Albion players of the Great War (today's Argus)

[The Large One]

Could be wrong- does Pom Pom Whiting feature on one of the banners outside the Amex? At 320 appearances, he must be fairly high up the all time chart.

I could be wrong, but I think he is one of the players etched into the glass in Dick's Bar.

Will investigate presently.

 

[Barrel of Fun]

"There are only five of us (from the Brighton & Hove Albion team) out here doing our bit - myself, Booth, Tyler, Woodhouse, and Dexter, and they are very pleased to hear from you, and told me to tell you they are going on fine. I daresay it has been rotten not having or seeing any football. There is plenty out here, and we are receiving challenges every minute of the day. But we are too good for them all. They are trying to pick a team out of the whole Army out here to play us, so it will be a big match, though I think we are certain winners.

Well we are having some exciting times in the "big match" out here. It is great sport to see our airmen scoring against the "Allemanges" (German troops) - hoping you will excuse the bit of French. Going great guns in the French language out here, quite a genius at it. I hope this will find you and all old friends at Brighton in the best of health as it leaves me at present. Am looking forward to be playing next season with the old club."

Extract from a letter dated 7th December 1915 written by Bob Whiting to Albert Underwood, the Secretary of the Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

 

[Barrel of Fun]

So the young men of Britain were in [MENTION=1416]Ernest[/MENTION] ?

When was the ARS founded?

 

[Frutos]

A fantastic article, and I for one will be making sure to visit the memorial garden before the game on Saturday.

Seeing the "Stand Or Fall" banner above the North Stand might bring a bit of a lump to the throat as well, in the circumstances.

 

[The Brighton Bear]

How heavy would his keeper jersey be in the heavy rain?

Almost as heavy as the ball!

 

[Barrel of Fun]

Almost as heavy as the ball!

I've got an 8kg medicine ball that looks lighter than that.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

Just to give a little more context to the players and some which the Argus didn't include (presumably because they were ex-players).

Does anyone know what happened to the boardroom memorial? Have we still got it somewhere? Pic?

 

[Seagull over Canaryland]

I've got an 8kg medicine ball that looks lighter than that.

When men were men - and footballers weren't prima donnas. Possibly grafting a shift in a factory the night before the game, then walking or cycling to the ground. A pre-match warm up of half a dozen full strength unfiltered cigarettes (or a pipe of rough shag), accompanied by a couple of snifters and followed by a few stretching exercises. Then a jolly good kick about. All good Corinthian spirit. Then when called upon they did their bit for King and country, many making the ultimate sacrifice. No £300k a week. No WAGS, no pink Bentleys. A common love of the game of football, 100 years and whole worlds apart.

 

[loco61]

thanks for this thread ... so important that we remember them ... i cant help thinking that one day "we" wont.
just heard on the bbc about the 700 + accrington "pals" who chose to go to war together and 500+ never came home
amazing stories and imagine our current goalie going off to war and not coming back is indeed unbelievable.

 

[Barrel of Fun]

When men were men - and footballers weren't prima donnas. Possibly grafting a shift in a factory the night before the game, then walking or cycling to the ground. A pre-match warm up of half a dozen full strength unfiltered cigarettes (or a pipe of rough shag), accompanied by a couple of snifters and followed by a few stretching exercises. Then a jolly good kick about. All good Corinthian spirit. Then when called upon they did their bit for King and country, many making the ultimate sacrifice. No £300k a week. No WAGS, no pink Bentleys. A common love of the game of football, 100 years and whole worlds apart.

You might enjoy "My Father and Other Working Class Heroes" by Gary Imlach, if you've not read it.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Does anyone know what happened to the boardroom memorial? Have we still got it somewhere? Pic?

I think it is still in the boardroom at the Amex. I thought I saw it when I did the tour.

 

[DNB_Seagull]

Lest we never forget. RIP.

 

[thisistips]

Two of the aforementioned gents: Pom Pom and Jasper "Ginger" Batey in action for the Albion.

Also just found this site: http://www.photohistory-sussex.co.uk/Bob_Whiting_of_BHA.htm It's an amazing read, I really can't recommend it enough. Some utterly compelling stuff on there.

You are right. Really interesting photo site.

 

[Working class pride]

When men were men - and footballers weren't prima donnas. Possibly grafting a shift in a factory the night before the game, then walking or cycling to the ground. A pre-match warm up of half a dozen full strength unfiltered cigarettes (or a pipe of rough shag), accompanied by a couple of snifters and followed by a few stretching exercises. Then a jolly good kick about. All good Corinthian spirit. Then when called upon they did their bit for King and country, many making the ultimate sacrifice. No £300k a week. No WAGS, no pink Bentleys. A common love of the game of football, 100 years and whole worlds apart.

Looking at it another way, what would you prefer, £300,000 a week, a Bentley and a WAG. Or some tobacco, a job labouring in farming, fishing or factory, and a rifle, tin hat, and the "honour" of being shot at for some King who you can bet wouldnt die for you? I know I'd prefer the cash, the car and the girl thanks. The one great thing that came from WW1 and then WW2 is that people did say "sod that for game of soldiers" and social barriers started to come down. For me having people in military uniforms all over the remembrance services has shown just how much the point has all been missed. It is a great shame that a respect for people such as our own Lowthers Lambs, The Sussex and all who went through it, now seems to have been turned into an excuse for the military to shine their buttons and wave flags around. Its turned on its head the remembrance of my youth and what I was told by various veterans before they died.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Could be wrong- does Pom Pom Whiting feature on one of the banners outside the Amex? At 320 appearances, he must be fairly high up the all time chart.

I could be wrong, but I think he is one of the players etched into the glass in Dick's Bar.

Will investigate presently.

My apologies. I checked the banners last night and he isn't on there.
The Large One is correct and he is one of the etchings in Dick's Bar.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

They're still remembered at the Amex.

 

[Stat Brother]

Sorry I don't have anything specific here.

Earlier this week I listened to a 5 Live podcast about some of the sportsmen who enlisted for WWI.
Rugby's Josh Lewsey was one of the main contributors, WWI history being one of his main interests.

Anyway The Royal Sussex Regiment got mentioned a few times, and the excellent programme ended with Lewsey making reference to himself following in the footsteps of The Royal Sussex Regiments entire WWI campaign, this month.

Unfortunately I can't find any mention of this elsewhere, so I guess it's more likely to be a personal homage than a documented one.
But just in case it isn't, it'll be worth keeping an eye out for.

Oh and another thing mentioned was Walter Tull being revisited by Clarke Carlisle on Saturday at 11am.
If you don't know the name it'll be a must listen programme.
In fairness if you do know Walter's story it's still must listen radio.

 

[Seagull over Canaryland]

You might enjoy "My Father and Other Working Class Heroes" by Gary Imlach, if you've not read it.

Thanks for the recommendation, I'll give it a go.

I'm currently reading 'Catastrophe - Europe goes to War 1914' by Max Hastings who generally gives an excellent insight.

'Into the Silence' by Wade Davis gives a very graphic account of WW1 from the perspective of those who survived and went on to attempt the first ascents on Everest.

Just some of the many books worthy of reading at this time.

I can also commend 'The Great War Forum' if anyone wishes to conduct online research, it is a mine of information, with many useful links.

I was pleased to note that in addition to The Albion's memorial garden that Sussex CCC have just unveiled their own memorial at the County Ground to cricketers and other staff lost in WW1. All serves to remind us of the scale of losses and their diverse backgrounds, they should never be forgotten.

 

[Bill Cassidy's tie up]

You might enjoy "My Father and Other Working Class Heroes" by Gary Imlach, if you've not read it.

Agree great book