Amateur footballers from yesteryear come together for charity evening

Amateur footballers and officials from the 60s reunited more than 50 years after playing against each other in aid of St Catherine’s Hospice.

Former players came together to mark 50 years since English Martyrs U18s played St Joseph’s Martyrs U18s in the 1965 Catholic U18 Cup final at Deepdale, Preston.

Many players from both sides were in attendance, along with members of the Ribbleton Avenue Methodists team which won the Hunt Cup in 1975, as well as ex-PNE star George Ross, who officially opened the event and led a moving tribute to all past players.

The evening, which raised more than £400 on the night for St Catherine’s, saw former players share memories and swap memorabilia at the Ale Emporium in Fylde Road.

Organiser of the event, Wilf Riley, who played for English Martyrs in the final, said: “It went down really well. Even though we hadn’t seen some people in 40 to 50 years, we still recognised each other. We had all of the famous Preston Soccer Cups there including the Guild Cup so it was a really special occasion.

“We organised a few too many pies! But apart from that it was a perfect evening, and all for a good
cause.”

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