HERE are a couple of interesting echoes from earlier sporting themes.

Firstly, Mike McLoughlin of Gillars Green Drive, Eccleston, confirms that his grandad, Teddy McLoughlin, occasionally appeared at scrum-half for Saints, but mainly played at centre.

Replying to a query from J. W. of Keswick Road, he adds that, during the 1920s, Mac won honours with Saints (he had a spell as centre to wing immortal Alf Ellaby) Rochdale Hornets and Dewsbury.

And how's this for a laugh? Playing scrum-half for Dewsbury, he was sent off in a Yorkshire Cup Final for incorrect feeding at the scrum. If that rule were applied today - when the hooking role is redundant - all teams would be reduced to 12 men within minutes of the kick-off!

Now, over to the round-ball code.

A Sutton old-timer points out (in response to earlier mention) that the Pilkington Shield was won twice by St Joseph's, Peasley Cross, in 1937-38 and 1946-47.

He adds: "Sammy Lynn played in the first of those finals when only 16 and before being signed by Manchester United. I also remember Tom Lacey playing for them. Mr P. Wilson, headmaster of St Joseph's, ran the teams on both occasions."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.