Lancaster’s Nodder Muckalt was exceptional football player and great friend

Terry Ainsworth said: “This is the story of a great friendship that lasted for over 65 years. When I last saw him a month before his death, we never stopped talking, remembering the football memories that we shared, sometimes in the same team, Red Rose Boys Club, North Lancashire League representative sides and later at Newton.

"Many times, we played against each other when I was at Lads Club Old Boys, Caton United, Lansil and Galgate and Nodder was the opponent for Lancaster Moor Hospital and Newton.

“’Nodder’ was born on the Marsh in 1942 and it would have been a short walk for him down the Quay to the clubhouse of the Red Rose Boys Club near Carlisle Bridge.

“I was transferred from the Lads Club to Red Rose in January 1958 and met “Nodder” for the first time, such a friendly lad and a terrific footballer in a team that boasted an England Boys Club International in Bill Parkinson.

“The manager was local newsagent (North Road) Wilson Huck who simply recruited the best players in Lancaster and let them get on with it.

“I would play at inside right and Nodder was on the left wing but he would later become an excellent inside forward or midfielder in today’s jargon.

“I remember vividly playing a match against Morecambe Juniors on Christie Park on Good Friday morning 1958 and the team had English International centre half, Bill Parkinson, in goal.

“We won the game 1-0 with Terry Austin scoring early in the first half and the Guardian reported: “Parkinson gave a faultless display in goal, Ainsworth and Bland were the

schemers and Muckalt showed great promise on the wing”.

“Team was Parkinson; Atkinson, Varey; Waring, Baines, Bland; Hannigan, Ainsworth, Austin, Stackhouse, Muckalt.

"The following year we reached the final of the Lancashire Football Association Youth Cup against Mill Lane of Wigan that was played at Croston, Southport.

"The Lancaster Guardian reported: “After 21 minutes Nodder Muckalt scored to reduce the deficit to 2-1 and after 39 minutes Terry Ainsworth equalised for Red Rose”.

"We finally ended up losing the game 6-2 as we ran out of steam in the second half and the Guardian reported: “The Red Rose inside forwards, Nodder Muckalt and Terry Ainsworth were outstanding”.

“I played with and against many players in the North Lancashire League but Nodder Muckalt was an exceptional player and more than that he was an outstanding colleague and a great friend.

“If you were in a tight spot on the field and were desperately looking for help, Nodder was always there to take a pass.

"The North Lancashire & District Football League team of 1958-59 was an outstanding group of players on paper but as Brian Clough used to say: “We look good on paper but

unfortunately the game is played on grass”.

"Goodbye Nodder, my old friend, you will be missed by everyone in the football community in Lancaster so as you travel down Memory Lane, take a seat and wait for us, we will catch up with you before you know it.”