Bolton Wanderers FPA v Chester FPA Bowls Match

Following on from our bowls match against Wrexham on August 2nd the Chester Former Players Association travelled over to Little Lever for another regular fixture against Bolton Wanderers. 

My extra photo shows both teams before the game but my chosen blip shows two legends from both teams. 

On the right is former Bolton full-back Tommy Banks who played more than 200 games for the club between 1947 and 1961. Tommy won an FA Cup winners medal with Bolton in 1958 and was capped six times for England including four games at the World Cup in Sweden in 1958. He had a reputation as one of the hardest tacklers and most intimidating defenders in the game. Chester players who faced him have spoken how they were left black and blue after one of his tackles.

On the left is Ken Roberts who was one of Chester's most successful managers from 1968 to 1976. For many years Ken held the record as the youngest player to feature in a Football League game having made his debut for Wrexham aged 15 years and 158 days. He wanted his picture taken with Tommy as he remembered playing against him for Aston Villa as a 17 year old. 

Bolton narrowly won the Bowls match 5-4 but once again I won my game beating former Bolton and Tranmere centre half Dick Oxtoby 21-13. On my last outing I mentioned that I have only previously played the game a couple of times but I have now won all three single games I have ever played so I guess I can't be that bad.

In case anyone was wondering I am not a former Chester player but I am the club historian and secretary of the FPA.