Football Programmes Centre

Flaming Pie · Joined: 26 Nov 2016 Posts: 931

Someone is currently selling this lovely press photo( not me!) of Jimmy with his dad taken in 1967. What struck me on reading the press write-up on the back of the photo is that Jimmy’s dad was still happy to carry on working for British Rail. During that 1960s era, the superstars of British football were probably Best, Law, Charlton, Moore and Greaves. Not their fault , but the modern day superstar equivalent of these great players , probably earn enough in half a season to set their parents up in a mansion with a swimming pool ( and a jacuzzi!) for the rest of their lives. How times have changed!

Pete’s Picture Palace · Posted: Thu Sep 30, 2021 5:42 pm Post subject:

Just seen that on the great auction website, Pie. Lovely photo and you're right, it shows that life just went on as normal for footballers and their families back in the day.

And it made me think of this one I have of Palace's Nick Chatterton in about 1975, with his father Len who was groundsman at Selhurst Park and drove the famous "Flatterer" to iron out the divots at half time. Len was a stalwart Palace man, groundsman for over 20 years and ran the kids' Xmas parties for years. Nick didn't stay so long, joining Millwall in 1978 after 4 really good years at Selhurst. This is going down a notch or two from Jim and the others you mention, I know, but there is a connection.

Flaming Pie · Joined: 26 Nov 2016 Posts: 931

Pete, l think the Harry Kane of the 1950s, Nat Lofthouse, ended up doing every job going at Bolton in his later years, including groundsman. I can’t see Harry ever ending up as groundsman at Spurs! Think l’ve posted it on here before, but a story that has always stuck with me was Lofthouse sitting on the coach travelling to the airport through Lancashire. It was an end of season England tour . The coach drove past groups of miners on their way to a shift at their local put. Nat was looking out of the window looking at them and he said to his teammates “ look at those lads on their way to pit, while us lot are off abroad to kick a ball around and getting paid for it as well!”