For anyone who was around to see him play

http://www.falkirkherald.co.uk/spor...ng-of-another-1957-falkirk-cup-hero-1-4259905

 

Thanks for that. Sad news. I remember Eddie O'Hara on the left wing for us and he was a proper goal scoring winger. It's been mentioned on here recently that he was part of that great FA Cup run that we had when we beat Second Division sides S****horpe and Bury in the 3rd and 4th rounds before losing to Man Utd in the 5th. I saw all three plus the replay with Scunny.

RIP Eddie.

 

Excellent talented left-winger in his time at Oakwell.. RIP Eddie

 

Small of stature, like wingers used to be, but a heart like a lion. RIP Eddie.

 

I saw him play many times. it was good to have a winger of his pedigree in the side and he turned out, in the games I saw, either on the left wing (almost always) and once at centre-forward (last game of the season against Mansfield at Oakwell - lost 2-3). Trying hard to recall goals he scored, but I seem to recall goals home and away in the S****horpe cup tie. He scored the first in the away game, in which we were 2-0 down with ten minutes to go. Eddie made a run down the left and cut into the box before slotting home somewhere around the 80th+ minute, followed by Johnny Byrne's class equaliser right at the end. Eddie gave us the lead with a header in the replay - firm far post header from a right wing cross. he then missed a penalty, sending Ken Jones the wrong way, but the keeper managed to knock it over the bar with his trailing leg - always thought that was jammy of him. I must have seen him score more goals, but those are the ones which stand out. RIP, Eddie and condolences to the family of a player who left a good reputation on this side of the border, as well as the other. Happy memories.

 

I was a very regular attender at Oakwell at that time and saw him play a lot. I too was at The Old Show Ground for that 2-2 draw with our late goals, before we beat them 3-2 in the replay. We had over 20,000 at Oakwell for that game, as we did for Bury in the 4th round, a reflection of how big a competition the FA Cup was in those days, even when playing fairly modest opposition. We had a full house of 38,000 for Man. Utd. in the 5th round, though, with the presence of Charlton and Law, not to mention 17 year old George Best in the side, that was to be expected. We had Jimmy Sheavills on thee right wing, I believe, when O'Hara was on the left. O'Hara was much the better player and had goals in him. Johnny Byrne, whom you also mention, was a very talented inside forward I am impressed by your being able to recall those goals details from so long ago. I cannot remember them that well, though I do recall reading in a Sunday newspaper on the day after we beat Bury 2-1 in the 4th round: "A pit town went wild yesterday. Grown men stood in tears (at the end of the match) as they cheered their heroes up the tunnel". I remember this so well because, as a youngster, I used to pin press cut-outs about the Reds to my attic bedroom wall. I must have read it a fair number of times. Amazing how our beating Bury, who were only an average 2nd division side even then, apparently caused so much excitement, even allowing for a fair degree of hyperbole in the reporting.

 

Sorry to hear of the passing of Eddie O'Hara. One of my favourite players of that era. He had a heart like a lion. Always good for a goal and gave everything for the cause. That game at Scunny is a stand-out in my memory. They were in the old Second division and cruising at 2-0 up with about ten minutes to go when Eddie struck. I always liked Johnnie Byrne too, who got the late equaliser. A cultured player. Rest in peace, Eddie, and thanks for the memories.

 

I can also recall a newspaper headline from the day after the Bury game. I think it would have been in The Observer, because that was what my parents read at the time. I remember it said: "An own goal and a good shot from a good centre. These were the meagre ingredients of Barnsley win over Bury at Oakwell. They will surely go out in the next round." Nice to have supportive friends!!! We did go out in the next round, but to Man U, who trounced us in the end. I remember Bobby Williamson making some good saves in the Bury game and the Man U tie. We should have done better in the league with that squad. It had Eric Winstanley (I was convinced he would be England's next centre half if Man U signed him after the game); Billy Houghton (went on to play for Watford and Ipswich at the top level); Johnny Byrne (I told a Posh-supporting friend he was the most classy player at Oakwell when he signed for them for a measly £2,500 and that he would be their top scorer the following season, which he was); Tony Leighton (went on to rattle them in for Huddersfield and Bradford City before passing away way too young). Good side, but lacking confidence and ambition at the time, but still happy days. That S****horpe replay was a classic cup tie and thrilling watch, starting with watching the S****horpe train come in at the station and then the air so cold you could see the players' breath condensing and smell the Wintergreen as they emerged from the tunnel. Ex-Frickley Colliery player, Jack Brownsword scored two penalties for Scunny, but we won it with two from Byrne, the second a great bicycle kick from a ball which was played behind him.

The woodbine!! The woodbines!!

 

and that cup tie very nearly didn't make a replay because, and I can't remember who it was, after pulling back to 2-2 we very nearly scored a winer.

 

R I P
I remember Eddie giving me a load of Programmes from his time in South Africa, when i was a little nipper.
It's times like this when your life seems to race by. Great memories.

 

V sad. Saw Eddie many times when my dad took me down. A fine tricky winger. This kinda news puts one in touch with ones own mortality. For sure. Seems like yesterday. But there's always a tomorrow..... alive or dead and Eddie will be with us in spirit at burton I'm sure.

 

Well there is barely a day goes by when someone from my childhood, youth, or even later doesn't die. Duncan Sharp the other day, although I think he had just retired the season that I started, and now Eddie. I remember that team very well and I remember him signing. In those days there was nothing unusual about signing players from Scotland. It hardly ever happens now.

He came from Greenock Morton and I recall us playing them in a friendly - maybe it was part of the deal, dunno. All my programmes are tucked away in the loft but I know I have one for that match. Maybe Eddie was playing against us that day?

 

I congratulate you on your amazing memory. With regard to the S****horpe full-back you mention, Jack Brownsword, I believe he took penalties throughout his career and scored every single one! I think he scored in excess of 50. I too was a massive fan of Eric Winstanley. I remember he was referred to in one press cutting as "the man they call Mr Barnsley". Two of his performances away from home stick in my mind, from my time at university in London. One was at Fulham in a game we drew 0-0. Fulham had the veteran ex-England captain and first £100 per week footballer, Johnny Haynes, as well as Tottenham double-winning winger, Cliff Jones, in their line-up. We were under pressure for virtually the whole game with countless crosses into our box, virtually every one of which was headed out by Big Winnie. On another occasion, at Watford, he played as an emergency centre-forward and scored both our goals in a 2-1 victory. He got a very bad injury when he was at his peak, and this, I think, deprived him of a move to better things. He went to Chesterfield later, before returning to Oakwell in various capacities.