John Meredith R.I.P.

[Highland Rover]

 Former Rovers winger , 1958-1961 , passed away aged 85 on the 3rd January

[graingrover]

Johnny ,a contemporary of mine , showed out of the ordinary ball,skills  when we played Primary school football at Dunsville..At Hatfield Secondsry  he soon progressed to Junior  football  then on to a full professional career with Weds and Gillingham .He stayed extremely fit into his late seventies before being struck with dementia .A sad end to a smashing bloke .

[tommy toes]

That’s uncanny!
Was looking through the Donny book last night while trying to help indentify the photo thread.
Decided to also have a look for Johnny Meredith as he scored the first goal in my first Rovers match.
October 1960. Rovers 3 Millwall 0
I can see him now scoring it!
A handsome lad with a shock of blonde hair ala Billy Fury.

Rest in peace Johnny.

[roversdude]

Before my time but always sad to hear of the passing of former players RIP

[Alickismyhero]

Johnny ,a contemporary of mine , showed out of the ordinary ball,skills  when we played Primary school football at Dunsville..At Hatfield Secondsry  he soon progressed to Junior  football  then on to a full professional career with Weds and Gillingham .He stayed extremely fit into his late seventies before being struck with dementia .A sad end to a smashing bloke .

Meredith was one of my favorites at the time and I think Graingrover was this kid highly rated from Dunsville at the same time.

RIP John

[graingrover]

Alick ..Brian Grainger is the name but you are too kind in your assessment of my football prowess .However at those tender ages we were very impressive and I for one was in awe of Johnny .At Dunsville Primary we had a pitch which in summer grew corn then it was cut to the ground to give us a pitch .Red and white square shirts and stars in our eyes ! i progressed only  to Rovers Juniors in the Northern Intermediate League but Johnny to a twelve-year professional career.The girls loved him and he loved many many of them .

[idler]

I remember being disappointed when he was transferred as he was one of my favourites. Ray Veal to Everton was another disappointment probably a year or so later.

[graingrover]

I played at Juniors with Ray who helped me more than the coaches to settle in .I was 15 , Ray 16 in a team of under 18s .At those ages physical size is paramount ( or was ) My début wa at Notting Forest in the FA youth cup ..I was only supposed to watch the level but a player was sick on the coach on the way to the ground so they gave me my first game .I was to be confronted woth a tough début  ! We were hammered in that match and I was ‘ marked ‘ by Calvin Palmer, who could have eaten me for breakfast.Ray scored our only goal from an assist from me and we became mates lol ! Every time Forest scored a bell rang out on the manual scoreboard! I can hear it now as it rang 6 times rest day .By the 90 minutes there were several thousands in the ground since we were that day a curtain raiser. Before a First team match .That day Johnny Meredith would have been playing in Rovers first team already age 18.
Another silly memory ..I went with Ray to a record shop in Sunderland before an away match ..He bought the week’s number one ‘ Charlie  Brown ‘ ! Happy little memories as I look down from my early eighties to long past days never to be forgotten that have  tied me forever to Rovers forever despite living abroad since 1970 . .

[Alickismyhero]

Alick ..Brian Grainger is the name but you are too kind in your assessment of my football prowess .However at those tender ages we were very impressive and I for one was in awe of Johnny .At Dunsville Primary we had a pitch which in summer grew corn then it was cut to the ground to give us a pitch .Red and white square shirts and stars in our eyes ! i progressed only  to Rovers Juniors in the Northern Intermediate League but Johnny to a twelve-year professional career.The girls loved him and he loved many many of them .

Not at all Brian. For me to remember this kid from Dunsville, you, pushing to progress to the first team you must have been good.
My brother remembers playing against John at school and it probably means you.
All the best Brian.
RIP John.

[selby]

  He was that well thought of by me and my mate Cyril we went to his debut game at Sheffield Wednesday just to watch him play in a big team.

[graingrover]

Physicality is now such a science in football but in those days a young kid was often like me skinny and may have never eaten a steak .i had bronchial pneumonia at 14 and was off school and bedridden for weeks on end living on lettuce and tomatoes from the back garden and greenhouse in our Dunscroft garden You could see the sun shine through my ribs but I could run like the wind I was so light.
We were a poor family and my Dad knew nothing  about football so when I asked for a jockstrap he just laughed .In night match under the glaring lights at Belle Vue ( v Donny boys )  I took a corner and my balls swerved out of my shorts but fortunately the crowd was distracted by Barry Swallow scoring from the cross ! Happy days !

[selby]

  Grainge, sounds like you had them rolled up tight to your balls like Peter Swan big boy.

[turnbull for england]

Physicality is now such a science in football but in those days a young kid was often like me skinny and may have never eaten a steak .i had bronchial pneumonia at 14 and was off school and bedridden for weeks on end living on lettuce and tomatoes from the back garden and greenhouse in our Dunscroft garden You could see the sun shine through my ribs but I could run like the wind I was so light.
We were a poor family and my Dad knew nothing  about football so when I asked for a jockstrap he just laughed .In night match under the glaring lights at Belle Vue ( v Donny boys )  I took a corner and my balls swerved out of my shorts but fortunately the crowd was distracted by Barry Swallow scoring from the cross ! Happy days !

 The first recorded outswinger corner

[hamiltonrover]

Graingrover - would this be the game you played in?  Forsest in FA Youth Cup 58/59??

[graingrover]

lol «  the first recorded outswinger ! “

[graingrover]

Yes Hamilton that is the game ! How amazing to see that programme 

[graingrover]

Does it have the team line ups I won’t be mentioned because I replaced a guy who was ill on the bus on way to the ground ..but I would love to see all those names again .Veal , Swallow ,Greenwood Charlie Mullen , Bob Squires in goal , Wales , Plaice …