Quiz: Youngest man alive today to have played for Notts in......

[upthemaggies]

I know Michael Simpson was mentioned earlier but did anyone suggest him for 2nd tier? I'm sure he's a year younger than Michael Johnson?

The 12 men still in their 40s today who played for Notts in the 1st or 2nd tier (or both).......

Year
born / name / debut date (age) / last game (age) / previous / next club
1971 Mark Wells 1991-10-22 (20) 1993-04-12 (21) youth Huddersfield
1971 Richard Walker 1992-09-02 (20) 1997-04-26 (25) youth Hereford
1972 Paul Cox 1992-04-25 (20) 1994-09-03 (22) youth Kettering T.
1972 Colin Hoyle 1994-08-13 (22) 1996-03-09 (24) Bradford City King's Lynn
1972 Paul Devlin 1992-04-11 (19) 1996-02-27 (23) Stafford R. Birmingham C.
1972 Steve Slawson 1991-10-22 (18) 1995-04-01 (22) youth Mansfield T.
1973 Michael Johnson 1991-10-22 (18) 1995-04-08 (21) youth Birmingham C.
1973 Paul Sherlock 1994-01-11 (20) 1994-11-05 (20) youth Mansfield T.
1974 Michael Simpson 1993-08-24 (19) 1996-08-17 (22) youth Wycombe W.
1974 Tommy Gallagher 1992-09-02 (18) 1997-01-28 (22) youth Stafford R.
1974 Mick Galloway 1995-04-08 (20) 1997-02-22 (22) youth Gillingham
1975 ??????????????

[ncfcog]

The 12 men still in their 40s today who played for Notts in the 1st or 2nd tier (or both).......

Year
born / name / debut date (age) / last game (age) / previous / next club
1971 Mark Wells 1991-10-22 (20) 1993-04-12 (21) youth Huddersfield
1971 Richard Walker 1992-09-02 (20) 1997-04-26 (25) youth Hereford
1972 Paul Cox 1992-04-25 (20) 1994-09-03 (22) youth Kettering T.
1972 Colin Hoyle 1994-08-13 (22) 1996-03-09 (24) Bradford City King's Lynn
1972 Paul Devlin 1992-04-11 (19) 1996-02-27 (23) Stafford R. Birmingham C.
1972 Steve Slawson 1991-10-22 (18) 1995-04-01 (22) youth Mansfield T.
1973 Michael Johnson 1991-10-22 (18) 1995-04-08 (21) youth Birmingham C.
1973 Paul Sherlock 1994-01-11 (20) 1994-11-05 (20) youth Mansfield T.
1974 Michael Simpson 1993-08-24 (19) 1996-08-17 (22) youth Wycombe W.
1974 Tommy Gallagher 1992-09-02 (18) 1997-01-28 (22) youth Stafford R.
1974 Mick Galloway 1995-04-08 (20) 1997-02-22 (22) youth Gillingham
1975 ??????????????

Then it has to be Ian Ridgeway but I thought I saw someone else mention him?

[upthemaggies]

Then it has to be Ian Ridgeway but I thought I saw someone else mention him?

Bingo.

You're the first to mention him.

Ian Ridgway, born 28th December 1975, now aged 45. Came on as a sub at Swindon Town in the penultimate game of the 1994/95 season under the Wayne Jones/Steve Nicol/Dean Thomas trio. The youngest born man to have played for Notts in the 2nd tier.... and that may hold true for many years to come.

Here he is pictured at the start of the 1996/97 campaign. He played his last game under Allardyce before moving to Kettering Town.

[ncfcog]

Bingo.

You're the first to mention him.

Ian Ridgway, born 28th December 1975, now aged 45. Came on as a sub at Swindon Town in the penultimate game of the 1994/95 season under the Wayne Jones/Steve Nicol/Dean Thomas trio. The youngest born man to have played for Notts in the 2nd tier.... and that may hold true for many years to come.

Here he is pictured at the start of the 1996/97 campaign. He played his last game under Allardyce before moving to Kettering Town.

Excellent. QLP mentioned him in post #27, I wouldn't have thought of him otherwise.

[upthemaggies]

A footnote:

At least two other players younger than Ridgway made the bench for 2nd tier fixtures but didn't come on

Goalkeeper Malcolm Rigby born 13th March 1976 was on the bench at Peterborough when Bob Catlin his 3rd and final league appearance for the club in August 1993 under Mick Walker.

And another goalkeeper by the name of Kelly who was in the youth team in 1994/95, I don't know his first name so can't find any details but he was on the bench at Southend on 01/Nov/1994 when Slade was in charge.

It's possible there may be one or two more. I haven't got a comprehensive list of all unused subs for the 1990-1995 period.

[upthemaggies]

Excellent. QLP mentioned him in post #27, I wouldn't have thought of him otherwise.

Oh bugger, I missed that post whilst replying to his earlier one. Apologies for keeping it going longer than necessary.

Anybody want to guess the eldest surviving players in those three categories?

[ncfcog]

I'll start with Peter Reid?

[Bridg4d_Pie_]

Alan Birchenall. 75, 76 in August.

[upthemaggies]

Alan Birchenall. 75, 76 in August.

Alan Birchenall was the 3rd eldest of the 73-81 2nd tier players. Willie Carlin is now 80. Kevin Randall, two days older than Birchenall, died a couple of years ago aged 73.

It's definitely a 1950s magpie who is the oldest ex 2nd tier player, Peter Russell is apparently still going at age 86 and there's probably somebody older than him from that era still alive.

Nobody from the 1920s top flight teams will still be alive, so we're looking at 1980s there. Peter Reid wasn't even the oldest born player we had in the 1990-95 era.

[Bridg4d_Pie_]

George Smith Goal Keeper born 13th April 1935 age 85.