Oldest Living football league players

[Octopus of Odstock 1,853]

Albert Capstick:

 

Title	MR
Geo direction	Yorkshire & Humberside
First name(s)	Albert Lewin
Postcode area	WF
Last name	Capstick
Postcode district	WF9
Sex	Male
Postcode sector	WF9 3
Age	92
County	Yorkshire
Birth year	1928
Country	England
Birth date	02 Jan 1928
Record set	England & Wales Deaths 2007-2020
Death year	2020
Category	Birth, Marriage, Death & Parish Records
Death date	05 May 2020
Subcategory	Civil Deaths & Burials
Residence	Pontefract
Collections from	England, Great Britain, Wales
Area	-

[Octopus of Odstock 1,853]

Finally, Ray Ratcliffe:

 

itle	MR
Geo direction	North West
First name(s)	Raymond
Postcode area	WA
Last name	Ratcliffe
Postcode district	WA9
Sex	Male
Postcode sector	WA9 1
Age	91
County	Lancashire
Birth year	1929
Country	England
Birth date	03 Nov 1929
Record set	England & Wales Deaths 2007-2020
Death year	2020
Category	Birth, Marriage, Death & Parish Records
Death date	08 Apr 2020
Subcategory	Civil Deaths & Burials
Residence	Saint Helens
Collections from	England, Great Britain, Wales
Area

 

[YoungWillz 18,967]

On 12/04/2020 at 22:57, Octopus of Odstock said:

1927 guys:

 

Jimmy Scott died earlier this year - https://workingtonafc.com/2020/03/10/fifties-star-passes-away/?fbclid=IwAR25kqDt2sz1ZaKTD3n1kwlLwjP_ZoHZtEgyJZTA_crjFaadgtZn8HAZBpg

 

Sid Watson was alive in 2017 - https://www.runwoodhomes.co.uk/shopimages/articles/DAWN 21 web pdf document.pdf - and considering he played nearly 300 games for Mansfield, I think they would've mentioned if he died.

 

 

Sid Watson has died, not sure it's been mentioned: https://www.mansfieldtown.net/news/2021/september/rip-sid-watson/

 

Article states he was the second oldest living player for Mansfield at the time of his death.

[Octopus of Odstock 1,853]

5 hours ago, YoungWillz said:

Sid Watson has died, not sure it's been mentioned: https://www.mansfieldtown.net/news/2021/september/rip-sid-watson/

 

Article states he was the second oldest living player for Mansfield at the time of his death.

Cheers. That means Gordon Revel is likely to be mentioned by the club accordingly when he passes 

[RoverAndOut 3,399]

On 29/09/2019 at 11:23, Octopus of Odstock said:

Joe	Harris	08/04/1929	Oldham, Blackburn	x

 

I'm posting this as I was just perusing the thread for the first time in a while and thought I'd see if I could fill the gap of what may be the oldest living Rovers player now.

I don't know if this is news but this Everton archive mentions him in a report on a match v Rovers in February 1952:

 

Quote

Joe Harris is the 23-year-old former Belfast Distillery player. He made his debut for the Rovers just over a year ago and led the attacking the early part of this season until Quigley was signed from Preston.

 

Does this not suggest he is from Northern Ireland? And perhaps went back there afterwards? Just a thought for research purposes since his trail seems to go cold. Don't know if someone with access to N. Irish records can do some successful digging? He scored the winning goal in that Everton match, by the way. 

[Octopus of Odstock 1,853]

Happy 100th birthday to Alf Patrick, our oldest surviving player. https://t.co/cQXYZSE5Nr

 

Alf Patrick makes it to 100 years of age.

 

Trevor Hitchen also turns 95 on the same day. Good to see landmarks like this than a wave of death reporting.

 

 

[Octopus of Odstock 1,853]

Whilst we continue to wait for the GRO Index for 2020, two that died overseas in the last year was Billy Murphy (born 1928), ex-Exeter, Bristol Rovers etc. and John Yates, ex Chester City.

 

https://twitter.com/hakoahfc/status/1375304671640776706

https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/thespec/obituary.aspx?n=john-yates&pid=196742287&fhid=2770

[Octopus of Odstock 1,853]

Sadly, one of the oldest confirmed former footballers has died - Ray Ruffett - https://www.lutontown.co.uk/news/2021/october/ray-ruffett/

[Octopus of Odstock 1,853]

Too young for this list, but Ron Stockin (born 1931) is Wolves oldest player (which ties in as Mike Kelly never started a game for them)

Stockin has just been awarded a league championship medal https://www.wolves.co.uk/news/club/20210720-stockin-awarded-retrospective-title-winning-medal/

Likely to be the only Wolves player who will for some time!

[time 7,940]

On 25/09/2021 at 23:35, Octopus of Odstock said:

Happy 100th birthday to Alf Patrick, our oldest surviving player. https://t.co/cQXYZSE5Nr

 

Alf Patrick makes it to 100 years of age.

 

Trevor Hitchen also turns 95 on the same day. Good to see landmarks like this than a wave of death reporting.

 

 

Alf Patrick won't see 101, having died this morning.

[YoungWillz 18,967]

Louis Bimpson dead at 92: https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/former-liverpool-player-louis-bimpson-22178881

 

Liverpool, Blackburn and Rochdale.

[Redrumours 814]

2 hours ago, YoungWillz said:

Louis Bimpson dead at 92: https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/former-liverpool-player-louis-bimpson-22178881

 

Liverpool, Blackburn and Rochdale.

The second player to die from the 1960 FA Cup final in a week after Ron Flowers.

[Ulitzer95 10,971]

Jack Vitty (wiki), Workington and Brighton & Hove Albion player, dead at 98.

No death date given but an edit to his Wiki page claims he died on 4th November.

The article confirms he was the oldest former Workington player.

[Deathrace 1,094]

3 hours ago, Ulitzer95 said:

Jack Vitty (wiki), Workington and Brighton & Hove Albion player, dead at 98.

No death date given but an edit to his Wiki page claims he died on 4th November.

The article confirms he was the oldest former Workington player.

Heard that his brother, Mack, made great biscuits. RIP 

[Ulitzer95 10,971]

@Octopus of Odstock, Legacy obit for Vitty. Gives 4th November as date of death, and suggests he died in South Shields.

[Octopus of Odstock 1,853]

Reg Beresford, who like Alf Patrick, celebrated his 100th birthday earlier this year, has, like Patrick, died a few months later. He died on the 14th October 2021 - see link here: https://www.walsallswimmingclub.com/post/reg-beresford-club-president-1921-2021

 

It's a lovely tribute on there as it shows these guys are often more than someone who played football once or twice:

 

Quote

Our very brave Dad, Grandad and Great Grandad REG BERESFORD passed away this morning aged 100 years. He fought through WW2 when he served on HMS Victorious as a Decoder during which time he was part of the Artic convoys and also the sinking of the Bismarck. He played in all the Navy sports teams - football, deck hockey, water polo. He had a very active life playing professional football for Aston Villa and Crystal Palace. My sister Sheila and I had a busy swimming social life through Walsall Swimming Club due to Dad playing water polo and he has been Life President for WSC for several years. He loved his family and supported us all in many ways and we are extremely proud of all his achievements. He managed to stay in his own home due to the excellent support of his carers from Libra - so a big thank you to Deanne Hinks and her team who have provided an exceptional service. At the end he was in hospital but he never whinged about his situation and was brave and dignified to the end. God bless Reg

 

[Octopus of Odstock 1,853]

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.

[Octopus of Odstock 1,853]

Keith Thomas also died last month; https://www.bordercountiesadvertizer.co.uk/news/19656827.daughters-praise-ex-oswestry-footballer-keith-thomas/

 

No date given. Played nearly 100 Football League appearances at Sheffield Wednesday, Cardiff City, Plymouth Argyle and Exeter City in the 1950s

[Octopus of Odstock 1,853]

From the ENSA website: (English National Football Association):

 

 

Surname:	Varney
Forenames:	John Francis
Birthdate:	27-Nov-1929
Birth Place:	Oxford
Year of Death:	2021
Position:	Full Back
Debut:	Manchester City v HULL CITY, Division 2 (28-Oct-1950)
Total Appearances:	31
Total Goals:	4
Total Penalties:	0
Total Red Cards:	0

 

Died September 2021 when he had been Hull City`s oldest known surviving player.

[Deathrace 1,094]

Sky Sports just mentioned that three of the Spurs 1961 double winning team - Terry Medwin (b. 1932), Terry Dyson (b. 1934) and Cliff Jones (b. 1935) - are at their game at Leeds today as guests of honour. 

 

Also spotted David Pleat (b. 1945) in the crowd who looks the same as ever. 

 

[Deathrace 1,094]

2 hours ago, Deathrace said:

Sky Sports just mentioned that three of the Spurs 1961 double winning team - Terry Medwin (b. 1932), Terry Dyson (b. 1934) and Cliff Jones (b. 1935) - are at their game at Leeds today as guests of honour. 

 

Also spotted David Pleat (b. 1945) in the crowd who looks the same as ever. 

 

Here's the photographic evidence. Jones, Dyson and Medwin (left to right). 

It has to be said that Cliff Jones looks amazing for 86. Must be a potential candidate for last survivor from the 1958 World Cup at this rate. 

[Octopus of Odstock 1,853]

A comment by his son 10 days ago on this page on the Canadian National Soccer League website confirms Chris Conway, ex-Bury and Ayr player is dead, but no date. https://thecnsl.com/2020/01/14/great-players-chris-conway/

 

 

[Ulitzer95 10,971]

6 minutes ago, Octopus of Odstock said:

A comment by his son 10 days ago on this page on the Canadian National Soccer League website confirms Chris Conway, ex-Bury and Ayr player is dead, but no date. https://thecnsl.com/2020/01/14/great-players-chris-conway/

 

 

Does “Thanks for preserving my dad’s memory” necessarily mean he’s dead though? I’ve heard people use phrases like that to talk about living individuals before.

[Octopus of Odstock 1,853]

On 21/11/2021 at 21:53, Ulitzer95 said:

Does “Thanks for preserving my dad’s memory” necessarily mean he’s dead though? I’ve heard people use phrases like that to talk about living individuals before.

 

He did mention Remembrance Day specifically. I'm going for dead. However I've tried to contact either the webpage or the son.

[Ulitzer95 10,971]

@Octopus of Odstock, decided to do a bit of research into Eric Hampson (b. 1921) and I believe I've made some progress.

He retired in 1954. By 1959 he had moved to Bognor in Sussex and was working as a confectioner and tobacconist. The source is this old newspaper clipping I pulled up from the British Newspaper Archive:



Crucially, it gives his wife's name as Ethel. From this information I was able to locate her through Ancestry in the family trees. She was born in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire as Ethel Morris (not far from Eric) in 1922. She died in Lewes, Sussex in December 1973. So they were still living in Sussex at that point.

Now I have great reason to believe Eric moved away after she passed away, and I think I can just about prove it. His listing on the Ancestry family trees is private, meaning he's listed as living (so either he is still alive OR he has died and nobody who has him in their trees has added his death details). There is one clue however. Their daughter Elizabeth Vivian Hampson (b. 1952 in Staffordshire) is listed as having died in Queensland, Australia in 2012. If family members have updated that, it tends to suggest he was still alive in 2012. His absence from the GRO Index and 192People would give strength to the idea he's in or was in Queensland. That's where you should look for your answer.