May 14, 1968
A capacity crowd of 10,000 is expected at South Liverpool’s Holly Park ground tomorrow evening to watch the might Real Madrid stars Alfredo di Stefano and Benfica goalkeeper Costa Pereira oppose each other in a charity match.
The world wide reputations of these two internationals would be enough to add to the international and local flavour, South African Bill Perry, Scotsman Jackie Murdie and Irishman Noel Kelly are also playing.
Anfield and Goodison Park fans are likely to flock to the ground to see such former players as Alan Hampson, Jimmy Tansey, Dave Hickson, Tommy Jones, Albert Dunlop, Gordon Wallace and Les Shannon.
The game, Dave Hickson’s All Stars v Nat Lofthouse’s International XI is the fourth annual charity match in aid of the Bankfield House Development Programme.
The line-up will bring memories flooding back to the fans. In Nat Lofthouse’s team former Everton centre half Jimmy Tansey is at right back partnering ex-Liverpool, Tranmere and Bolton international Johnny Wheeler. In goal behind them is Pereira who played for Portugal in both their World Cup matches at Goodison Park.
Two former Manchester City stalwarts Ken Barnes and Dave Ewing who played together in the 1956 Cup Final when City beat Birmingham 3-1, are in the half-back line with former Everton player Alan Hampson at left half.
Nat Lofthouse leads the attack with Albert Quixall at inside left. Quixall held a transfer record fee in 1958 when Sheffield Wednesday sold him to Manchester United for £45,000
Many too, will remember Charlie Mitten the great Manchester United winger who got a cup winner’s medal when United beat Blackpool in 1948. He plays on the left wing and on the other flank is Don Ratcliffe, the former Stoke and Middlesbrough winger.
The eye-catcher in Dave Hickson’s team is di Stefano, the Spaniard who has enthralled millions with his wizardly both for his country and his club Real Madrid, in their victorious marches through Europe.
The left wing pair will bring memories of that great 1953 Cup Final because they are inside left Jackie Mudie and South African winger Bill Perry. Both collected winners’ after Blackpool’s dramatic 4-3 triumph over Bolton.
In fact, they are two of five players from that Final playing to-morrow.
The other three are in Lofthouse’s team – Wheeler, Bill Holden, and Lofthouse, himself all of whom played for Bolton.
Dave Hickson, captaining his side from inside right was among the most colourful of Merseyside’s stars during his days with Everton. Liverpool and Tranmere. Liverpool’s Gordon Wallace is on the right wing and Les Shannon, another Liverpool player, who went to Burnley before taking appointments at Everton and Arsenal, and is now manager with recently promoted Bury, plays at wing half.
Bill Slater, an England international while with Wolves and now director of physical education at Liverpool University is at right half and holds the unusual distinction of being one of only two amateurs to have played in a Cup Final since the war. That was with Blackpool in 1951. The other four players have all made names for themselves on Merseyside.
Tommy Jones, a former Everton centre half pulls on the No 5 shirt again and the full backs Noel Kelly, an Irish international, and Jackie Wright, once of Blackpool, have both been connected with Tranmere Rovers. Wright is now trainer at Prenton Park.
(Liverpool Echo: May 14, 1968)
"Play Up, Liverpool" 