Walsall player ex Salford Lad.

While researching today, I came across this obituary (in THE MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS) to one of our greatest Saddlers, which may interest followers of the Saddlers I do hope so.

Walsall FC hero Albert McPherson, who played alongside Eddie Colman, Brian Doyle and Steve Fleet at Salford Lads Club, has died aged 87

They were four young boys at summer camp in Aberystwyth with Salford Lads Club.

It was 1951 and they had the world at their feet.

Within a few years all of them would be playing professional football.

One, Eddie Colman, would become a Busby Babe, who would die in the Munich Air disaster of 1958.

Footballer Albert McPherson

Brian Doyle would play for Stoke City and Steve Fleet for Manchester City.

The fourth, was Albert McPherson, who though born and raised in Salford, would become a legend in the West Midlands, as captain of Walsall and a coach at West Bromwich Albion.

Today tributes were paid to Albert, who has died, aged 87.

A picture in 1950 of a Salford Lads Club camp showing Albert McPherson (far right, front row)

Albert lived in West Dixon Street and attended St Barts School, initially working as a block printer at local firm Worrall’s.

He was a member of the club from 1942 to 1954, before signing for Walsall in 1955. He played centre half for Walsall until 1964 and was also club captain. He went on to coach and scout for West Brom where he became a highly respected member of the backroom staff.

Eric Salthouse, the most senior volunteer at the Lads Club, described Albert as “a fine athlete and all round good guy, a real role model for young lads at the club”.

Leslie Holmes, spokesman for the Lads Club, said: “He is fondly remembered here. He visited our club in 2008 and his achievements and characteristics are an inspiration to our members.

“During the 1950 camp at Aberystwyth Albert and the other lads played Aberystwyth Town and won 6-1.”

Photo from Salford Lads Club summer camp showing (from left to right) Brian Doyle, Albert McPherson, Eddie Coleman and Steve Fleet

As a player McPherson made more than 350 appearances for Walsall during a 10 year spell, skippering them through back to back promotions from the Fourth Division to the Second in 1959/60 and 1960/61.

He moved into coaching taking up the role of trainer under Jimmy Hagan at The Hawthorns where he remained until 1984.

His work with the first team coincided with them lifting the League Cup in 1966 and reaching the final the following season.

McPherson then moved into youth and reserve team football, bringing youngsters through the ranks with the likes of Alistair Robertson, Len Cantello, Bryan Robson, all coming through under his watch.

Albion club legend Tony Brown led the praise today: “Albert was a football man, through and through, steeped in the game, he watched it, talked about it all the time.”

“I remember training with him under Jimmy Hagan back in the ‘60s, but then I trained with him again at the end of my career here in 1981, when Ronnie Allen took me out of the first team squad and I went to train with the kids.

“Watching him at first hand, you could see why he was so good with the youngsters because they hung on his every word, they worked hard and he instilled real discipline in them.”

Walsall player 36. Henry Beck

Henry Alfred Beck
Date of birth 21 February 1901
Place of birth Walsall Wood, England

Date of death 1979
Playing position Centre half, Right half, Left half

Senior career
Years                      Team                  Apps  (Gls)
Rushall                    ? (?)
1921                        Walsall                     3 (1)
Darlaston                  ? (?)
Cannock Town         ? (?)
Burton Town            ? (?)
1921-1927            Walsall                     40 (0)
Stafford Rangers       ? (?)
1928                       Barrow                      29 (0)
1929-1932            York City                119 (12)
1932-1933            Wrexham                 30 (2)
–                            Glentoran                  ? (?)
–                            Dudley Town             ? (?

Henry Alfred “Harry” Beck, also known as Harold Beck, (21 February 1901 in Walsall Wood, England – 1979) was an English footballer.Information  is very scarce…..

Walsall player 35. Tom Bayley

Date of birth August 1868
Place of birth Walsall, England

Date of death Deceased
Playing position Right back

Senior career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1887–1889 Walsall Swifts
1889–1890 Walsall Town Swifts
1890–1893 Small Heath 60 (0)
1893–1895 Walsall Town Swifts 23 (0)
1895–1899 Gainsborough Trinity 89 (1)
1899 South Shields
1899–1900 Watford 4 (0)
1900 Leamington Town

John Thomas “Tom” Bayley (August 1868 – after 1899) was an English professional footballer who played as a right back. Born in Walsall, Staffordshire, he played for Walsall Town Swifts and Small Heath in the Football Alliance before going on to make 130 appearances in the Football League representing Small Heath, Walsall Town Swifts and Gainsborough Trinity.

Walsall player 34. Keith Ball

Keith Ball
Date of birth 26 October 1940 (age 75)
Place of birth Walsall, England

Playing position Goalkeeper

Senior caree
Years                  Team                           Apps (Gl
1958–1962         Walsall                           11    (0)
1962–1966         Worcester City              ?      ?
1966–1968         Walsall                           34    (0)
1968–1972          Port Vale                     130    (0)
1972                      Stourport                        ?      ?
1972–1973           Walsall                             2   (0)
Darlaston                         ?     ?
Nuneaton Borough       ?     ?
Kidderminster Harriers?    ?
Total                              177+ (0)

Keith Ball (born 26 October 1940) is an English former footballer. He was a short but agile goalkeeper who made 145 league and cup appearances for Port Vale and enjoyed three spells with Walsall. He also played non-league football for Worcester City, Stourport, Darlaston, Nuneaton Borough, and Kidderminster Harriers. He was a squad player as Walsall won back-to-back promotions in 1959–60 and 1960–61, and was an ever-present for Port Vale as they won promotion out of the Fourth Division in 1968–69.

Ball began his career at hometown club Walsall, as the “Saddlers” posted a sixth place finish in the Fourth Division in 1958–59. Bill Moore’s side then went on to win the divisional title in 1959–60, before winning a second successive promotion with a second-place finish in the Third Division in 1960–61. The Fellows Park outfit then settled in the Second Division with a 14th place finish in 1961–62. Having only featured in 11 league games, Ball was allowed to join Southern League side Worcester City. City finished one point above the relegation zone in the 1962–63 campaign, before rising to 13th place in 1963–64 and then third place in 1964–65, before dropping to eighth position in 1965–66. Ball returned to Walsall, now managed by Ray Shaw, to play 34 Third Division games in the 1966–67 and 1967–68 campaigns.
He was bought by Gordon Lee’s Port Vale in November 1968 for ‘a small fee’, to replace the injured Stuart Sharrat.[1] He was immediately the first choice keeper for the “Valiants” after being preferred ahead of Milija Aleksic Ball played 38 matches in the 1968–69 season and played all 52 matches in the 1969–70 Fourth Division promotion winning campaign. He made 30 appearances in the 1970–71 season and 35 appearances in the 1971–72 season, as Sharrat battled to win back his first team place. Ball was given a free transfer in May 1972, as experienced Bolton Wanderers stopper Alan Boswell was signed to take over goalkeeping duties at Vale Park. He moved on to Stourport before making another return to Walsall. He played two Third Division games under the stewardship of John Smith in the 1972–73 season, before moving into non-league football with Darlaston, Nuneaton Borough and Kidderminster Harriers.

Walsall player 33. Charlie Shaw

Born Walsall 1866 died Walsall 1942
Charles ‘Shiner’ Shaw was a great footballer, he loved the rough and tumble of the early game and mixing it with the biggest and the bravest of players at that time. History has it that Shiner never backed down, never out of his depth. When he left school he joined Walsall Town in 1885 and played in Walsall Swifts derbys over the next 3 years. He was to play in the last Derby game and the first game for newly formed amalgamated Walsall club . He was to play for Walsall until at least 1893 . He had represented both Staffordshire County and Birmingham Assosciation.
“His employment away from football, was that of a bridal maker, in the leather trade.
Charles lived in Walsall and attended matches at Fellows Park up until his death.

Walsall player 32. Ron Russon

Born Wednesbury in 1928 died 1981
Ron was a junior for Wolverhampton Wanderers, he then played for Hednesford Town before joining Walsall in 1948 where he stayed until 1955 giving then good service. He took over the number 5 shirt from Jack Bridgett. RON, made 147 appearances for Walsall .
Born in Wednesbury in December 1928, Ron was a useful half-back who had assisted Hednesford Town prior to becoming a Saddler. Initially he contested the centre-half and left-half positions with Jack Bridgett and Bill Foulkes, and Alf ‘Nutty’ Newman and Billy Green. He was first choice pivot for Walsall for over two years, from January 1950 to March 1952. He died in 1981, aged only 52.

Walsall player 31. Tom Richards

Born Walsall 1885-Deceased
Played 274 Goals 6
Tom was a 6ft 2inch defender who perhaps was unfortunate to be at his best at a time when Walsall were out of the League, but he was a true Walsall club man who he joined from Wolverhampton in 1908. Toms Walsall career ended with the outbreak of the first world war! He played for Pleck prior to joining Wolves and after playing 274 games for Walsall, he ended his career playing dor Dudley Town ending in 1918

Walsall player 30. Jack Reed

Born Walsall around 1908-Deceased
Played 141 Goals 6
Here in Jack Reed, we unfortuately , have another player where there seems little information on file for him. He spent the time roughly 1932-1937 at Walsall, having signed from Dudley Town. He earlier played for Walsall Miners Welfare, and Dudley White Star and the Swifts, (Not sure of the full name, so ammendment to be made if information comes forward).
Upon his arrival at Walsall, he quickly settled into the team, and became a regular. He was a member of the 1933 team who had that historic win over Arsenal. In 1936 Injury caught up with him, and forced him into retirement. He later did some scouting for the club, I have been unable to find when he died.

Walsall player 29. Arthur Attwood

Arthur Albert Attwood (born 1 December 1901 in Walsall, England) was a footballer who played in The Football League for Walsall, Everton, Bristol Rovers and Brighton & Hove Albion. Arthur died in 1974. That is all of the information my research has unearthed, however I can bring out some of the clubs he played for and games played and goals scored.
Walsall LMS
1928               Walsall                                    14 (13)
1928-1929    Everton                                     3 (0)
1930-1931     Bristol Rovers                       51 (27)
1931-1934     Brighton & Hove Albion    87 (55)
–                      Northfleet
–                      Hove
Total                                       155 (95)

Walsall player 28. Harry Alcock

Harry Alcock was a footballer who played in the Football League for Walsall. He was born in Walsall, England. He played 45 games scoringover the seasons 1925 and 1926, scoreing  13 goals . That is all the information I have managed to find on this player.