This Saturday, 25th February marks 50 years since Highgate United player Tony Allden was struck by lightning during a soccer game.
He died the following day.
Long Eaton United will visit Tythe Barn Lane on Saturday and as a small tribute to the player, the poem below forms my preview to the match…
Tony Allden: 50 Years On…
Beyond a canal, over a humped bridge,
Tythe BarnLane lay in wait
For a rain-soaked FA Amateur Cup quarter-final
And Enfield FC were visiting The Gate…
Maybe 2000 spectators packed into The Coppice
But beyond the fields and woods a storm thundered;
Highgate’s underdogs scrapped from the start
But an early goal by Enfield was plundered…
Suddenly though in the 27th minute,
The storm wielded its frightening power:
Lightning struck the centre-circle area
And some players fell, some would cower…
Those affected soon began to recover
But then it became shockingly clear
That prone Highgate defender Tony Allden was hurt
And the horror turned to abject fear…
Allden was rushed to Solihull Hospital
But consciousness was never regained
And he died the following lunchtime,
Martyred by lightning that fate had ordained…
Pete Ray
February 2017
The abandoned game was replayed at Villa Park, a match I attended, as illustrated by the images of my match programme. Enfield won 6-0 and progressed to the Final, in which they beat Skelmersdale United 3-0 at Manchester City’s old ground, Maine Road, following a 0-0 draw at Wembley…
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