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With the permission of their Chairman - Ronan Liddane, my brother (wor Allan) and I have decided to help clarify the history page on the Bedlington Terriers FC web-site. Allan and I both believe that the first 2 paragraphs that refer to the early years, especially regards Bedlington Mechanics FC, aren’t quite as we remember. As our Grandad (Sep Kidd) was Chairman of The Mechanics, wor Allan and I went to nearly all the home matches and a great many of the away fixtures when we were growing up in the 1950’s and into the 1960’s. Wor Allan and I contend that Bedlington Mechanics FC played their home games at Milne Park, certainly through the mid-1950’s to the early 1960’s. The land was owned by local entrepreneur Jimmy Milne and he rented the land to the football club. We think that when Jimmy Milne sold his store to Blyth Co-op, then the football ground was also sold, later to become the Vulcan Place Car Park and The Mechanics then had to re-locate to the Station Welfare Park. We are not sure exactly when this happened, so we would appreciate anyone who is able to add more details of the move. We are pretty sure that they kept the name Mechanics for the first season or so at The Station Welfare. If you look at the records for the FA Cup from 1959 to 1962-63 season Bedlington Mechanics featured in the Qualifying Rounds. Other men who we can remember that were on the Committee of Bedlington Mechanics FC throughout this period in question were Bill Ward (who went on to manage the club) and Mr. Pearson (the cricketer Ken Pearson’s dad). Bedlington lads who all played at some stage that we can remember were Billy Pearcey, Harry Routledge, Ronnie Philipson, Fenwick McLean and maybe some of the lads from just after this period like Michael Metcalfe, Ronnie Day or Michael Third may also be able to help. So, this is an appeal to anyone else that can remember the local football of the mid 1950’s to early 1960’s. Please help us if you have any recollections, stories or tales of those years. You may have to ask your own Dad’s and Grandad’s to see what they can recall. Any photos will also be very welcome.

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I used to watch the Bedlington Mechanics Play when they played at Millne Park, they where defenitly there in the fifties but I remember watching them play a cup game against Ashington and I was still at school then. I left school in 1961. The cup game against Ashington was played at the Station Park next to the Grammer school, so they had moved from Millne Park by that date. The reason I remeber that game so well was becasuse one of the teachers at school was from Ashington and I remember telling him that Bedlington would win it easily, sadly Ashington won. I think one of the players was called heslop who was a local lad. Bedlington had a big centre half at that time his name was Bob Fulbeck but I do not think he was a Bedlington lad. Bedlington Mechanics also played Blackpool Mechanics in a pre season friendly this was somtime in the fifties can't remeber what year but I remeber watching it.

I thought 'The Head Cheese' created the moon! That is who I bought my lunar plot off.

Dear Bedligtonians at Home or in Exile, I am making enqires about Davy Job a best mate a long time ago, great memory's Hope Davy's well, can anybody inform me? We had a Community Spirit in the day's of pit's parental main employer locally all community where involved in the mining industery at that time. Good to see and hear from John Fox as a Bedlington Citizen and past association.Keep well John. Yours in the Spirit of Cooperation Malcolm G Allan Glastonbury Somerset.