Schoolboy football in Blackburn is 100 years old and a book has been produced to celebrate that milestone. Peter White took a trip down

Memory Lane

QUESTION: What's the link between Blackburn Rovers' 1928 FA Cup final captain Harry Healless, former Burnley stalwarts Brian Miller and Jack Chew and ex-Manchester United and England star Mike Duxbury?

Answer: All feature prominently in the long and colourful history of Blackburn schoolboy football.

A new book, written by Rick Grogan, has been published to mark 100 years of organised football in Blackburn and - since 1974 - Darwen schools too.

It's a fascinating compilation of snippets and statistics, amply illustrated, of schoolboy football in the area since 1897.

And the names of just some of those who went on to play the game at professional level are enough to evoke many memories.

Former St Mary's College pupil Duxbury, for example, is the last former Blackburn schoolboys player to win full international honours. In his schooldays, Duxbury went on to captain the county before making the grade as a professional at Old Trafford.

There's a foreword from Bryan Douglas, formerly of St Bartholomew's and Blakey Moor Boys' fame, who says: "I still look back on my schooldays as some of my happiest times in football.

"The thrills of playing in the Ewood finals were just as great as representing England at international level in later years."

Walter Crook, who captained Rovers to the Second Division championship in 1938-39, was a former pupil of St Aidan's and Blakey Moor, while Miller and Chew first emerged as potential stars with St Mary's College and CE Central respectively.

For anyone who has been involved - in however small a way - with junior football in Blackburn and, latterly, Darwen as well, dozens of pictures of various schools and representative teams conjure up even more memories.

Spot your old school friends, identify the soon-to-be-famous face or just lose yourself in nostalgia. It's fascinating to learn that the Harry Boyle Cup, donated by a prominent local businessman in 1897, is still played for today.

Some people claim it is the oldest schoolboy trophy still up for competition.

There have been hard periods as well as times of triumph, but schools soccer in Blackburn during the 1950s was particularly strong.

That was illustrated at the start of the 1962-63 season, when Rovers had four ex-schoolboy stars playing regular first team football at Ewood - Barrie Ratcliffe, Fred Pickering, John Byrom and "perhaps the greatest of them all, Bryan Douglas."

Also on the Ewood books at the time were ex-schoolboys Alan Bradshaw and Roy Isherwood.

Incidentally, to show the strength of talent which emerged from the schoolboy teams of the 1950s, Burnley's Miller made his full England bow at the same time.

Apart from publishing the book, the Blackburn and Darwen Schools' FA have arranged a number of events next year to celebrate the centenary. They include:

A get-together for former town team players at Old Blackburnians on Sunday, February 9 (1pm-4pm). Guest speaker will be Professional Footballers' Association chief Gordon Taylor. Admission is free and there will be a free pie and peas lunch for all ex-players who attend.

England Schools will meet the Republic of Ireland Schools in an under-15 international at Ewood Park on Tuesday, May 13 (7pm).

A centenary dinner will be held at Mytton Fold Restaurant on Friday, November 29, with a top speaker from the world of football.

Further details of all these events can be obtained from Rick Grogan, at Pleckgate HS (01254-249134), Brian Woodhead, QEGS (01254-59911), or Mike Hodkinson, Darwen Vale HS (01254-702749).

"The History of Schoolboy Football in Blackburn, 1897-1997" is written by Rick Grogan and published by the Blackburn and Darwen Schools' FA. Priced £5, it is available from Pleckgate HS, Darwen Vale HS, St Wilfrid's HS, QEGS, Blackburn Museum, Blackburn Town Hall and Blackburn Library - or call 01254-247082.

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