TORQUAY V FULHAM 1ST MAY 1946 PHIL JOSLIN BENEFIT

It's remarkable to think Phil Joslin actually had a testimonial in 1946. Not ordinarily so because it was fully ten years since Joslin had made his Torquay United debut as a teenager. But, owing to the war, there had been a long interruption to his Torquay United career. Granting him a testimonial at this time may have remained a contractual obligation. It may simply have been a fine thing to do. And, of course, it would have kept an important player in a happy frame of mind. Phil Joslin would play for the club for another two seasons before joining Cardiff.

Small print. Is that former goalkeeper Laurie Milsom running the line? (not sure about the spelling of the surname). That must be Lew Tapp, another ex-player, doing the building repairs. The initials fit.

A forthcoming match against the Civil Service. I assume that world be a touring team from London. It may even be the club which dates back to 1863 and the early days of the Football Association.

Silk and Carless did not play - their places taken by Walker of Exeter and Philbin of Brighton.

Philbin had played for Torquay before the war and his daughter married Paul Compton.

www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/football/337144/Jack-Compton-out-for-a-ton-of-fun

The other guest Ebdon had scored loads of goals for us playing alongside the great Albert Clarke in 1939/40 and would sign for us properly in 1948.

Just a couple of points of interest:

1. Noted that 8 of the 11 starters also played 3 days later in the Devon Bowl Final at Exeter, the other 3 guesting for us, which was quite common during the war years.

2. The Devon Bowl Final at Exeter was the same date as the Home game against Civil Service, so presumably we played a second eleven ?

3. Final point, there was some great surnames in those days, 'Keeton' was probably nicknamed 'Buster' and 'Head', well, let's not go there. In the Exeter Devon Bowl programme, they had a 'Gadsby' who was presumably Great, a 'Haddock' who was no doubt a slippery customer, and a 'Cutting' who was probably nicknamed Grass. They also had a 'Blood'. Transfusion, I guess is too long a nickname.