A PLAYER who starred in a championship-winning side from the 1930s is trying to trace his old team-mates.

Tom Healless, 82, was a member of the Novas side that won the Blackburn Combination Division One title back in 1938/39 -- shortly before the Second World War split up the team. Tom, who now lives in Germany, is on a short return trip to Blackburn but he is keen to get in touch with his old team-mates and their families.

He said: "I have a picture of the team that won the league and although I know what happened to a few of the players, it would be nice to find out if any of the others are still alive. I would like to get in touch with them or their families."

Tom, the nephew of Harry Healless who led Blackburn Rovers to FA Cup glory in 1928, joined the RAF soon after the outbreak of the war.

He served in the RAF for six years -- playing against the great Sir Stanley Matthews who was in the Army -- before briefly returning to Blackburn.

But soon after, Tom also joined the Army and, after a further 18 years in the Forces, settled down in Germany.

He said: "While I was in the RAF I did get to play for Novas when I was allowed home on leave. But my games were few and far between and I lost touch with most of the players."

Novas were a team that Tom says consisted of "street corner boys up to no good."

He said: "We were all youngsters from the Nova Scotia area of Blackburn and we used to stand on street corners and generally did not get up to much good. So it was decided to form a team to keep us out of mischief."

The team was formed by the late Eddie Orrell and was based at the Sharples Arms in the Bolton Road area of the town. But the team went from strength to strength and won successful titles in Division Three, Division Two before winning the Division One championship.

Tom said: "It was a fantastic team and we proved how good we were by winning back-to-back titles."

The team, managed by Harry Dugan, included Bill Jackson, Alfred Ridgedale, Tommy Fielding, Jim Davies, Alex Harrison, Jack Clegg, Tommy Bolton, Alex Orrell and Albert Jackson.

After coming out of the Army, Tom went on to work for NATO as a civilian in Germany where he has lived for the past 40 years. He is currently in Blackburn visiting his family but returns to Germany on June 28.

Anyone who would like to get in contact should phone 01254 240871.