Lancaster sports nostalgia

Historian Terry Ainsworth presents his series of monthly articles highlighting sporting photographs of the past.
Lansil 1961-62. Back row from left, Ken "Topsy" Irving (manager), Brian Walmsley, unknown, Sam Walling, Derek Dean, Alf Turner, Alan Howse, Rodney Gill, unknown, Tommy Makinson (trainer), George Delgarno, unknown. Front row from left, John Shuttleworth, Dickie Chappell, Tom Atkinson, Geoff Atkinson and Joe Sherrington.Lansil 1961-62. Back row from left, Ken "Topsy" Irving (manager), Brian Walmsley, unknown, Sam Walling, Derek Dean, Alf Turner, Alan Howse, Rodney Gill, unknown, Tommy Makinson (trainer), George Delgarno, unknown. Front row from left, John Shuttleworth, Dickie Chappell, Tom Atkinson, Geoff Atkinson and Joe Sherrington.
Lansil 1961-62. Back row from left, Ken "Topsy" Irving (manager), Brian Walmsley, unknown, Sam Walling, Derek Dean, Alf Turner, Alan Howse, Rodney Gill, unknown, Tommy Makinson (trainer), George Delgarno, unknown. Front row from left, John Shuttleworth, Dickie Chappell, Tom Atkinson, Geoff Atkinson and Joe Sherrington.

Thanks to my friend Frank Parkinson of Chequers Avenue, Lancaster, I can unravel a mystery photograph of Freehold United that was first published in the Lancaster Guardian and Observer on Friday November 11 1949.

The club started in the Junior Division II of the North Lancashire & District League and were winners of the E.G. Smith Cup. In season 1947-48 the team won the Junior Division I Championship and went on to retain the trophy in the following two seasons.

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They won the Junior Challenge Cup, were joint winners of the J. Gregory Benevolent Cup and losing finalists in the R. L. Dilworth Cup.

Freehold United 1948-49 pictured on the Far Moor, their home ground. The gentlemen on the back row cannot be identified except to say the secretary of the club was Mr T Taylor and I imagine he is one of the six gentlemen present. Front row from left, Simpson, Frank Parkinson, Ken "Topsy" Irvine (captain), Keenan, Jack "Tiger" Wilkinson.  Middle row from left: Myerscough, Baines, Simpson, Ray Troughton, Crane, Parkinson, uknown.Freehold United 1948-49 pictured on the Far Moor, their home ground. The gentlemen on the back row cannot be identified except to say the secretary of the club was Mr T Taylor and I imagine he is one of the six gentlemen present. Front row from left, Simpson, Frank Parkinson, Ken "Topsy" Irvine (captain), Keenan, Jack "Tiger" Wilkinson.  Middle row from left: Myerscough, Baines, Simpson, Ray Troughton, Crane, Parkinson, uknown.
Freehold United 1948-49 pictured on the Far Moor, their home ground. The gentlemen on the back row cannot be identified except to say the secretary of the club was Mr T Taylor and I imagine he is one of the six gentlemen present. Front row from left, Simpson, Frank Parkinson, Ken "Topsy" Irvine (captain), Keenan, Jack "Tiger" Wilkinson. Middle row from left: Myerscough, Baines, Simpson, Ray Troughton, Crane, Parkinson, uknown.

The team also represented the North Lancashire League in three friendly games.

They beat Blackburn St Joseph, Blackburn League champions, 1-0, before travelling to Carlisle and beating their League Champions 3-2. Finally, they hosted Cliftonville Boys Club from Northern Ireland and drew 2-2, a truly outstanding team.

I well remember playing for Lansil in the 1960s when Ken “Topsy” Irvine was the manager.

Recognise any faces?

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