HERE'S a photographic flashback reaching back to when Haydock High (then a secondary modern school) had one of the finest soccer teams in the land. As well as dominating the local scene, they performed heroically in national cup competitions and could boast two successive England Schoolboys internationals.

One of them, Cliff Birkett, an original Busby Babe, is featured here in what could be a school 'house' team. Cliff, who sadly died in recent times, is the strapping captain (seated, centre front row). Possessor of a thunderous shot which at that time put him in the record books as the most prolific scorer in schoolboy international history, he briefly blossomed as a teenaged first-teamer with Manchester United until his career was cut short by injury and other factors.

Full-back Ken Heyes, who had a lengthy and highly successful career with clubs including Everton, Preston North End and Wigan Athletic, was the Haydock lad who succeeded Cliff to schoolboy international honours.

The memory-jerking picture is supplied by Denis Gibson ("the little 'un second right at the front") who went on to give sterling service with Earlestown FC during their Non-League glory days. Denis, from King George Road, Haydock, can't remember the names of the majority of his late-1940s team-mates, but reveals that seated to his left is Brian Heeney, who became a successful entrepreneur and entertainer in America, with Joe Fox sitting by Denis's other shoulder.

I've got news for Denis, having been able to trawl up the identities of a few others in team line-up.

Tom Tattersall is the towering presence third left standing, with the equally tall Gordon Graves extreme right. Eric Harrison and John Larkin are standing third and second right, respectively. Wonder how many former pupils can put names to the rest of the line-up?