Octopus of Odstock

Hoy has returned to motor racing as well as maintaining quite a busy business schedule and television commitments. Without knowing what cancer it is, and the fact he looks well, I am dropping him from shortlists.

Serge Ducoste, who played in the 1974 World Cup for Haiti, has died. https://haititempo.com/foot-deces-de-lancien-grenadier-serge-ducoste He had been suffering from dementia.

Already posted elsewhere but he's not the last Busby Babe.

No, but he was the last surviving player from Forest's 1959 FA Cup victory. The Busby Babes is a bit like those airmen. Are Stepney, Sadler, Law and Kidd 'Busby Babes'? If not, what is the definition of a Busby Babe?

Jeff Whitefoot, ex Manchester United and Nottingham Forest player, has died. NOT by some way United's oldest living player despite some posts that he was. Played in the 1959 Forest FA Cup Final win https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-13593449/Man-United-Busby-Babe-Jeff-Whitefoot-dies-Nottingham-Forest.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=social-twitter_dailymailsport

The dangers of phone auto correct! I knew what I typed but alas it overuled me.

I don't know if this will work but there's a lovely piece from Southend ex players on Eric Marsden on Facebook. Look for Southend United ex players association... This is 94 year-old Eric Marsden pictured earlier today clutching a copy of his Southend United home debut programme for the match against Norwich City on 25 October 1952. Eric is the oldest Southend United player alive and our only player alive who played at the old Southend Stadium at Grainger Road before we moved in to Roots Hall in 1955. Further, from research undertaken by a football historian, we understand that Eric is in the top 20 of the current living UK footballers. Lets scroll back a bit. Back in May we were delighted to have finally caught up with 93 year old Jimmy Thomson who made his Shrimper debut in 1956. Believing Jimmy to be the oldest living SUFC player we declared that on social media and a football historian, researching the oldest living footballers, got in touch to enquire whether we had checked out a couple of other names. So we did .... and found Eric! Via some ancestry website investigations we connected with a family tree and made contact with someone there who informed us that Eric was currently in hospital near Coventry. This tied in with some internet research where on a Crystal Palace website someone had posted that they had seen him three years ago in Tesco near Coventry! So, address details obtained, we duly wrote to Eric's home address and are immensely thankful to a kind neighbour of Eric's who helps him and his wife Terri as he called us and explained that Eric had recently had a hip operation and was currently convalescing in a home, with the hope that, if he gets fit enough, he will be able to move back home to be with Terri again - they have been married for over 70 years. As a quick aside, finding Eric led us to undertake a thorough review of all past players. We started checking the list of the UK's oldest people (which lists all persons alive from 107 and up) and, satisfying ourselves that there was no Shrimper on that, we then checked the position for every former player who, if they were alive today, would be aged 106 or less. We are now 100% certain that we have full details. Eric was born in Bolsover in 1930, and after WWII did his National Service in the army. He started playing football for Winchester City, and it was from there that he was spotted by a Crystal Palace scout and made the big move in to Third Division league football. Eric, a centre forward, made 34 appearances scoring 11 times for the Selhurst Park men before Harry Warren brought him to Southend in October 1952. He had a great start, scoring a brace at Layer Road in a 3-3 draw v Colchester United on 18 October 1952, and made his home debut a week later v Norwich in front of 15,500 at our old ground. He ended up scoring six in 15 appearances by mid-January, but then played no more for us (Eric couldn't recall why!) and signed for Shrewsbury Town in March 1953 for who he made 11 appearances. Thereafter Eric played non-league football, and was top scorer for Bath City (who oddly Eric played against in the FA Cup during his brief time with us) in the 1954-55 season with 21 goals. He earned his living for many years as a Production Manager for Lockheed, who in effect gave birth to the local works team today known as Leamington FC but were previously known as AP Leamington for a period after Lockheed changed their name to Automotive Products. In advance of speaking to Eric today we sent him a copy of his SUFC home debut programme kindly given to us by the wonderful folk from Chelmer Programmes. Sadly the prog had its staple removed which then obliterated the name of the Southend number nine on the centre team sheet - Eric played number nine that day! We will keep a look out for a better copy, but nevertheless he was thrilled to receive it and amazed that we had got in touch. Eric and Terri were keen golfers in their earlier retirement years and Eric still maintains an interest in football, following his local team Coventry City. SUEPA has had many memorable moments since being founded six years ago, and speaking to Eric today is right up there as a true highlight. He is part of our club's proud history and in many respects as our oldest player alive is the father of it. Like us all, Eric just hopes that our ownership situation can be sorted out so that we can all build for a bright future, with protecting our history and heritage at the very heart of what our club is all about. Welcome to SUEPA Eric, you are THE TOP MAN!

4th. Tiote, Garcia and Atsu already died before Nguemo.

Yves Herbert est mort https://www.onzemondial.com/equipe-de-france/carnet-noir-yves-herbet-ancien-joueur-de-l-equipe-de-france-est-mort-897077

Goodness me, I thought he died over 20 years ago!

I know Crispian very well and consider him a friend but I was quite surprised by this turn of events. He is utterly disenchanted with the Conservatives but he's never struck me as a typical Reform candidate. I always wish him well in his endeavours and I actually think he would make a really good MP based on his various skill sets, but I declined his request to support his campaign on Facebook. Its the one big rule I have on Facebook, no politics.

James Chance QO https://uk.news.yahoo.com/james-chance-no-wave-icon-003100380.html

James Chance, DDP pick, has died. QO here https://uk.news.yahoo.com/james-chance-no-wave-icon-003100380.html

Thought the name sounded familiar - he was part of the 1987 St Mirren team that famously won the Scottish Cup that year.

If my joker Beccy Barr dies (20 points) I only need that QO for Cavanagh to come through and tiebreak won't be an issue... I also have Rantzen and Kamolvisit. I think only 3 of the top 20 still have jokers in play.

Doesn't matter, QO in anyway.

Confirmed: https://crewe.nub.news/news/local-news/famous-crewe-musician-paul-spencer-dies-aged-53-232619 This briefly came up on BBC local news but suspect a QO will follow.

Crossley was first with Chris Bart-Williams too. Terrible shame about both Campbell and Sarkic.

Apologies it's actually 8. Ken Brown as well. So with McDonald, Peacock and Douglas, you can still field a team of Winterbottom players but no subs (as per the time I guess)

Just 7 additional but note Eastham never played for Winterbottom. He made his debut for Ramsey in May 1963. Blunstone McGuiness Holliday McNeil Crawford O'Grady Hinton Sad news about Tommy Banks. Last England International who was born in the 1920's. Colin McDonald takes over the poisoned chalice now.

Barry Butler, ex Chester Stalwart under @harrymcnallysblueandwhitearmy has died, aged 64. https://chesterfc.com/barry-butler-1962-2024/

EFL are f*****g useless at everything so its in line for them not to reply. But fabulous hes doing well, thank you.

I'm very close to completing 1933 and 1934 births onto the main list On Wikipedia - Christy Fletcher - Wiki, is listed as being 90 years of age. Sadly, not, he died as long ago as 50 years ago in Scotland; where he moved to play football after his spell at Brentford; dying at just 40 years of age. I do wonder if some of those on the list have died so long ago, it's no longer easy to find records on them. Surname Forename Age at death Mother's Maiden Name Gender Year Ref RD Name FLETCHER CHRISTOPHER COL 40 MCMANUS M 1974 573 / 94 CAMBUSLANG PS Hugman's only - not on Wiki - Derek Harvey, ex Doncaster: Record information. Name Mr William Derek Harvey Birth 30 Sep 1934 Death 7 Jan 2013 Residence Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England

Finally solved this one! After going on newspapers.com, it features a casting director called Ralph Winters. It mentions his wife, Jackie Russell and two children. It mentions that they live in Hollywood. After searching, Ancestry, a Ralph H Winters married a much younger Jacqueline Ruth Russell in 1958 So her birthdate is: Name Jacqueline Ruth Russell Gender Female Marriage Age 22 Affidavit or License Age 22 Birth Date 4 Jul 1936 Marriage Date abt 1958 Affidavit or License Date 21 Feb 1959 License Place Maricopa, Arizona, USA Spouse Ralph Harold Winters Description Marriage Affidavits 1959 Is she still alive? It appears so: Name Jacqueline Ruth Russell [J R Russell] [Jacqueline R Smith] Birth Jul 1936 Residence 2017-2020 Alvin, Texas, USA

Steve Gaines seems to be making good progress overall - Link