HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

You may be wondering why Lincs Cricket Latest is "plugging" a football magazine. Well, because it's edited by Mike Berry, who has long-standing journalistic connections with Lincolnshire.
Mike was a freelance journalist specialising, during the summer months, in publicising the entire Minor Counties competition - East and West - at a time when much of the media ignored it. He contributed copy to quality national papers, and could often be in three or four places at once. That was because he had some reliable 'stringers' in counties like Lincs, whom he could ring for accurate information. Me, Lenny Skinns, Joe Minkley...and Lincs scorer Al Shorter (from Cleethorpes) were on his list, although, as they say, in no particular order.
I stood in for Mike a few times on important games, such as when the Minor Counties played Zimbabwe at Cleethorpes, and also the touring match against Sri Lanka, getting my first (possibly only) cricket report in the Telegraph (the national newspaper of renown). I also provided updates for the PA (Press Association), the national news agency which supplies TV, radio and newspapers with so much of their content. Mike sometimes turned up at Lincs games - and I often saw him when our lads were playing away in Staffordshire, Hertfordshire, or other counties nearer to his base in the Midlands. Mike also went on to produce a magazine about the Minor Counties.
I've seen a couple of earlier copies of Backpass and they were excellent, if you watched football decades ago. Mike has suggested 'yours truly' might pen a few articles, but has left the choice of subject open. Cricketing footballers might be worth considering. How about ex-Grimsby and Southampton wing-half Brian Clifton (formerly a batsman with SCM)? Ann Boulton says she's seen him at the Grimsby Knockout this summer. Once this cricket season is over, and I have a bit more time on my hands, I'll see what can be done to make a contribution to Backpass.
Here's Mike Berry's advert for the next issue, produced free of charge in return for all the help, and advice, not to mention bits of paid work, he gave me in the 1980s, when covering the Minor Counties circuit myself.
I see Duncan McKenzie is among those mentioned in the next issue. Didn't he hail from the Grimsby area?

BACKPASS

THE RETRO FOOTBALL MAGAZINE

Dedicated to the 60s, 70s and 80s

NOW THE FASTEST GROWING FOOTBALL MAGAZINE IN THE UK

ISSUE 8 WILL BE IN THE SHOPS FROM AUGUST 4
OR YOU CAN ORDER A COPY VIA THE WEBSITE
www.backpassmagazine.co.uk



IN ISSUE 8 READ WHO DUNCAN McKENZIE SAYS WAS THE HARDEST FOOTBALLER ON MERSEYSIDE IN THE 1970s - AND IT'S NOT TOMMY SMITH!

WE PUT FRANK O'FARRELL ON THE SPOT - WAS HE TREATED SHABBILY BY MANCHESTER UNITED?

HEAR FROM THE ONLY PLAYER SIGNED BY BOTH BILL SHANKLY AND DON REVIE

AND WHY DUNCAN EDWARDS WAS FINED IN MANCHESTER MAGISTRATES' COURT!

PLUS MUCH, MUCH MORE, including the 1960 European Cup final, the ill-fated Debenhams Cup, Alun Evans, Terry Paine, Ernie Moss, Colin Lee, Bill Lucas, Wyn Davies, Cliff Jones, Terry Mancini, Ken Furphy, Coventry Sporting Club, the 1984-85 season, Stoke City's Delilah, a Birmingham City Dream Team, Football Weekly News magazine and the late Billy Baxter. And the chance to win a copy of 150 BC, CLOUGHIE THE INSIDE STORIES, and the OFFICIAL 2009-10 FOOTBALL YEARBOOK.