PFA PLAQUE TO STAN CULLIS TO BE UNVEILED AT HIS ELLESMERE PORT SCHOOL ON 17 JUNE at 1.30pm

 

PFA PLAQUE TO WOLVES AND ENGLAND LEGEND STAN CULLIS TO BE UNVEILED AT HIS ELLESMERE PORT SCHOOL ON 17 JUNE at 1.30pm

Stan Cullis is one of the football greats. As a boy he attended Cambridge Road Primary School, Ellesmere Port. The school is now set to honour him by erecting a plaque on the building and the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) is delighted to offer its support.

The date for the unveiling is 1.30pm on Thursday 17 June, the day before England face Scotland, a fixture that Stan Cullis played twice in.

The special guests for the day are Warrington born John Richards, a Wolverhampton Wanderers legend and England international and Stan Cullis’s son, the Reverend Andrew Cullis. Wolves director John Gough will also be present and as will Gordon Taylor of the PFA. The Mayoress of Ellesmere Port, Cllr Lisa Denson, will join proceedings.

Born 1916, Stan Cullis started his career playing at school level. He was twice a Football League runner-up with Wolves, where he also finished as FA Cup runners-up in 1938-39.  He represented at centre half his country on 12 occasions and captained the side in the last pre-war game. He also made 17 war time appearances.

As manager of Wolves between 1948 and 1964 he three times led the Black Country club to the Division One title and twice won the FA Cup. Cullis helped pioneer the move by English clubs into playing in Europe. A statue to Cullis stands outside Molineux. 

According to the PFA Chief Executive Gordon Taylor OBE.

“In order to inspire the next generation of male and female footballers and to encourage all pupils to do their best at sport the PFA is keen to take the stories of former pupils who became great football stars back into the schools they attended. 

“It will be the third time the PFA has unveiled plaques to footballing legends at the schools they attended. In 2018, Harry Gregg and Alex Williams performed the joint ceremony to Frank Swift and Jimmy Armfield at Revoe School, Blackpool. In 2019 Brian Kidd and John Aston junior did the honours for John Aston senior at Ravensbury Community School, Manchester. They were both great events in which pupils at the schools played major roles.”

John Richards, Wolverhampton Wanderers and England, League Cup winner 1974 and 1980, UEFA Cup runner-up 1972.

“Stan Cullis created a Wolverhampton Wanderers team that was the most successful in the club’s history. Stan was idolised in Wolverhampton, and quite rightly so. Not only did Wolves win 3 League titles and 2 FA Cups, he also created a team which could compete at the highest level with the then European giants such as Honved, Moscow Dynamo and Real Madrid. 

His teams set the standard. Our seventies side, and every other since, is compared to and measured against the successes of the Stan Cullis era. He set a high bar which no other team or manager has come close to reaching. His accolade as Wolves greatest ever manager is richly deserved. “

Reverend Andrew Cullis, Stan Cullis’s son.

“I was delighted when I heard that Cambridge Road School in Ellesmere Port, where my dad was a pupil, was planning to put up a plaque in his memory.  Some years ago I saw the house where my dad lived, and it will be very special to visit the area again and see his old school – and enjoy such a wonderful occasion.”

 

Darryl Pickering, Cambridge Road Primary School Headteacher: 

“The school is delighted to play its small part in honouring one of its former pupils. We are working with the children, some of whom will assist with the unveiling, on a series of arts projects associated with Stan Cullis and these will be on display on the day and permanently thereafter.

“Thanks to some local sponsorship we are buying a football trophy and we intend organising a local annual Stan Cullis football tournament. 

“Stan Cullis was an outstanding professional and a credit to Cambridge Road Primary School and Ellesmere Port.”

The PFA will also be honouring this year, Bert Whalley, the former Stalybridge Celtic and Manchester United player and coach who lost his life at Munich, by unveiling a plaque to him at the home of Stalybridge Celtic at 6pm on 27 July and following which a special match involving Bert’s former clubs will be played. 

Later this year, a plaque to another Ellesmere Port hero, Joe Mercer, will be unveiled at Ellesmere Port Civic Hall. No date has yet been fixed.

For further details contact Mark Metcalf at mcmetcalf@icloud.com or 07392 852561

The address for Cambridge Road Primary School is Cambridge Road, Ellesmere Port,
Cheshire CH65 4AQ