Nostalgia in full bloom again posted by Tony Hutton

My fellow blogger, John Winn, is well aware that any remark he makes is likely to set me off down the long road of sporting nostalgia. Last week, following his very interesting story of Lancashire's opening pair of Dyson and Wharton being the only two batsman to occupy the crease in the whole match with Leicester in July 1956, I sent him an e-mail on an unrelated matter.
Before he opened it, he assumed that I would be telling him that I was there on that famous occasion at Old Trafford. Sadly, for once, he got it wrong. I was living in the Midlands at the time and did not get to Old Trafford until the Roses match of 1980. Of course I could not let the matter rest and wondered where I was on 17th July 1956. My extensive archives revealed that I was in fact serving in the RAF on National Service and had just completed three months training at RAF Credenhill, Hereford. On the day in question I was spending a few days at RAF Innsworth, Gloucester prior to flying out for 18 months in Gibraltar.
As it happened on the Saturday I was watching Gloucestershire play Middlesex at Tuffley Avenue, Gloucester. The home side were bowled out for only 69, with J.J. Warr taking 6-33. Then Middlesex piled up a big score with Jack Robertson scoring a century. On the Sunday, which was a rest day in county cricket, I saw a benefit game between the Gloucester Aircraft Company and the Gloucester county side. Tom Graveney scored 61 and Sam Cook took 6-15.The following day I probably flew to Gibraltar.
I could not leave it there as Dyson had played in the FA cup final during May 1956. I had seen the semi-final (at Villa Park) and final (at Wembley) the previous season, when Man City were beaten by Newcastle, but Dyson was not then in the team. In the 1950s I regularly saw a semi-final at Villa Park, so what happened in 1956. Further research revealed that Man City beat Spurs at Villa Park 1-0 on 17th March. However my records show I was not there, but watching Hereford United play Headington United (later Oxford United) in the Southern League!
Purely by chance I spotted in my record book that the previous Saturday 10.3.56 I had seen West Bromwich Albion loose 4-0 at home to Manchester City. Guess who scored the fourth goal - yes of course it was Jack Dyson!