SRUFC – 1950s & 1960s

1950s

1950/51 – Southport recorded their then two biggest ever defeats, a sixty-six to nil pasting from Birkenhead Park, closely followed by an even worse 3-71 Christmas present from Fylde. Otherwise the club was well organized with three pitches and five teams.

1951/52 – Club president was Paul Carter (1949-59), with past and future presidents the two Dr Limonts and Herbert Barber (before being knighted) among the 26 vice-presidents.

1955/56 – Things were a quiet for a few seasons with no notable results or players reaching the county side. On 29th October the final trial for the Lancashire XV was held at Southport, but no club representation. A then unusual sevens format game featuring two under-15s teams from KGV preceded it.

1956/57 – Dr David Marsh MBE, twice English amateur open champion (1964 and 1970) and member of the Walker Cup team (1959 and 1970), a future Captain of the R&A (1990) and Chairman of Everton (1991-94) joined the club, and regularly ran out in the First XV. On 7th April Southport beat Welsh touring side Cwmgwrach from just outside Swansea 14-12.

1958/59 – The first XV under the leadership of Gordon Berwick won a record 19 games. This lasted for five seasons. A fund raising match for clubhouse improvements was arranged between a Southport & District XV and Jasper Bartlett’s International and County XV. The Mayor of Southport William Berwick (Gordon’s father) kicked off in spite of him being president of the Southport & District Amatuer Football League. Eric Evans, Dickie Uren, Reg Brazley, Gordon Rimmer and Freddie Griffiths were on view, Vic Tindall refereed and Jim Frazer got the baths ready.

1959-60 – Sir Herbert Barber becomes club president.

1960s

1963/64 – In a record breaking season the first XV under skipper Neil Pidduck won 18 times in 22 games in a total of 21 victories in all. Harry Foster having left for a couple of seasons for Waterloo and subsequently returned plays his last game for the club. The Daily Telegraph reported the last game of the season and described how the veteran Foster had decided to call it a day and retire. A fire had been built for the ceremonial burning of ‘the old warriors boots’, although someone else’s got burnt by mistake instead! Darrell Farrant played in this game, away at Oldershaw he thinks, and rememembers that it was not until the middle of the journey home on the coach that Harry admitted the boots were not his but had been found in the home dressing room!

1966/67 – In September new bathing and changing facilities at the clubhouse were used for the first time. November saw the club change its playing policy and for the first time called teams by names which were noted in The Visiter as First team, Second Team, Sandgrounders, Barbarians, Wanderers, Saracens, and Colts.

1968/69 – On 5th Southport played host to East African Impala Sports Club, losing 13-14 in heavy rain. Peter Thompson breaks the first team scoring record with 120 points for the season, and John Kermode the overall club record with 177 points.