THIS WEEK’S Way We Were features two local football teams from Norton.

They were supplied to the Gazette & Herald by Kay Harrington Morris, from Norton, and feature her late father Les Harrington.

The photos show the Malton Bible Class junior team in 1927 and Taylors Norton United in 1936.

Mr Harrington, who worked in the local brewery industry for 38 years, attended Bible classes on Sunday afternoons at the old parish hall in Spital Street, Malton,

He was also a member of the Bible class football team and in the 1927-28 season won the Malton Junior League and the Malton Knockout Cup. The final was against Pickering and the Malton team won 6-2 at home.

Mr Harrington began playing for Taylors Norton United in 1930. The club was formed by Ernest Taylor who owned the sawmill at the bottom of Welham Road, Norton. He had several sons who were all keen footballers and he built a pavilion at the ground which later became St Peter’s Crescent.

The highlight for the club was in 1936 when they won the Malton Hospital Cup, which was run to help raise money for the hospital.

The final was played at Malton Town FC ground at Peasey Hills and went into extra time.

There were over 1,000 spectators present. The score was 2-2 and then Ken Reed and George Exley made it 4-2 and the Taylors Norton United team won.

In the 1920s and 30s Malton and Norton had around five football clubs and each had a reserve side and probably a junior XI, which was an indication of the popularity of the game in those days.

By the time of the Second World War, Mr Harrington had given up playing, however he was a founder member of the Norton United Football Club, which was set up in 1945 and a member of the club committee for several years.