Throwback Thursday - Feedback (13/02/2016)

Phil Tranter has been back in touch following this week's "Throwback Thursday" article. He kindly observes:-

"Great article. You've managed to supplement my pics with some great archive info.

FYI the R Bonehill referred to in the senior results was Ron Bonehill. I seem to recall that Ron was encouraged to join the club (with his son who was the same age as me) by his then work colleague - the sadly missed Bryan Clifton. Ron was a real character and became a bit of a "pied piper" character on training runs (assisting the main coach for us at that time the great Bert Harbach).

The "M" / Mike Tranter is my old man.

It's great to see that the club is growing from the 'bottom up' again care of the great work that Dave Payne (and others) are doing.

If you analyse the pictures I've sent through I was probably the "foreigner" as I lived in Wolves! (encouraged to join the club by Bud and Pete Blackburn who were teaching there at the time) but the majority of the young athletes at the club at the time all came from four local schools:

Tividale - Lee Wooldridge, Neil Hardy, Ian Willets, Gary Clifton (Bryan's son), Ian White, Pete Evans

Willingsworth - 100 yards from the club - Pete Evans, Billy Evans, Darren Tibbs

Coseley - Phil Carpenter, Nicky Fletcher.

Wodensborough in Wednesbury - Steve Hall, Kev Stevenson and others. Steve Walton taught there and did same role as Bud and Pete in bringing many athletes to the club.

All of the above, and I have probably missed off others, were my age +/- 1 year.

All this created great atmosphere not only in the junior ranks but also encouraged (or forced in some cases!) parents to become involved hence the great social scene at the club at this time.

Thanks again, keep up the good work!