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A Quick Chat with...John Ericson

A Quick Chat with...John Ericson

Kev Panther17 May 2020 - 04:43
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United player from the Northern premier Days of the 70's

We recently caught up with John Ericson, thanks to Facebook, John playted for United during our Northern Premier League days of the 1970's

John, how did you get involved with Skem United ?
As a football daft kid, I used to go to White Moss Park on a Saturday.
Then came the run to the final, I saw every League game and Amateur Cup Bishop Auckland, Wealdstone, three trips to the Hendon Semi Final games all except for the Slough game away, I had my ticket but Ormskirk Schoolboys had a cup game that day at home at Burscough’s ground.

Your Dad also played for United ?
Yes Jack Ericson, he didn’t talk about it much, he played after the war and into the 50’s, He played in the Army side in Italy alongside Stan Cullis who was then playing for Wolves.
I knew he won quite a few medals at Skem and made over 200 appearances for the club. There was quite a few supporters who remembered him in his playing days, they all said he was a good footballer. It was great when I signed for the Youth team, following in his footsteps.
(Jack won 3 Liverpool County Combination Titles, 2 Challenge Cups and 2 George Mahon Cups)
My dad didnt watch me much whilst I was playing, so I didn’t get to nervous but he did teach me a few things, like taking my right boot off in the garden so I could use my weaker left foot.

You Joined the fledgling Youth team ?
My first game for the club was a Youth Cup tie against Stockport. We had hurriedly had trials one Sunday and the following week went to Stockport and funnily we won.
Our Next game we were drawn at home to Wrexham unfortunately we had to go to The Racecourse because Skem at the time didn’t have floodlights. We drew and for the replay had to go back to Wales, we were the better side and won the game. In the next round we had a bit of a following as we went to Stoke, we were well beaten 5-0. The only other local lad in the team that I remember was John Forshaw, his mum and dad had a shop on Liverpool Road.
I also played locally for the Vic at the bottom of Sandy Lane, one of my team mates was Norman Fenney, you may have heard of him. The Vic won everything at the time.

Did you stay on at Skem ?
I would have liked to have done but after that game I was invited to play for Norris Green Boys Club in The Liverpool Boys Association, I was 16 at the time and hadn’t started work.
While I was there a scout from funnily enough Wrexham, and was asked to go to Wales. This was 1968 and I spent a couple seasons as an amateur.
I had a cartlidge operation in 1970 and didn’t play for quite a while. I was travelling to Wrexham for treatment, but found it too much and asked for my release.
Jimmy Gore the Skem trainer, who I already knew said why don’t I go up to Skem to play

Do you remember your First team debut for United ?
Yes I do, but maybe for the wrong reasons, It was early in the season and I was delighted when Alan Spence told me I would be playing, we had a long trip to Scarborough. I was up against a Geordie bloke, who I think had played in the league, he gave me a torrid time, we lost 3-1 and the journey back seemed to take forever, no motorway them days, we must have got back well after midnight.

Alan Spence the Manager had previously played League football How did you get on with him ?
I found Alan to be very approachable, he was a good manager, he gave me my debut and obviously having played league football he made training different. A real genuine guy.

Do you recall any memorable games ?
Yes, we played Boston in 73, who were top of the league, they were a good side. I think they had gone a year unbeaten and they came to Skem, there was a big crowd at White Moss Park and we sent them packing.
(This was February 73 and Boston had gone 51 games without defeat, going back to January 72, when Skem won 1-0 at White Moss Park)

You didnt score many goals in a United shirt can you remember anything about your first ?
I would love to say it was a 30 yard rocket but it was nothing like that, We were at Home to Barrow, I found myself in the box, the ball was loose and just put my foot through it. I probably only scored about half a dozen goals but you sort of remember your first. I have no idea about any of the others but the first one is special.

You played in Harry McNallys first game in charge, How did it go with him ?
I was sorry to see Alan Spence go, we finished mid table in 1972-73 and I thought we made a decent start. Harry was the Assistant and he was given the job, We won at Morecambe in his first game, and I was in and out the side, I didn’t rate him and I think the feelings were mutual. He went on to be quite successful.

Who were the characters in the team back then ?
We had a good set of lads at the time, no back biting or Ill feeling. I remember Brian Soo borrowing an eight track stereo for me from a discount warehouse in Kirby. We also had Billy Morrey, a decent player but his claim to fame now is he is the Uncle of Wayne Rooney.
Alan McDermott was still there from the Amateur Cup days, It was a bit strange at first playing alongside one of your hero’s. Robin Poole also played a few games.
I played alongside Tony Kaye, the ex Everton player, he was jailed for match fixing whilst at Sheffield Wednesday, he was a great player, in my opinion should have been in the 1966 World Cup Squad.

Where did you go when you left Skem.
I got married to Gill, she came to watch a few games but wasn’t interested in football. We moved to Burtonwood and it was another Former Skem player Dave Berry who had me go down to Newtown, in the Mid Cheshire League. I had a couple of years there before retiring and taking up Cricket.

John is seen on the back row second from the left
Others in the picBack row Keith Barlow, ?.?, Bill Molyneux, ? John Ericson, Jimmy Wilson
Front ?, Les Lunt, ? Ray Donovan, ?
If you can put a name to any of the faces, please contact myself at kevpanther@btinternet.com much appreciated

Also any other players from United's past woyuld like to do a Question and Answers then again contact the above email

Further reading