A childhood friend of Everton FC legend Dave Hickson, who died last week, remembered the star’s Ellesmere Port roots.
Roy Jones grew up with Hickson, who passed away after a short illness on July 8, and spent his final years in Willaston, Neston.
Mr Jones later became a journalist, regularly reporting on his friend’s heroics at Goodison Park.
He recalled: “In Overpool in the 1930s and 40s we who lived there played our football ‘behind the wood’, alongside the cemetery on Rossmore Road East where boys ploughed the same furrow with the same ambitions with local heroes as internationals Joe Mercer (Everton) and Stan Cullis (Wolverhampton Wanderers), the only two players from one town to captain England.
“Dave Hickson an Everton, Aston Villa and Liverpool centre forward in the old fashioned mould was one of us ‘behind the wood’, one of us and lived there.
“In the 1938/39 season I made my first journey by bus, ferry boat and tram to the gates and into the Goodison Park ground of Everton FC following a tradition established years before in the Port. It was a derby game against Liverpool.
“I took this journey later with Dave Hickson (and many more). We knew each other from the age of six, and our mams were friends for more than 60 years. We went through John Street junior and senior schools together and were friends throughout the years, sometimes from a distance.
“I, and others, travelled regularly to home games with Dave on the bus to Birkenhead and on to the ferry where we would be joined by a couple more of the Everton players, John Willie Parker and Ted Buckle. Then we took the tram – the conductor not taking Dave’s offered fare!
“Dave was one of those who reached the height of their profession worshipped by so many and stepping out almost from a tram on to a field and playing in front of 50-, 60- or 70,000 adoring fans. As we watched him or read of his feats, there were parts of us, who grew up together in the Port, with him on the field.”
Dave Hickson’s funeral will take place at the Liverpool Anglican Cathedral on July 25. The service will begin at 2pm.
