THE battling boys of the old Britannia amateur boxing club could have held their own with our present crop of professional prizefighters.

That's the view of a former member of that Peasley Cross-based academy of the noble art who takes us for a stroll down the cauliflower alley of the 'fifties. Wishing to remain anonymous, he throws up a list of names from the club's glorious past, in response to earlier mention here.

"Your article brought back so many happy memories," he says, recalling the boom years when training took place each Monday, Wednesday and Friday (juniors 7 to 8pm and seniors 8 to 9pm).

Club stalwarts included Bobby Higson, trainer Raich Hughes and teacher Wally Morgan. Boxers who spring to mind include John Chisnall, Fred Groves, John Greenhalgh, the Ranson brothers, Arthur Pennington, Teddy Bailey and Ray Richardson.

Our ex-pugilist adds: "We also had a lad from Earlestown who was the image of Freddy Mills, former world light-heavyweight champion, but I can't recall his name."

THAT was undoubtedly a senior classmate of mine - wavy-haired, craggy-jawed Gerry McLoughlin, who could match Freddy's hairy chest trademark while still at school!

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.