Here we have Alan Ball, who started at Blackpool in September 1961 as an apprentice, having been turned down by Bolton and Wolverhampton Wanderers, both of whom said he was too small, though curiously he had been connected with, and played for Wolverhampton Wanderers junior team whilst at school. Bolton Wanderers was his second choice. He then managed to get a slot at Blackpool, through a friend of his father`s.
He is chiefly remembered now for being in the 1966 World Cup, and perhaps for being the youngest member of the squad, aged just 21. After that , he left Blackpool in 1966 and was signed by Everton, in whose strip he appears here.
After his playing career was over he went into coaching, and managed several teams. He died, of a heart attack, in 2007.
The curious coincidence with this card was that I planned to give you Ginger Cat Appreciation Week, and as Alan Ball had ginger hair, he was card one in the theme. However after I had put him in the media gallery and started looking for ginger cat cards I realised one card of a ginger cat was only possible if I counted an obscure reference to one on the reverse of a card. So I hunted, quickly, for another theme. Blackpool seemed to be a bit more reasonable to source cards from, but imagine my surprise when Alan Ball turned out to be connected with Blackpool too....