County`s 64/65 Cup Heroes 50 th Anniversary Reunion- A Great Day for the County Family & Another SCAN Triumph !
Saturday 7
February was not only the day when the current County side steamed to a morale
boosting 4-3 win against local rivals Stalybridge Celtic.....it was the day
that the supporters of Stockport County, through SCAN, saluted the heroes of
yester year....to be precise the FA Cup Heroes of season 1964/65.
Since the
launch of SCAN in October 2010, whilst many County players have since received
SCAN Certificates, there has, until now, not been a suitable reason to hold a
second event of the type that was such a massive success in 2010! The 50th
Anniversary of that famous Cup run that took County ( bottom of the Fourth
Division) past challenge after challenge, ending up with two games against
Champions Liverpool, the first of which we were unlucky not to win at Anfield,
gave us the excuse we needed!
Liverpool
went on to win the Cup, but ever since the exploits of that County team have
served as a beacon of hope to County supporters, as we struggle to survive at
our lowest level ever in the football pyramid!
Times are a
changing....we are reviving....slowly......but definitely reviving!
So......SCAN
invited all the surviving players from 64/65 to the event, and where this was
not possible due to illness or death, the relatives were sought, and a
magnificent total of 53 made it to Edgeley Park and the SCAN event in the
Bungalow after the game!
Club
Historian Marcus Heap took to the mike brilliantly summarising as he went along
the exploits of this magnificent team. ( If you are in need of a reminder buy a
copy of the magnificent Cup Warriors Brochure produced by SCAN and available
for £ 2, or catch all 4 of Des Hinks` articles in the ` County History’ section
of this blog )
Emotions
were on a high as some illustrious names were called out......
As a local
lad Mike Harold was first to be called, and Mike was presented with his
certificate by yours truly........
Relatives of
Colin Parry were next up, and Marcus did the honours this time.....
Then
Emergency Calligrapher Chris Brookes- Mann stepped up to present to Mike
Eckersall , the tenacious wing half so
crucial to County`s cause back then.........
An emotional
moment came next as the widow of John Nibloe was presented with John`s
certificate by SCAN Guardian Ian Watts. It was an age before the accompanying
ovation abated............
Top keeper
Ken Mulhearn came next as.....to cries of “don’t give it to him....he`ll drop
it” from his former team mates, he took the certificate from Tim Brown........
Des Hinks
did the honours presenting to ace goal scorer Ian Sandiford......
Phil
Robinson presented to winger John Watt.........
And Peter
Phoenix stepped up to receive his from Coop Board member Dave Marchbank......
Peter also
took the mike giving an impassioned insight on football and other stuff......a
brilliant moment.....so very very typical of the spirit in the 64/65
team....and so very very County.......
Terry
Robinson then presented to relatives of the great Len White......
The Porteous
family received Trevor`s from young Taylor Shackley......
And........there
were some special presentations made at the end ......
Ian
Lancashire was delighted to present Ian Sandiford with a framed print of ` that
goal’ ( Signed prints still available for £10).......
.
......
before the 64/65 survivors stepped up to present a specially signed and framed
John Nibloe shirt to John`s widow.......
...............an emotional moment.....another
emotional moment......and a fitting end to a superb day.......
Ian Brown
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