John Walsh: My time as Workington Reds manager

A lifelong fan of Workington Reds, he has spent more than 50 years covering the club for both newspaper and radio.

After writing match reports for the News & Star and Times & Star since 1967, he is now the voice of Workington Reds on BBC Radio Cumbria , taking over the mic in 1999.

But what is maybe not as well known, is the week that ‘Walshie’ took charge of his beloved club.

It all began back in October 1989 when Reds had sacked their fifth manager in three years.

Mick Heaton had become the latest to fall on his sword after only two wins in 10 matches in Division One of the Northern Premier League.

Dangerously poised in the bottom four, and with a midweek match looming against high-flying Accrington Stanley, it was a tough time.

Heaton, a former Blackburn Rovers coach under Howard Kendall had been appointed in November of the previous year and had led Reds to a respectable 11th place in Division One.

resigned

Unfortunately, his side got off to a poor start the following season and after a 1-0 defeat at Leek Town, the third in a row, Heaton resigned.

John explained: “I’d got wind of his decision and had actually spoken to him before contacting club chairman Colin Doorbar for his comments.

“At the end of the conversation, with the story in the bag, I just asked: ‘Whose picking the team for Accrington on Wednesday?’

“The answer is indelibly printed in my memory bank – ‘We rather hoped you would!’

“And that is how I became caretaker-manager for a game against the best team in the league.”

At the time, with the help of former Reds manager Ian Hodgson, John was running the club’s reserve side so he had an idea of the scope of the squad.

“There was some irony in taking Reds to play at Accrington because that had been my grandfather’s home town, and he had been born 100 yards from Peel Park,” he added.

“A Stanley fan before he moved to west Cumberland, he married a Maryport woman, and later took my dad to watch Reds in the famous FA Cup tie at Lonsdale Park against Preston North End.

“And so it was that my father took me along to Borough Park in 1953 and I was hooked.

“I was beginning to wish I was off the hook when we arrived at Peel Park on that Wednesday evening.”

John did not get off to the best of starts as he was two men down before the game began.

He added: “First to greet me was our most experienced defender, former Blackburn defender Derek Fazackerley.

“He said, ‘Sorry John, nothing personal, but Mick Heaton brought me to the club and now he’s leaving I will be as well’.

“And minutes later ex-Blackpool defender Brian Gardner reported a tight hamstring and wouldn’t be able to play.

“To be fair to him, though, he stayed and helped in the dressing room even offering words of encouragement to the team.”

On balance Reds didn’t do badly at all, losing 4-2 to a gifted side. The chairman thought it had been a good effort.

But if John thought he was off the hook after that match then he had to quickly think again.

He asked Doorbar if they had anyone lined up to take charge on the Saturday. But the answer was no.

John was told the directors were working on it and Doorbar asked if he would hold the reins at Harrogate.

It didn’t go down well in all quarters though. He explained: “Now the man who was least pleased with my appointment was my Workington editor at the Times & Star , Terry Kirton.

“I don’t think he was keen on me interviewing myself after a game!”

Onwards to Saturday and a trip to Harrogate, less daunting than Accrington, but another away fixture.

Unavailabilities were mounting and John had to make six changes with debuts for locals Willie Doggart, Tom Shepherd and Kevin Henderson.

Again it was a decent effort, losing 2-1 but nothing to take back to Workington with the league position worsening.

“When Colin asked me how much the club owed me, I thought they must be close to an appointment,” said John.

“But, much to the horror of my mate Ken Wallace, who I had asked to help out, I said there was no need as we didn’t want any payment. Ken had taken two shifts off work to assist me!

“Once again, though, I was asked to stay in charge for a third game the following Tuesday – at home to Accrington!”

One ray of hope for John was that he was allowed to try and strengthen the team.

“Two lads that I had brought to the reserves a few years beforehand, Keith Hunton and Andy Walker, were playing at Newcastle Blue Star but I’d heard they were looking to play nearer home again,” he recalled.

“The manager Billy Cruddas was very receptive and, although nothing came of it at the time, I’m pleased to say that both rejoined Reds later in the season.

“I also phoned Mick McCartney at Gretna and was able to borrow another former Reds favourite in Alan Carruthers.

“Billy Robson, a good local winger from Haig Colliery, joined and so did a young full-back from Millom, Mick Brown.”

Unfortunately, too many new faces playing against a quality side like Accrington didn’t help.

“We gave the poorest performance of my time in charge and lost 3-0 when the 181 in attendance must have left wondering what was going to happen to their beloved club,” said John.

“Fortunately the chairman, to the delight of my editor, thanked me for my efforts and said that the club was appointing Les O’Neill as manager.”

They were tough times but Les steered Reds to 16th out of 22 so that Reds survived at Division One level, although they did finish bottom two years later.

John is definitely now more at home back on the terraces with a microphone in hand. But they were memories that last forever.

He summed it up, saying: “They were seven crazy days. I was on Border Television, interviewed by Keith Macklin, pictured playing keepy-uppy at the News & Star and making more phone calls in a week than I had ever done before.

“And I did finish with a 100 per cent record!”