Joe Dixon’s

Football Memories

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1977




Ryhope C.W.


Seasons 1961/1962 to 1966/1967



Throughout my playing days this was the team that I admired the most. In the above 6 seasons Ryhope CW were the most successful team in the Wearside League and one of the most respected and feared in the North East.


Success in this period :-



WEARSIDE LEAGUE - Champions
1961/62, 1962/63, 1963/64 and 1965/66

SUNDERLAND SHIPOWNERS CHARITY CUP - Winners
1961/62

MONKWEARMOUTH CHARITY CUP - Winners
1965/1966 and 1966/1967

WEARSIDE LEAGUE CUP - Winners
1963/64



In winning the League title in 1961/1962 they were undefeated with 28 wins and 2 draws. A tremendous achievement.

They reached the 1st round proper of the FA Cup on 9th December 1967 only to be beaten in farcical conditions by Workington Town 1-0. Nearly 4500 spectators crammed into the ground and, on a frozen surface, watched the players from both sides slip and slide all over the place. Who knows what would have happened if the conditions were decent. Certainly today the game would never have been played. If Ryhope had won they would have played Doncaster Rovers in the 2nd round.

In the preliminary rounds they had beaten some outstanding Northern League teams. Evenwood Town 6-0, Stanley United 1-0, Durham City 4-3 and finally the mighty Bishop Auckland 4-1 in a replay.


Other Honours :-


Jackie Wilkinson was selected for a combined Northern League and Wearside League team which beat an England Amateur X1 3-2 which was played at Feethams, Darlington on 4th April 1966. He was the only player to be selected from the Weaside League.

Jackie Cope and Jackie Wilkinson were selected to represent the Wearside League playing against the Northern League. The game played on the 13th December 1965 at Appleby Park, North Shields was won 3-0 by the Northern League.

In the 1963/1964 season Charlie Grose scored 42 goals in just 36 games.


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1961/1962 Season































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1967/1968 Season




























            Back  from  left :-  Barry Cooper, John Forster, Colin Lemon, Jackie Wilkinson,

                                      Stan Johnstone, Jimmy Appleby

            Front  from  left :-  Alan Oliver, Alan Boyce, Ronnie Jobson, Charlie Grose, Jackie Cope


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1970?



























Ryhopes Tommy Haddon's(stripes) looking a bit concerned but hopefully it was

another spectacular save from goalkeeper Colin Lemon


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I never thought I’d see the day when a Ryhope CW team could surpass the achievements of any club that ever played in the Wearside League. But that is exactly what transpired at the end of the 2011/2012 season.


This is what I said after the end of the 2010/2011 season:-


On 21 May 2011, I was privileged to witness Ryhope CW’s crowning glory, of an unbelievable season, in becoming ’Quadruple Champions’ for the first time ever. By beating Willington Town on penalties, after the score remained 0-0 after extra time, they added the League Cup to their other 3 successes. Although a bit jaded and feeling the pressure a little they weren’t at their sharpest but still by far the better team. Missed chances added to this pressure and with a strong wind and tricky conditions there was always the worry of a freak goal going against you. You always feel that penalty shootouts are a bit of a lottery but the composure and confidence shown by Ryhope’s penalty takers, under these circumstances, was amazing and justice was done when the first four all scored to win 4-2.


WEARSIDE LEAGUE - Champions
Won 28 Drawn 5 Lost 5

SUNDERLAND SHIPOWNERS CHARITY CUP - Winners
Defeating Easington Colliery 3-2
Goal Scorers - Chris Trewick, John Butler and David Anderson

MONKWEARMOUTH CHARITY CUP - Winners
Defeating Kirbymoorside 1-0
Goal Scorer - Jonathan Davis

WEARSIDE LEAGUE CUP - Winners
Defeating Willington after extra time and penalties 4-2


Along with Marske United and Blue Star they are the only ‘Quadruple Champions’ since the league was formed way back in 1892. However Ryhope CW are now very unique because they are the only ‘Founder Member’ of the Wearside League to achieve this ‘Wearside League Grand Slam‘.

So congratulations to chairman Ronnie Crosby, secretary/treasurer Dougie Benison, manager Martin Swales, his assistants Sean Butler, Alan Hall and Gary Errington, along with all the players, on this fantastic achievement, you have done Ryhope and yourselves proud.




















         Back from left  :- Phil Hall, Nathan Johnson, Lloyd Conlin, David Newby, Chris Trewick, Greg                                  Swansbury, Neil Atkinson, Nathan O'neil, Ritchie Jordan, Gavin Nesbitt

                                 and Jack Carr

         Front from left :- Jonathan Davis, James Dunne, John Butler, Allan Hall(Coach) Martin                                  Swales(Manager) Ronnie Crosby(Chairman) Dougie Benison(Secretary)

                                 Gary Errington(Coach) Shaun Butler(Assistant Manager) Martin Metcalfe,

                                 Kenny Linton and Sean Petch


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The Proud Management Team

Back from  left:- Chairman Ronnie Crosby, Secretary/Treasurer Dougie Benison

Front from  left:- Gary Errington, Manager Martin Swales, Sean Butler and Alan Hall


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I was delighted when my good friends, Ronnie Crosby and Dougie Benison, invited me to have my photo taken with these magnificent trophies. A unique photo which I am very very proud of.



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2011/2012 Season


The achievements of the 2010/2011 season I was convinced, just couldn’t be equalled and certainly not bettered. Well I am delighted to say that I was wrong. Incredibly they have followed up with another clean sweep and in in a more convincing way :-

                       1. They only lost 1 league game as opposed to 5 in the previous season.

                       2. They had a goal difference of 106 as opposed to 75 in the previous season

                       3. They had 95 points as against 89 in the previous season

                       4. No penalty shootouts or extra time required.


All this and there were 2 games less league games to play.


With ground improvements the ‘CW have now been promoted to the Northern League Division 2. Well I suppose the only way to leave a league is to do it with style and Ryhope CW certainly had an abundance of that.



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2012/2013 Season



It is difficult to put into words exactly what my feelings are.


On the field the ‘CW were fantastic and were just pipped as champions by Crook Town. Even finishing 2nd was probably well above everyone’s expectations at the beginning of the season. Immediately after the end of the season the league table showed that they were promoted into the Northern League Division 1. Incredible.


Off the field, despite the great efforts of the management team and committee throughout the season, it all ended in disaster. I don’t know the exact details but, for whatever reason, the club failed to meet the time scale laid down by the Northern League for the ground improvements necessary for continued membership. They were effectively relegated 2 divisions back to the Wearside League.