What hasn’t already been said about CHARLIE POWELL Mr Southport? He had few rivals. From groundsman to manager Charlie had every role going at the club. He started at the club in 1947 as an assistant trainer and was also the reserves manager when the club won the Fourth Division title in 1973. His two game stint as manager in the early non league years both ended without defeat so he could lay claim to being the only Southport manager never to lose a match. Charlie was born and bred in Southport, it was his life. He spent more than 45 years working for the club. Groundsman, trainer, cleaner, kitman he had done them all. He also used to have players lodge at his house in the 1940’s and he remained firm friends with the many players who passed though the Haig Avenue front door. He even had a spell on the board in the early Northern Premier League days. Charlie died on 11th February 1995 aged 78 and his funeral cortege passed by the ground on Charlie’s final trip. A truly super Southport FC man.
Rob- I remember getting a ticking off from Charlie. I had gone down to the ground to help clear the pitch of some snow and we were using lime to mark out the lines. The lime bag burst and Charlie went mad as it burst right along the goal line and the line was a ‘touch wider’ than it should have been. I thought it wouldn’t matter but when Huddersfield had a shot bounce down, you guessed it, on the line the poor old linesman didn’t know what to do as the marking was so wide and instead of a goal to Huddersfield play carried on and the game ended 2-2. We laughed about it after the game and my claim to once saving a point for Southport Football Club holds good to this day. I tend to stay clear of Huddersfield fans though!
Charlie was my uncle and I can confidently say he had players lodging with him well into the 50’s ! One who I think was called Rolf made me a lovely dolls house, with an old watch mounted as a wall clock. The players were like an extended family.