|
|
Post by fluffybunnyuk on Jun 27, 2018 1:00:19 GMT
Hi, I'm trying to find out about a guy named John Curtis. I understand he won the south devon league and herald cup with Kingsteignton Athletic. Found a couple of photos of the triple cup winning side but not much else. Heard he also played for United at Plainmoor 1939 and after the war probably as an amateur pre-war.
Any advice or help with where to look or who to talk to, or if you have anything would be appreciated.
|
|
Jon
Admin 
Posts: 6,912
|
Post by Jon on Jun 28, 2018 23:00:32 GMT
I can tell you that Curtis played and scored in the first match at Plainmoor after the outbreak of WW2. Torquay United Amateurs 3 Babbacombe Corinthians 1 16 September 1939 I find this period of football history fascinating and fortunately the BNA has copies of the Herald Express from 1939: www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/search/results?retrievecountrycounts=false&newspapertitle=torbay%20express%20and%20south%20devon%20echo&sortorder=dayearlyIt is amazing that football clubs carried on as if nothing was happening in the close season of 1939 - preparing for a season that had next to no chance of being completed with World War inevitable. United manager Alf Steward arranged two amateur pre-season trial games at Plainmoor in addition to the two traditional professional trial games. United had a squad of 24 pros, so would mostly play an all-professional reserve team in the Southern League (including first teams of the likes of Gillingham, Colchester and Yeovil). But Steward wanted to have a look at some local players who could plug any gaps in the Southern League team caused by injuries and also provide a pathway to professionalism for local stars. Phil Joslin - from Kingsteignton - was already pulling in the scouts. Kingsteignton at this time were playing in the Exeter and District League alongside now Southern League clubs Tiverton, Bideford and Barnstaple. Curtis was selected for both the Plaunmoor amateur trial games. United's league season kicked off on August 26. The reserves were able to pick 11 pros. A week later (September 2), Kingsteignton kicked off their season against Barnstaple with Curtis in the team. The next day war was declared. No football on September 9, but United cobbled together a team of professionals, guests and amateurs to travel to Home Park on September 16. In addition, a team of amateurs was put together to play Babbacombe Corinthians at Plainmoor with J.Curtis at outside left. United's first team would go on to play in the eight-team South West Regional League. The amateur team competed in the Torquay and District Emergency League. Curtis actually played against United at Plainmoor in this league for Stoke United - that is Stokeinteignhead rather than Stoke Gabriel. |
|
|
|
Post by fluffybunnyuk on Jun 29, 2018 17:30:21 GMT
Thanks for that. Great information. I suspected as much. Its a shame, he was 17 at the time, and a promising youth player. Then war broke out... I understand he played for army sides during the war, theres even one story of his CO having a plane fly a football in for them from england! After the war, he was 24, and his chances of making it were probably over, and spent the rest of his career as I understand it leading the line with Kingsteignton Athletic, in their prodigious side well into the 1950s.
|
|
