October 2008

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Image of the Month Feature - October 2008

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ARG/1/1 Plymouth Argyle, 1950s

This months image has been chosen from our ‘Sport' online gallery by Jim Hawkins, Volunteer Archive Assistant.

"This image is often shown when the history of Plymouth Argyle is recorded. To the more elderly generation of supporters, the promotion team of 1952 will be very memorable with names such as Jack [Jumbo] Chisholm, Bill Shortt, Tadman, Dews, Astall, Givan and Pat Jones.

Here you see the captain, Jumbo Chisholm leading the team on to the pitch through a line up of Torquay United players playing tribute to the promotion winning side. Looking to the rear of the picture is the directors box which although modified still exists today.

Also clearly shown is the wire mesh tunnel which the players walked through and on to the pitch. The two young boys seen above this having climbed in to the tunnel to gain prime viewing advantage were 13 years old at the time and were in fact me and my best friend Harold Tweedle. We were ardent supporters at the time and Harold, my brother Keith and I would venture in to the Grand Hotel or the Duke of Cornwall to meet visiting teams for autographs. We would also inform them that they were going to get beaten by Argyle!

They were very happy times, the players were idolised by us youngsters. I often got in the same bus as Bill Shortt who was the Welsh International goalkeeper at the time.

I lost touch with Harold when we were about 17 years old, I knew he had moved from Plymouth but wasn't sure where, and then out of the blue in May of this year he contacted me. He is now a happy contented golf fanatic living in Christchurch (near Bournemouth). After 53 years we met up again in June. It was very enjoyable and amongst the memories and paraphenalia and photographs we had between us, there was one thing in common, a copy of the image shown above!"


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