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Stan Mortensen - the player who scored in 12 consecutive top flight matches

Stan Mortensen - the player who scored in 12 consecutive top flight matches 

Taken from The Golden Boot: Football’s Top Scorers by Mark Metcalf and Tony Matthews and published by Amberley in 2012. 

1950-51 

Blackpool 

Goals scored: 30 (out of 79); 13 home, 17 away 

Runner-up: Jackie Lee (Derby County), 28 goals 

3^rd in Division One 

Famous for scoring a hat trick at the 1953 FA Cup Final Mortensen was the cutting edge of an exciting, entertaining forward line, in which Stanley Matthews was the outstanding talent with the Blackpool centre forward not too far behind. 

Born in South Shields, Mortensen was lucky to survive the Second World War when his Wellington Bomber crashed, killing two of the four-man crew and leaving the other with just one leg. Signed by Blackpool in 1937, he had failed to make his first-team debut and his chances of doing so looked dim when the doctors told him the crash meant he should avoid heading the ball as it could cause serious health problems. Ignoring this advice, soon afterward he played with success for the RAF side before appearing in a number of friendly games for the Seasiders. 

On the resumption of football in 1945/46, Mortensen scored on his debut away to Wrexham in the FA Cup. It was not going to be the last goal he scored in the famous competition, and in 1947-48 he scored in every round, including a blistering semi-final hat-trick to overturn a Spurs lead that lasted until the 86^th minute of the match. Then, in the final, he put Blackpool back into the lead by converting a Hughie Kelly cross, only for Matt Busby’s Manchester United to come out 4-2 winners at the end of a match many felt was the best FA Cup Final ever seen at Wembley. 

Blackpool had finished the 1949/50 season disappointingly. Seemingly set for a first ever Division One title success, only one game in the last ten were won, leaving Portsmouth to come through and retain their title. Spurs had gained promotion at the end of the season, and with their ‘push and run’ tactics were expected to do well in the top flight. So a first day encounter at White Hart Lane might have been something to avoid, yet with Matthews at his best Blackpool stormed to an impressive 4-1 victory, Mortensen grabbing his first goal of the season. 

At Burnley, Mortensen was so badly injured that the referee Bill Evans suggested he leave the pitch rather than limp out the remaining 20 minutes on the left wing. Refusing, he assisted his side to a 0-0 draw but suffered by being unavailable for the next two matches. There was further disappointment when he then learned he had been overlooked at centre forward for England in their subsequent international match against Northern Ireland. England had done badly at the 1950 World Cup Finals, even losing 1-0 to the USA and the selectors had decided to take a look at a new man in Derby County’s Jack Lee. Mortensen had made his international debut in May 1947, when in a match that Matthews rated as one of the greatest he had ever played in England beat Portugal 10-0 with Mortensen grabbing four. 

Mortensen grabbed his second goal of the 1950/51 season in Blackpool’s tenth League game, yet according Clifford Greenwood in the Blackpool Evening Gazette he ‘was still that half yard slower off the mark.’ He then also played poorly against Chelsea, but with the game tied at 2-2 his non-stop effort paid off when presented with a simple chance he netted from six yards out for the winner. Continuing his bustling battling performances Mortensen managed a goal at St James’ Park but should have done better, missing two golden chances that Greenwood reported showed ‘that for now his old magic has forsaken him.’ Yet with Alan Withers coming into the side and scoring five goals in his first four matches Blackpool could afford to wait until Mortensen found his shooting boots.

When he did, he scored twice at Highbury in a 4-4 thriller. Then at home to Liverpool Allan Brown’s perfect pass set up his first and he hit ‘number two with all the old venom in the shot.’ 

With Blackpool nine points behind leaders Middlesbrough in early January, hopes of any success rested on the FA Cup. Mortensen managed four goals as Charlton and Stockport were beaten to put Blackpool. The goals seemed to kick-start his season, and at Aston Villa on February 3 1951 he was one of the away side’s three scorers in a match that had the whole crowd applauding Matthews as he left the field so wonderfully had the wing man played. Derby County then had to twice pick Mortensen’s efforts out of the net - his second a blistering free kick -  before he scored for the third consecutive game as Chelsea were beaten 2-0 at Stamford Bridge. It was an opportunist’s goal, following up when Brown’s shot got stuck in the mud. 

There was now no stopping Mortensen, Portsmouth, Newcastle, Bolton and Everton all conceding goals to make it seven consecutive league games. In between, the northeast lad had also set up a place in the FA Cup Final against Newcastle United by putting his side a goal up in the replayed semi-final with Birmingham City. ‘Keeper Gill Merrick had got both hands to his shot but the pace was simply too strong to prevent the ball rolling over the line as Blackpool advanced 2-1. 

Mortensen made it eight League games in a row when he scored at Burnden Park. It was a fierce encounter; Mortensen had deflected Bob Langton’s shot into his own net and also scored Blackpool’s goal when with two minutes left he followed up another Brown shot to give his side both points. It was his twenty-fifth League goal of the season. 

Goals number twenty-six and seven  weren’t long in the making, Stoke suffering a 3-0 defeat that could have been much greater. Away at WBA and Mortensen made it ten games in a row. He left it late, but after playing an important part in both Jackie Mudie’s goals, the Blackpool centre-forward made it 3-0 with just two minutes remaining. Ten in a row then became eleven, but with Blackpool’s players now doing their best to ensure they were fit to play at Wembley Huddersfield won much more comfortably than the 2-1 scoreline suggested. 

Next game up was Middlesbrough and Mortensen failed to score. Not that he ever had any chance of doing so as he was on England duty, earning high praise for ignoring a jaw injury to lead an ultimately unsuccessful fightback as Scotland won a fine match 3-2. 

One week later, and for his twelfth League game in a row, Mortensen was again on the Blackpool scoresheet as Sheffield Wednesday won 3-1 at Hillsborough. It was his thirtieth of the season, a brilliant effort but one he might well have traded for just one match winning effort at Wembley, but playing poorly Blackpool lost 2-0 to two Jackie Milburn goals for Newcastle United. Consolation for one of the losing side, captain Harry Johnston, came in the form of the Football Writer’s Association Footballer of the Year Award. 

Mortensen was, of course, to gain his FA Cup winners medal just two seasons later when, inspired by Matthews, Blackpool recovered from being 3-1 down to Bolton to win 4-3. Mortensen by scoring a hat trick became the first, and to date, only player to achieve the feat at a Wembley FA Cup Final.  

Mortensen also suffered further Wembley disappointment in 1953, playing alongside three of his Blackpool team-mates as Hungary crushed the home side 6-3. It was to prove his final international match, leaving him with 25 caps and 23 goals. After leaving Blackpool in 1955 Mortensen played for Hull, Blackpool and Southport before spells with Bath and Lancaster City in non-league football. Returning to Bloomfield Road as manager in 1967 he was denied promotion on goal average in 1968. He died in May 1991 and fine player that he was it is entirely appropriate that a statue of him has been erected outside Blackpool’s ground. 

Tommy Lawton described Mortensen as "the most dangerous attacker of his day. With that curious, energetic run he burst open more defences than any other man of his time, and I don't think I know a player who was faster off the mark than this Blackpool Bombshell was. Knocks and injuries meant nothing to Morty."

Song remains the same for Lullaby

Taken from Big Issue in the North magazine dated October 19-25 2015 

Charity report on air pollution not published 

The Lullaby Trust, which aims to prevent unexpected deaths in infancy, has refused to give a publication date for research into air pollution although its initial findings were reported to donors last September. 

Presenting those findings, lead researcher Dr Ian Litchfield of Birmingham University said the research “indicated ambient air pollutants, particularly PM10 and NO2, were associated with increased Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) mortality”. 

The study, which was centred on the West Midlands, was aimed at examining
the occurrence of SIDS and short-term variations in air pollution for PM10 particulate matter, ozone, sulphur dioxide, carbon monoxide and oxides of nitrogen as well as its components NO and NO2. “PM10” refers to particles to up to 10 micrometers in size. 

Extensive research 

Shrewsbury’s Michael Ryan first became concerned about air pollution after he lost two of his children, one at age 14 weeks, and considered that their deaths may have been the result of having lived downwind of an incinerator. 

His extensive research, using electoral ward statistics from the Office of National Statistics, led him to claim that infant mortality levels, which dropped to an all-time low of 3.8 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2013, are above average in wards downwind of incinerators. 

Ryan was key in forcing Public Health England (PHE) into conducting a study into the impact of incinerator emissions on babies’ and children’s health. This was first promised in 2003 but began in 2012. Preliminary results were expected in March 2014 but it is now hoped that the findings will be published next year. 

Ryan said: “The Lullaby Trust report mirrors the PHE study in that it is delayed and also doesn’t look at nanoparticles less than PM2.5, which, unlike the bigger PM10, can penetrate deepest into the lungs. The trust should also have examined not just SIDS but all infant deaths as the former is around a quarter of the larger total of 2,686 in 2013. 

‘Confidential’ 

“My research and that of prominent scientists dating back decades and in many different countries challenges the view that deprivation, poor parenting and cultural practices are the only reasons for infant mortality. 

Sadly, I fear that too many organisations are willing to ignore this work.” 

A Lullaby Trust spokesperson said the final report is “confidential to us.. it could still be some time until it is published”. 

The spokesperson added: “We are not aware of Michael Ryan’s research. But when our report is published we will get our scientific advisors to review it before taking into account whether we should include his findings in our recommendations – as we do for all potential risk factors. 

“As far as we are aware there is currently no conclusive evidence for a link between SIDS and air pollution.” 

Launch of Man Utd Disabled Supporters' Association booklet today

http://www.mudsa.org/mudsa-is-25/

NURTURE LOCAL FOOD, NOT EXPORTS

Cameron cuts red tape to boost food exports 

Critics say UK should grow more of its own 

The government has defended its decision to prioritise food exports after a former agricultural policy adviser urged it to switch attention towards home production. Charlie Clutterbuck said doing so would reduce Britain’s reliance on overseas produce and boost the trade balance. 

Clutterbuck, a Lancashire soil scientist, spoke to Big Issue North after David Cameron announced plans for fewer farm inspections, an increase in the number of Protected Food Names from 63 to 200 and the creation of a Food Innovation Network to give small to medium enterprises access to new science and technology. The prime minister claimed this would “help British farmers grow and sell more food by liberating them from red tape and opening up new multi-million pound export markets”. 

Downing Street predicted the changes would boost annual food and farming exports by £7 billion, which is just over a third of the current total of £19 billion, a quarter of which is accounted for by Scotch whisky. Britain has a £21 billion annual food deficit. 

Clutterbuck, who was a former special adviser to the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) Select Committee in 2008-10, has often spoken about his fears that Britain is too reliant on imports for its food, with 40 per cent of what we consume coming from abroad. Thirty years ago the figure was 25 per cent. 

Many small, local, projects aimed at boosting food production are supported by Clutterbuck. These include the Incredible Edible Farm at Todmorden, where he is a board member. He has also mapped out the Ribble and Calder Valleys in Lancashire and Yorkshire to highlight how the land there could be used to grow more fruit and vegetables. 

“Repeating mistakes’ 

“The prime minister is repeating the mistakes of the past by bowing down to the markets on food production,” Clutterbuck told Big Issue North. 

“The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) currently accounts for 40 per cent of the entire EU budget, yet much of the £50 billion spent annually produces no food as it goes to large landowners. I want to see much of the £15 billion available under CAP in England over the next seven years going to local producers who are setting up local food chains to ensure people eat fresher, locally produced, food, which is much better for them. Numerous projects such as Sustainable Food for Lancashire show this can be done.” 

Clutterbuck also supports food policy professor Tim Lang of City University London, who contends that much of Britain’s current exports is processed food that has “caused premature mortality here and which will merely export the causes of health service stress to other countries”. Lang wants to see investment in horticulture as part of a plan to place fruit and vegetables at the heart 

of the food system. Britain produces just 12 per cent of its fresh fruit and 58 per cent of its vegetables. Combined imports of both are £8 billion annually. 

“When I was a child there were apples from right across the UK – not now,” said Clutterbuck. “Most of our fruit and vegetables can be grown here, why not do so through local initiatives that can then be linked to local food banks? Tinned products, currently distributed there, can be replaced with vouchers for fresh fruit and vegetables to be redeemed in local shops. 

“The government should provide greater assistance to local food growing initiatives. They could co-ordinate and advertise a national list while also providing business expertise and scientists who can help with soil measurements and pest control. We can increase employment through growing healthier food, the sales of which will reduce our imports and cut our food trade deficit.” 

Local shops 

Lang and Clutterbuck’s concerns were put to Defra in a series of questions. They asked if the government should be doing more to shorten the links between consumers and producers of food, including considering a national food bank voucher system redeemable in local shops for fruit and vegetables. They also asked whether Britain is over-reliant on food imports and requested the research papers that justified Cameron’s claim that the new plans will boost exports by over a third. No research papers were sent. 

Big Issue North approached Defra, whose spokesperson largely repeated Cameron’s original points. “We are creating a stronger brand for British food and drink to promote our produce abroad.... the UK is a world- leader in agri-tech and the government has invested millions in research to ensure we can meet future demand for food,” said the spokesperson. 

Clutterbuck said he is disappointed by “what appears to be a lack of vision by the government over food production, distribution and consumption”. 

Food claims 'butter no parsnips'

Government promised boost to UK farmers - article from Big Issue in the North magazine date 12-18 October 2018. 

The government has been accused by farmers of letting them down by failing to keep to a commitment to ensure Britain’s food producers are prioritised when public sector food contracts are awarded. 

A government- commissioned report by Dr Peter Bonfield last year set out a plan for public sector procurement for food and catering. This included considering the ethical and environmental credentials of food producers and “working with the food industry, researchers and farmers to support opportunities for British-grown produce and food”. 

Bonfield had to be mindful of EU legislation that prevents anti-competitive practices but he pointed out that the public sector spends £2.4 billion annually procuring food and catering services. The public sector was estimated to spend £0.6 billion on imported produce. 

Bonfield’s recommendations were welcomed by David Cameron, who said: “I want to ensure money is spent on nutritious and sustainable food, delivered by Britain’s rural economy... Central government departments are already committed to using this procurement framework – and I expect many hospitals and schools to do the same.” 

‘All mouth, no trousers’ 

Last month the Tenant Farmers Association (TFA) criticised the government for lacking commitment.

Its chairman Stephen Wyrill said: “The British government has been all mouth and no trousers on its food procurement policy. No progress has been made in implementing the Bonfield report.” 

In response to this complaint – and the plight of dairy farmers struggling with low milk prices – Elizabeth Truss, environment secretary, claimed there would be a “new review of public sector food-buying habits, including hospitals, schools and prisons, to understand where more support could be offered”. 

But TFA chief executive George Dunn asked: “Why are we still waiting? Has anything been achieved since 2014? Are there moves to draw up practical plans in all food sectors for public sector procurement?” 

Big Issue North put these points to Truss’s department, which replied by sending her earlier statement. 

“Nice words butter no parsnips. We require action,” said Dunn. 

North East, Yorkshire and the Humber Unite Annual Report 2014

Articles by Mark Metcalf and photographs by Mark Harvey. Released earlier this year.