OUR recent hark back to Ken Melling’s recollections of his ‘childhood adventure playground’ (first published in August, 1996) struck a chord with reader, Les Kay, originally from Ashcroft Street, but now living in ‘border country’ at Collins Green.

And Les, a big fan of Whalley’s World and a frequent contributor, has sent his own memories to share with fellow WW devotees.

He writes:”I lived in the same area and went skinny-dipping in many of the areas where Ken was talking about. I remember the pitch-and-toss area, and the big cave above, which was cut out in the rocks. Also, the concrete section bridge over the Sankey Brook which was difficult to cross from one side to the other. Many have fallen into the Brook, especially the lads playing pitch-and-toss escaping the police.

“This section over the Brook was called the ‘hoppo cross’ by locals and Ken’s recollections brought back memories to me and others on the other side of the Brook. I used to have a good afternoon playing rugby at the bottom of Gloucester Street with some good players. One lad I was talking to about those times was Jack Gerrard who came from that area. Another mate of mine was Frank Williams, who had two brothers.

“I also remember Buddy Jackman and his brother Ray who were both good footballers and liked a mug of beer in the pubs and the Legion in Ashcroft Street, after a game - or before!

“On Sunday dinner we kids around Fingerpost and surrounding areas would take them on in a friendly - so-called - game of football, in Nanny Goat Park. Our side sometimes had twice as many players as the older men and we would sometimes underestimate their skills. They had some good players, but when they talked about playing for half-a-dollar a man (about 12p now) we kids knuckled down to play the best game possible.

“At the end of the bruising, but friendly, game the lads out of the pub paid up the ‘winning money’ as promised. Then we kids went home for tea or to spend the money on toffee, at the local picture house, ‘Parr Dog’ or at Alma’s Cafe for a lolly in a cup, or a hot cup of Bovril or Oxo.

“It was a great little community around Nanny Goat Park and Fingerpost is still a good little shopping area today. Credit must go to the people at the Fintra Drop-In centre, like Tony and Betty who are keeping it on the map and work very hard advising and helping both young and old in these difficult times and making the area a better place.”

And Les goes on to recall his own sporting days. “As a youngster in 1956 I played for football for a local church team, Holy Trinity Parr Mount. Holy Trinity was a very well-run team and a good bunch of lads with good skills. We were successful in 1956, topping the Juvenile Organisation League (JOL) and making the final of the Harrup Shield.

“My dad used to put the old dubbin on my football boots on match days to clean them. Then he would put the boots at the side of our coal fire on a piece of the old Daily Herald newspaper. But he never used the piece with the cartoons on (Rupert the Bear and Andy Capp) he would keep that at one side for me to read the day after.

“After my stint at Holy Trinity FC I turned to rugby league. I thought my dad would stop cleaning my boots because he was a football man - he played full-back for St Helens and his brother Jimmy played in goal - but he carried on nevertheless.

“By the way, Holy Trinity Church is a magnificent building, the centrepiece of Fingerpost and deserves to be preserved. I wish them good luck in saving it.”

And, finally, Les returns to that ‘big match’ mentioned by Ken Melling and played on The Licker at Parr Stocks, behind the fire station, between a German PoW team from Ashton-in-Makerfield and a local team.

He writes: “Ken remembers Bert Trautmann playing but does anyone remember the ref?”

Trautmann - a friendly giant of a man standing over 6ft tall - was ‘ordered off’ the field by the ref, who was only a small man. But this wasn’t a serious dismissal. It was all just part of the fun of the day.

Adds Les: “One person who would know who that ref was is Dave Hankinson, another good footballer from the area who lived in Ashcroft Street at the time and later turned pro.

“And I can give you a few more clues to his identity. He lived in the next block to the fire station and was also one of the ‘all-time greats’ of bagatelle, playing for the Druids Arms, the Traveller’s Rest and the Elephant in Thatto Heath, as well as representing the town.

“In fact, the ref on that occasion was the same man who used to clean my rugby boots and someone I was so proud of, my dad, Tommy Kay! He was a ref in the then Football Combination and refs in those days used to provide the match ball so on this occasion, being the ref’s son, I was lucky enough to carry the match ball home and have a little kick about with it.

“We only lived up the road and played on The Licker regularly. Sometimes, on match day, we kids used to get behind the goal post and act as ball boys. When the ball was kicked over the post and went down between the trees and into the Sankey Brook it was our job to get it back. Good job they had a few spare balls!”

And Les signs off: “Best wishes to Alan for a speedy recovery to keep Whalley’s World going for his many fans who love the column.”