STARS SHINE: Four former Amateur Cup heroes of Crook Town FC, Allan Brown, Bill Roughley, Ray Snowball and John Weir, had the audience tucked up with laughter with their stories and anecdotes of the Northern League and the Amateur Cup competition at a meeting of the Crook and District Local History Society, in the RAFA Club, Crook, on Tuesday, January 28. The audience learned how singer Kathy Kirby left lipstick marks on the top of trainer Charlie Peart's head after he took off his cap and she planted a kiss on his head on a train journey after a match in London. Another story involved how a player looking for a last-minute penalty lay prostrate on the turf and put up different legs to be massaged by the trainer depending where the trainer was standing. Brenda Smith, society chairwoman, said: “It was a lovely, informal, relaxed and informative meeting, it was great to see people smiling and enjoying themselves.” Also in the audience were Jock Errington, a former reserve with Crook, who is recovering from a fall, Ron Gibson, the Stanley Utd left winger 1954-55 and Crook historian Michael Manuel.

ANNUAL MEETING: The AGM of the Billy Row Community Association will take place in Stanley Way Community Centre, at 6.30pm on Wednesday, February 5. This will be followed by a meeting of the Hilltop villagers, which is open to all residents.