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Octopus of Odstock

Oldest Living football league players

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Some small updates:

Daniel Flanagan (1924) is no longer listed by Notts County's Former Players Association as being alive. Harry Jarvis is though.

Herbert Jones (1929) died on the 16th April 2020.

 

There is a will for Trevor Churchill but with no other information. I've ordered a copy to ascertain if it is THE TC, but I have good reason to believe it is.

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On ‎10‎/‎11‎/‎2019 at 21:10, Octopus of Odstock said:

Never played in the football league, but one of the oldest living footballers is Glentoran's Bertie Wright - 100 years old: 

 

https://www.belfastlive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/glentoran-hero-bertie-wright-celebrates-17145318

 

Gordon Astall - a full spread by the Daily Mail, physically he looks well - he has dementia though https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-7668571/His-mind-grip-dementia-Astalls-eyes-light-mention-debut.html

 

Another source that says Royden Wood is the oldest Leeds player (Scott did play in goal so I do think the other three mentioned above are dead as they are all outfield and surely someone would've brought at least one of them up) - https://theathletic.co.uk/1282784/2019/10/14/the-player-who-shared-a-dressing-room-with-stanley-matthews-and-the-beatles/

 

and finally a nice article on Bert Mozley - https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/poignant-tale-of-bert-mozley-england-s-oldest-player-7gfljx9mr

 

 

Gordon Astall

 

https://www.thefa.com/news/2020/oct/22/gordon-astall-passes-away-221020

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On 18/10/2020 at 21:34, Octopus of Odstock said:

Some small updates:

Daniel Flanagan (1924) is no longer listed by Notts County's Former Players Association as being alive. Harry Jarvis is though.

Herbert Jones (1929) died on the 16th April 2020.

 

There is a will for Trevor Churchill but with no other information. I've ordered a copy to ascertain if it is THE TC, but I have good reason to believe it is.


Not sure if this of any use, but this Family Tree on Ancestry appears to be Flanagan. The DOB differs with the one listed on Hugman's by a few days but it suggests he died in 1990 in Dublin.

 

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8 hours ago, Ulitzer95 said:


Not sure if this of any use, but this Family Tree on Ancestry appears to be Flanagan. The DOB differs with the one listed on Hugman's by a few days but it suggests he died in 1990 in Dublin.

 

 

This post has reminded me that Ancestry family trees were one area I hadn't yet checked. Now I have, with aplomb.

 

Jerry Jones died 13th May 1995, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Arnold Jackson died 14.2.2017, Preston, Lancs

Bert Williams died 2nd December 2008, Welland, Ontario, Canada

John McBride died 4 Dec 2015, Sydney, NSW, Australia (for reference, he was born 31/12/1924)

Ken White d. Jul 2005, Yorkshire

 

 

I would much rather there are 140 living footballers than 40, but I would rather celebrate the living and clear those definitely gone.

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Hi thanks for info.i found White ok

But not the others on family trees

I presume its herbert j Williams born 1925 ex Newport

Must have missed Jackson.was birth date the same

I'm looking for john/Jack finlay 

He emigrated to Melbourne in 1955

James Ronald Mitchell born 1925 died in Toronto before 2017

William dunlop reid wife died in 1980 in Richmond Canada.her name was Mary baptie Reid no trace of William 

Frederick Arthur Sharpe emigrated to Australia ?

 

Michael 

 

 

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According to Wikipedia Danny Flanagan died in 2019 no place given

 

Michael 

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1 hour ago, michaelf said:

Hi thanks for info.i found White ok

But not the others on family trees

I presume its herbert j Williams born 1925 ex Newport

Must have missed Jackson.was birth date the same

I'm looking for john/Jack finlay 

He emigrated to Melbourne in 1955

James Ronald Mitchell born 1925 died in Toronto before 2017

William dunlop reid wife died in 1980 in Richmond Canada.her name was Mary baptie Reid no trace of William 

Frederick Arthur Sharpe emigrated to Australia ?

 

Michael 

 

 

Williams was ex Newport, yes. Jackson was same birth date, yes 

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On 10/11/2019 at 21:10, Octopus of Odstock said:

Never played in the football league, but one of the oldest living footballers is Glentoran's Bertie Wright - 100 years old:

 

Bertie Wright turned 101 on Friday, still able attend games but not able to wear a mask properly.

 

FB_IMG_1603652058417.jpg

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It is actually nice to add one name, rather than take it away - Johnny Gibbons, still alive at 95.

 

I removed him as Ipswich Town were so adamant about their 'oldest player' but people have done their research and JG is now back in the list:

 

https://superhotspur.com/2020/06/05/my-piece-on-one-of-spurs-last-surviving-former-players-from-the-early-1950s-john-gibbons/ 

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Hi Tom Moran ex Accrington died in Glasgow in 2020 age 95

Confirmed by mother's maiden name

Alex Hope died musselburgh in 2019 age 95

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7 hours ago, michaelf said:

Hi Tom Moran ex Accrington died in Glasgow in 2020 age 95

Confirmed by mother's maiden name

Alex Hope died musselburgh in 2019 age 95

 

Thanks for this. Jim Jowett died in the 1980s by the way. I'll find the information tonight and post it here. 

 

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5 hours ago, Octopus of Odstock said:

 

Thanks for this. Jim Jowett died in the 1980s by the way. I'll find the information tonight and post it here. 

 

 

Okay, this is my theory with Jim Jowett.

 

Jowett's name was Sylvester James Jowett and there are/were very few Sylvester Jowett's around. I believe the birth date listed for SJJ is possibly incorrect. There is a SJJ who was born on the 24th January (not the 27th) 1930 and who died in May 1986 in Salisbury. 

 

So it's the wrong date, wrong year and wrong area for SJJ who played for York City and spent most of his life in Yorkshire. But this is my theory and it's all based on the complete lack of SJ's elsewhere of that age AND the fact it's the same middle name as well? I think it's got to be the same man.

 

So how do you explain the difference? Well my theory is SJJ died on holiday or business suddenly. He would've been just 56. Through my other research, I have seen that a death certificate is only as good as the information provided. If a family member wasn't around and it was a business associate or something, they could easily have put the wrong birthdate as they might not have known. It's not 100% but I cannot believe there was another SJJ born just three days later in the month around the late 1920's/early 1930's - there's no evidence. Nothing on 192.com which you can find Ray Ruffett etc. on for example...

 

Also, if SJJ is still alive, there's no evidence of it.

 

 

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Hi I will take this but keep 1926 as I have the certificate and there is no one else

The place of death is unknown ?

So I will put died 1986 in my records 

I suggest he may have split up from his family

 

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15 minutes ago, michaelf said:

Hi I will take this but keep 1926 as I have the certificate and there is no one else

The place of death is unknown ?

So I will put died 1986 in my records 

I suggest he may have split up from his family

 

 

Place of death was Salisbury. I think the death certificate has botched his date of birth, but I do think it's our man.

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On 30/10/2020 at 22:12, Octopus of Odstock said:

It is actually nice to add one name, rather than take it away - Johnny Gibbons, still alive at 95.

 

I removed him as Ipswich Town were so adamant about their 'oldest player' but people have done their research and JG is now back in the list:

 

https://superhotspur.com/2020/06/05/my-piece-on-one-of-spurs-last-surviving-former-players-from-the-early-1950s-john-gibbons/ 

 

On 20/08/2020 at 14:49, Octopus of Odstock said:

 

I expect Steiner and Evans are alive. Certainly Steiner due to his surname. If he has remained in England, then there is no record of him dying. 

I am going through the list with 1927,1928 and 1929 to go so if I see any changes, I'll advise. 

 

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Hi Geoff Steiner is alive and living in the Netherlands...I'm in touch with his brother who confirmed.

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On 29/09/2019 at 11:23, Octopus of Odstock said:
Bill Holmes 29/10/1926 Southport, Morecambe,  Bradford C, Blackburn, Wolves, Doncaster

 

 

Bill Holmes has died. Blackburn recognise him as 'one on the club's oldest surviving players', presumably covering themselves just in case as they don't have your extensive research at their fingertips. https://www.rovers.co.uk/news/2020/december/rovers-sadness-over-former-players-passing/

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Thanks for that I found a couple more

Robert Slade born Brenford 1927

Died Middlesex 1994

Under British died abroad

John Ritchie born 1927

Died Midlothian 2020

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