Had Walter Aveyard...

[Aussie Rules]

...still been with us today he would be celebrating his 100th birthday

[Jacko51]

And still been good enough to get in the team!

 

A nice story about Walter - I worked for many years with Joan Hancock, wife of Ray who was Ken’s brother. Ray played in goal for Vale for a while before Ray King took over as the No 1. He was a lovely bloke. Anyway, Joan was watching him play a game at the Old Rec in the pouring rain and the pitch an absolute mud bath. At one point Ray kicked the heavy, soaking wet leather ball from his hands up to Walter. Walter jumped to head it and the ball almost knocked him senseless. That was the last time he headed a clearance - ducked underneath all the rest.

 

It’s hardly surprising hearing that that so many of these older players ended up with long term brain issues.

[TheSage]

Us youngsters can't remember that far back.

 

The name is familiar though. Wasn't he the bloke who scored the first ever goal at Vale Park?

[RailwayRowdy]

Us youngsters can't remember that far back.

 

The name is familiar though. Wasn't he the bloke who scored the first ever goal at Vale Park?

 

Yes Sage you’re right. A 1-0 win against Newport on the opening fixture at Vale Park.

 

Over 30,000 attended that opening game, but gates fell away to below 10,000 later in the season.

 

The lowest attendance was under 3,000 versus Exeter, but that was the last match of 4 successive home games in a week !

 

What would Guardiola have made of that !

[Fosse69]

Yes Sage you’re right. A 1-0 win against Newport on the opening fixture at Vale Park.

 

Over 30,000 attended that opening game, but gates fell away to below 10,000 later in the season.

 

The lowest attendance was under 3,000 versus Exeter, but that was the last match of 4 successive home games in a week !

 

What would Guardiola have made of that !

Standing ankle deep in mud, players today don't know they are born.

[man in the pub]

Standing ankle deep in mud, players today don't know they are born.

 

Probably had another job as well. Still todays game is different, you cant expect modern footballers to play 2 games of 90 mins in a week.

Thank god none of them became professional tennis players. The modern day premier league footballer would get exhausted just fetching Andy Murray his drinks.

[bookworm]

Probably had another job as well. Still todays game is different, you cant expect modern footballers to play 2 games of 90 mins in a week.

Thank god none of them became professional tennis players. The modern day premier league footballer would get exhausted just fetching Andy Murray his drinks.

And letching at other players wives and girlfriends.

[Aussie Rules]

And still been good enough to get in the team!

 

A nice story about Walter - I worked for many years with Joan Hancock, wife of Ray who was Ken’s brother. Ray played in goal for Vale for a while before Ray King took over as the No 1. He was a lovely bloke. Anyway, Joan was watching him play a game at the Old Rec in the pouring rain and the pitch an absolute mud bath. At one point Ray kicked the heavy, soaking wet leather ball from his hands up to Walter. Walter jumped to head it and the ball almost knocked him senseless. That was the last time he headed a clearance - ducked underneath all the rest.

 

It’s hardly surprising hearing that that so many of these older players ended up with long term brain issues.

 

Yes Jean, I remember both Ken Hancock and Ray King - top goalkeepers. I can also remember Ray King would sometimes walk with supporters up Waterloo Road to Burslem then Vale Park. Now there was posh

 

I remember too your story about Walter Aveyard almost knock senseless, and how some players suffered in later life consequence of heading heavy and often rain soaked case-balls.

 

Makes some modern day footballers look proper mards.

[TheSage]

Oh for the sportsmanlike behaviour of the old days, eh?

It's probably in Phil Sherwin's wonderful book but Albert Leake was a friend of my father and he told me about the day the Vale beat Blackpool in the Cup. I was mesmerised. Afterwards he said he walked back home up the Hamil and along High Lane as he lived towards Smallthorne. Outside the ground he was surrounded by Blackpool fans eager to shake his hand and pat him on the back. He reckoned no-one gave him any abuse whatsoever, just telling him how well he'd played and wishing him luck in the next round. Amazing.

[RailwayRowdy]

Oh for the sportsmanlike behaviour of the old days, eh?

It's probably in Phil Sherwin's wonderful book but Albert Leake was a friend of my father and he told me about the day the Vale beat Blackpool in the Cup. I was mesmerised. Afterwards he said he walked back home up the Hamil and along High Lane as he lived towards Smallthorne. Outside the ground he was surrounded by Blackpool fans eager to shake his hand and pat him on the back. He reckoned no-one gave him any abuse whatsoever, just telling him how well he'd played and wishing him luck in the next round. Amazing.

 

It’s a pity that Matthews didn’t afford Vale players and fans a similar courtesy.