Pudsey Juniors ex players
31 Oct 2009

We are grateful for the following contributions from Pudsey Juniors ex players; please keep sending your e mails
to the PJ website!

Dear Mr Downs
I played for the Pudsey Juniors Under 16 team during the 1970-71 season and always felt it a privilege to play alongside excellent footballers,
many of whom I expected to see progressing through the professional ranks. I played in central defence and would like to think I did OK, being
one of the lesser talented players. We were (almost) all-conquering that year, winning the Leeds Minor League and the Leeds Minor League Cup
– in fact winning all but one game. Unfortunately that was the Leeds Minor Cup Final which was played at Elland Road where we lost 1-0 to a very
late goal. I will send you a copy of that day’s programme.
This was a totally dominant team of whom I have very fond memories. I’m not sure how I was recruited, except that, unusually for a Leeds based club,
in our team were 5 players who represented the Spen Valley Schools District Team – myself, Chris Mackin, Mick Poole, Graham Fisher and Granville Peck.
I was saddened to read Dave Kilner’s e-mail and how his career was cut short, as his was an outstanding talent. Perhaps alongside Wingrove Manners,
they were our best players – amazingly Winnie went on to play just one game for Bradford City.
I haven’t kept match records, but just remember that we scored an abundance of goals without conceding many. We played good football and,
although we included outstanding individual players, were essentially a team.
Amongst the players were the following – I apologise to any of these team mates if my memory lacks accuracy:-
Mick Poole – Bruntcliffe School, Spen Valley Boys. Excellent handling, gave defence confidence. Went on to play professionally at Coventry,
Rochdale, a spell in America before returning to Rochdale. We sometimes travelled to games in the back of his dad’s van.
Steve McKie – Tall full back from Bradford. Quick on the overlap with a good cross.
Chris Mackin – Batley Grammar School, Spen Valley Boys. Strong, muscular, determined full back or midfielder. Having played all season was left
out of the Minor Cup Final at Elland Road.
Phil Davey – Extremely confident skilful midfielder. Brother of Nigel Davey (Leeds United). My job was to win the ball and give it to him – at least that’s
what he told me!
Dave Woodhall – Well built, left-footed, central defender. Seem to remember that Dave took the penalties. Some weekends spent Sundays with Chelsea FC
, but don’t think he went on to a professional career.
Wingrove Manners – A fantastic, strong, skilful midfielder who could dominate a game. Always wore the latest fashions. He was one I expected to make it.
As I said, as far as I’m aware he only played one professional game for Bradford City, although he did also play in fairly senior leagues.
Dave Kilner – Clever footballer with outstanding skill and determination. Strong, compact and a great finisher. Very sorry to hear his career was tragically
cut short.
Graham Fisher – Bruntcliffe School, Spen Valley Boys. Robust centre forward who scored plenty, but also able to create chances for others.
Granville Peck – Mirfield Secondary Modern School, Spen Valley Boys. Gran was my best mate in the team and lived in the next street to me in Mirfield.
Very skilful midfielder whose abilities were his passing and shooting - an old fashioned inside forward. The last I heard of him was that he was in the Army.
Julian Evans – Travelled all the way from Selby to play. Seemed a massive distance in those days. Good left foot, played mainly in the left midfield area.
David Allison – I don’t think Dave played much, but I think he was in the younger age group. Mainly played in midfield.
Paul Thompson – Slim build, mainly played on the left wing.
What about me, Steve Crowther, nicknamed “Spud” (don’t ask why – I never knew) – Mirfield Grammar School, Spen Valley Boys. Played
in the centre of defence with Dave Woodhall. Good in the air, read the game quite well and covered at the back. Never scored for Pudsey.
In my opinion I was probably the poorest player in the team, but must have offered something as I played regularly all season.

A few memories

For the away games we used to meet outside the Post Office in City Square on a Saturday lunchtime.
The home games were played at Queens Park in Pudsey – a large flat pitch which suited our style of play.
The team was managed by a chap who was a real gentleman, always encouraging us. I wish I could remember his name – I think it was Alan Cowley,
but I could be wrong.
For most of the season we played in an old Leeds United, all tangerine, kit. I think in the previous season Leeds United had been on an unbeaten run
until they played Stoke City away, wore this kit, and lost heavily. Superstitious as footballers are, they decided not to wear it again, so passed it to us.
For another game we were given use of a kit worn by Ujpest Dosza from Hungary, who had recently played Leeds in a European tie.
One incident stands out in my memory in relation to the link with Leeds United. There was a time when all matches at professional clubs (first team,
reserves and juniors) were played on a Saturday afternoon. Leeds United had a big game coming up and decided that the reserves would play the first
team fixture, the juniors would step up into the reserves and a number of us from Pudsey Juniors were asked to fill in for the junior team
some of the other boys had done this before,
but this was my one and only time. I think that Leeds were actually fined for not fielding full strength teams.
I remember we met for lunch at the Griffin Hotel in Leeds and travelledby coach to play at Rotherham United’s Millmoor ground.
I can’t remember the result, but do remember that amongst the Leeds team were Frank Gray
(Leeds, Notts Forest and Scotland), John Shaw (Bristol City goalkeeper) and Jon O’Donnell (Cambridge United), and the Leeds coach told all the players that
if they were seen out in Leeds city centre that night they would not play again! My claim to fame was that we were paid by Leeds United - £1 expenses!
Chris Mackin’s dad, Sid, took Chris, Granville and me to the games in a beat up old car that we got him to push to the limit on the way home.
On one occasion we were asked to play against a Leeds United Junior team, at Fullerton Park (next door to Elland Road – now a car park), that included
Paul Reaney and John Faulkner, returning from broken leg injuries.
For a time I marked (or is it chased) Paul Reaney, but his speed appeared undiminished by his injury.
I also got to play in a friendly match against Scunthorpe United. Our side that day included some players from the older age group
and I remember playing
alongside some terrific players including Gary Dufton, Brian Crowther and Malcolm Wright.

I hope my memories are helpful

Steve Crowther

Hello,

It has all come full circle for me because I am now the manager of the
Pudsey Juniors Girls U16s team but back in 1966-1968 I was in the great
Pudsey Juniors team run by Alan Cowley who was also my headmaster at
Pudsey Southroyd. I played in Midfield and my great friend Stephen
Jameson played at full back. In those days we seemed to win every game
and Mr Cowley was a great manager his training methods might seem
strange now, for instance he used to have us kicking a football as hard
as possible at the fence at Crawshaw School for 30minutes non-stop, or
trying to keep control of the ball with our head, knees and feet for
30mins but he certainly got the results. I also remember going on a
trip to the Isle of Man, which incidentally was were Mr Cowley was born
and we beat every team by double figures, however in a bid to make the
opposition feel better Mr Cowley arranged a swimming gala but I am
afraid this back fired when we beat them at that.

I have great memories of being in the great Pudsey Juniors team of the
late 60s and this makes me even more proud that my daughter and all her
fellow team mates play for them now.

Nigel Cromack




EEH BAH GUM.
Hello from Montreal Canada my name is Alan Richardson. I played for Pudsey juniors
in the early sixties and was captain of the team. We would win games 10 -0 we were awesome.
Now I can wipe the tears away, what memories, you gave me so much joy and now you
give it to others. Please forgive the spelling I’m in shock here I am 3,000 miles
away reading something that takes me right back to my to my childhood AND
PUDSEY JUNIORS STILL EXIST AWESOME.
Im almost 60 so the memories are a little hazy please give me a little time to
recover from the shock.
I will attempt to reply with names of fellow players at that time and a summary
of my exploits in soccer after Pudsey Juniors.
God bless you for giving so much to the young and talented, it meant so much to me, may it go on forever
Alan Richardson

Interested to read your site. I played centre-forward back in 1964 / !965 for
Pudsey Juniors. Obviously the memories are not crystal clear but I remember a
team tour to the Isle of Man, where we annihilated the local opposition.
In those days several Leeds players put in an appearance at training. Willie
Bell was there occasionally and Jack Charlton quite regularly. He gave me a real
ticking-off for not waiting outside Elland Road after a game to collect my
autograph book after he'd taken the trouble to get all the team's autographs.
Great bloke though - genuine as they come.
Lived over in Germany now, so have to content myself with watching Bundesliga,
which isn't at all bad. Great stadiums, especially now before the World Cup.
Even managed to get tickets in the lottery for a local game in Munich
Cheers,

Stephen Griffiths

I played for Pudsey Juniors from 1968 to 1973, after that progressed to Leeds
Ashley Rd. We were prolific winners of most cups we entered as well as the
league. Started age 14. Pudsey Juniors were the envy of every club in Yorkshire.
Many England old boys include Dave Kinder, Malc Wright, Steve Garbutt, Gary
Dufton, Brian Crowther, Steve Longden, Willy Oulton and yours truly.When I was
18 I captained Yorkshire Boys and was a member of the winning Yorkshire Boys
side the year before when we beat Cheshire in the final at Hillsborough 2-0.
Scorers that evening were G Dufton & D M Kilner.
The team that day comprised of at least 8 players from Pudsey Juniors
Happy days. Broke my right femur in a car crash aged 20. Never played again.
Still got the England cap and shirt though.
Our coach and mentor in those heady days was Alan Cowley, a nicer man you
couldn't wish to meet. Ian Roughley looked after us in the Ashley Rd days.
We regularly used to act as fill ins down at Elland Road for junior matches,
another fantastic experience.
Hope you find this interesting
Regards

Dave M Kilner