I knew Al. He used to go on holiday fishing, with my father and uncle every year. He was regularly round our house and my uncles.
I unfortunately was too young to remember him playing, but remember him as always having a smile on his face. It is a good few years since I last saw him at a family funeral. The sad passing of a great character.

Apologies Teeside. Perhaps I am the oldest fart on here then.

No need to apologise. I sometimes come over as a little older as I do have a strong interest in the history of the Club.

I work with Brian Glover's son. He's a good lad but unfortunately he's a Saint's fan.

Brian glover wasn't he the tv Hardman with the bald head. He did the allisons bakery ad, "its better wi' nowt taken out" catchphrase?

The Brian Glover you're talking about Duckie was also a wrestler ,Leon Arrass , who used to be a regular villain on the British wrestling circuit.

My recurring memory of the Wire's Brian Glover was the ball bouncing off his stomach !

One of the few times I was allowed to watch the wire as a young lad,(i was seven at the time)I was taken to odsal to watch the 1961 championship final , which just happend to be the last appearance in a wire shirt for Albert naughton. And by the way we lost to Leeds , which made it along trip home pre m62 days.

Brian had a testimonial with us and eventually went to Saints where he had a very successful couple of years at left centre. He then went to Rochdale for a short while, before retiring. He could be described as 'barrel chested.' Good player.
Ally Naughton was also in the 1954 four trophies in a season team, he was the left centre, whilst a very young Jim Challinor was on the right.

I always thought Brian looked like Desperate Dan. He was a strong as an ox when it came to going in at the corner, very difficult for the defence to keep him out. I think he came from StHelens ??

I take my 85 year old Father in Law to the Fiddle ith Bag every friday night to meet his mates about the same age and they talked about Ally Naughton in glowing terms. Said he was one of the best centres the game has seen. They also mentioned Danny Naughton his brother who was a prop said he was a good player also.

He must have been. We paid a world record fee of £4,600 to Widnes for him in 1949. He played right through what was a magnificent era for the Club. he was also a Warrington Hall of Fame inductee.

I was there too. Ally by this time was playing in the pack. I think loose forward. 'Farmer Jack' Fairbank was playing second row for Leeds and scattered our pack that day. He was MOM in my opinion.
Danny Naughton, Ally's brother was a top prop who broke his leg playing against Saints which finished his career.
That was in the Jim Sullivan era when we never finished with thirteen men playing against Saints in a derby match. To describe them as physical would be one of the greatest euphemisms of all time.

I was chatting to a "more mature" wire fan at the GF on Saturday who recalls when Wire signed Ally Naughton! He relayed tales of his older brother, Johnny, who he says stayed at Widnes when Ally signed for us. Am I not right in thinking that Johnny was the eldest of the Naughton brothers and that he did actually play for Wire in his time? My new friend also relayed stories of watching Brian Bevan. I am sorry that I didn't get to watch these great men in action...

Danny Naughton played for Wire but Johnny stayed at Widnes.
I am sorry you did not see them in action. We had some great three quarters in those days. Particularly the great Bev.
Looking back, those who saw them play were privileged indeed. The game has changed since then with players being bigger, fitter and faster. In those days you had more individual flair, more hard men, some of whom bordered on the psychopath, and more skullduggery with certain players stopping at nothing to get winning money. Not very ethical but it did lead to outstanding entertainment and perpetual controversy which was augmented by the attendances in the fifties, particularly at local derbies.