Legendary centre-forward Alfie Cartwright used to race
pigeons…but they always beat him, mind.
That’s not to say he wasn’t quick as hot snot across a pitch
back in his youth, even if he did miss six months of one season with a broken
flask.
The former pitman at Bates Colliery has been snapped up by Blyth Town,
who beat off stiff competition from Newcastle United and Sunderland
to capture the signature of the veteran goal getter.
Town boss Michael Connor was delighted to bring in
straight-talking Cartwright and reckons his no-nonsense style could help the
Northern Football Alliance Premier Division side net a £100,000 windfall.
Alfie is now the face of a hilarious campaign looking for
your Facebook votes in the Budweiser/FA Club Futures Programme.
“In the days when they reckoned a Newcastle United official
just had to go to the pit-head and call down for a centre forward, Alfie was
always there, ten minutes after that first one out, with a fag in his gob,”
said Town chairman Sandra Orr.
His record 40 goals in the 1968/69 season included three own
goals in a game when he forget to change ends at half time and he was also a
hero off the pitch when there was once a fire in the clubhouse and Cartwright
came shouting at the firemen to save the Cups.
“Divn’t worry Alfie,” one shouted back, “We’ve saved the
saucers n’ahl!”
And now he’s back to help out Town, who have already been
boosted by £50,000 after winning the North East and Yorkshire
regional competition. Their Facebook bid for the £100,000 goes live on 28th
January 2013 and they need YOUR votes to clinch the vital cash.
“We have won £50K in a national competition to improve
facilities for the youngsters and community of Blyth. Due to this success, the Club is now
automatically entered into a Facebook vote for a further £100K. The Club with the most votes wins the £100K,
it is as simple as that,” continued Sandra.
“We represent the
North East and Yorkshire and are one of only 8
Clubs nationwide. We need your votes - lets have this money spent in the north
east, for our children and our community!”
Voting is open until 22nd February at http://www.thefa.com/TheFACup/News/2012/Nov/budweiser-club-futures-programme-winners.aspx
Don’t let Alfie Cartwright down, back the bid and boost the
Town.
