The club have been contacted by the grandaughter of former goalkeeper Mark Radcliffe who sadly passed away on 9th March aged 93.
As Chad is away has anyone got information on Mark’s career that I can use as a programme piece please?
Direct replies to programme@wittonalbion.com
J
Really sad to read this post.
What a lovely guy Mark was…one of the nicest people you could ever meet.
RIP Mark xxxx
There may be some info in the museum?
I’ll be down tonight so ill bring the keys and it will be open on Saturday. I’ll see what I can find.
Sent you a PM Jamie
Over the years I have heard from a number of Wittoners stories of Mark and just how good he was. My dad very often told me stories about the great Witton teams that Mark was a part of. I came across him on a personal level when I was attending the Oakmere Rehabilitation Centre and Mark attended hydrotherapy sessions there, we spent a lot of time talking about our great club and in fact, one day he showed me a scrapbook that he had compiled of old newspaper cuttings. A very knowledgeable person and a very nice gentleman who’s company it was a pleasure to be in.
R.I.P. Mark.
Mark’s playing days were just before my time but I was told that he was an integral custodian in Wittons finest teams . I remember him becoming the clubs first manager in 1961 and winning the CSC at Crewe 2-1 in a replay against Hyde Utd with the great Gerry Duffy scoring both goals. Always a cheerful and very approachable gentleman. RIP.
Very sad news, a great Wittoner and a real nice bloke. My condolences to Mark’s family.
My Dad always spoke of Mark as the Greatest keeper he ever saw. I remember attending a game at the Central Ground and a ball was kicked out of play only to be caught by a tall fella in the ‘Grandad’ stand, it got the biggest cheer of the day, I asked my Dad why they were all cheering and thats when he told me it was Mark and about how good he was. Condolences to all Marks family.
Mark always used to show me the scrap book referred to in Wheels post and I have tonight been looking at several other newspaper cut outs that he gave me many years ago. I lived next door to Mark in Hartford and he was a very close family friend for the vast majority of my life. The cut outs mention Marks time at Oldham but mainly centre on his time at Witton when he was the keeper in, what many wittoners say, was the greatest witton team there has ever been. On all the photos are Mark, Ashley, Fidler, Chew, Schofield etc, before my time but what I woud have done to have seen that side. I’m happy to bring them down on saturday, they are from the era when several thousand would be at the northwich derby and winning the Cheshire League and Cup was commonplace for the Albs. He also played for Hyde United and quite famously Fulham, maybe it is just me but it seemed like he used to enjoy talking about his days at witton the most though.
Along with my Dad, Mark was the person that got me hooked as a Wittoner. He scouted for the club in his later years with his mate Jeff. I used to rush home from school in midweek as they took me everywhere, places like Fleetwood, Bangor and Rhyl when we were in the same league. Mark always used to tell me storys about my great grandad, Chris Johnson, who was wittons physio when he played, they became great friends. Mark and his wife Jean used to come down and watch me play in my youth, to say I was in awe of someone like that watching me is an understatement.
Although it is quite clear he was good enough I can’t imagine him being a footballer these days. He didn’t like the diving and cheating that goes on, his time was when it was a tough but fair game. He would never be one for driving round in a supercar either (he loved his white skoda too much!).
For those that didn’t know Mark, the description that immediately springs to mind is “a Gentle Giant” of a man. Tough as an old boot but the nicest, most generous person you could ever wish to meet. I feel extremely privileged that I spent so much time with him and will miss him deeply. RIP Mark x
Fantastic words Paul S.
He sounds like a great bloke, RIP to another Albion great.
mark was before my time as a wittoner, but my dad spoke of him all the time, saying he was the best goalkeeper he ever saw. my condolances to all the family.
The funeral is being held on Monday 25th March 2013 at St Johns Church, School Lane, Hartford CW8 1NP at 1pm and the internment is taking place after the service at Witton Church in Northwich.