English Schools' Football Association

This new publication features the history of school’s football in the Bristol and South Gloucestershire area from 1907 to current day. It is full of photographs and stories related to the U15 Woodcock Shield from the first winners, Eastville School to the current holders Winterbourne.

Below is a short article taken from the Bristol Post as the author, Steve Sutor, and other contributors gathered to discuss the book and reminisce about their playing days.

Steve told us his dad took great satisfaction in seeing three of his pupils – Jantzen Derrick, Geoff Merrick and Chris Garland – all play in the same Bristol City first team. They were all obviously talented schoolboy players, Jantzen arguably the pick of the bunch. Jantzen, after playing a starring role in a victory while representing Bristol boys in a national cup final against Swansea boys, was chosen to appear for England schoolboys He went on to score a hat-trick on his England Schoolboys debut at Wembley, despite also missing a penalty. One of his team-mates that day was future England manager Terry Venables, who stated in his autobiography that Jantzen was the best schoolboy player he ever saw – some accolade.

One statistic that blew my mind was the official 22,000 people in attendance for that 1958 national schoolboy match against Swansea at Ashton Gate. Several other members of that winning team went on to play professionally for our two local clubs, Dave Stone signed for Rovers, while Brian Clarke, Adrian Williams and keeper Harry Booth went to City.

I can't really sign off this week without writing a few words about Colston Clemente, or Clem as he is better known. He is a character and had me in fits of laughter with some of his tales from back in the day. Some I couldn't possibly repeat here, which is just as well for his old pal and team-mate Barry Dudbridge, who Clem reckons has had more wives than Henry the eighth!

Clem was featured in a couple of team photographs that Steve Sutor had brought along that evening. Steve Williamson debated if it was Clem in the pictures. I asked Steve if he was sure, because, as a schoolboy, he was slim and had a full head of hair – the complete opposite of now. He replied: "No, it's just that I can't believe that his mouth is shut!"

Clem was a fruit and vegetable trader, and also back in the early seventies ran the players' bar at Ashton Gate, so has some fond memories, which he has promised me to expand on at a later date. To be truthful, I barely understood what he was saying. I put it down to the new teeth he was sporting. They appeared quite large; in fact, he could have been breaking them in for a race horse!

The book Every Schoolboy's Dream, the history of the Woodcock Shield 1907 – 2012 is out soon, contact Steve Sutor on 07872532492 for more information. I promise a really good read.

To read the original article please click here.