Bill Barron started life down the mines and was a coalminer for four years.

After a trial with Wolves that did not work out Bill played for Annfield Plain a top non-league side in the North of England. Before the season was over Charlton had signed him for £350.

He played mainly reserve team football but when he did get the opportunity to make a first team appearance he took it well netting twice in three games.

Bill was surprisingly allowed to join Northampton the following season and just started to make a name for himself before war broke out.

All players had their contracts cancelled and Bill joined the R.A.F.

He still got the opportunity to play football either as a guest for Northampton when he was home or some of the other clubs in the area.

He also represented the R.A.F on numerous occasions linking up with internationals like Bill Shankley.

Another game that stood out was against the Arsenal, he had not even been picked to play in the side but a selected player failed to appear and Bill was ‘press ganged’. The Cobblers lost the match but Bill helped himself to a hat trick.

When war ceased Bill returned to the County ground. By now he had been converted into a full back and formed a formidable partnership with Tom Smalley.

He recalled an F.A.Cup tie v Preston in which the national press praised him for the way he bottled up Tom Finney.

Bill was also a keen cricketer and represented both Durham and Northampton at county level.

He wore the ‘flannels’ for Northampton for ten seasons as a left hand bat and once recorded 161 v Cambridge University.

He asked the club for a benefit, which they granted, but a week before the game against a combined League X1, it persistently rained!

It had stopped by the time the game came round and Bill thought it would affect the attendance, but it did not!

Players were only to be paid so much from a benefit; this game paid enough to cover Bills money, the tax and tax on the next benefit match that took place!

When his days with Northampton were numbered their chairman John Pascoe offered him a place at Kettering.

The Timken chairman also offered Bill a job at British Timken. He then became the firm’s football coach.

Bill and son Roger were the first ‘father and son’ to play for the club since the war.

Bill had a fine singing voice and often entertained his team mates on long away journeys with North Country songs.