Derek Manning

[Les1949]

Jim Buck has told me that a player from our time in the South West Middlesex League, Derek Manning, has passed away at the age of 99.

Derek played for the club between 1952/53 and 1956/57, regularly at centre-back, wearing the No 5 shirt. Derek was in the team that won the League's Victory Cup on 30/04/1954 (beating Heston, 3-2), and losing out to Hanworth in the Victory Cup Final on 24/04/1957 (1-3).

Coincidentally, yesterday's match day programme contained a team photograph taken at Hatherop during the 1956/57 season in which Derek can be seen standing at the back, third from the left.

Another of the old guard has picked up his boots and left the pitch.

[HamptonMad]

Lovely man Derek and a good footballer. He lived down East Bank rd in Hampton Hill. RIP Derek.

[RogerB]

Great memories of Derek playing centre-half on Hatherop Rec in the 1950’s. I didn’t realise he had lived to such a ripe old age. He must have been one of the last survivors from the teams of the 50’s. RIP

[Tony]

99 years is a great innings. Is there any player left from the pre 1959 period?

[RogerB]

Is there any player left from the pre 1959 period?

When I last spoke to Shirley at the Maidstone game last season, she said she was still in touch with Walter Lindsey who joined us from arch rivals Hanworth in the late 1950’s and carried on with us when we made the jump to Surrey Senior. Another to play for us at both levels was Jake Cooper and I wonder if he is still going strong.