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Player John White

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Scum fans in the 60s used to change the opening line of Glory Glory to “ John Whites body lies …….in the grave” . Then years later they complained how cruel we were for destroying effigies of Campbell…

He was a great player . Similar in many ways to Modric. Such a tragic end .
 
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Scum fans in the 60s used to change the opening line of Glory Glory to “ John Whites body lies …….in the grave” . Then years later they complained how cruel we were for destroying effigies of Campbell…

He was a great player . Similar in many ways to Modric. Such a tragic end .
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60 Years tomorrow...

Y'know, apart from the obvious Glory-Glory stories from the past about Spurs growing up... the tragic story of John White is one I vividly remember hearing about when I was little...

Even though it was probably more than 15 years after it happened, - and I never saw him play - there was just something about the whole story that gripped me.

It was SO sad, and so tragic, and made me realise at a young age, even our 'heroes' are only human, and vulnerable.

I've seen comparisons to more modern day players like Cruyff, Modric, Bale, Ardiles...

If he was a combination of any of those, he'd have been a global superstar today!

The piece by his Son that I read recently really details the poignancy of his loss, as much as the suddenness of it.

Bill Nic was about to build a NEW all conquering Spurs team around him...
He was only 27, and in his prime...
Who knows what his, and our history would've become...

RIP John White.
Gone way WAY too soon!


..
 
Just at Northumberland Park Station, with a 40 minute wait for a train, so thought I would share while I was waiting. I had a conversation with Rob, his son, before the play started, and he is a friendly, approachable guy, who obviously enjoys talking to fellow Spurs supporters.
I overheard a conversation he had with Terry Medwin's son, Micky, and Micky was telling Rob that John used to go over to his house and sing old Scottish folk songs, which Rob wasn't aware about. They were both quite emotional, as Terry's passing was relatively recent.
There was a Q&A session with Rob, Julie Welch and Martin Murphy (writer and producer), then we went in.
I know this was all before my time as a Spurs supporter, but it was such an important part of our history.
The play is a one-man show, and the actor told the story from both sides - John's story of how he became a footballer and his journey to Tottenham, and Rob's as a boy growing up, never knowing his dad.
It was very well acted, although it was only an hour, it takes some doing to keep going on your own for that length of time.
It's such a poignant story, which was very emotional in its telling.
I understand that it's going to be shown at the Edinburgh Fringe next month, and they're hoping to bring it back to London when possible.
I would recommend that if you get the chance, you go and see it.
 
Just at Northumberland Park Station, with a 40 minute wait for a train, so thought I would share while I was waiting. I had a conversation with Rob, his son, before the play started, and he is a friendly, approachable guy, who obviously enjoys talking to fellow Spurs supporters.
I overheard a conversation he had with Terry Medwin's son, Micky, and Micky was telling Rob that John used to go over to his house and sing old Scottish folk songs, which Rob wasn't aware about. They were both quite emotional, as Terry's passing was relatively recent.
There was a Q&A session with Rob, Julie Welch and Martin Murphy (writer and producer), then we went in.
I know this was all before my time as a Spurs supporter, but it was such an important part of our history.
The play is a one-man show, and the actor told the story from both sides - John's story of how he became a footballer and his journey to Tottenham, and Rob's as a boy growing up, never knowing his dad.
It was very well acted, although it was only an hour, it takes some doing to keep going on your own for that length of time.
It's such a poignant story, which was very emotional in its telling.
I understand that it's going to be shown at the Edinburgh Fringe next month, and they're hoping to bring it back to London when possible.
I would recommend that if you get the chance, you go and see it.
I used to play football in a Sunday league side and go out drinking with Mike Medwin. Great bloke and a really good footballer too
 
There’s a small Scottish league club Alloa Athletic they’ve a super fan who’s set up a museum and they’ve a reference to us & our player John White the following is the article below is the full article


The other major attraction is what could reverently be called a shrine to John White. The former Alloa player died tragically, aged 27, in 1964 when he was struck by lightning on a golf course. White, the consummate inside forward, was by then a mainstay of a brilliant Tottenham Hotspur.

Glencross has formed a close relationship with White’s son, Rob. ‘This letter here describes the terms of John’s transfer from Alloa to Falkirk in 1958,’ he says, pointing to a framed object on a desk.

The player’s signing-on fee was £300. ‘But the letter points out that John received £213 after tax. The story is that he could have gone to Raith Rovers but Falkirk tipped the balance in their favour when one of their director’s offered John a good case of whisky. That’s gone, obviously.’

There is an air of wistfulness in this, of course. Glencross, one suspects, would give much for one of those bottles, empty or otherwise.

He does have the team lines with White’s debut for Alloa with the future great posting an address from his home town of Musselburgh. Poignantly, there is also the letter of condolence sent by Alloa to White’s widow, Sandra, and donated to the museum by the family.

Superfan Glencross has created a footballing shrine to Alloa

 
There’s a small Scottish league club Alloa Athletic they’ve a super fan who’s set up a museum and they’ve a reference to us & our player John White the following is the article below is the full article


The other major attraction is what could reverently be called a shrine to John White. The former Alloa player died tragically, aged 27, in 1964 when he was struck by lightning on a golf course. White, the consummate inside forward, was by then a mainstay of a brilliant Tottenham Hotspur.

Glencross has formed a close relationship with White’s son, Rob. ‘This letter here describes the terms of John’s transfer from Alloa to Falkirk in 1958,’ he says, pointing to a framed object on a desk.

The player’s signing-on fee was £300. ‘But the letter points out that John received £213 after tax. The story is that he could have gone to Raith Rovers but Falkirk tipped the balance in their favour when one of their director’s offered John a good case of whisky. That’s gone, obviously.’

There is an air of wistfulness in this, of course. Glencross, one suspects, would give much for one of those bottles, empty or otherwise.

He does have the team lines with White’s debut for Alloa with the future great posting an address from his home town of Musselburgh. Poignantly, there is also the letter of condolence sent by Alloa to White’s widow, Sandra, and donated to the museum by the family.

Superfan Glencross has created a footballing shrine to Alloa

Thanks for posting this . I was born in Alloa in 1961 and stayed there until my dad was recruited to NZ as a printer in late 1970 . been here ever since .
Lived just over the hill from the Rec and regularly went to watch the Wasps at home games with a mate or my cousin , often or mostly jumping a back fence . My cousin still lives in Alloa but very rarely goes to games .
I have never heard of John White or his association with Spurs , there is a reason I fell in love with Spurs as a 13yo .
I still keep tabs on how the wasps are going .
Thanks again .
 
Thanks for posting this . I was born in Alloa in 1961 and stayed there until my dad was recruited to NZ as a printer in late 1970 . been here ever since .
Lived just over the hill from the Rec and regularly went to watch the Wasps at home games with a mate or my cousin , often or mostly jumping a back fence . My cousin still lives in Alloa but very rarely goes to games .
I have never heard of John White or his association with Spurs , there is a reason I fell in love with Spurs as a 13yo .
I still keep tabs on how the wasps are going .
Thanks again .
It was the John White association that drew me in , Alloa as a part time out fit do well but having Falkirk & Stirling as local rivals they do okay
 
It was the John White association that drew me in , Alloa as a part time out fit do well but having Falkirk & Stirling as local rivals they do okay
Totally agree , how many part timers would make it to the Championship , they do that every few seasons . They get a good group of players , get promoted , then sell a few and get sent back down to L1 , then start building it up again .
Very proud of my home club .
Maybe they could give Levy a few tips on how to run a club on a budget .
 
Totally agree , how many part timers would make it to the Championship , they do that every few seasons . They get a good group of players , get promoted , then sell a few and get sent back down to L1 , then start building it up again .
Very proud of my home club .
Maybe they could give Levy a few tips on how to run a club on a budget .
Exactly Rangers, Dundee twice , Motherwell have all had financial issues because they’ve had big ideas but clubs like Alloa, Montrose, Arbroath, Stenhousemuir keep their houses in order and fair play
 
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