Ramsden, John – left WBA for his home town club

John Ramsden (1932 – 2022)

Born in Redcross Street, Grantham, he was the son of former Mayor Lloyd Ramsden.

He went to National School before joining the Boys Central, Sandon Road.

He left to work in the offices at Aveling Barford, where we worked for most of his life, apart for a break for  National Service.

Before joining the services he played football for St Anne’s.

He signed for a West Bromwich Albion side during the late 1940s in a Midland Cup match against Aston Villa, but after coming out of the Armed Forces soon joined his home team.

He made his debut for Grantham in the March 1953 league game at Nottingham Forest Reserves and missed only two of the remaining fixtures from that season.

The following year, John seldom played, as Freddie Martin was preferred in the defensive position, but in the 1954/55 campaign he was back to a fairly regular place in the team and scored his one and only goal for the club at the end of August when Notts County Reserves came to London Road.

His final three seasons with the team saw his appearances gradually diminish and his last game came on Christmas Day 1957 when Wisbech Town thrashed Grantham 7-0.

Other than football, John also played for Grantham Cricket Club and was a well known local tennis player.