THE Blackbrook production line from Boardmans Lane to Saints has been prolific over the years.
The current first team, led by former Brooker James Roby, is liberally littered with former Royals.
But this photograph of Blackbrook Under 18s team from 1955-56 shows that it is not a new phenomenon.
Five players from this line up went on to play senior rugby with the Saints: Brian McGinn [back row, first from left]; Jimmy Measures [next to him]; Dave Harrison [front row 3rd from left], followed by Captain Derek Brown and Tom Finney.
“This was the first season of the local Intermediate [Under 18s] league,” remembers Brian McGinn.
“Originally there were only four teams…the others were St Austins…Alex Murphy played for them…Rivington Road, Glover’s Ropery and ourselves. We played each other four times and ironically St Austins beat us on all four occasions in the league, but we ended up beating them in the final!
"Our Captain was Derek Brown, my second cousin, who had captained Lancashire Schoolboys at 14.”
The 1960 Saints team
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