Villa in the sun

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.