1959-60 Season Review

After a fantastic summer tour of Italy, the Rovers were soon off on another exotic trip, this time to Cornwall. While there Roy managed to knock a youngster off his bike luckily for the Rovers the boy turned out to be a super footballer and a right winger! It was a right winger Ben Galloway was after, as regular Dick Stokes had requested a transfer to return to his family up north. But, unfortunately for the newcomer, the accident had given him a bout of amnesia.

Two mystery men show up claiming to be the boy's father, the first identifying him as Ralph Canning. Ralph was given a run out against local amateur side Perracombe and impressed enough for Galloway to select him for the First Division match against Brymouth City. However, crooks tried to kidnap Ralph, stealing Roy's sports car with Ralph in the back seat. A car chase followed, with Roy and Blackie in a borrowed motor, they caught the crooks, giving them a good beating.

Rovers, however, with already kicking off in Brymouth, with the reserve taking Blackie's place, but nobody to take Roy or Ralph's. So, with nine men the Rovers were soon two goals behind. Roy and Ralph would enter the fray, with Roy scoring from a Ralph pass just before the half.

The equaliser came from another Ralph assist, this time Roy launching himself to score a spectacular diving header. Ralph gave the Rovers the lead, banging his head on the goalpost in the process, thus regaining his memory. Three-two was the score at full-time, and as the Rovers celebrated, Ralph told his story. His real name was Raphael Kannovsky, an international footballer for Macrovania. He and his father, who was team trainer, chose not to return to their home country, for it was in turmoil. The country's leaders wanted the Kannovskys back and the crooks were determined to take them. Ralph was kidnapped again, but this time the entire Rovers team gave chase, eventually catching up in the port and giving the crooks another massive beating.

Roy nets the equaliser vs Brymouth

Ralph was now a fixture on the Rovers right wing, and three other newcomers were to join him in the Rovers squad, including reserve goalie Mike Drury and inside forward Ken Harcombe. At their first training session disaster struck as an arsonist started a fire in the Melchester Stadium changing area. Blackie was trapped and almost burnt alive, but remarkably was considered a suspect.

The Rovers players, however, suspected Harcombe and froze him out during his debut match against Carlington County. Their poor play meant lowly County were holding the mighty Rovers at half time, but an angry Roy would sort them out demanding they give Harcombe the benefit of the doubt. It worked and the Rovers romped to a 4-2 win, Harcombe scoring two brilliant goals.

The mystery of the fire would be revealed at half time of an exhibition match against Austrian side Flaudermitz. It was Mike Drury who was playing in goal, who had started the fire and his criminal assosciate who had buried stolen money beneath the main stand years ago. Blackie was in the clear!

After two clashes with organised criminals the Rovers seemed determined to seek out more trouble. Facing San Angino, the South American Champions, in the International Club Cup. After a two-all draw in the home leg, the Rovers' jet was set upon by spitfire like fighters from the rebels of Beltigua, a war torn island in the Caribbean. They crash landed, were captured and foreced to play against a team of psychopathic soldiers. Obviously they suffered horrible injuries before engineering their escape arriving in San Antigo batter and bruised. With a makeshift team including Hughie Griffiths' brother John, the Rovers were well beaten, but not shamed.

They returned home heroes and went on a fine run of form culminating in a league championship shoot out vs old rivals Portdean in the final match of the season. A tight match and the title was won with a late Race penalty!