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Len Casey and Wally Bellett

memory man

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I will post this today as I doubt I will be able to get to post tomorrow. 60 years ago, 25 Dec 1957, marked the final time there was a full League programme on Christmas Day. Argyle won 2-0 at Newport with goals from Jimmy Gauld and George Baker (whose parents were watching him together for the first time). It was a significant day in the blossoming career of a 17 year old Chelsea forward called Jimmy Greaves. It was his 16th first team game and he had already scored 8 times. On Christmas Day 1957 he registered his first hat-trick (and then scored a fourth) in a 7-4 victory over Portsmouth. Also in that Chelsea side were Len Casey and Wally Bellett. When Bellett and Casey trudged off the pitch at the Hawthorns on Saturday 13 December after a 4-0 defeat, neither man knew that Chelsea had already accepted a joint fee of £15,000 for them. They had no real say in the matter and 6 days before the following Christmas Day both men were transferred to Argyle and made their first appearance at Home Park on 20 December 1958. On Boxing Day they played again at HP, helping to overcome QPR in front of more than 30,000 supporters. In the year between Greaves scoring his first hat-trick and Casey and Bellett debuting for Argyle Jim had scored another 34 goals including a 5 and another hat-trick.
 

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davie nine":22vo65vo said:
More interesting Argyle memorabilia from our own equivalent of Leslie Welch.

Thanks for last Thursday, Steve.
Thanks Ian. I really enjoyed last Thursday. The ten years from 1957 is a rich period in the club's history so there is plenty else to talk about yet!!
 

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Quintrell_Green":2iizexfu said:
Am I correct in thinking Len Casey subsequently became skipper of Argyle for a period?
As ever QG you are spot on. For a promotion season it was a strange one. We started with Wilf Carter as captain but he felt it was affecting his game. George Robertson took over but when he was injured Len Casey took the role. In between that change the chairman was sacked by the Board. Casey retained the captaincy until January 1960 when Johnny Newman was signed as a player and also as captain. I still speak with Len (now an MBE) and I am going to be visiting him in the New Year to pick up the match ball he carried on to the pitch for the game which clinched promotion against Bradford City in April 1959.
 
Jan 4, 2005
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memory man":1gewicyd said:
Quintrell_Green":1gewicyd said:
Am I correct in thinking Len Casey subsequently became skipper of Argyle for a period?
As ever QG you are spot on. For a promotion season it was a strange one. We started with Wilf Carter as captain but he felt it was affecting his game. George Robertson took over but when he was injured Len Casey took the role. In between that change the chairman was sacked by the Board. Casey retained the captaincy until January 1960 when Johnny Newman was signed as a player and also as captain. I still speak with Len (now an MBE) and I am going to be visiting him in the New Year to pick up the match ball he carried on to the pitch for the game which clinched promotion against Bradford City in April 1959.

Glad to hear there continues to be contact with LC who must be in his early 80's? It is interesting to read he picked up a 'gong'. I wonder for what work he was awarded his MBE?
 

memory man

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Quintrell_Green":1ij6j1cu said:
memory man":1ij6j1cu said:
Quintrell_Green":1ij6j1cu said:
Am I correct in thinking Len Casey subsequently became skipper of Argyle for a period?
As ever QG you are spot on. For a promotion season it was a strange one. We started with Wilf Carter as captain but he felt it was affecting his game. George Robertson took over but when he was injured Len Casey took the role. In between that change the chairman was sacked by the Board. Casey retained the captaincy until January 1960 when Johnny Newman was signed as a player and also as captain. I still speak with Len (now an MBE) and I am going to be visiting him in the New Year to pick up the match ball he carried on to the pitch for the game which clinched promotion against Bradford City in April 1959.

Glad to hear there continues to be contact with LC who must be in his early 80's? It is interesting to read he picked up a 'gong'. I wonder for what work he was awarded his MBE?
He went to work at a large Cable Company in Dagenham and became coach of their football team. They twice one the National Cables Companies Cup (big in the 60s) using the ground that Dagenham and Redbridge play on. But he used his skill as a soccer coach in the workplace too and transformed the company's training system. He will be 87 next May. A few years ago I arranged for him to be the Board's guest at Southend on the opening day of the season. Not only was Len delighted, but those directors who were there and James Brent were greatly taken by Len's memory and humility.
 
Jan 4, 2005
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NEWQUAY
memory man":15hngi13 said:
Quintrell_Green":15hngi13 said:
memory man":15hngi13 said:
Quintrell_Green":15hngi13 said:
Am I correct in thinking Len Casey subsequently became skipper of Argyle for a period?
As ever QG you are spot on. For a promotion season it was a strange one. We started with Wilf Carter as captain but he felt it was affecting his game. George Robertson took over but when he was injured Len Casey took the role. In between that change the chairman was sacked by the Board. Casey retained the captaincy until January 1960 when Johnny Newman was signed as a player and also as captain. I still speak with Len (now an MBE) and I am going to be visiting him in the New Year to pick up the match ball he carried on to the pitch for the game which clinched promotion against Bradford City in April 1959.

Glad to hear there continues to be contact with LC who must be in his early 80's? It is interesting to read he picked up a 'gong'. I wonder for what work he was awarded his MBE?
He went to work at a large Cable Company in Dagenham and became coach of their football team. They twice one the National Cables Companies Cup (big in the 60s) using the ground that Dagenham and Redbridge play on. But he used his skill as a soccer coach in the workplace too and transformed the company's training system. He will be 87 next May. A few years ago I arranged for him to be the Board's guest at Southend on the opening day of the season. Not only was Len delighted, but those directors who were there and James Brent were greatly taken by Len's memory and humility.

Stories like that shows heart still runs in 21st century soccer family despite the inflow of £millions