THE JOHN MCNULTY MEMORIAL MATCH
Saturday, 25th January 2020 at the
COBBYDALE CONSTRUCTION STADIUM
Toolstation Northern Counties East League Premier Division.
SILSDEN AFC V KNARESBOROUGH TOWN FC
The Cobbydalers’ home League game on Saturday will a celebration of the long service given by the recently deceased JOHN EDWARD McNULTY who passed away on December 24th after a short illness. John and his family have long associations with the club with his son Sean now The Clubs’ Chairman.
John was born in a gypsy caravan in Worth Village in 1941, one of seven children. John himself played rugby league as a youngster although his father had played for Stoke City before the war. John’s father was in Malaysia in World War Two where he developed malaria.
It was John’s marriage to Sandra Mitchell , a mill worker in Silsden which brought him to “Cobbydale” where the couple married in 1962. She lived in a back-to-back house in Aire View but the married couple first lived in Woodside Road before moving to Gloucester Avenue. John worked initially as a drayman, then at Attersley Foundry and then Fletchers Mill but he was best known in Silsden, in his later years, as the man who kept the streets in pristine condition
Sean was born in 1964. John was a massive Liverpool fan but, when Sean was four, he wanted a Man. United kit for Christmas. A red shirt was bought and Sean’s mother stitched “7” on the back of it, the number of George Best! Sean’s brother, Jason, was born 1950 and as they grew up the lads began to get involved in football, Sean making his debut for Steeton Juniors at the age of 14 before playing for Cobbydalers at 18 in The Craven League.
When John retired at 60, he then got involved with the Cobbydalers where Jason played as well. Sean and Anne’s sons Danny, Andy and Josh and Jason and Michelle’s sons, Matthew and Joe, all played at Silsden in their teens. While his sons were playing, John was often put “in charge of the boys”. On one occasion Sean was playing but the lads were not in sight. Eventually John, who had been watching the game, found them stuck in the top of a tree. He eventually managed to coax them down. At another game the boys disappeared again. There was no sign of them. Sean, the keeper, had to leave the pitch. (In the days before substitutes someone else had to go in the goals whilst Sean searched for his sons!) He eventually found them, locked in a car boot of a Ford Escort! John enjoyed the game! Sean returned to his goal area!
However, John took the lads everywhere on Saturdays and Sundays, watching them progress from the juniors to the seniors. His grandsons have played in the County Amateur League and the North West Counties and are now involved with Silsden Whitestar. They all related interesting stories of their granddad at his funeral.
Just as John had looked over Silsden when he was working, he took enormous pride in his role as the groundsman at Silsden. His pitches were immaculate although he did have some battles getting rid of moles, and sometime youngsters playing in the goalmouths! One look from John and all was sorted! Sean has now taken over the pitches and takes as much pride of them as his dad.
John’s funeral was held in St. James Church on January 10th. Sean read a poem and Jason, Danny, Andy and Josh all gave interesting and humorous stories about their dad and grandad, some of which included quips about Man United.
Perhaps John will have the last laugh! His coffin was carried out by his sons and grandsons to “You’ll never walk alone”. He might be looking down from heaven with a giant smile “if” Liverpool win the title!
The match on Saturday will be a “pay-what-you-want” event when everyone at the club can “Thank John Mac” for his services to the Cobbydalers.
