Just a thought the other day how many international players have Albion had over the years? Either players who represented their country before coming to Witton or after leaving?
I can only think of these:
Chris Nicoll - N Ireland
Bobby Johnstone - Scotland
Dennis Violett - England
Alan McNeil - N Ireland
Arthur Albiston - Scotland
Anyone got anymore? And also be interesting to know if a Witton player has ever gained full international honours whilst still playing for us? Maybe Chad can enlighten me with that one.
Here’s one and Chad will remember him! Ronnie Hewitt (Wales). He came overweight and past it in the early sixties and only played a few games before leaving as he never quite hit the mark. Keith Higgins might remember him as they played in the same team I think. David Anane was a lad from Ghana not sure if he played for them!! I think he must be the only player that other people have scored off!! Em!! sorry!!
As I’m sure Nick is referring to Full Internationals then I’ve come up with just the following seven:-
Stan Ackerley (Witton 65-66) - 28 Australia inc 2 World Cup campaigns.
Arthur Albiston (95-96) - 14 Scotland
Ron Hewitt (65-66) - 5 Wales
Billy Matthews (32-33) - 3 Wales
Chris Nicholl (66-68) - 51 Northern Ireland
Dennis Violett (68-69) - 2 England
Fred Worrall (26-27) - 2 England
Bobby Johnstone( 17 Scotland) only played pre-season in 1965 before retiring. Peter Barnes, ermm Eli, only came down with his dad - nice try.
Players such as Alan McNeill, Grenville Millington, Tommy Aiken only represented their countries at Amateur level.
In reality - if we look at other caps - then Ryan Baker for England Futsal has been the last. Whilst playing for Witton Colin Rose won semi-pro England honours and before him John Davison, David Constantine and Andy Lee retained their England places whilst playing for the Albion. Of course loads of others who played for us won semi-pro caps (eg John Rogers, Barry Howard and Jon Kennedy) but not when they were with us. Kevin Towey wore the England shirt the other year when the Mid-Cheshire League represented England also.
Hope you are suitably enlightened, back now to what I was supposed to be doing this afternoon - my bits for the Hednesford programme.
Chad, you are without doubt "the font of all knowledge" and it was me, not Eli, that suggested Peter Barnes. So he was never actually signed by us then? I’m sure he played - were they just friendlies?
Cheers Eddie & Nick. It was his brother Keith Barnes that played, as far as I’m aware Ken did bring a young Peter down on training nights but I doubt whether he played in a friendly as he’d signed for Man City when he was 17