Football Legends

Hello folks, how’s your New Year going so far? Still keeping up with those resolutions? A quick post today about a topic so very close to the hearts of so many football fans. Let’s give a quick mention to a couple of football legends.

Football Legends

You may well think in this day and age we will be talking about today’s high profile football legends. Players such as Mo Salah, Harry Kane or Sergio Aguero. As good as these players are I don’t think they will mind not being in this more modest football legends post. I’m sure their multi-million pound salaries will be more than enough comfort.

Local Heroes

No, this post is about more local football legends. Those people whose love of the game and the enjoyment it brought to others was more than enough reward for them.

Having been involved in local football myself quite extensively for several years as a player and also helping to run a Sunday League team, I know only too well of how much effort goes into not only running a club, but to actually putting a match on.

Even in my humble Sunday League years there were prima donnas knocking about. You know the ones, those who turned up late always expecting to play and refusing to do things like put the nets up.

Take it turns to wash the kit? Forget about it!! Funnily enough I still bump into the lady who used to work in the launderette in Top Saltney where we used to take our kit. We often have a “Sunday League” reminisce.

Lenny and Bob Evans

Anyway, I am digressing a bit aren’t I. The local football legends I am referring to are Lenny and Bob Evans. Those who may be reading this that are, or were, involved in local football in any way will instantly know who they are.

For those of you who are not, then Lenny and Bob Evans are the two brothers who formed the popular and successful Blacon Youth FC. From the initial entry into the Chester and District League in 1964, Blacon Youth went on to bigger and better things. Back in those days, Lenny had the idea to start a local Blacon team because his son and his mates wanted a game.

Sounds easy enough so far doesn’t it. Far from it though.

As we speak, there are now 17 teams at Blacon. These include senior’s, youngsters and also women’s teams. To say Lenny and Bob have done a great job is a massive understatement.

I know only too well from experience how difficult it was to go to Blacon and come away with anything more than no points, or being dumped out of a Cup, or a few cuts and bruises. All their teams were not only hugely competitive, but were also very successful.

Memorial Gates

In honour of their unstinting efforts, memorial gates have been officially opened in recognition of their superb contribution to not only the local football scene, but also the impact they had on the local community as a whole.

Credit to those involved in making this happen as well. Well done to former councillor, Reggie Jones, Mike Meehan (aka “Irish” and what a cracking centre-forward in his day!!), Blacon councillor, Carol Gahan and the local council itself.

In 2015, Lenny, who sadly passed away in October 2017, was awarded the Joe Rose Lifetime Achievement Award at the Blacon Community Awards in honour of his efforts.

It does make you wonder sometimes doesn’t it how awards higher up the chain are selected, or merited. As an example, England centre-forward, Harry Kane recently received an MBE. I’m not saying he didn’t deserve it as I don’t know what the reasons were for that award.

But you would think that there would at least be some recognition at some stage of the Evans brothers of this world and so many like them. Without them local football probably wouldn’t exist and local communities would also be so much worse off.

Some of you may recall that I wrote an article on another one of the local football legends, Joe Lloyd, a few months ago. In case you haven’t read the article, you can read it HERE. These people give up so much and do so for the love of the game. And, of course, to put so much into the local communities. I know I wouldn’t have had so many enjoyable times as a youngster and met so many friends and acquaintances if it wasn’t for the likes of the Evans brothers and the Joe Lloyd’s of this world.

Thanks to all those that put so much effort into the local football scene. As well as Len, Bob and Joe, I did notice that Terry Carroll from the Cheshire Football Association, was at the opening. There’s another top bloke who deserves a mention.

The gates were officially attended by Len and Bob’s families. Well done to Lenny and Bob and congratulations on a well deserved tribute.