Another wonderful Clayhanger Villa team photo featuring Jack Hinks, kindly supplied by Jean Houghton.
I was very pleased over the last week to see the wonderful response to the photos of Clayhanger Villa kindly sent in by reader Jean Houghton – there were some wonderful comments, and I also received an excellent contribution from Clayhanger Mon™ and top bloke Brian Stringer, which I feature below.
Jean Houghton was pleased too, and sent me the following note:
Hello Bob
Great response to my Dads photos – it was good to know I got some of the names correct.
So to get more brains ticking I have attached another photo. Again my Dad (Jack Hinks) is front row far right.
They all look very young on this one!
Regards
Jean Houghton
Please, if you can help with this one it would be wonderful too. In the mean time, Brian Stringer, who of course has a long history of being involved with local football – particularly in Clayhanger – had this fascinating contribution to make:
Hi Bob,
Great to see the Clayhanger football teams sent in by Jack Hinks’s daughter. I can only recognise one from the first photo and that is Ken Ashford 4th left back row.
This image is very probably taken in CLayhanger. Image kindly supplied by Jean Houghton.
The second one however I can name the lot. My uncle Billy Wilkinson took over the managers reins from Jack who remained as Secretary, and I as a 14 year old was main supporter and my uncles ‘gofer’.
A clayhanger lineup first featured here last week – Brian Stringer thinks this is at Walsall Transport’s ground in Birchills. Image supplied by Jean Houghton.
The line up was from the back left:
Trevor Sault, Ron Sault, Bert Willetts, Ernie Allport, Arnold Tarry, Joe Ditchfield and Jack.Bottom : Arthur Baker, Ernie Myatt, Brian Handy, Stan Myatt and Henry Atherston.
The first photo I think is taken in Clayhanger with the row of houses in the background in Church St, The George and Dragon would be a bit further to the right.
Again this is a guess, but the second photo could be when the team played a semi final in the Birchills at Walsall Yransports old ground.
The team is well documented in my first book. Lovely to see an actual picture. A thing that is unique to this picture Is that The Myatts. Joe Ditchfield, Bert Willetts and the keeper Ernie Allport lived a few doors apart in Pelsall Road.
Cheers
Brian
Thanks to Jean and Brian for lovely additions here – it really is most appreciated.
We’ve already done lots for Walsall Wood FC, Brownhills Albion, Brownhills United, Brownhills Town and even Wernicks FC – it’s good to see the Clayhanger Villa material building up too.
If you can help add to the story, please do: either comment here or mail me – BrownhillsBob at Googlemail dot com. Cheers.
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When I was a theological student in Birmingham from 1961 to 1965 I had the use of my dad’s car on condition that I drove him and Bert Willetts to Villa Park for the home games. I have memories of Bert as a genial kind of guy. I grew up in Coppice Side. at 79, until my grandmother died about 1952. My closet childhood friend was Trevor Sault. We went to Central Boys’ School but we lost touch when we were bout 13 or 14 years old. I wonder if this is the same Trevor Sault who grew up in Coppice Side, his dad was Jack and his Mom was Maude, I don’t think he had a brother Ronald though so perhaps it’s another person with the same name.
That is a different trevor the one you went to school with lives in norton canes the villa in the sun photograph has on gerry toddington ken ashford harold foster mr yeomans [bills dad] henry arrowsmith jones? gerry’s brother ron benton bill stackhouse more names i will give later.
That is a different trevor the one you went to school with lives in norton canes the villa in the sun photograph has on gerry toddington ken ashford harold foster mr yeomans [bills dad] henry arrowsmith jones? gerry’s brother ron benton bill stackhouse more names i will give later two other names maybe ron hewett johnny edwards
Is it possible for someone to pinpoint where the top photo was taken as I think the house at right may be the last house on Church street. Also there is a fellow sitting to the left in the background with a younger guy. Photographs like this get one thinking?
any resent up date on clayhanger villa please/Regarding george banks,who moved on to latter west brom albion,mansfield town, Hereford utd ,dudley town ,darlaston town cheers