A Great Day Had By All At Former Players Reunion

A gathering of greats

Many thanks to Bob Dearden and Mike Law for organising what turned out to be a first-class day at Crimble last Saturday.

The ground had a feeling reminiscent of my days of youth thanks to a great turn-out for the Former Players Reunion day.

The event sadly came two days after the death of one of the legends of the club – Tom McConnell – who died aged 77, but Tom, I’m sure, would have appreciated the atmosphere and talk among some of the greatest players ever to have played at Heywood.

There were quite a few older players I didn’t recognise (Bob – please put some names forward if you can), but there were many I did.

Members of Heywood’s great sides of the 1960s and 1970s were well represented. Some of the club’s greatest batsmen – Ralph Farmer, Jimmy Porter, Jack Wilson – swapped tales with some of the club’s greatest bowlers such as current president Bob Cross and his partner-in-crime, Bob Horrox.

I managed a chat with Kenny Stephens, the man who took the remarkable figures of 10-15 against Littleborough in 1977! Kenny is now a singer and entertainer, so if you want to book him I have his contact details.

I also talked with some of my old team-mates such as century-makers Alan Starmer and Colin Wroe, former keeper John Kaye, Vinnies Kay and Ball and many others. Good times and good memories

Everyone enjoyed plenty of beer and plenty of great company on a day where the English weather held. The only downside was a poor performance from the visiting Ashton side, but it was fitting that Bobby Cross, who will go down as the greatest amateur batsman the club has seen, played such a fine innings to win the game.

Again, a great day and some great memories relived. A brilliant effort and another reason to feel so proud of Heywood CC.

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