Mannion's match v Blackpool

Redwurzel

Well-known member
I need to pick your brains :geek:

Wilf Mannion played in a home game against Blackpool in the 1930s. It was special match, because he was trying to impress his future wife (Bernadette?). He supposedly played out of his skin, running yards and yards with the ball without it touching the ground etc. It was mentioned in the TV documentary about him and may be in his biography. Could anyone give me ideally the date? or if not date, the season?

Many thanks
RW

Edit - Just found some online info - it may have been 1948
 
Last edited:
I need to pick your brains :geek:

Wilf Mannion played in a home game against Blackpool in the 1930s. It was special match, because he was trying to impress his future wife (Bernadette?). He supposedly played out of his skin, running yards and yards with the ball without it touching the ground etc. It was mentioned in the TV documentary about him and may be in his biography. Could anyone give me ideally the date? or if not date, the season?

Many thanks
RW

Edit - Just found some online info - it may have been 1948

Redwurzel- I've read about this a number of times. The attached is a good article covering it.


https://www.mfc.co.uk/news/boro-flashback-the-mannion-match
 
Cheers BoroinBuxton

That was helpful - it was November 1947 then,

I guessed the late 1930s and was wrong. It was after WW2.
 
Nah- I had a silver 3.0S when I was in my 20's though. Pretty sure Mrs Buxton would leave me if I bought another one. She wasn't a fan.... :)
 
That clip was part of a special BBC NE documentary on Wilf Mannion, made around 1978.

I love the little phrase about South Bank at the time - the most working class district of a working class town. It certainly was.
 
I need to pick your brains :geek:

Wilf Mannion played in a home game against Blackpool in the 1930s. It was special match, because he was trying to impress his future wife (Bernadette?). He supposedly played out of his skin, running yards and yards with the ball without it touching the ground etc. It was mentioned in the TV documentary about him and may be in his biography. Could anyone give me ideally the date? or if not date, the season?

Many thanks
RW

Edit - Just found some online info - it may have been 1948
 
Back in the day, maybe around 1968 to 1970 anyway, I attended Gordon Jones’s testimonial at Ayresome Park.
It may well have been one of Wilf Mannions very last testimonial games.
It wasn’t the main game, I can’t recall who Boro played ( think it was a mixture of first division old pals ) anyway, a team of oldies that included Johnny Spuhler, some other legends and a certain Brian Clough were in the warm up game.
I recall the fan’s being very excited when Wilfy got the ball and I think they all scored that night.
Score was probably 9 or 10 each !.
It was all about entertainment in those days.
And value for money.
 
My family moved around as my Dad worked for ICI. We moved to Blacpool in `1948 when I was 8. I did not go to watch Blackpool play much until the 50's but those were great days for them then. Matthews, Mortenson, Ernie Taylor, Harry Johnston, etc. I saw Mannion play in April 1954 at Blacpool, He retired I think at the end of that season, in which I think Boro' may have been relegated. Sadly the game was a not very memorable o-o draw, but at least I saw him live, even if past his best,
 
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