Crest of a wave, the blog two days ago carried this image of a Stanley United badge – puzzled by the white rose of Yorkshire, by what appeared to be the Prince of Wales feathers and even by the church at the top.
To many of us in the frozen north, Stanley United were a west Durham village side – “one of the oldest and coldest” said Northern Goalfields, succinctly – who for many years punched above their weight. Three Northern League titles testify to that.
Mostly, at least – for that’s another story – they withstood all that a fearsome micro-climate could hurl at them, warmed post-match by blazing fires in a unique pavilion nicknamed The Little House on the Prairie.
But the white rose? The Prince of Wales feathers? The Church of England? Could it be, wondered Tuesday’s blog, that there was another Stanley United in Yorkshire – to which a veritable avalanche of Grass Routes readers responded “Of course there is.”
None, however, realsed that there’s also a third – and might never have guessed where it is.
Wikipedia reckons that the world has no fewer than 38 Stanleys – 23 in the USA, four in the UK, three in Oz and others from Namibia to the North Mariana Islands. Stanley is also the capital of the Falkland Islands, of course, and may be the second best known.
The white rose Stanley United is a couple of miles north of Wakefield, their adult team in the supreme division (no less) of the Yorkshire Amateur League – that of Route One Rovers, Athletico FC, Littletown – there’s a Littletown in Co Durham, an’ all – and (honest) Leeds Medics and Dentists.
It’s not the Prince of Wales feathers, however, but the fleur-de-lis – French for lily – emblem of the Boy Scout movement, of Quebec (one of those in Co Durham, too) and of much else with a French connection.
For some reason it’s also been widely adopted around Wakefield, and is an emblem of Wakefield Trinity Rugby League club.
Chris Kipling, who started this rumbunctious rabbit away, had also pondered the etymology of Stanley Nops, from whom the Co Durham club was formed in 1890. None seems to know. “They were almost universally known as the Nops when I was growing up there,” writes David Armstrong.
“In the early 1900s the village also also had several church and chapel sides playing in the Hunwick and District League.”
The Little House was razed by arsonsists, the gallant club folded in 2005, the Hill Top ground retains a wonky set of goalposts and the remains of the scratching shed but has long been abandoned.
A particular tragedy about it all is that the third Stanley United is on Mauritius. What a triangular tournament that would have made.
*As well as those mentioned above, thanks to Keith Bell, Gary Brand, Ian Gowling, Richard Huison, Neil McKay, Dominic McKenzie, Peter Miles, Mike Rayner, Norman Robinson, John Rogers, Kevin Ross, Richard Scruton, George Thornton, David Walsh, Paul Wilson and Peter Young.
*Middlesbrough Ironopolis, Northern League champions in each of their three 1890s seasons and Football Leaague second division members in 1893-94, were the best known Nops of all. Their best player, Tuesday’s blog supposed, may have been William McReddie – though Wikipedia reckons the Scot to have been Wally, or more formally, Wallace.
It rings bells, at any rate, with David Walsh who recalled a Teesside barrister and old acquaintance of that name. Any relation? “Certainly, he was my great grandfather and played for Scotland” says Duncan McReddie. “I have a secod cousin in Billingham who still has his cap. He’s the reason we’re on Teesside.”
McReddie first played in the Football League for Stoke City, moved to Middlesbrough when the Potters were relegated after one season and following three years with the Nops played for Manchester City, Bolton Wanderers and Celtic.
A 1906 report from Langbaurgh North police court on Teesside revealed more difficult days, however. Said to have earned a colossal £7 a week over 15 years as a professional footballer,. Wally McReddie was jailed for two months for stealing taties from someone else’s garden.
*The same blog wondered about Walsall TS, second division members at the same time as the Nops. Several readers point out that it stood for Walsall Town Swifts, an early amalgamation of two of the town’s clubs. Dominic McKenzie adds that there was a Boston Town Swifts, too.
*Norman Robinson has also been trying to learn more about Amos Drive in Annfield Plain, the village (near a different Co Durham Stanley) where he lives. Durham County Council said it would have been a matter for Derwentside District Council; Derwentside District Council no longer exists.
Norman wonders if it were named after the affectionately remembered journalist and Durham County CIU secretary Jack Amos – great bloke, no relation – who hailed from those parts. Jack, 75 when he died in 2007, had been appointed MBE for services to the workmen’s club movement.
As a journalist he may best be remembered for his Jack of Clubs column in the Sunday Sun, and for the “command performances” which raised many thousands for charity. Once, improbaby, Princess Margaret was persuaded to attend, severely inflating Jack’s already extravagant expense account with copious amounts of whisky and ginger. She blamed it on a cold.
*Don Clarke, and perhaps he alone, realised that both the header and the picture caption in yesterday’s blog were from that wonderful hymn O Worship the King, written by Sir Ralph Grant, a 19th century governor of Bombay and (says Don) a right good egg. “I’ll be humming it for the rest of the day,” Don adds.
Others may not. When the BBC programme Songs of Praise invited viewers to nominate their favourite hymns, O worship the King came a measly 83rd. How great thou art won.
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