The Central League

[Carwin261]

Oh to go back to the good old days of the Central League ,what a team we could field,get back to having 10,000 crowds on reserve games.

[ClaretTony]

Was really good back in the 1960s/70s when we played Saturday afternoon and all the big northern teams were in it.

If were in it now, we'd be in a league with Barrow, Blackpool, Bolton, Preston, Salford and Wrexham.

[FCBurnley]

And waiting for the first team half time score to go up on the old score board on the bee hole end and then on the ‘new’ scoreboards pitch side

[Petersa]

Cut my Turf Moor teeth watching Central League in the early 60s like quite a few others.
Furnell Fenton Marshall Buxton the 2 Willies, Morgan and Irvine, could go on and on.
Never understand why today 'reserves' rarely play football, goalkeepers just train and sit on the bench. Lindegard, Legzdins, Norris, even BPF and I suspect Vigeroux will be next, hardly a game at any level between them

[RammyClaret61]

Loved the central league in the 70’s. I wasn’t allowed to go to away games, to young. But I was allowed to go to Turf Moor with my mate for reserves games. Bus from Ramsbottom, 264 I think, Bolton to Burnley bus. Then got to stand, we’ll run around the Longside. It was all like a big adventure for us. We’d be 10 to 14 years old. I was allowed to go to away games at 15.

[TheOriginalLongsider]

I remember going on the alongside for a few reserve games then it went to the Bob Lord stand only. Some of the teams such as Liverpool always brought some big name players like Alan Hansen and Emlyn Hughes. Looked forward to getting the team sheet (2p ?) from the club shop to see who was playing. Season ticket holders went on free so there were always free tickets available for kids

[Carwin261]

Cut my Turf Moor teeth watching Central League in the early 60s like quite a few others.
Furnell Fenton Marshall Buxton the 2 Willies, Morgan and Irvine, could go on and on.
Never understand why today 'reserves' rarely play football, goalkeepers just train and sit on the bench. Lindegard, Legzdins, Norris, even BPF and I suspect Vigeroux will be next, hardly a game at any level between them

One of the more memorable games was when we played Utd ,and Colin Blant ran amok,if my memory serves me right ,Gregg ,and Cantwell were playing,and I’m sure they both got sent off,and a couple of City matches when Corrigan played ,let 6 in for the 1st team,and 6 for the stiffs,the announcer used to do scores updates ,and Wolves putting 6 past us ,and the rumour going round the ground was that Blacklaw had broken his leg,happy days.

[lancastrian]

Those were the days. In the late forties and early fifties if you were so inclined you could stand behind the goals at the BeeHole end for the first half and then move to the cricket field stand for the second half.

[Jimscho]

Loved the central league in the 70’s. I wasn’t allowed to go to away games, to young. But I was allowed to go to Turf Moor with my mate for reserves games. Bus from Ramsbottom, 264 I think, Bolton to Burnley bus. Then got to stand, we’ll run around the Longside. It was all like a big adventure for us. We’d be 10 to 14 years old. I was allowed to go to away games at 15.

I used to catch the 236 Bolton to Burnley bus late 60s early 70s.It went through Lumb and Water.I was born in Lumb and worked at Barclays Rammy early 70s.

[Jimscho]

I alsho meant to say I rarely missed a Central league game.

[RammyClaret61]

I used to catch the 236 Bolton to Burnley bus late 60s early 70s.It went through Lumb and Water.I was born in Lumb and worked at Barclays Rammy early 70s.

236, that’s the one.

Barclays. Did you know Sheila?

[A.Claret.Fan]

My first game was with my mum on the longside. It was Chelsea reserves...

I spent most of the time swingin on the green metal rests/barriers and running up and down the steps.

Must have been 8 or 9.

[bfcjg]

Used to be a good day if you didn't go to the away game, you always knew the first team score.

[ClaretTony]

Cut my Turf Moor teeth watching Central League in the early 60s like quite a few others.

It was like an apprenticeship to see whether you liked going. I was allowed to go to reserve games for a while before the first team.

[Tricky Trevor]

I loved the reserve games a major plus was seeing quality players coming back from injury or past their best players coaching on the field and still having enough class for the level.
Because it was run alongside first team matches it felt like a league, you checked the tables. Now with the age group games I don’t give a toss. Just check the reports to see if we have anybody decent coming through.

[thehistorylecturer63]

My first game was with my mum on the longside. It was Chelsea reserves...

I spent most of the time swingin on the green metal rests/barriers and running up and down the steps.

Must have been 8 or 9.

Chelsea Reserves played in the Football Combination with the other Southern clubs

[ClaretTony]

Definitely no southern clubs in the Central League.

Midlands was interesting, we played Villa, West Brom and Wolves but not Birmingham, they were in the Football Combination.

[houseboy]

I recall going to a few reserve games in the late 60s early 70s. I had a season ticket then and seem to think reserve games were free for season ticket holders. Is my memory correct?

[thehistorylecturer63]

Yes one or two moved over the years same with the Northern Intermediate League which was originally mainly Yorkshire and the North East

[thehistorylecturer63]

I recall going to a few reserve games in the late 60s early 70s. I had a season ticket then and seem to think reserve games were free for season ticket holders. Is my memory correct?

Yes

[ClaretTony]

Teams I can recall us playing were

Everton
Liverpool
Man City
Man Utd
Blackburn
Blackpool
Bolton
Bury
Preston
Newcastle
Aston Villa
West Brom
Wolves
Chesterfield
Barnsley
Nottingham Forest
Derby
Stoke

not so sure on the Yorkshire clubs but I think Huddersfield and the two Sheffields might have been in.

[sjb]

We won the Central League 3 times, including in successive seasons in the early 60s. Interestingly the current champions in its much reduced form are Accrington Stanley. I seem to recall Coventry & Nottingham Forest joining the League in about 1967, replacing Chesterfield & Barnsley.

[sjb]

Teams I can recall us playing were

Everton
Liverpool
Man City
Man Utd
Blackburn
Blackpool
Bolton
Bury
Preston
Newcastle
Aston Villa
West Brom
Wolves
Chesterfield
Barnsley
Nottingham Forest
Derby
Stoke

not so sure on the Yorkshire clubs but I think Huddersfield and the two Sheffields might have been in.

Huddersfield & the 2 Sheffields were in, and so were Leeds & Coventry

[ClaretTony]

Huddersfield & the 2 Sheffields were in, and so were Leeds & Coventry

I'd just let Coventry slip my mind but I thought the others were. For some reason I can't recall Leeds being in.

[sjb]

I'd just let Coventry slip my mind but I thought the others were. For some reason I can't recall Leeds being in.

Yes, Coventry were late entrants in about 1967, along with Forest.

[ClaretTony]

Yes, Coventry were late entrants in about 1967, along with Forest.

It's strange how you can remember playing some teams, and Coventry I do, but not others.

[sjb]

I collect Reserve teamsheets and it's fascinating to look through the ones from the 1960s & 70s in particular.

[thehistorylecturer63]

Sunderland arrived from the NIL at some point after the Central League went to two divisions … Middlesbrough too

[ClaretTony]

I collect Reserve teamsheets and it's fascinating to look through the ones from the 1960s & 70s in particular.

Green team sheets at Burnley

I have one somewhere for Villa away and it was a proper programme

[Carwin261]

When I posted this I remember what my mate said “Old folk either reminisce or smell of p_ss,glad you lot are the latter,one of my earlier recollections of the Stiffs were these players,Gaskell in goal ,Buxton,Price,White ,Simpson,Payton,Towers ,Meredith,Harry Thomson,Blacklaw ,Blant,Holden,Latcham,Joyce,Freddie Smith,and many more.

[ClaretTony]

One player I never saw in the first team but saw playing in goal for the reserves trying to make a comeback was Colin McDonald.

[sjb]

Green team sheets at Burnley

I have one somewhere for Villa away and it was a proper programme

Green up to 1970 then pink card for a season then just black & white A4 sheets. Up to 1958 Burnley did a full programme. You're right about Villa in the 60s, other clubs who did full or 4 page issues were Man Utd & Newcastle.

[sjb]

Sunderland arrived from the NIL at some point after the Central League went to two divisions … Middlesbrough too

Other teams who have also competed in it at various times in its different guises include Lincoln, Hull, Shrewsbury, Doncaster, Scunthorpe, Rochdale, Notts County, Port Vale, Tranmere, Walsall, Wrexham, Leicester, Morecambe, Mansfield & Wigan.

[Tricky Trevor]

A reserves programme from 4-4-53 and I was born 11 days later. Full programme but no managers notes. First team were at Aston Villa.
Cover

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Line-ups

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[thehistorylecturer63]

https://fchd.info/lghist/cent.htm

[sandy richardson]

Anyone remember Brian Kettle of Liverpool, who must have played more Central League games than anyone?

Just looked him up, and was at Liverpool 1973-80 but only played four first-team games.

[Quicknick]

I didn't go to too many Central League matches - a few in the '60s and more in the mid-'70s because I had a season ticket - but it was a really high standard. Some players made careers as Central League players as sandy richardson, above, suggests.

[Carwin261]

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Anyone remember Brian Kettle of Liverpool, who must have played more Central League games than anyone?

Just looked him up, and was at Liverpool 1973-80 but only played four first-team games.

Don’t know if anyone knows how many reserve games Mick Buxton played ,he had very few 1st team appearances,seem to think he broke his leg either 2 or 3 times whilst with Burnley

[Sozturf7]

Like many of the old ones on here remember being taken on in the 50's by my Dad. When I'd stopped swinging on the crush barriers and started to take an interest in the matches he started to take me on the first team matches, hooked then.

[sandy richardson]

Would there be any records of Central League appearances?

Carwin261--do you read Backpass magazine? Mick Buxton is mentioned in the current issue in an article on Martin Tyler.

[Carwin261]

Would there be any records of Central League appearances?

Carwin261--do you read Backpass magazine? Mick Buxton is mentioned in the current issue in an article on Martin Tyler.

Sorry I don’t ,always fancied him back at The Turf when we were in the lower leagues did a good job with little money.

[Jimscho]

236, that’s the one.

Barclays. Did you know Sheila?

Worked with Sheila,her mother had shop in Shuttleworth.