Throwback Thursday (28/01/2016)

The recent Staffordshire XC Championships caused one time Tipton Harrier Phil Tranter to delve into his own archives and he came up with the following interesting image.

Tipton - Staffs 1985 Tranter 20160109 202017 Edited

The image has considerable Tipton relevance as Phil explains:-

"Having been a member of Tipton from the age of 11 in 1977 to late '85 when I left to join Birchfield for the next 9 years I still dip into the website regularly and I was intrigued to see the reports/results of the Staffs XC Champs promoted by the club two weeks ago. This inspired me to dig out this photo of the combined Senior and Junior Men's Staffs XC Champs held at Wolverhampton 30 years ago in 1985! and then to delve into my garage to find the official results in my collection of old AW's. I thought you may be interested in publishing on the website."

He adds details of the runners as follows:-

"Left to right:

Andy Wilton - Staffs Moorlands - 1st Sen. Obviously Andy went on to join Tipton in later years.
Kenny Baker - Cannock - former AAA Junior Steeplechase champion
Carl Udall - Burton - 6th and 1st Jun
Neil Appleby - Birchfield - 3rd Sen
Phil Tranter (me) - Tipton - 7th and 2nd Jun - I think this was my last year at Tipton before moving to Birchfield as a senior
Simon Alexander - Tipton - went on to join Stretford when he was at Uni in Manchester
Steve Willimott - Cannock
Bob Westwood - Tipton - 2nd

Spectators are Ron Bentley and "Big Pete" Evans"

Phil promises to dig out some more photographs over the coming weeks. Thank you Phil we look forward to them coming through.

If you have any photographic memories or stories of the Harriers please send them through to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

For the record the above race was held in 1985 at Wolverhampton on January 5th. The top 10 placings and other selected Tipton Senior placings were as follows:-

Pos Name Club Time
1 Andy Wilton Staffordshire Moorlands 28m 08s
2 Bob Westwood Tipton Harriers 28m 36s
3 Neil Appleby Birchfield Harriers 28m 49s
4 P Bowler Staffordshire Moorlands 29m 16s
5 M Tunstall Cannock A.C. 29m 18s
6 K Baker Cannock A.C. 29m 44s
7 D Griffin Stafford A.C. 29m 46s
8 A Adams Staffordshire Moorlands 29m 48s
9 Paul Cadman Wolverhampton & Bilston 29m 51s
10 P Orton Burton A.C. 29m 56s
       
14 Derek Donaghy Tipton Harriers 30m 18s
15 Alan Grice Tipton Harriers 30m 19s
17 Doug Fownes Tipton Harriers 30m 27s
18 T Boss Tipton Harriers 30m 33s
19 Keith Atkins Tipton Harriers 30m 47s
20 W Boss Tipton Harriers 30m 54s
22 R Young Tipton Harriers 31m 06s
24 John Wagstaff Tipton Harriers 31m 10s
25 Ian Wilde Tipton Harriers 31m 16s

Tipton won the Senior team contest with 86pts from Staffs Moorlands 124 & Wolves & Bilston 208. Doug Fownes won the Vets championship with B Lloyd 4th, Colin Hunt 5th and Graham Smith 6th. Paul Cadman also went on to have a spell with Tipton as well. Good to see Alan Grice's name again as we recently looked back on some of his performances as a Boy. We also think Derek Donaghy may still be competing in the local ParkRun events.

Phil Tranter was 2nd in the Junior well backed up by the following:-

Pos Name Club Time
1 Carl Udall Burton A.C. 29m 22s
2 Phil Tranter Tipton Harriers 29m 32s
3 P Trott Cannock A.C. 30m 14s
4 M Duckett Tipton Harriers 30m 37s
5 Simon Alexander Tipton Harriers 30m 38s
6 P Evans Tipton Harriers 30m 43s
7 W Evans Tipton Harriers 30m 44s

Tipton won the Junior team award and were 3rd in the Youths.

In looking in our own records we also find that in the Colts race a certain "D Hill" was 18th. Dean is still competing now 30 years on. He was joined by A Walton (18th) & J Richards (44th).

For the Youths the athletes we have details of were :- D Flavell (13th), A Riley (15th), J Sheppard (16th),  S Guy (33rd) & C Wright (34th).

In the Boys it was :- S Patel (11th), M Wall (12th), M Sharman (18th), J Bryan (47th) & T Freeman (51st).