...nice story, Evo. Yes, I captured him on the ‘Wirral’ intake and was only thinking myself that he was one of the first ‘elite’ footballers taken to Lilleshall by the FA. Quite controversial at the time because they were living away from home.
Those top players do tend to be good at all sports, somebody mentioned similar about Ronnie Goodlass at John Hamilton High School. I think it’s a mix of athletic genes and really good co-ordination that sets them apart.
Yes I read that about Ronnie goodlass w interest. John was a brilliant school cricketer and rugby player. I would have said better at those sports than football so Lilleshall was a big surprise - it was first intake.
it was controversial at school at the time too. The year before John went to lilleshall any kind of football was banned in the playground. Quickly this meant playground football was played with tennis balls and when they were quickly banned we played with wiffle balls (tennis ball sized w air flowing thru). Johns year and my year produced more professional / international football and rugby players than any years ever at the school. I partly put my rugby and football (didn’t go pro when offered but chose rugby) career down to footwork and movement to control a wiffle ball at speed aged 12.