My First: Roy Harrison

Roy Harrison , an 81-year-old retired scientist with the Ceramic Research Association who lives in Sneyd Street, Burslem, remembers playing rugby with two future soccer internationals

Roy Harrison , an 81-year-old retired scientist with the Ceramic Research Association who lives in Sneyd Street, Burslem, remembers playing rugby with two future soccer internationals

Roy was a fifth-former when he was picked to play for Hanley High School's first Rugby XV in 1943.

"The match was against Wolstanton and we lost, but not by much," says Roy. "I was one of two fifth-formers in the team, the other being Roy Smith.

"Roy was at full-back and myself at left wing three-quarter."

On the right wing, however, was Dennis Wilshaw, who was destined to play for Wolverhampton Wanderers and Stoke City and win 12 England caps.

"Dennis was an all-round sportsman," says Roy."He was an accomplished athlete and cricketer in addition to his prowess as a soccer player."

That was not the only time that Roy figured in the same Rugby XV as an England football international of the future.

"Two years later I was at stand-off half and vice-captain and Ronnie Allen, below right, was at scrum half. So while at school I played rugby with not one, but two future England football internationals."

Ronnie Allen, who played for Port Vale, West Brom and Crystal Palace, as well as the national side, played rugby at Hanley High despite being a soccer player at heart.

"Hanley High was a rugby school in those days," says Roy. "Most of the high school and grammar schools were."

After Hanley High School, Roy played rugby for North Staffordshire Technical College. "I subsequently went into the Royal Navy and played some rugby with Portsmouth Harlequins.

"My unit formed a soccer team and we played against some international soccer players, although Portsmouth's legendary 'Gentleman' Jimmy Dickinson, England left half, did not turn out with his establishment team on the two occasions we played them.

"Later, at Liverpool University, I kicked a ball around with Brian Nordgren, the New Zealand rugby league star who had a dazzling career with Wigan.

"In those days, the university could not play him in rugby union, however."

Roy, who once played for Stoke Rugby Club, remains devoted to the game and says he'd much rather watch rugby on TV than soccer.

But he's still proud to remember that he once played with two Potteries-bred heroes of association football.