FORMER Nelson resident Ray Pickering is appealing for footballers from the 1960s to try and fill in the blanks from his playing days.
Ray played locally, featuring for Nelson Nomads among others, and has sent one of his old photographs to see if anyone can identify the rest of his teammates from back in the day.
Currently residing in South Africa, Ray said: “I lived in Nelson in the early Sixties and was hoping some of the more mature residents of Nelson might remember some of us 50 years on!
“We used to play our home games near Marsden Park. From Google Earth I can see the two soccer fields are still there central to Ringstone Crescent, but I’ve forgotten what the actual name of the oval field area was.
“Our after-match meeting place was at the Star Cycling Club, where we would often discuss why we lost.
“I don’t think we ever beat Colne Dynamos, who were an up and coming team at that time.
“But we had a fantastic camaraderie and became close friends – all of us.
“I left Nelson in November 1964 and have actually lived in South Africa ever since, 10 years in Johannesburg and then 38 years in Kloof, Durban.
“Maybe someone will remember some of the names I have long forgotten, but I’ll take a stab to get the ball rolling - top left: ? Waring, far right: Roy Williamson. Bottom, second left: Peter Weedon, third left: Peter Warwick (his brother Johnny was also in the squad but is not pictured), fourth from left, myself Ray Pickering.
“My father played regularly for Nelson after the war - Basil Pickering, we lived at 93 Carr Road and I even played a couple of games for Nelson much later on.
“I’ve written on the photo 1963 but it might have been a year earlier, I joined Nelson Nomads from Blackburn Rovers, where I was on trial for quite a long time.
“My family and I actually lived in Bispham Road at the time of my departure to South Africa.”
Ray worked for newspapers in South Africa – The Rand Daily Mail, The Star and Financial Mail in Johannesburg, and spent 30 years with the then Argus Group.
He was also Business Manager for the Ilanga Newspaper in the 1980s when there was much political turmoil in South Africa.
If anyone can help Ray, please e-mail {mailto:chris.boden@eastlancsnews.co.uk|chris.boden@eastlancsnews.co.uk} or phone 01282 478164.