Oldest Living football league players

[Octopus of Odstock 2,186]

Leave it for now, thanks, Death Impends, and I'll see how it goes.

[Octopus of Odstock 2,186]

Might as well check the Q4 of the GRO Index whilst we wait for Q1-Q3.

 

It reveals Walter Jones, who was thought to be one of the oldest living, died in Q4 2020, which I now also see is backed up by Hugman - http://barryhugmansfootballers.com/player/10552 

[Octopus of Odstock 2,186]

Might as well post these here - Barry Hugman and Wikipedia have these alive but they're not - they were on the list for 1930 and 1931 players but they've passed away so won't be on the final list:

Harry Houlahan d. 2018 - HOULAHAN, HAROLD 1930 GRO Reference: DOR Q1/2018 in DARLINGTON (436-1A) Entry Number 516984124

 

Joe Huggins d. 2011 - 

HUGGINS, JOHN  EDWARD M	1930
GRO Reference:  DOR  Q1/2011 in HAMPSHIRE  (504-1B)  Entry Number 504290031   Steve McEwan d. 2019 -  MCEWAN, STEPHEN     1930   GRO Reference:  DOR  Q3/2019 in BLACKBURN WITH DARWEN  (580-1E)  Entry Number 519481359

 

 

 

[Octopus of Odstock 2,186]

Two more 1930/1931 births that are dead:

 

Geoff Wright: 

WRIGHT, GEOFFREY  DERRICK	1930
GRO Reference:  DOR  Q4/2011 in LEICESTER  (600-1B)  Entry Number 505915807

 

Gordon Galley:

https://www.durhamnarpo.org.uk/2021/01/death-of-retired-police-officer-pc.html

https://www.nottinghampost.com/news/nottingham-news/touching-moment-90-year-old-3808442 (nothing about his football, but the same man as he was born 4th Feb 1930)

 

 

[Octopus of Odstock 2,186]

Finally, Duggie Price - https://mobile.twitter.com/suepassoc/status/1437505239045877764?lang=ar

 

 

[Octopus of Odstock 2,186]

Although I do try to cover everyone, some names who are thought dead but are (or were) alive do get through. This is the case with Jack Fisher who has died, aged 96.

https://www.millwallfc.co.uk/news/2022/january/jack-fisher-1925-2022/

At least in mitigation to myself, that s largely because Hugman had Fisher dying in 2013! http://barryhugmansfootballers.com/player/6426

 

RIP all the same

[Ulitzer95 12,576]

57 minutes ago, Octopus of Odstock said:

Although I do try to cover everyone, some names who are thought dead but are (or were) alive do get through. This is the case with Jack Fisher who has died, aged 96.

https://www.millwallfc.co.uk/news/2022/january/jack-fisher-1925-2022/

At least in mitigation to myself, that s largely because Hugman had Fisher dying in 2013! http://barryhugmansfootballers.com/player/6426

 

RIP all the same

Slightly awkward, but it happens.

Thankfully, as you said, it's rare. Out of the thousands of bios I've added to on Wiki over 16 years, I think I've only ever found half a dozen who were mistakenly killed off.

[Ulitzer95 12,576]

16 hours ago, Octopus of Odstock said:

Although I do try to cover everyone, some names who are thought dead but are (or were) alive do get through. This is the case with Jack Fisher who has died, aged 96.

https://www.millwallfc.co.uk/news/2022/january/jack-fisher-1925-2022/

At least in mitigation to myself, that s largely because Hugman had Fisher dying in 2013! http://barryhugmansfootballers.com/player/6426

 

RIP all the same

Well Hugman's has been updated, but they've put his date of death as 27 Jan 2022. 

[drol 11,912]

5 minutes ago, Ulitzer95 said:

Well Hugman's has been updated, but they've put his date of death as 27 Jan 2022. 

Guess he is on every shortlist now, then.

[Ulitzer95 12,576]

@Octopus of Odstock, I see Trevor Churchill is in there as you suspected. Any other new finds?

[Octopus of Odstock 2,186]

So the full GRO Index has revealed:

 

William Simpson appears to be alive, or was at the end of 2020.

There is a Jim Smith born 1920 who died in 2020 from Leicester. I don't think it's the same man as I think the footballing JS was more likely - if alive - to be near Bolton.

 

As I suspected, Trevor Churchill did indeed die in 2020. 

 

That's all the deaths from 1919-1929 births, so happily those that we had down as alive are (to the best of our knowledge) still alive.

 

I'm working through the 1930-1931 births but for those who keep tabs in the meantime:

 

Jim Walker (ex Peterborough, Sheff Utd) died 2020, in Nottingham. 

 

[Ulitzer95 12,576]

9 minutes ago, Octopus of Odstock said:

So the full GRO Index has revealed:

 

William Simpson appears to be alive, or was at the end of 2020.

There is a Jim Smith born 1920 who died in 2020 from Leicester. I don't think it's the same man as I think the footballing JS was more likely - if alive - to be near Bolton.

 

As I suspected, Trevor Churchill did indeed die in 2020. 

 

That's all the deaths from 1919-1929 births, so happily those that we had down as alive are (to the best of our knowledge) still alive.

 

I'm working through the 1930-1931 births but for those who keep tabs in the meantime:

 

Jim Walker (ex Peterborough, Sheff Utd) died 2020, in Nottingham. 

 

Just a heads up OoO... as I long suspected, a number of the deaths from Q4 of 2019 were missing from the GRO. They appear to have been uploaded in the last few days along with the whole of 2020 e.g. British actor Godfrey James died in Oct 19, and his record has only just appeared there. May be worth your while checking that quarter again in the future at some point.

[Octopus of Odstock 2,186]

13 minutes ago, Ulitzer95 said:

Just a heads up OoO... as I long suspected, a number of the deaths from Q4 of 2019 were missing from the GRO. They appear to have been uploaded in the last few days along with the whole of 2020 e.g. British actor Godfrey James died in Oct 19, and his record has only just appeared there. May be worth your while checking that quarter again in the future at some point.

 

Thanks, I'll do a search once I've checked off all the 1930/1931 players. Just checked for William Simpson though and not listed there either.

[The Watcher 314]

Frank O'Farrell has died aged 94. He was the oldest (at the time of his death) former West Ham player. [Now succeeded probably by Ken Brown] O'Farrell was one of many managers who failed at Man Utd after Matt Busby retired. Now the same is happening with nobody able to succeed Alex Ferguson.

[DevonDeathTrip 2,358]

15 hours ago, The Watcher said:

Frank O'Farrell has died aged 94. He was the oldest (at the time of his death) former West Ham player. 

 

No longer blowing bubbles...

[lsm 31]

Graham Bailey will be 102 tomorrow, is he the oldest known living Football League player now?

[YoungWillz 21,024]

On 20/11/2021 at 22:46, Octopus of Odstock said:

It's not all bad, as Con Sullivan is still attending matches aged 93 - in fact, he was at one today - https://www.bcfc.co.uk/news/boy-george-in-your-free-robins-matchday-programme/ 

 

Looking at the list, there's about 40 of the 85 odd names on there that we're confident are alive (or were until very recently) and another 40 I/we need to whittle down as either alive or dead. I think if we can whittle that 40 odd down to 10-20, then I can start at looking at the 1930 and 1931 names in 2022.

 

As he is recognised as the oldest living Bristol City player, it means John McCarthy (b. 1922) can be taken off the list but with a ? by his name as to when he died.

Con Sullivan dead: 

 

[YoungWillz 21,024]

On 23/05/2021 at 20:12, Octopus of Odstock said:

 

And one from Spain:

 

 

Joan Bautista Llopis, the oldest surviving former Barça player, turned 105 today.

 

To think of how the world has changed during the incredible span of his life... https://t.co/gCoJm4OCyS

Joan Bautista Llopis reportedly dead - a keeper that couldn't be saved: https://www.fcbarcelona.com/en/club/news/2613017/former-barca-player-joan-bautista-llopis-passes-away-at-the-age-of-106-years-old

[lsm 31]

Happy to report that I went to see Graham Bailey today, he was recalling stories from his time at Huddersfield Town between 1936 and 1948. Fascinating and he's still in good health at 102 years old. He's definitely my club's oldest living player, am I right in thinking he's the oldest living Football League player as well? 

[Insane 349]

26 minutes ago, lsm said:

Happy to report that I went to see Graham Bailey today, he was recalling stories from his time at Huddersfield Town between 1936 and 1948. Fascinating and he's still in good health at 102 years old. He's definitely my club's oldest living player, am I right in thinking he's the oldest living Football League player as well? 

Yes I can confirm he’s the oldest living and he’s #6 all time but he needs to live to 107 to break it but he’s just shy of 2 months away from #5 

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_centenarians_(sportspeople) Here’s the whole list if you want to see others 

[lsm 31]

Just now, Insane said:

Yes I can confirm he’s the oldest living and he’s #6 all time but he needs to live to 107 to break it but he’s just shy of 2 months away from #5 

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_centenarians_(sportspeople) Here’s the whole list if you want to see others 

So William Simpson and Jim Smith are no longer with us?

[Octopus of Odstock 2,186]

I'm nevet going by a Wikipedia list as proof, but I will say that apart from that news article (now a dead link) about his 100th birthday, there's been nothing else about Simpson.

Smith... Probably dead but hard to know for certain.

It would be good if someone officially confirmed it, like the EFL or the like.

[Ulitzer95 12,576]

10 hours ago, Insane said:

Yes I can confirm he’s the oldest living and he’s #6 all time but he needs to live to 107 to break it but he’s just shy of 2 months away from #5 

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_centenarians_(sportspeople) Here’s the whole list if you want to see others 

You can’t confirm this. You literally just pulled that out of your backside.

[Octopus of Odstock 2,186]

11 hours ago, lsm said:

So William Simpson and Jim Smith are no longer with us?

 

Well, Hugman has Simpson dying in 2021. I can't see anything to confirm that -yet- but I would imagine GRO will confirm it in time.

 

Crucially it puts his death place as  Wakefield, where he lived, so I have no reason to doubt it.

 

Barring any info suddenly coming about, then it does look like Bailey IS the oldest

 

http://barryhugmansfootballers.com/player/18049

 

I haven't had much time first half of the year to dedicate to the pre-1932 born footballer s but I will in next few months.

 

 

[YoungWillz 21,024]

15 minutes ago, Octopus of Odstock said:

 

Well, Hugman has Simpson dying in 2021. I can't see anything to confirm that -yet- but I would imagine GRO will confirm it in time.

 

Crucially it puts his death place as  Wakefield, where he lived, so I have no reason to doubt it.

 

Barring any info suddenly coming about, then it does look like Bailey IS the oldest

 

http://barryhugmansfootballers.com/player/18049

 

I haven't had much time first half of the year to dedicate to the pre-1932 born footballer s but I will in next few months.

 

 

Any link to Hugman for William Simpson? I'm baffled, I've no football team, date of birth, full name etc.