19
That match may well have been the final game of soccer that either Peter Gray or I ever played. At the College it was rugby before Christmas for the whole school and Hockey in one’s first Lent Term. A soccer ball was never in evidence, at least not officially. With thanks to Garth Bearman for providing not only a picture of the 1958 1st XI Soccer team (the archive sadly did not have a copy!) but also the names of all of his teammates. Garth went on to Harrow in the Summer term of 1960 but also made his mark on the sports field – he played for three seasons in the 1st XI Soccer team and two years for the 1st team in Rugby, Hockey and Cricket. After leaving Harrow he went on to captain the Old Harrovians for a few years in the Arthurian League and Arthur Dunn Cup and scored 101 goals in 100 games – a record which, apparently, still stands today! [*Crawford Gordon was indeed the Captain of the St Andrew’s 1958 1st XI Soccer team. I imagine a good number of Old Androvians from the mid 1950’s will remember him as he made his mark most emphatically during his Pre School career? His Valete in the 1959 Androvian lists his many achievements. Gordon, C. M. (Sea Kings – Came Spring 1954; Special; Head of School; Head of Set; 1st XI Cricket (Colours two years, Cap three years); winner Fielding Cup (twice) and Batting Cup; Captain 1st XI Soccer (Cap three years, Colours two years); 1st XV Rugger Colours; Captain 1st XI Hockey (Colours three years); 2nd Shooting VIII; Runner-up Set Leaders P.T. Competition; Winner Middleweight and Welter weight Boxing Cups; Runner-up Open Fives; A.S.A. Medallist; Second Open Throwing; Form 6a (ii). Goes to Repton. Ed.]
average height although his wiry build may have made him look a bit taller still. He was red haired, although a dark red almost copper colour, a very different shade from one of our team who had bright orange hair. He dribbled the ball into our half and tried to pass it to his winger, but I managed to intercept and stop the ball. However, as I got ready to kick it towards their goal I was too slow. The inside right got to the ball just as I did and unsatisfactorily it re- bounded off me into touch. As it did so I heard a loud shout of ‘Well played Gordon’. I won- dered who had shouted my Christian name. I didn’t think it was one of the Ascham masters as surnames were normally used. I decided it must be one of the Ascham fathers who knew me. I felt embarrassed both because he had used Gordon and because I didn’t feel that I de- served the plaudit. True, I had managed to halt their attack but my slowness had resulted in their having a throw-in in our half. A bit later on when the pair of us tangled again I heard quite a number of shouts ‘Come on Gordon’, ‘Play on Gordon’ and the like, which I found very unset- tling. Of course, not long later in a quiet bit of play it dawned on me that the St Andrew’s forward’s surname must be Gordon. The inside right’s surname was indeed Gordon. A Glaswegian by birth, Crawford Gordon* (1954 –1959) was the St. Andrew’s Captain. He had also gained his first eleven colours at both hockey and cricket and he subsequently repeated this trio at Repton. Then playing for the first soccer side in his freshman year at Exeter University he was described by his captain as ‘talented, a very hard-working right winger who helped to cover the deficiencies of the right back’.
1958 1st XI Soccer Ascham (L to R) Back W.P.M Marshall,S. Polhill, D.G. Howell, G.H. Price, J.G. Gregory, C. M. Tabor. Middle M.C Harrison, P.S. Gray, G.A. Smale. Bottom P.R. Aylo, R.K.G. le Clerq. Inset W.D. Hopkins
19581st XI Soccer St Andrews (L to R) Back G.D.A. Elgood, J.A. Colthup, Jack Bryan, G. R. Bearman, S.F.Cooper. Middle J.R. Cussins, C.H. Morrow (RIP), C.M. Gordon, J.L. Beynon, Cranston (Ian?). Front C.E.P. Carter, Dixon (Bill?)
Ascham Can you name them?
Answers to claughton@standrewsprep.co.uk
Airfix modelling
Speech Day prizewinners 1971
Treasure Island 1973
Sports Day 1974
Made with FlippingBook Online document maker