Seven decades have been completed since St Helens Town were re-formed immediately after the war and the following are our ‘shining lights’ throughout each one.

1940s Bert Trautmann
The war meant that football only took place in earnest in the latter half of the decade but it was that very same conflict which was to provide us with our all-time ‘star’. One of the world’s greatest goalkeepers, ex-German paratrooper Bert came to St Helens via the prisoner of war camp in Ashton-in-Makerfield having played for the ‘inmates’ team against various local sides.

He was only with us for a season and a third before Manchester city swooped for him as his reputation drew large crowds wherever town played. He played fifty one times for St Helens Town being an ever present in season 1948-49 and collected a George Mahon cup winners medal in what was our last season in the Liverpool County combination. Season 49-50 saw us then operating in the Lancashire Combination and Bert managed just ten games before Manchester City intervened in October 1949 but his last game for us was not a happy one as he got out of a sick bed suffering from flu to play an FA Cup tie against Bangor City at Hoghton Road which we lost 3-0/ His move shocked and saddened the three thousand or so regulars we had in those days but he was destined for a much bigger stage eventually becoming ‘Footballer of the Year’ in 1956.

1950’s Harry McCann
Following Bert’s departure, Town supporters were looking for another new ‘idol’ as we won the Lancs. Comb. Second Division in 1951 and into the void stepped Rainhill lad, Harry McCann.

The challenge of the Lancs. Comb. top flight meant we needed high calibre players to compete and ‘inside left’ Harry proved just that. He was an extremely cultured player with a venomous shot and soon became a big favourite with his all-round ‘style’. That ‘style’ was evident off the pitch also as those austere days of drab fashion and military hairstyles. Harry cut a dashing figure with luxurious flowing ‘mane’ which drew more than a few comments from opposition fans. Sadly Harry’s talents alone were not enough to maintain our division one status and within a season we were back in the Lancs. Comb. second division. By the mid-fifties Harry McCann had built up quite a reputation on the non-league scene and again controversy and disenchantment manifested itself amongst the Town followers when the Cheshire County League champions Witton Albion, took Harry from our midst and it led to a huge decline in attendances at Hoghton Road forcing an experiment which saw Town play one season at City Road.

1960s John (Jackie) Atherton
As the decade turned into what was to become the swinging sixties Town were well served by the likes of Jackie Cooke, Maurice Topping, Stan Ashcroft, Jackie Critchley and Derek Maloney who had emerged from the ‘Rock and Roll’ years of the late 50’s.

Another form of ‘rock’ came our way at the decades mid-point when no-nonsense Haydock lad Jackie Atherton began a career lasting some ten seasons in which he became the club captain. Though not the tallest of centre halves Jackie could leap with the best and his robustness on the ground meant that very few got the better of him. The side of which he was the anchor man contained flair players like his namesake Eric Atherton, Ray Fairweather, Johnny Smith and the then club record goal scorer Phil Stainton who’s haul of forty five in season 1964-65 has only been surpassed once since.

Though centre half was Jackie’s usual position he also showed versatility at times when being asked to play up front and scored more than the odd goal or two when wearing the No. 9 shirt but it was at the back, bossing affairs in the box which he will always be remembered for. Jackie’s career went well into the 1970’s when his years of gutsy services were rewarded with a Lancs. Comb. championship winning medal in 1972.

1970’s Alan Wellens
As a local boy in his mid-teens Alan made his St Helens Town debut at Great Harwood in 1966 alongside the aforementioned Jackie Atherton who as skipper made sure that the youngster ‘came to no harm’. Little did anyone realise that Alan would eventually succeed his mentor and become the first Town skipper to lift a trophy for over twenty years when he collected the Lancs. Comb. Championship cup off Wesley Bridge in 1972.

Though he featured intermittently at first under boss Jimmy McKiernan, his Town playing career spanned the years 1966 to 1981 with just a brief season and a half at Darwen intervening in the 1970’s. Though records for the early part of this period are sketchy there is no doubt that Alan holds the record for St Helens Town appearances estimated at five hundred plus and he never gave less than one hundred per cent in any of them. Under his leadership Town also won the Watson Trophy and the Bass Charrington Cup in 1974, although he missed the final of the latter due to injury as his team-mates beat Darwen 4-3 thriller played at Burscough.

That particular side was prolific indeed that year scoring 107 goals with Jackie Kendrick setting a club record of 46 goals which still stands to this day and though Alan Wellens’ job at right back was to defend, he did manage to get forward enough to bag a couple himself. In season 1975-76 Alan skippered Town in their new challenge in the Cheshire County League where he completed his playing career including the brief spell at Darwen.

Sadly his playing days ended when back with Town he broke his leg in a league fixture against Hyde United at Hoghton in 1981 but having recovered, he took over the management of the team and took us to our most glorious day when winning the FA Vase at Wembley in 1987.

1980’s Phil Layhe
As previously mentioned the highlight of Town’s existence has to be the Wembley Vase success of 1987 and the star among many stars that day was two-goal hero Phil Layhe.

The 1980’s in general were a complete mixed bag in our fortunes with relegation from division one of the newly formed North West Counties Football league only narrowly avoided in 1982. However, just three years later we were enjoying our best ever FA Cup run and would have faced an away tie at York City in the First Round Proper had we not been unlucky in our replayed 4th qualifying round tie against Morecambe in 1985.

Instrumental in our change in fortunes was ‘quiet man’ Phil Layhe who came along in 1984 to operate alongside the likes of Derek Farnsworth, Tommy O’Neil, Jay McComb and John Bendon and was soon leaving defences in his wake with his lightening pace and anticipation.

As the ‘Vase’ squad took shape Phil’s obvious talents were given the perfect foil in Brian Rigby and the two set about terrorising defences as we began our quest with an astonishing 5-4 home victory after being 3-0 down to Cole Dynamoes. The fuse was lit and we were on our way with our league form also being revived after a poor start and Phil was regularly on the score sheet. Sadly the backlog of fixtures, which arose from our ‘Vase’ odyssey, meant we didn’t win the league title but the memory of Phil’s supercharged Wembley display will last forever.

The final was a local derby against Warrington Town in a very warm Wembley stadium and Phil Layhe had the St Helens contingent on their feet when heading home Tommy O’Neil’s cross within four minutes. By the 7th minute it was 2-0 when Layhe turned provider for Brian Rigby to head past the forlorn John O’Brien. The games third headed goal came courtesy of Warrington’s Ian Reid on 58 minutes but just as the ‘Wires’ were threatening an equaliser, Phil Layhe forced his way through to make the game safe in the 67th minute. Neil Cooke’s 88th min goal for Warrington made it a jittery last few seconds but the day belonged to St Helens and Phil Layhe in particular.

1990’s Steve Pennington
As the century’s final decade began, Steve Pennington had been given few opportunities in a Town shirt and reverted back to local football where he regularly scored ‘hat-tricks’ for fun! It was not until Jimmy McBride took over as manager that ‘Pellet’ got his chance and over an eight year period he wrote himself into our record books and non-league folklore.

‘Pellet’s’ first ever goal was a late tap in winner against Skelmersdale United at the ‘Moss End’ of Hoghton Road and it was into the same net that he scored the last ever goal at our old ground when we beat Vauxhall Motors 1-0 on that memory charged occasion in the year 2000. In between, Steve’s goals lit up every season and despite brief flirtations into the Vauxhall Conference with Altrincham and the Unibond League with Trafford, he always spent enough time with his home town club to top our goal scoring charts.

It is fair to say that Pellet’s goals kept us a regular NWCFL top eight club and it is unlikely that his total haul will ever be bettered in Town’s cause, although ironically he never managed to beat our record for goals scored in a season. His tally of 45 in season 97-98 matched Phil Stainton’s 1965 haul but fell one short of Jackie Kendrick’s benchmark of 46 achieved in our latter Lancs. Comb. days in 1974.

‘Pellet’ was a larger than life character both on the field and off it and was well respected both by team-mates and opponents alike but his ‘cavalier’ lifestyle made him ‘not suitable’ for the pro game though his goal scoring talents undeniably were. Perhaps it is fitting that Mal Thacker’s photograph of that final goal in Hoghton Road’s final game depicting ‘Pellet’ at what he does best, should be the sporting epitaph on the ground he scored ‘bag-fulls’ for St Helens Town and in local cup finals.

2000’s Iain Dyson
Ian Dyson’s tenure at St Helens Town began as the final season of the 1990’s was about to commence at Hoghton Road and he has gone on to the become the only player to have played competitively at all three of our significant ‘home’ grounds during the three decades he’s covered during his time with the club (Hoghton Road, Knowsley Road and Edge Green Street, Ashton).

Iain made his debut at the club’s Hoghton Road home back on the 14th August 1999, when Town ran out 3-1 winners over Ramsbottom United. He went on to record his first goal at Mossley in a 1-1 draw on 11th September 1999. As a classy midfield player who could also add to the club’s goal tally he was always likely to be much in demand and a spell away from St Helens saw Iain become a firm favourite at a number of clubs including Ramsbottom and Congleton Town. Iain returned to St Helens Town midway through the decade and was virtually ever present until this season.

He has had stints as club captain, acting manager and manager and has proved himself a real club-man and a model of consistency, making a considerable contribution to St Helens during a time of significant upheaval and a real change in non-league football. Having recorded his 250th appearance for Town back in September 2011 Iain is still looking to hit the 100-goal mark, requiring just six more for the century (March 2012). Iain is extremely well respected in North West non-league football circles and this is testament to his approach both on and off the field.