John Richardson (Burnley Cricket Club) - RIP

[ClaretTony]

I know there are a lot of Lancashire League cricket followers on here. I heard this sad news last night that John Richardson, who was the Burnley wicket keeper when I first started watching, has passed away. I'm not sure how old Richie was but he made his debut in 1958 so is going to have been in his 80s I would think. At times a bit outspoken but a genuine bloke who I certainly had a lot of time for.

RIP Richie.

[FCBurnley]

Never knew him personally but watched him play a lot. Very good keeper RIP John

[Claret Till I Die]

I used to work with John at the council quite a few years ago. Great bloke with a hell of a sense of humour.

RIP Richie

[ClaretTony]

I used to work with John at the council quite a few years ago. Great bloke with a hell of a sense of humour.

RIP Richie

He very definitely had a sense of humour

[Bfc]

John was not a man to mince his words, especially being a flagger for the towns highways dept.
After the West Indian fast bowler Charlie Griffiths signed on as pro at Burnley CC, he arrived at the ground with his suitcase and was met by a party at the bottom of the stairs. He turned to John, who was about a foot shorter in height and asked him to carry his case upstairs for him. The reply he gave Griffith’s would’ve seen him get banned in this day and age.

[Foulthrow]

David Lloyd did quite a bit on Charlie Griffiths today in his commentary. Talked in some detail about his unbelievable record as Burnley CC.

[ClaretTony]

David Lloyd did quite a bit on Charlie Griffiths today in his commentary. Talked in some detail about his unbelievable record as Burnley CC.

Bumble had it right - Griffith (or Sir Charles Christopher Griffith to give him his full name now) took a total of 144 league wickets in 1964. As a 12 year old I thought it was fantastic watching Burnley win games so easily all year but when I look back now it must have been frightening for some of those amateur batsmen who went in to bat with no protection other than a bat and the old pink box which Bumble always said could later be used as a soap holder.

Lovely man off the field and two years later in 1966, he spotted me and my mate at the England v West Indies test match at Headingley and took us into the dressing room. He also taught me how to bowl a bit of leg spin, something which I can say with some confidence that I never mastered.

Back to Charlie, he took 144 wickets in the league that season for 750 runs. Jack Schofield played for Burnley then and he still tells the tale of how he and Griffith took 175 wickets between them.

For a 12-year-old I was in awe of this huge man who most weeks had me going home early because we'd bowled teams out so easily but I don't think I'd have ever wanted to be stood 22 yards away when he was delivering that ball.

Richie once told me that he was easy to keep wicket to, you just stood a long, long way back.

[Foulthrow]

Great stuff CT.

[Bfc]

He used to lodge in Burnley Wood, on Smalley St, off Huffling Lane, while playing for Burnley CC.

[Juan Tanamera]

I worked with John 40+ years ago at Loveclough printworks.
He was a lovable rogue to say the least.

[Targetman]

I worked with John 40+ years ago at Loveclough printworks.
He was a lovable rogue to say the least.

If my memory serves me right I believe he was a shift manager there during the 1970's.

[Juan Tanamera]

He was, but when I started in '75 he was already the manager above the two shift managers.

[longsidetrumpet]

He used to lodge in Burnley Wood, on Smalley St, off Huffling Lane, while playing for Burnley CC.

Think it was actually no 6 Stoney Street, which runs parallel to Hufling Lane. It was next door to my uncle’s, Mrs Hesketh if I remember rightly. Before, she had Jimmy Mac and Alex Elder as lodgers

[Staniola]

My Dad played in the same Burnley team as John “Richie” and Charlie Griffith. A very strong team in the 60’s. Names I can remember are Richie, Derek Riley, Derek Chadwick, Jack Schofield, Bobby Entwistle, Bernard Lavin and a Young Roland Harrison. Richie came to my Dad’s funeral in 2013, a real character with a twinkle in his eye and a good bloke. R.I.P. John

[ClaretTony]

My Dad played in the same Burnley team as John “Richie” and Charlie Griffith. A very strong team in the 60’s. Names I can remember are Richie, Derek Riley, Derek Chadwick, Jack Schofield, Bobby Entwistle, Bernard Lavin and a Young Roland Harrison. Richie came to my Dad’s funeral in 2013, a real character with a twinkle in his eye and a good bloke. R.I.P. John

Bob Entwistle, another who sadly left us not too long ago, wouldn't have played with Charlie. By then he'd gone to Lancs. But the others you name would have done along with such as Keith Williams (wasn't at Burnley for long but damn good cricketer) and Neil Whalley. Joe Fletcher too, and Joe wasn't very well last I heard. There'd also be John Cook who was a big mate of Jimmy Mac and came with him to our dinners. Possibly the Martindale brothers played then and I'm guessing from your username that your dad might have been Peter Stansfield.

Jack Schofield will be 87 or 88 now and he was still umpiring in the Ribblesdale League. I've known Jack for a long, long time. John Cook nearly killed me and Jack's son Paul coming back from Rishton one year. He gave us a lift back and we were sat in the back of his open top sports car. We flew over the hump in the road near Clayton and I'm still not sure how we didn't fly out of the car.

As for Richie, I once played against him in the local midweek league up Towneley. He was batting and I went up for a caught behind. He turned round and said it had come off his thigh but not to worry, if he did get a touch, he'd walk. True to his word, I caught him next over, he turned, said he touched it and walked. Top man and Burnley Cricket Club will definitely miss him.

[Staniola]

Yes you’re right about my Dad and the other names you mention are all familiar. He was friends with the Martindales and visited them in the W. Indies several times. Also Collie Smith who tragically died young. Ad to hear about Bob and Joe not being well - they were with Richie at Dad’s funeral.