"Coming away from the match, a Kendal supporter said to me "Do you know Jim Valentine?" On telling him that I did, he said "Can he run faster than you?" I told him I didn't know. "Buff" joined us at Tyldesley the following season, and he worked a big transformation in our play. He showed the backs how to play the long passing game, and once we had got it off, we were equal to any team we met, and better than most. We always had one of the best sets of forwards in the country. By his individual play "Buff" strengthened our team immensely. In my opinion he was the best half-back in the world in those days, and the long-passing methods he introduced made our backs as good as any set in the north.

"We met all the clubs and the best players going at that time. Among the crack players we encountered in those days were Lockwood, the Yorkshire international, Sutcliffe, of Heckmondwicke, the champion drop kick of the world. H. Eagles, of Salford, and Ross and Payne, of Broughton. Fred Shaw was always a good man for Tyldesley, and if ever a gentleman walked on to a football field it was him. He was a splendid captain, and his authority was always loyally recognized by the players. We had a good second team, too, in those days. I remember at one time there was a regular exodus of forwards from the first team, and Alf. Smith, Jimmy Tinker, P. Battersby, W. Whitehead and Joe Worthington all came out of the second team and made the forward line as good or better than it was before. They were all well-made, speedy lads, and I don't think there was a forward set anywhere to equal them. It was a treat to see them pack. Most of them were used to getting behind tubs at the pit and they knew how to shove.

"I don't think the packing we see today comes anywhere near the standard of those times. I remember the match when we beat Widnes in the final for the West Lancashire Cup. I scored a try that day which was not allowed till afterwards. It happened in this way. I got the ball and was going down the field when I met Plumpton, the Widnes threequarter a very speedy player. To get past him I kicked short over his head, followed up, and was just in the act of dropping on the ball over the line when he collared me from behind, and held me back. We claimed a try, but the referee would not grant it, and it was called a disputed try. When the medals were being presented to us, however, a representative of the County Union said the question of the disputed try had been before them, and they had decided to allow it.

I finished my football career about 1896. When I retired from the game I had put in 14 years' service with Tyldesley. I was told there would be a handsome present for me form the club when I had finished, but I have not received it yet. Neither did I get the cap which I was told some of my Atherton admirers had bought for me. Something must have happened to it, for it never reached me.

"During all the time I played for Tyldesley I only remember being spoken to once by the referee, and that was in the match against Dukinfield at Tyldesley. The visitors had a Cheshire County man in their team. His name was Tempest, and he had a nasty habit of striking our men in the face when we past him. He had done this previously at Dukinfield, and he repeated his tactics at Tyldesley. I warned him once or twice after he had struck me, but he did it again, and I went up to him and put him on the ground. As I was getting up he kicked me over the eye, and I retaliated. The referee, Mr. Dillon, of Warrington, ordered us both off the field, but Mr. S.I. Middleton intervened and spoke a word in my favour, and the referee withdrew his order.

"On the last occasion I played against leigh I scored two tries, and as I was going over Mather-lane bridge afterwards, one of the Leigh spectators shouted out, 'And they said he were done up; I should like to see him when he is full fettle.' Several of my relatives used to play for Tyldesley, and I remember in one match we played we had Aaron Fearnley at full-back, I was at threequarter, J.T. Fearnley was at half-back, and P. Fearnley was in the forwards. There were thus three brothers and my nephew in the team. It is a singular fact that Oldham never beat Tyldesley at Well-st. whilst I was playing with them, and my chief opponent, Jack Hayes, only scored on one occasion in those matches. A good many people will remember an incident which occurred in match against Oldham at Tyldesley. When the game had been in progress some time, I told my colleague, Fred Shaw, that I was unwell and should have to retire. Just as I was getting ready, the ball came towards me at centre. I caught it on the bounce, dodged all opposition, grounded the ball over the line, and without stopping, jumped the rails and left the ground. My sudden departure puzzled the spectators, who laughed very heartily for some time afterwards.

"Another incident which occurred when we played Manchester Rangers come to my mind. The Rangers brought with them a speedy man, a Scotch international, named Patterson. When I went on the the field Shaw said to me, 'Jack, you must watch that Patterson. He is a Scotch international and very fast.' I met Patterson 19 times that day, and he went to the ground 19 times. Near the finish I said to him, 'Why don't you try a short kick?' I regretted giving him the advice afterwards, for he acted on it, and the next time I met him he kicked over my head, shot past me like a bullet, and scored. I simply hadn't a ghost of a chance to stop him.

"I never got my county cap, though I ought to have had it once. It was when Lancashire were playing Westmorland at Kendal. They wired for me on the morning of the match, but our secretary thought I should be unable to get there in time, and he did not trouble to warn me. I did not know of the message until the following day."