Memories Of Dave Hickson

Kevin Saul wrote:

I grew up in Ellesmere Port right next to their football ground in the mid 60's. Dave Hickson was appointed player manager of Ellesmere Port FC. Myself and friends were caught by Dave after we had popped over the grounds fence one summer evening to play football. Rather than chase us or tell the police he ordered us to drop our jerseys make some goals and then for a whole summer played every evening with about 10 local 12 year olds, all we had to do was promise to keep off the main pitch as he said he needed that for weekends. I can remember this fondly to this day 40 odd years later. He was a Hero and inspiration to us all.

Ricky Thwaites wrote:

In 1958 at 14 years of age I was recovering from bronchial pneumonia at home in Huddersfield. I had been very poorly for many weeks and at one stage things did not look too good for me.
Dave Hickson had recently joined Huddersfield Town my home town club and instantly became my hero. I even combed my blond hair back to copy him. I think in later life I copied his style on the pitch as well! I was never afraid to take a knock but I always made sure they got two back.
My mother was a bus conductress at the time and a lot of the Town players used to catch her bus to go to training at Leeds Road.
We lived about a mile from the Town ground in a house that can only be described as a slum. Imagine my feelings when one day as I lay on the settee feeling pretty lousy having gone down to about 5 stones in weight - the door opened and in came my mother. "I've brought someone to see you" she said and in walked Dave Hickson.
53 years later I still cannot find the right words to describe how happy I felt at that moment. How lucky was I? Why had he taken the trouble to come to see me?
The answer is simple - he cared.
He must have stayed over an hour and I still treasure the books and photos that he signed for me that day.
The story does not end there.
Forty years later I was working in Liverpool and happened to mention Dave Hickson's name to a customer. My eyes lit up as he asked: "Would you like to meet him?" He then told me that he worked for Everton part time and that Dave was still around the Club.
True to his word a few weeks later I met Dave and his wife in the pub across the road from the Kop. I did not know what to expect but in walked this man - same hair style but the blonde had changed to white, yet still the same imposing figure that terrified defenders in the 50s and 60s.
I thanked him warmly for going to see this very sick child so many years ago. I cannot remember much about the conversation other than his wife having a go at him for taking part in charity games at his age. All Dave could say was "I only kick off now - I don't run around a lot"
I floated down the East Lancs Road back to Huddersfield that afternoon.
Dave Hickson - A true legend

Maurice Reid wrote:

I remember the goal he scored against United so clearly - even though I was only about 9 at the time - real "Roy of the Rovers" stuff.
We all loved Dave and the boys all sang "Davey, Davey Hickson King of the football league" to the tune of the then favourite cinema series "Davy Crocket"!
Imagine my feelings then when a couple of weeks ago I was invited for hospitality at Goodison for the Aston Villa cup game and met the great man and even walked out on to the hallowed turf with him! I am now 65 years old but felt like a star-struck teenager! - and I'm still tingling.
Thanks Dave.

John Cullen wrote:

I remember Davy playing for Liverpool. He was a renowned character who put his heart and soul into every game, in fact, so much so that he went a bit far a couple of times - I saw him get sent off for a rugby tackle and it was a very good tackle indeed, and not in any way dangerous to the player he flattened.
Davy was just so involved he went too far occasionally but there was never malice in it.
I remember a snatch of a song written about Davy to the tune of Davy Crocket; "Davy, Davy Hickson, the scourge of division one....."

Rick Tarleton wrote:

Like most Baby-Boomers who were Evertonians Dave Hickson was my first hero. My memories of him on the pitch were legion, but it is of another aspect of the man and of footballers in general that I wish to illustrate.
On a Sunday, and it must have been during the summer of 1958 or 59, I was with my parents in New Brighton and we were having our usual meal in Hortons cafe. Seated at a table nearby were Dave Hickson and Alex Parker and their wives.
Shyly I walked over (I was 11) and asked for their autographs, the two men signed a menu and talked to me for a good ten minutes. In those days of the maximum wage footballers were part of the community and, despite the adoration of small boys, they were living in the same world as the fans.
Both these great players took the time and trouble to speak and encourage a young boy and it is that aspect of their life which has stayed with me for over fifty years.

peter liddell wrote:

i remember dave in his season with tranmere rovers, he was inspirational.
i thought that it was in 1960 but the records show 1962. we lost to doncaster rovers 2-3 at home. dave was hauled down by a yarddog centre half rugby style. dave laid him out & was sent off.

Mark Tracey wrote:

A few years ago I was fortunate enough to be invited by a good friend to Goodison on a corporate hospitality package, and introduced myself to Dave Hickson, who was suitably surprised that I had even heard of him, and equally surprised that I should feel the need to meet and chat with him.
A more un-assuming man I cannot recall ever meeting, and his passion for The Blues was clearly evident throughout. I would, as an aside, have to say the same about Brian Labone, whom I was also lucky enough to meet and chat to. I was very concerned when I heard that he had suffered a heart attack during a match last season, but I understand that at present he is in reasonable health. Happy memories of a True Blue Legend. 13/7/2008

peter liddell wrote:

In the 1960-1 season dave was hauled down by a yard dog centre half from doncaster. dave laid him out & was sent off. dave is my all time favourite player.

Paul Ward wrote:

Never have I seen a braver or more committed footballer for the greater cause of Everton football club. In the era Dave Hickson played wages were low, and his reward for his blood and sweat was to be betrayed by the Everton management not once but twice he was transfered.
Fortunately a much later Goodison regime acknowledged Dave's great loyalty to the club and brought him back to the fold.

terry reeves wrote:

with a scoring record like dave hickson why was he never capped? i saw him play at leeds road for huddersfield town, scary sight for any centre half.

frank elliott wrote:

Subject: dave hicksons revenge

Many Toffee fans must remember the return of the 'Trotters' to Goodison when the Blues got promotion to the first division after it seemed like it would never happen and the confrontation of our Davey against the hatchet man Barrass who had committed every foul in the book on him in the 1953 F.A. cup semi final at Maine road.
At half time you nearly felt sorry for Barrass as he trudged off with not a trace of white of his shirt to be seen and Davey with a big smirk on his face, and knowing there was more fun to come in the second half.
Barrass returned to the field for the second half, resplendent in new sparkling kit, only to end the game looking just as he had at the end of the first half. Davey never left him for the whole 90 minutes and dished out the sweetest revenge I have ever seen in any sport.
Give Barrass his due, at the final whistle he walked up to Dave, everyone thinking he was about to punch Davey in the nose, but instead he shook his hand strongly and they walked to the tunnel with their arms over each others shoulders. my greatest memory of the Cannonball kid.
How we loved him and I suppose we still do.
P.S.I'm sorry if I've spelt Barrass wrong. but you'll all know who I mean if you are the same vintage as me!

lee bevan wrote:

We recently did a tour of Everton's ground. I was amazed to see that Dave Hickson was the guide-a really nice man and a legend in his day.
The Everton tour is a must; personal and emotional.It was incredible to see all the behind the scenes history of the club.
I think Dave was made up because he was recognised. I immediately said when I shook his hand 'You're Dave Hickson' He beamed.....

Dick Penney wrote:

I remember one occasion in the mid -50s when Everton, with Dave Hickson, were playing Fulham at Craven Cottage.
Hickson gave the somewhat stately Fulham centre half, Lampe - definitely with an "e" - a terrible time.
After Hickson walked round and over Lampe for the umpteenth time, there was an exasperated cry from the stands [and they were stands in those days]: "For ***** sake Lampey, why dont you hit him with your handbag?"

nick perkins wrote:

dave hickson is my hero and he like my grandad to me he spoils me when i go to everton matches with him and he just loves the shop i work in which is the big apple ellesmere port