Neal, Alan – Forest fan seldom got to the City Ground

Alan Neal (1925-2011)

BORN in Grantley Street, Grantham,  Alan Frederick Neal was the youngest of eight children.

The family worshipped at St John’s Church, and at one time his father Percy and six of his sons sang in the choir. They moved to Victoria Street when Alan was seven. His mother Florence died when he was 10, and he was brought up by his father and two sisters.

He went to Spittlegate Primary School, then to the Boys’ Central School, where he enjoyed football and cross country running.

Football was his lifelong interest, and he was a keen follower of Nottingham Forest, but rarely had chance to go to see them. When a member of the YMCA he organised a team of his own to play friendlies.

He then played for a Ruston and Hornsby team and went on to join that of Fosters Builders. A slight, nippy inside right, he had a trial with Lincoln City Football Club. His final game was with a Post Office side, at the age of 45, and he was proud to be in a team with his two sons, Andrew and Nathaniel.

At the age of 14 he joined the Grantham Journal as an apprentice linotype operator. Two years later, Miss Beryl Harris (aged 14) joined the editorial staff, and it was not long before they enjoyed walks together. They were married in St Wulfram’s Church in September 1947.

Finishing his apprenticeship, Alan went to the Grantham Guardian, a newspaper then recently set up by the local MP head of BMARC Denis Kendall. The works were in Bath Street. It later became Palmers Printing and moved to Swinegate.

He then left printing to work for his father-in-law Jack Harris at the Midland Builders’ Merchant Company on Harlaxton Road, which later became Ellis and Everard, then Travis Perkins.

After nearly 25 years he had to give up work because of poor health. He was declared physically unfit for the armed forces in the Second World War.

He was asked to be honorary secretary of the Social Club for the Blind, which duties and more he carried out for eight-and-a-half years.