Jon
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Post by Jon on Jun 6, 2014 21:59:55 GMT
In the close season of 1939, Torquay United signed three young men from Charlton Athletic. Ralph Calland would go on to play 223 first-team games,scoring 14 goals. Jack Conley would go on to play 171 first-team games,scoring 76 goals. Geoff Reynolds never played a first-team game for Torquay United. He died on 4 August 1944 aged 24 from wounds received in Normandy.  www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=32941583 |
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Post by Deleted on Jun 7, 2014 7:20:33 GMT
There's a reference to Geoffrey Reynolds in the context of York City at www.yorkcityfootballclub.co.uk/news/article/remembrance-sunday-1158557.aspxThis doesn't indicate at which stage of his life Reynolds was associated with York. I'm guessing he may have started there before moving to Charlton. Or he may have "guested" during the war years. I'm assuming there was no transfer from Torquay United who most likely retained his registration until his death. The idea of Conley and Calland joining the club in 1939 and not starting to properly play until after the war is astonishing. It certainly puts into context any present-day managerial reservations about inheriting players signed by predecessors. You also imagine it wouldn't happen like that now; there'd be a wholly different legal landscape regarding player contracts. Lots of "ifs" and "buts" regarding Conley and Calland. Their post-war records show both to be fine signings. If there hadn't been a war, each may have played an amazing number of games for Torquay United. But, had they been that good between 1939 and 1946, there's the possibility they would have progressed to better things before the late 1940s. The club, it appears, counted their club "service" since 1939 in awarding Calland and Conley a joint benefit match in 1950. We've been shown the programme by Timbo: torquayfansforum.co.uk/thread/9807/southampton-26-calland-conley-benefit |
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Jon
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Post by Jon on Jun 7, 2014 13:16:01 GMT
There's a reference to Geoffrey Reynolds in the context of York City at www.yorkcityfootballclub.co.uk/news/article/remembrance-sunday-1158557.aspxThis doesn't indicate at which stage of his life Reynolds was associated with York. I'm guessing he may have started there before moving to Charlton. Or he may have "guested" during the war years. I'm assuming there was no transfer from Torquay United who most likely retained his registration until his death. Good spot. Jack Rollin's "Soccer at War" has G.A.C. Reynolds making thirteen appearances as a guest for York City in the 1943/44 season. The link below has him down as being from New Eltham which I think would be prime Charlton Athletic territory. twgpp.org/information.php?id=1687808He was only 19 when he joined Torquay. He played in the two public trial matches, the "reserve FL jubilee fund" game and three Southern League matches before war broke out - all at left half. He did not play in any of the matches played after war broke out - which would seem to imply he did not stay in the area. I'm pretty sure we would have kept hold of his registration until his untimely death. |
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Post by Deleted on Jun 7, 2014 15:09:40 GMT
Jack Rollin's "Soccer at War" has G.A.C. Reynolds making thirteen appearances as a guest for York City in the 1943/44 season. I no longer have a copy of Jack Rollin's book so I'm not sure of the war records of clubs such as Datlington and York. But I imagine the proximity of Catterick may have helped. The link below has him down as being from New Eltham which I think would be prime Charlton Athletic territory. Yes, indeed, and I believe Charlton train close by to this day. I think the area is a mixture of older Kentish village-type settlements, Victorian artisan housing which followed in the wake of the railway, inter-war suburbia and 1920s and 1930s overspill estates. Geoff could have been from an established local family or a recently-arrived member of the South East London diaspora. Charlton were certainly doing well in the run up to the war as the area continued to grow. |
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Post by Budleigh on Jun 7, 2014 17:13:15 GMT
I had 'rooms' in New Eltham which I used when visiting London a few years ago (my then girlfriend lived there whilst working 'in town' during the week; when not home in Devon) and when walking to the local Chinese/Greek/Indian etc etc we would pass Sparrows Lane, which was the road down to the Charlton Athletic training ground, and a superb establishment it is to.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 7, 2014 17:29:12 GMT
I had 'rooms' in New Eltham which I used when visiting London a few years ago (my then girlfriend lived there whilst working 'in town' during the week; when not home in Devon) and when walking to the local Chinese/Greek/Indian etc etc we would pass Sparrows Lane, which was the road down to the Charlton Athletic training ground, and a superb establishment it is to. Ha! I thought that mention of New Eltham would flush out Budleigh with tales of his occasional South East London dalliances. Of a footballing kind naturally. |
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Post by Budleigh on Jun 8, 2014 19:12:13 GMT
Just found out today that the said girlfriend (ex) has just got married at the Cipriani in Venice (a snip at £2,000 plus a night!)
Obviously New Eltham wasn't quite up to her standard...
I did once take her to see Charlton v Sunderland in the Premiership, which she felt was a step up somewhat from her previous football experience; in the popside v Exeter City where she stated afterwards, and I quote; 'some over-weight childish hooligan-type person standing behind me started trying to sing some obscure two-syllable song that wouldn't stretch a one-year old, whilst managing to send spit all over the back of my head. You wouldn't get that at the National Opera House'.
To which I, rather wittingly I believed at the time, retorted; 'whereas at the National Opera House you would get some over-weight person standing in front of you on a stage, trying to sing a song that no one-year old would ever be able to understand, whilst sending spit over the whole front row'.
It was a relationship somewhat doomed...
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Jon
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Post by Jon on Oct 19, 2015 22:21:54 GMT
Daily Mirror 23/12/42  |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 20, 2015 2:15:06 GMT
I don't know how you find this stuff, Jon, but that is a great story!
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Post by charltonathmuseum on Apr 8, 2016 16:56:15 GMT
Hi,
Fascinating stuff about an ex-Charlton player.
We'd like to use the images shown above (the photo and the newspaper cutting) but can't copy them.
Could someone email them to cafchistorian@gmail.com
Thanks
The Charlton Athletic Museum
@chathmuseum
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Post by charltonathmuseum on Apr 13, 2016 9:09:02 GMT
Jon or anyone?
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rjdgull
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Post by rjdgull on Apr 13, 2016 10:26:48 GMT
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Jon
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Post by Jon on Apr 13, 2016 22:43:19 GMT
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Jon
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Post by Jon on Jun 5, 2019 23:49:08 GMT
In the close season of 1939, Torquay United signed three young men from Charlton Athletic. Ralph Calland would go on to play 223 first-team games,scoring 14 goals. Jack Conley would go on to play 171 first-team games,scoring 76 goals. Geoff Reynolds never played a first-team game for Torquay United. He died on 4 August 1944 aged 24 from wounds received in Normandy. www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=32941583 |
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Post by Deleted on Jun 6, 2019 8:22:36 GMT
...to place him on the retained list! Nothing changes at TUFC!  |
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