Stamford Saints

[clipper]

My parents had a visit from some old friends last weekend, Rev Derek Burden and his wife Gayle who were back in Stamford to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of Christ Church. For those of you who don’t know it was originally in a wooden hut on Willoughby Road but now in Green Lane. There was a big area of land next to it which has now been built on known as Christ Church field and I spent many hours as a kid on there kicking a ball around after school and in the hols – obviously we were discouraged from playing there on a Sunday!

This got my memory whirring! While I was at primary school I was best friends with the Burden’s son Mark and I remember his dad establishing a football team called appropriately, Stamford Saints. I think that the Saints were an Under 18s side but I may be wrong and I’m hoping that there will be someone on here, quite possibly with Lincoln Road or other local football connections, will be able to add to the story.

I lived in Irnham Road at the time and with an older sister at the Fane School who was more of the age of the lads who played and it seemed that most of them were from around the Kesteven Road estate. Names I remember being mentioned were:

The Jarvie brothers, Ian and Jimmy Jarvie: Ian went on to play for both the Dannies and Blackos and Jimmy I believe joined the Met as a police officer.

John “Winker” Watson, son of Ray and Bet and for a while was physio at Wothorpe Road.

Blair “Poke” Hayden, a legendary goal-scorer from what I’ve been told and who’s mum, Kath was churchwarden at Christ Church for a long time.

Andy Bullimore, with whom I played cricket at Tolethorpe Park for over 25 years and is the source for some of my info.

Mally Gray, John Greenwood, Timmy “Riddler” Taylor and John Musgrove, all very well known local football personalities, may also have been mentioned as being involved.

My actual knowledge of the Stamford Saints is very sketchy but I’m hoping that there will be someone out there who can add to the story. With the celebrations of the 50th anniversary of Christ Church ongoing, I believe there will be a big piece in this week’s Mercury, then this seems like a good time to bring this one to the forum.

[lradke89]

A trip down memory lane..Everybody loves to do that as they get old..haha

That's exaclty how we feel with Bobby V's bar!

[Greeny]

Saints played at the Fane school and in white from memory....bit of a precursor/ youth set up for the Tigers......real mix of players from memory, but may be wrong , the late Adie Pearson, the Daffs, Johnny Gardner, Andy Potter, Gordon Pirie, David Flynn., Kevin Kettle..........The Mally group, including me were a bit young, can't remember playing, but it was a big deal going to watch

[steve ward]

Feb 7, 2015 19:57:33 GMT Greeny said:

Saints played at the Fane school and in white from memory....bit of a precursor/ youth set up for the Tigers......real mix of players from memory, but may be wrong , the late Adie Pearson, the Daffs, Johnny Gardner, Andy Potter, Gordon Pirie, David Flynn., Kevin Kettle..........The Mally group, including me were a bit young, can't remember playing, but it was a big deal going to watch

Greeny,

if you are the Johnny Greenwood I knocked about with in the 70's I'm not surprised you can remember playing!

wardy

[Greeny]

Indeed it is, might see you this Saturday.....

[alun]

I remember Stamford Saints who did indeed play in all white. In the late 1960s there was a youth league in which I was just too young to feature for Barnack Youth Club. Pat Flynn, Ginner Hurford, Melly Hudson, Pete Betts, Bob Brown , Steve Lord all played for Barnack and the league also included teams from Ketton, Exton, Castle Bytham, Collyweston and Stamford Lambeth Walk whose side featured the legendary "Peddler" Palmer.