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Post by Dave on May 5, 2013 6:16:01 GMT
I have always known that I love watching local football far more than I do watching any professional game, but then it’s hardly surprising as I was brought up on local football from the age of five. I’m sure it was more the case I was just babysat on a Saturday afternoon at the Old Rec by family members who all did various jobs for the club back then.
My auntie Win and uncle Ted along with granny Best ran the refreshment hut and I know a man who I called uncle Les who was not really an uncle, was I believe one of the trainers. The Rec back in those days was a completely different ground than the one that is there now, for a start the pitch was the other way round and behind one of the goals were two large gas storage tanks, these were knocked down and now flats have been built on the site.
The cricket pitch was much further away and behind a fence, as back then there was no car park at the far end of the ground the old club house had seen better days and the once fine grandstand above the club house was fenced off as it had become very rotten. I believe I’m right in saying that the Rec was once used for rugby long before it was used as a football venue and the grandstand was built by the rugby club that once played at the Rec.
I’m not sure what age I was when I became the club mascot, but thanks to one of the players who played back then a certain Mr Peter Godfrey, I have pictures taken when I was about ten years old that he sent to me.
They were the days when as a young boy I would jump into the massive bath all the players got into after the match, something that would never be allowed to happen these days. But then there was never all the fear drummed into people as there is these days.
My granny Best loved feeding the one armed bandit by the bar in the club house; it took sixpence pieces and did pay out a good size jackpot if you got lucky. Her husband my granddad George Best (someone I never met as I believe he died before I was born) owned a fish cabin outside the old market hall and was a very well known local ref. I read a great piece written about in the Herald Express a good few years ago now and only wish I have kept the paper it was printed in.
The story told how he would shut up the fish cabin in time to go and ref a local match still wearing his bowtie. In fact he wore it during the game and he was a ref no player ever argued with. I have often wondered if and how many games he might have refereed at the Rec.
The one thing I have always loved about local clubs is the all togetherness, people giving their time freely all for the good of the club. So much better then when the game reaches the higher levels where it can all be about money and what can be made from the game.
So you may wonder why if I come to watch a game over in Newton Abbot you will find me over at Homers Heath and not the Rec. Plain and simple as I’m a Buckland boy and grew up in Oaklands Road and really have been amazed how far Buckland has come on from the days they once played in the local park.
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Post by aussie on May 5, 2013 8:49:39 GMT
great story Dave, reminds me of growing up at Springvale City in Melbourne! only real difference between you at spurs and me at Springvale was that I was a player and you were a mascot, my family were heavily tied into the club and did it for nothing, dad still has his life membership award and we all kept momentos of the club we love!
where do I know the name Peter Godfrey?
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Post by Dave on May 13, 2013 7:27:46 GMT
Peter was my next door neighbour when I was a young boy growing up in Newton Abbot Aussie. He is a member of another forum I was on and told the story how he would always want to come and watch the TV in my family home, as we had both an ITV and BBC aerial on the roof.
His dad was a local church organist and a true Torquay United fan and I used to go into his house and use his piano to tune my guitar. I met both Peter and his brother Richard in the Gulls Nest a few seasons ago now, Peter has been living up North for a good number of years and he has developed a proper northern accent.
He was a very good footballer in his days playing for Newton Abbot Spurs, as was my cousin who I do not think every played for spurs, but who I watched play a good number of times. His name was Terry Waye and he is well remembered by people who were playing football back in those days.
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Post by keyberrygull on May 13, 2013 9:48:51 GMT
Len Blackmore is the stand out name for me Dave. A local legend in sporting circles who always spoke his mind, up until his untimely death a few years ago now. A great fella.
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Post by Dave on May 13, 2013 10:56:18 GMT
Len Blackmore is the stand out name for me Dave. A local legend in sporting circles who always spoke his mind, up until his untimely death a few years ago now. A great fella.
The Herald Express did a nice piece on Len shortly after he passed away. here is the link to the story Herald Express Article
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Post by Dave on May 27, 2013 7:33:23 GMT
I have found another old newspaper cutting from the 25th September 1965 that I'm in once again as the Spurs mascot. Its a bit tatty but was a joy to find.Here is a team photo of Newton Abbot Spurs taken in 1951
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Post by Dave on Jun 1, 2013 9:02:08 GMT
Peter was my next door neighbour when I was a young boy growing up in Newton Abbot Aussie. He is a member of another forum I was on and told the story how he would always want to come and watch the TV in my family home, as we had both an ITV and BBC aerial on the roof. His dad was a local church organist and a true Torquay United fan and I used to go into his house and use his piano to tune my guitar. I met both Peter and his brother Richard in the Gulls Nest a few seasons ago now, Peter has been living up North for a good number of years and he has developed a proper northern accent. He was a very good footballer in his days playing for Newton Abbot Spurs, as was my cousin who I do not think every played for spurs, but who I watched play a good number of times. His name was Terry Waye and he is well remembered by people who were playing football back in those days.
Could the real reason I spent my early childhood at the Rec the home of Newton Spurs be because one family member played a bit part in the club coming into existence? That is what I’m now starting to wonder after checking out the history of Newton Abbot Spurs on their website.
Here is the first part written about the history of the club
Once upon a time . . . back in the month of August in the year of 1938, sixteen year old Eric Butler, an apprentice carpenter in the town, along with two friends, Fred Stopp and Terry Waye came up with the idea of forming a football club for the youth of Newton Abbot.
The three christened their new adventure the Newton Abbot Spurs Association Football Club and although money was tight the trio had a wealthy ally. Eric’s father, Richard James, although respect commanded him to be called “R.J” throughout his Spurs days, was the man to guide the three and finance their ambitious project.
The club started life in the South Devon Minor League with games being played at Bakers Park with the clubs colours being Blue and White. As history tells us some upstart called Adolf had plans for Bakers Park . . . and the rest of Europe come to that!!!
Despite the long dark days of World War II friendly games were still played against teams such as R.A.M.C, Tank Corps, Gloucester Regiment and local teams Totnes Y.M, Brixham Spurs and St Marychurch Spurs. At the end of the war, Spurs joined the fourteen team South Devon League at the start of the 1945/46 season…
You can read the whole story here
www.newtonabbotspurs.co.uk/col.asp?cid=41
When I was a young boy growing up in Newton abbot I knew my cousin Terry Waye was a very well known local footballer but he was at the very end of his playing career. I remember being taken at a very early age to watch him play and I’m sure it was at Livertons ground, was he playing for them in his final years? and how old would he have been at the time?
I have sat down with Lyn and tried to work out some dates and ages of members of my Newton Abbot family and the sums simply do not add up. I have worked out and maybe wrongly that Terry Waye would only be in his seventies right now, making him too young to be the Terry Waye who might have been about 16 years old in 1938, so I’m wondering if he took his fathers name and in fact it was his father who played a part in setting the club up.
I lost contact with my family members in Newton Abbot a very long time ago and so do not know who I could ask to try and solve this mystery for me. The answers are out there somewhere and it might turn out to be no more than a coincidence that one of the founders of the club just happened to have the same name as my cousin Terry. |
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Post by bucklandgull on Jun 1, 2013 13:11:02 GMT
Dave,
I dont know if you are aware that i was brought up in Liverton , and spent many years watching Liverton United, i use to help with the pitch and for many years i ran the line for Liverton. before i got married and moved to Newton Abbot.
I am sure that a Terry Waye played for Liverton and i think he also managed the 1st team i can not remember the exact years but Terry would have been about 35 - 40 when he managed them, i remember he had a sweet left foot and was a left winger.
Mr Liverton, Ivan Rumbelow or Don Pady club sec may be able to help with dates and i know Don was doing a history of Liverton united. when i was out there. Ivan lives in Kingsteignton near to me.
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Post by Dave on Jun 1, 2013 13:57:28 GMT
Any information would be most welcome as I would love to find out if the Terry Waye I know is in anyway connected with the one who helped form Newton Spurs.
The team pictures I put up do have a Buckland Athletic connection.
Ken Holmes the trainer is the late father of Nigel Holmes of Buckland Athletic and the late Clive; the elder brother after whom the Main Stand at Homers Heath is named.
As I may have mentioned the Rec was a rugby ground long before it became a football ground and this picture taken on the 25th March 1922 is the Devon Senior Cup (with funny shaped balls) Final between Brixham v Torquay Athletic. You can see the old stand in all its glory in this picture.
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Post by Dave on Nov 24, 2014 16:06:15 GMT
We now know that the Rec started life of as a Rugby ground long before it was used for football. I do not know how long cricket has been played on the site, but as it was once known as the Cricketfield Recreation Ground, I suspect cricket was played there first.
One thing I did not know and was surprised to learn, was the fact that the Rec was once also used as a motorcycle track in the early 1930’s as the picture below shows. Look how full the old grandstand is, by the time I became the clubs mascot back in the early 1960's, it was condemned and unsafe to use.
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Post by mickey on Mar 13, 2015 13:04:33 GMT
I was just browsing around and came across this site which contained a lot of references to Liverton football club.
The very familiar names of Ivan Rumbelow, Terry Waye, were mentioned in several of the posts.
I moved back to Coventry in 1988 in and consequently lost touch with the club and players.
I played for Liverton in the late 70's and early 80's and would love to hear from, or about any of the players from that era.
Some of the names I remember are Ivan, Terry, the manager at that time was also called Terry, but I can't remember his surname.
Martin Linton, Maurice Billinghurst are other players that I remember, and there are many others I would love to hear about.
Training at that time was a warm run to the top of the steep hill near the ground, I think it was called Rora, with the players and my dog Jason in tow.
They were very happy football times for me, and as I say I would love to hear any stories about the club and it's players.
I'm so pleased that the has seems to have gone from strength to strength since that time.People at that time would know me as Mick Price, so if you are out there please post a message
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Post by Dave on Mar 13, 2015 16:33:32 GMT
Hi Mickey and a warm welcome to Davesworld. Bucklandgull is the man who has good knowledge of Liverton and I will get a message to him as soon as possible to make him aware of your post. I have covered some Liverton games this season and also last season, if you look in the sports reports room you will find them
davesworld.proboards.com/board/18/sport-reports-sports
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Post by Dave on Mar 14, 2015 10:46:55 GMT
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Post by bucklandgull on Jul 10, 2016 7:18:04 GMT
Hi Dave photo of Newton 66 inthis week Mid devon advertiser Terry Waye is on the front row.
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Post by Dave on Jul 10, 2016 8:12:12 GMT
Hi Dave photo of Newton 66 in this week Mid devon advertiser Terry Waye is on the front row.
Thank you my dear friend for letting me know this. I now have the photo and will make a post about it latter this morning.Hope to see you soon at the Heath.
All the best
Dave |
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