Who among the soccer-loving readership, and who of course are old enough to remember, cannot long for the days when Durban City, Durban United, and Addington were the premier professional soccer teams in Natal?
My interest in Durban soccer peaked in the mid-sixties, when I spent many a Sunday cheering for Norman Elliot’s Durban City. They were my team and their paraphernalia adorned my every surrounding. The players were my heroes and on many occasions, at the end of a game, I jumped the small white fence around the field at Kingsmead in search of autographs.
I recall the crazy crowds under the spell of center forward Bobby Chalmers, who pounded goals with great ease through United’s goalkeeper George Ryder.
Who cannot recall, and not still be filled with wonder at the remarkable power Les Salton could pack behind a ball, or not wonder at the grace and ease of Henry Houser, the captain and power behind Addington?
But my personal heroes were first Bobby Chalmers, then Alan Varner, Keith Blackburn, John Rugg and George Wooten – all Durban City stars.
Any information about where these stars are now would be most welcome.
(I was overwhelmed with letters from readers about these days and these players).