

 

[pjmburns]

Thanks! That makes sense it being the same day. Are you able to see the next edition/s?

The next issue is a week later.

 

[pjmburns]

The next issue is a week later.

In fact 21st Feb issue isn't there. It jumps from 14th to 28th.

 

[villafan86]

In fact 21st Feb issue isn't there. It jumps from 14th to 28th.

Oh dear, sod's law eh? Do you have access to any other local papers from that week?

 

[pjmburns]

Have tried. Sunday Mercury, Birmingham Mail and Birmingham Post.
Only using phone so will double check tomorrow on laptop.

 

[pjmburns]

Have you seen this page?

https://www.avfchistory.co.uk/game/2521

 

[Astoness]

hi villafan i know how you feel...i tried for ages to find a photo i knew existed of my dad sitting reading the paper in the acorn pub and eventually found it on the mirropix site so it could be worth doing a search..i contacted them and ordered a lovely glossy A4 size copy which i have framed...

lyn

https://www.mirrorpix.com/?17422710581083042885

 

[villafan86]

Have you seen this page?

https://www.avfchistory.co.uk/game/2521

I hadn't! I originally spoke to the club about it ten plus years ago and I don't think they had such archives on the website at the time. Frustratingly the newspaper clippings they have uploaded have been cropped and are missing of all of the photos

 

[villafan86]

hi villafan i know how you feel...i tried for ages to find a photo i knew existed of my dad sitting reading the paper in the acorn pub and eventually found it on the mirropix site so it could be worth doing a search..i contacted them and ordered a lovely glossy A4 size copy which i have framed...

lyn

https://www.mirrorpix.com/?17422710581083042885

Thanks for this! I gave it a go, but the best I could find from that week is Harold Macmillan arriving in Moscow!

 

[pjmburns]

I hadn't! I originally spoke to the club about it ten plus years ago and I don't think they had such archives on the website at the time. Frustratingly the newspaper clippings they have uploaded have been cropped and are missing of all of the photos

All that is one article and there wasn't a photo.

 

[pjmburns]

 

[AnnS]

This may seem a real long shot but how about this.

The Villa supporters were photgraphed on arrival in Liverpool.

That would give the local Saturday sports paper, which was known as 'The Footy Echo'
time to include the picture with the match report for selling around tea time.

Could it be the Liverpool equivalent of the Sports Argus that carried the picture?

 

[pjmburns]

I wondered that but then wasn't sure as in post #1 it says "parents saw the photo" - would they have been able to get hold of a Liiverpool paper?

 

[John L]

I have had another look on the British Newspaper Archive today and found on the front page of The Birmingham Mail (midday edition 14/2/59) a photograph taken at New Street titled "Cheers for the Villa" showing Miss Margaret Doyle of Shirley and Miss Margaret Downes of Hall Green on their way to the game (I'm sorry, I don't know how to transfer the photograph from there to here). The photo villafan86 is looking for may have been on a later edition or on a newspaper that is as yet not available. I don't suppose villafan86 has any idea of what paper it may have been? (I have checked The Argus, Mail and Liverpool Echo for the 14th, as well as the Sunday Express, Mirror, Mercury and People for the 15th).

 

[pjmburns]

You mean this one

I can also find pics of fans queueing for tickets for the semi final but nothing for the 14th

 

[John L]

You mean this one
View attachment 219957
I can also find ics of fans queueing for tickets for the semi final but nothing for the 14th

Yes, thanks very much for posting it. Here is a photograph of the Villa team of 1958-59 that villafan86's Dad will have travelled to watch that day (from eBay):

 

[John L]

There is a photo taken outside Lime Street on the top of the front page of The Liverpool Echo (14/2/59) that looks promising.

 

[pjmburns]

My question would be - how would his parents see that?
I think the key might be the Sports Argus of the following week which isn't in the archives.

 

[John L]

I wondered that but then wasn't sure as in post #1 it says "parents saw the photo" - would they have been able to get hold of a Liiverpool paper?

I guess they may well have bought one in Liverpool and brought it back on the train with them (I often did after going to a game to see the other results).

 

[pjmburns]

There is a photo taken outside Lime Street on the top of the front page of The Liverpool Echo (14/2/59) that looks promising.

I am now wondering if it might be this and was reproduced in the Argus a week later.

 

[pjmburns]

I guess they may well have bought one in Liverpool and brought it back on the train with them (I often did).

If I have read it correctly they didn't go to Liverpool - he went on his own without telling them.
So maybe it was later in a local paper.

 

[John L]

If I have read it correctly they didn't go to Liverpool - he went on his own without telling them.
So maybe it was later in a local paper.

Yes indeed, I read it that his had gone with his father, perhaps his Dad bought it, having seen himself on the front page, or as you suggest it was in next week's Argus, that his grandparents had bought. If it is the one, The Liverpool Echo may be able to provide a copy of their photograph. Link below:

Want to buy one of our photos?

Our award-winning photographers take amazing photographs of Merseyside every day and you can buy them

www.liverpoolecho.co.uk