Chelsea v Bolton W 1957 picture

Can anyone name the Bolton player who's paddling?


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Before my time but I reckon it's Brian Birch. He was a midfielder and played for us for a number of years.

No Reebok Trotter, this lad was an Inside Forward.

Copper Dragon wrote:No Reebok Trotter, this lad was an Inside Forward.

In that case it has to be Dennis Stevens.

Wrong inside forward Reebok Trotter try t'other one.

He died quite recently.

Was it Ralph Gubbins ? I always thought his hair was fairer than in the photo.

Yes Ralph Gubbins (what a brilliant name that is ).


I believe that he scored both goals against Blackburn which sent you to Wembley and you won the FA Cup.

Can you imagine David Ngog playing on a pitch in that state?

Oh yes here he is beating Blackburn.........


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Copper Dragon wrote:Yes Ralph Gubbins (what a brilliant name that is ).


I believe that he scored both goals against Blackburn which sent you to Wembley and you won the FA Cup.

Can you imagine David Ngog playing on a pitch in that state?

It was a bit like that at Peterborough this season. Speaking of Dennis Stevens, he died just before Christmas and he was about the same age as Ralph Gubbins. I'm sure I read somewhere that Dennis Stevens and Duncan Edwards were cousins but they didn't get on.

I was looking at the article that photo came from today and actually saved that photo for further use as well. Wise minds and all that.

Very difficult to say but I think it's Ralph.

The other three nearest are, from the left, Dennis Stevens, Ray Parry and Dougie Holden (I think).

Brian Birch was a right-winger. As in, Birch, Stevens, Lofthouse, Parry, Holden. The '58' final forward line.

I started going to Wanderers matches with my dad the following year by which time it was in colour.

wanderlust wrote:I started going to Wanderers matches with my dad the following year by which time it was in colour.

The mud was in colour?