An exhibition marking the 125th anniversary of the Dean Street ground as home to Shildon AFC will open at Old Shildon Workingmen’s Club on Saturday, 1 July. It will be launched by former player Eddie Swift, now 85, who still lives in the town.
The exhibition, organised by the Durham Amateur Football Trust and chiefly featuring old photographs of the ground, town and team, is expected to run throughout most of July. It ties in with the 125th anniversary of Hackett and Baines store, also in Shildon since 1898.
The official opening, at noon, will be followed by a community open day at the Dean Street ground, featuring a tournament between junior sides. Among the exhibition features will be a Hall of Fame, telling the stories of some of the stalwarts – on and off the field – in the Railwaymen’s long history. They include Dickie Downs – the only former Shildon player to win full England honours and who returned to live in Albert Street – and Stan Seymour, a colliery apprentice who went on to become player, manager, vice-chairman and life president with Newcastle United. Both men played for Shildon Athletic – as the club was then known – in the North Eastern League before World War I. Among the other early members of the Hall of Fame will be Alf “Wacker” Wild – a tough tackling full back in the side which won five Northern League titles in the 1930s – and Wilf Dodds, a former Wagon Works storekeeper who, after becoming the football club secretary, held high office with the FA, Durham FA and Northern League.
The club will be inviting nominations for other inductees, players and officials, covering its long history. Former Shildon resident Mike Amos, organising the exhibition, is particularly keen to hear memories of any of them – and would especially like a photograph of Wilf Dodds who was also much involved with scouting in the town.
The Trust is also preparing a richly-illustrated 5,000-word brochure detailing the history of the Dean Street ground – and of Hackett and Baines – which will be given free to those attending the exhibition and to Hackett and Baines customers. Formerly a cycling ground known throughout the North-East, Dean Street was taken over by the football club after complaints that its original ground, at Coppy Crooks on the West Auckland road, was too uneven, too far from the town –and too cold. Though considered an ideal home in late-Victorian times, it has been transformed in recent years to meet the standards of the Football Association and of the Northern Premier League. It was officially opened on September 3 1898 by the wagon works manager ahead of a game against Darlington (which Shildon lost).
Mike Amos would greatly welcome memories and photographs of Wacker Wild, Wilf Dodds or other nominations for the Hall of Fame. He can be contacted at mikeamos81[@]aol[.]com or on 01325 377463.
Shildon & District's local community newspaper.
