Open Writing

In spite of all the excitement over the final weeks of the 1956 cricket season, I reported for training, two evenings a week, with the Magpies in September 1956.

I managed to hold a regular place in the reserves at centre-half and we had a reasonable start to the season maintaining our position in the top half of the Central League. Occasionally, perhaps returning after an injury, Bobbie Mitchell or George Hannah played for the reserves -I felt in illustrious company. The nearest I got to the first team was when I was selected for a Newcastle XI which played a British Olympic XI under the lights at St James' Park in October 1956. Reporting on the game Ken McKenzie wrote in the Newcastle Journal, "Young wing-halves Redhead and Scott will both make the grade and maybe very quickly."

When playing for the reserves most players closely followed the progress of the first XI, ever hoping for an early call up. We did that on Saturday 5th January 1957, when our senior squad drew, at home, with Manchester City in the F. A. Cup. Replays in those days were held the following week and on Wednesday 9th January, the two teams met again at Maine Road, Manchester.

Paul Joannon, the Magpies' official historian describes the game as "United's finest cup display in the history of many cup exploits". As on several other occasions, Newcastle were slow starters and were 3-0 down after thirty minutes. Early in the second half the Magpies reduced the arrears via a penalty. Shortly afterwards fullback Dick Keith hobbled off injured and out of the game (no substitutes in those days). Part-timer Alec Tait playing for injured Jackie Milburn then scored a goal of a lifetime. With four minutes to go Curry equalised for United. During extra time City took the lead only for the ten men to equalise again. Then, with seconds to go, White scored the winner to make it Manchester City 4 Newcastle United 5.

The rejoicing XI stayed in the City until the next week-end when they were due to play Manchester United. The consequences of two physical cup-ties in four days were to have major implications for myself.

On that Friday night after working eight hours at Readheads, I cycled home and arrived at our Marlborough Street prefab at about 5:15pm. I looked forward to a bath and a good meal before spending a leisurely evening preparing my kit for the reserve game the following day. This Friday, however, was to be different. On turning into Marlborough Street I saw a car parked outside our house.

A car parked outside your house in the 1950's often meant a doctor's visit. Had my dad been injured at work or was the car just one of my uncle's taxis? After putting my bike in the shed I hurried into the house and saw two men talking to my Mother. I recognised one of them as Joe Richardson - the reserve team trainer at Newcastle. Before I had time to say a word he said "Hurry up lad, Bob Stokoe has failed a fitness test and you are playing at Old Trafford tomorrow". There were no team squads in those days and the only reserve with the team was a forward.

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