Archive- the highest level

[Colin Fuller]

Comparing football from different eras is always difficult but to older fans often enjoyable. I think those of us who grew up watching Lynn in the 1960s could justifiably make a case for the then Southern League Premier Division being on a par with today’s National League as the so-called ‘fifth division’.
It was seen as the most likely supplier of new Football League clubs, although breaking into that virtually closed shop was extremely difficult.
A very good Oxford United side managed it after winning the Southern League and other clubs like Yeovil, Hereford, Cambridge United, Cheltenham, Wimbledon, Barnet, Burton and Crawley have followed over the years.
Lynn more than held their own against such clubs during the sixties and also against very good clubs like Chelmsford, Romford, Weymouth, Worcester and Wellington (now Telford).
Lynn also fielded some of the club’s best-ever players during that time - the likes of Mick Wright, Malcolm Lindsey, Reg Davies, Ronnie Bacon, Dave Brooks, Peter Tough, David Clarke.
Former big stars like Cliff Jones, John Charles, Ted Ditchburn and a host of ex-Football league regulars could be seen at The Walks.

[rod]

They were great days. One of my favourite players of that era was Dave Partridge, a winger with silky skills.who was equally adept at beating the defender on the outside or inside. If my memory still serves me well, although Peterborough were in the same league as Lynn (Midland?) they were a class apart from the rest, including Lynn?

[Mallard]

Colin were Lynn full time during that era , and what sort gates did it attract to The Walks ?

[Colin Fuller]

I believe Lynn went full-time for one season in the early sixties but suspect it proved too expensive. The majority of non-league clubs would have been part-time but with much bigger budgets than Lynn. For instance, Chelmsford, who were a top club then, bought England under 23 player Bobby Mason for a reported £25,000, a massive fee then for a non-league club.
Lynn’s home crowds were usually around 1,500 but would top 2,000 for some games, eg against Cambridge United. Midweek matches in the Eastern Pro Floodlit League usually saw around 1,000. Lynn were an attacking team and goals at The Walks usually flowed.  With a stronger defence, particularly for away matches, they may well have been Southern League champions decades before they finally achieved it under Keith Webb.

[Steve C]

A couple of great posts there Colin. Its nice to reminisce......also recall Lynn playing Boston United. Hillingdon Borough were another difficult opponent at the time but sadly they didnt fare quite so well

Also remember Bobby Laverick, although I was a small lad at the time I cried when Bobby decided to leave Kings Lynn. The point however regarding Bobby Laverick was that he lived in Vancouver Avenue.............please correct me if I am wrong but I was always under the impression that the football club owned the property together with several other houses in Kings Lynn to include a detached house in York Road where Malcolm Lindsay lived.

When were these properties purchased and could Lynn attract better players with the promise of living accommodation, part time work, whilst also receiving a wage for playing football? Did one or two players run pubs?

[Colin Fuller]

I think it is correct that Lynn had club houses and helped players from further afield find full-time employment. I clearly remember Dave Brooks working for the parks department and Brian Jenkins, Malcolm Lindsey’s strike partner, ran a newsagents in Loke Road.  I think Malcolm was a pub landlord at some stage.
Dave Clarke, who came from Nottingham, worked with my dad at Unicam.
I also remember Dave Partridge, mentioned in an earlier post.  Like Clarke, he was a flying left winger in the  Bob Edwards’ team managed by Len Richley.
Also in that team was a young centre-forward from the North-east called Norman Bleanch, who occasionally joined me and my brother for a kick-about on the Walks playing field.  I remember him scoring a superb outside the box volley against Cambridge United.  United must have been impressed - not long after that they signed him!
Bobby Laverick joined Lynn from Corby before the Reg Davies’ era, having previously been at Chelsea and Brighton. I think he was a typical inside-forward of that time, making goals and scoring a fair number too.
Happy days at The Walks, good entertainment, attacking football and plenty of goals.  And they knew how to tackle!

[Mallard]

I remember Dave Clark telling me he was earning far more playing part time football for Lynn added with his full time job in Lynn than he did as a full time pro at Notts County.  Plus he had a Club house thrown in.

[rod]

Colin, they certainly did know how to tackle.....Roy Proverbs immediately springs to mind!

[Angle of the North]

My Great Uncle told me over a pint, some time ago, that during the 'amateur' years that Ben Culey had 13 'gardeners' working for him.

[admin]

Also remember Bobby Laverick, although I was a small lad at the time I cried when Bobby decided to leave Kings Lynn. The point however regarding Bobby Laverick was that he lived in Vancouver Avenue.............please correct me if I am wrong but I was always under the impression that the football club owned the property together with several other houses in Kings Lynn to include a detached house in York Road where Malcolm Lindsay lived.

When were these properties purchased and could Lynn attract better players with the promise of living accommodation, part time work, whilst also receiving a wage for playing football? Did one or two players run pubs?

From notes on 1951-52 season: "Lynn's problems with finding accommodation for their players continued. A house in St Edmunds Avenue, Hunstanton, that had been converted into two flats, was occupied by Walter Price and Cecil Heydon neither of whom played for Lynn anymore. Lynn resorted to court action to try to remove them but although it might have been logical to assume that the players would vacate the premises when they no longer played for Lynn, there appeared to be no written contract."

[Gordon Chilvers]

A couple of great posts there Colin. Its nice to reminisce......also recall Lynn playing Boston United. Hillingdon Borough were another difficult opponent at the time but sadly they didnt fare quite so well

Also remember Bobby Laverick, although I was a small lad at the time I cried when Bobby decided to leave Kings Lynn. The point however regarding Bobby Laverick was that he lived in Vancouver Avenue.............please correct me if I am wrong but I was always under the impression that the football club owned the property together with several other houses in Kings Lynn to include a detached house in York Road where Malcolm Lindsay lived.

When were these properties purchased and could Lynn attract better players with the promise of living accommodation, part time work, whilst also receiving a wage for playing football? Did one or two players run pubs?

Kings Lynn definitely owned houses in the Vancouver Avenue/York Road area in the 60s. Malcolm Lindsay ran pubs after his football career including the Fenman opposite the station and also i believe the Bentinck on Loke Road. In later life he also did holiday cover around the area so that owners or managers could have a holiday. He also ran the White Horse at March.
Still keeps in touch on facebook.
Brian Jenkins took over Archie Missons newsagents on Loke Road which became part of Readwell. Brian and his wife moved to Chelmsford but i believe they are back in Kings Lynn. The legend that was Dick Everitt had the Anchor in the Friars are and also the White Swan in West Lynn

[rod]

Didn't Mick Rains run 'The Retreat'?

[Blue_and_Gold]

Didn't Mick Rains run 'The Retreat'?

Yes.

New Inn before that? 

Think he was involved with the Lord Nelson in Swaffham as well. 

[Blue_and_Gold]

Dudley Banson in the Lord Napier.

[Gordon Chilvers]

Didn't Mick Rains run 'The Retreat'?

Yes.

New Inn before that? 

Think he was involved with the Lord Nelson in Swaffham as well. 

definitely Lattice House and yes Dudley had the Napier.