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Reader Comments (11)

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Derek Thomas
1 Posted 22/09/2020 at 01:32:31
Cracking stuff, Jamie, an eye in a bygone world, not a Gold Bentley in sight.
Mick Davies
2 Posted 22/09/2020 at 03:54:59
Excellent, but rather sad story.
Carl Rutherford
3 Posted 22/09/2020 at 12:38:23
Enjoyable read, definately need a follow up piece on Cuthbert Tatters Robert Percy DePledge!
Dave Abrahams
4 Posted 22/09/2020 at 13:57:43
Carl (3), Yes, Cuthbert Tatters, as he was known. Always made me laugh, that name. I don't think he played much for the Blues. I think he was an outside left and he played just before the Second World War and during it.
Kieran Kinsella
5 Posted 22/09/2020 at 14:05:40
Sowerbut? Sounds like the kind who'd sit in the goalmouth as a half-time protest.
Trevor Edwards
6 Posted 22/09/2020 at 14:18:13
Great stuff, Jamie, an excellent read and a reminder, if needed, how indebted we are to medical advances. The players of Lance's day would marvel at the way players with injuries that were career-threatening at that time, are back playing within a short time – André Gomes being a perfect example (though it could be said he has not returned to his pre-injury form as yet).

Re: 3, I think I might have seen a piece on Cuthbert Tatters, Carl, possibly by Billy Smith or in a copy of George Orr's late lamented fanzine 'Blue Blood'.

Bob McEvoy
7 Posted 22/09/2020 at 14:28:20
Good stuff, Jamie. Enjoyable read.
Alan J Thompson
8 Posted 22/09/2020 at 14:35:55
As they say, the past is another country. An enjoyable read of when, it sounds, footballers were "normal" people.
Andrew Clare
9 Posted 22/09/2020 at 15:05:17
Thank you, Jamie, for sharing this story with us. I find hearing about players from previous times fascinating. It was a different world then and people really had a much harder life than we do now.

I was reading the History of Everton from 1878 - 1928 recently which is full of interesting facts and these stories about former players are just as wonderful.

David Ellis
10 Posted 24/09/2020 at 15:53:53
Great story. At least he survived the Great War. As for medical advances, they are quite extraordinary. No antibiotics in 1914 for example.

Even in my lifetime (55 years), there have been great developments. Mark Higgins had a career-ending injury circa 1983 and Everton's insurance paid out, but then he turned up at Man Utd a year later as surgeons had worked out how to fix it.

Bob Parrington
11 Posted 26/09/2020 at 08:25:50
Great stuff this, Jamie. Thanks. my wife, Irene is a Geordie and we spent a few years living and working in Blyth back in the late '60s and early '70s. Spartans were still around then and possibly are now.

Interesting with the guy from Blyth joining Everton in 1912 for a fee of £100. There must be somebody on here who could work our what the £100 would be in today's money just based on inflation, not the silly money!!


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