Last updated 13:48, Monday, 03 March 2008

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EVER wondered why there is so much animosity between supporters of Workington Reds and Carlisle United?

The answer lies with John Robert Fisher, of Workington - a rare, perhaps unique example of a football martyr.

The fascinating and tragic story of John Robert Fisher was revealed at this week’s Workington sporting memories afternoon by lifelong Workington Reds fan Gordon McCallister.

Fisher played in the halfback line for the Reds side which went to Carlisle and beat Carlisle City - forerunner of United - 4-1 in the Cumberland Cup final some time in the 1890s.

The unthinkable happened as the Reds players went up the victor’s steps to receive the trophy - when the Carlisle fans started to stone the victorious players. As a near riot broke out and the police moved in, one of the stones hit Fisher on the head - causing an injury from which he subsequently died.

The players ran for their wagonette and headed back home in great haste. Fisher was treated for his injury and appeared to make a recovery - until his death nearly a month later.

No-one was ever brought to justice and at the subsequent inquest, the police came in for criticism from the coroner for having just two officers on duty at a local derby which was always likely to boil over.

There were some fascinating stories swapped as old timers re-lived golden memories from West Cumbria’s sporting past at an exhibition at Workington Zebras’ Ellis Ground.

Workington’s Helena Thompson Museum staff had some more unusual sporting memorabilia on display.

And if former Workington Town RL skipper Paul Charlton - who now lives in Queensland, Australia - ever wonders who the fan was who loaned him a coat off his own back to keep him warm when he came off injured towards the end of the club’s Lancashire Cup victory over Wigan in 1977, then he’s now been revealed as Tom Cannon of Udale Court, Moorclose.

Tom, 70, spotted himself on one of the hundreds of historic photographs on display. “I came away from the match with an injury myself,” said Tom. “I leapt in to the air when we scored the winning try and banged my hand so hard on the railing when I came down again that I broke a bone in my hand.”

Bob Talbot, 70, of Newlands Lane, Workington, one of West Cumbria’s finest-ever cricketers, also swapped stories from his career as opening bat/wicket keeper which lasted for more than 20 years.

He played most of his matches for Workington in the North Lancashire League - but had the distinction of being the first Cumberland Senior League professional when he starred for United Steels from 1961-70.

He played his first match for Cumberland at the age of 17 -- and once scored a century for Cumberland when a certain Geoffrey Boycott did the same for the opposition - Yorkshire seconds.

“Don’t ask me about sledging because it didn't happen in my day,” he said. “We played the game fairly and one of the most influential teammates I ever played with, former Lancashire player Geoff Edrich, gave me the advice I always followed - if you know you are out then don’t make it difficult for the umpire, just walk.”

Eighty-year-old Eppie Gibson, the universities rugby union star who became a West Cumbrian rugby league super hero in a 14-year professional career, recalled the best ever Workington Town side he appeared in - the 1951 championship winning side.

“That was some side with some threequarter line,” he said. “I scored 42 tries that season at centre, my winger Happy Wilson scored the same, the other centre Tony Paskins scored more than 20 and his winger Johnny Lawrenson was up in the 30s. Happy Wilson always joked that if I'd been any good, he would have 60 tries and I would have scored 20!”

Workington Reds groundsman Billy Watson, who turned down the chance of becoming Tottenham Hotspur’s groundsman in the days of Keith Burkinshaw’s management, produced one of the Reds shirts worn in Workington’s final appearance in the football league in 1977 - as well as the club flag which flew over Borough Park in the final season.

Heather Snodden, who organised the event on behalf of South Workington Partnership, said: “We have plenty of people - and Workington Zebras have been very generous hosts. One of the aims was to encourage people who might be getting a bit isolated to get out for the afternoon. We hope we have succeeded. We will certainly be back in touch with everybody who came - and we will be organising something else, perhaps a coach trip.”