Lancashire nostalgia in 1970: Alan Ball in charge; 'Street' funeral; and mackerel shortage

I’m in charge, says manager Alan Ball

New manager Alan Ball began Preston North End’s pre-season training with a bang, when he told the players that he would stand no interference from the board.

Speaking in front of the directors, he said categorically: “I am the boss. No director will be the boss.”

In the sternest speech made at the club for years, he added that he would be solely responsible for picking the team and would always have the players he wanted.

“Certain directors may have their own ideas, but don’t worry about them,” he continued. “The directors will run the financial angle and I will run the other side.”

Ball, who had been formally introduced to the players by Mr Tom Nicholson, the chairman, said that everyone must be dedicated and that anyone who wasn’t would be out.

“It’s as simple as that,” he said. “We shall work very hard and do a lot of training which will be new to you.

“I’m not going to listen to anybody about your qualities and I will be the sole judge of who I want. I will have 11 triers in every team and no one else.”

The manager said he was proud to be associated with Preston North End.

Women in tears at ‘Street’ funeral

Silent crowds jammed the pavements around the Church of St Stephen on the Cliffs at Blackpool, mourning the passing of Arthur Leslie - Jack Walker of Coronation Street.

Nearly 3,000 people, mostly middle-aged women - many of them in tears - stood and watched as celebrities from the Granada TV production in which Mr Leslie played the landlord of the “Rover’s Return” pub arrived at the church.

Mr Leslie, of Burtonwood Drive, Blackpool, collapsed and died while on holiday with his wife Betty.

The coffin was then taken from the church to Park Cemetery, Lytham for cremation.

Along Blackpool Promenade, thousands of holidaymakers paid their last farewells to one of their favourite TV characters as the cortege went by.

It’s a thin time for mackerel lovers

Rumour has it that Preston’s weight watchers are responsible for a run on stocks of tinned mackerel.

Connoisseurs are finding it difficult to lay their hands on a tin of their favourite food, which is apparently difficult to come by at the best of times.

The manager of one large Fishergate food store said he has been having to buy twice as much tinned mackerel in recent weeks.

And the problem is not confined to Preston. One Bolton weight watcher, unable to buy a single tin in her home town, came to Preston recently and took two dozen tins back with her.

Mrs Pamela Owen Thomas, northern manager of a weight watching organisation, explained: “We have a basic programme, drawn up medically, which says that members should have at least five fish meals each week.”