Dressing room honour for former Northampton Town boss
The former manager of Northampton Town has received another posthumous honour with a dressing room named after him in his native South Yorkshire.
World Cup winner and former Wolves talisman Ron Flowers spent two years with The Cobblers as both manager and player.
Flowers, originally from Doncaster, was unearthed by Wolves’s legendary Yorkshire-based scout Mark Crook and like many others was sent on his way to stardom by the gifted talent spotter.
Research by historian Chris Brook alongside Barnsley Chronicle journalist Ashley Ball has revealed that Flowers was one of 114 professional players discovered by Crook.
As the most high-profile of his discoveries, a dressing room has now been named in his honour at the grassroots ground where he first broke through.
Cortonwood Miners’ Welfare, between Rotherham and Barnsley, is now the home of Brampton United whose young players will now get ready to play on the same pitches as Crook’s lads once did in the Ron Flowers Dressing Room.
Ron’s younger brother John Flowers and their sister Jean attended the unveiling.
John, also a professional through Crook’s sytem, made the journey over from The Potteries for the event.
The ex-Stoke and Doncaster Rovers player said: “The dressing rooms have changed since I was here last!
“Ron would have thought it was wonderful to have a dressing room named after him.”
Jean added: “He would have been so proud and in his element.
“It is an honour for us to be here to see it and do this for his memory.
“Nobody has forgotten him and it’s a proud day for the Flowers family.”
A blue plaque is also in situ at the ground in tribute to Crook’s achievements and Ashley is writing a book called Feeding The Wolves to tell the whole story of his legacy.
Feeding The Wolves will contain more than 50 interviews and is out later this year.
The pre-order earlybird price is £15 (including postage) until September 30th and people can order online through visiting: https://dondearneschoolfootball.wordpress.com/mark-crooks-wath-wolves/
The book’s foreword has been penned by South Yorkshireman Mick McCarthy.