Richie Gillham
Ted Forshaw may not be a name known to Everton fans, but his story is one of remarkable versatility, resilience, and dedication across multiple disciplines. From the football pitches of Everton to the rugby fields of St Helens, and later to the athletics tracks of Merseyside, Forshaw’s journey is a testament to the enduring spirit of a true sportsman.
Born on 26 October 1931, Forshaw began his football journey with Everton FC, signing on 25 March 1957, after scouts had spotted him playing for Sutton Manor Colliery FC. He had also been a keen rugby league player before signing for the Toffees, which would come in handy later on in his life.
Ted’s early appearances for Everton were in the junior A, B, and C squads, where he quickly made a name for himself as a reliable centre-half. His first known match was in the Lord Wavertree Cup for Everton B against Aintree SS, followed by stints with Runcorn Athletic and Dunlop’s.
Ted’s performances in local leagues, including matches against Liverpool A, St Helens Town, and Haydock, showcased his defensive prowess. Reports from the Ormskirk Advertiser praised his ability to clear off the line and prevent heavier defeats, even when his team was outmatched. Ted was part of the A team, which finished the Liverpool Combination League of 1948-49 as runners up to Formby.
Ted had his first mention in the matchday programme for the Manchester United game on 12 November 1949, in the Younger Matters page by ‘NOTREVE.’ This page focused on the junior sides of the club, and the column below records Ted’s call-up to the County FA side with Maurice Woods, who would captain the team.
Later on in the season, after Ted had played two Central League games for the reserves, it was also reported in the same column that Ted would captain the Liverpool County FA side against the Birmingham County FA.
Ted’s steady development saw him play for Everton’s reserve team against Huddersfield reserves in December 1949. He continued to impress in matches against Bootle, Barnsley, and Skelmersdale United. Ted competed in three reserve games in the ’49-50 season, and progressed so much that on 2 August 1950, he signed professional forms alongside goalkeeper Harry Leyland and winger David Gibson. As seen in the Huddersfield match programme on 19 August 1950, he was now listed in the professional squad.
Between 1951 and 1955, Ted was part of the professional squad, which was a much harder group in which to showcase your skills: with 44 players in the squad, Ted had only made three Central League appearances by the end of the ’50-51 season.
Ted helped the Everton B side pick up silverware when they gained revenge for an early season defeat to Skelmersdale United reserves in the Lord Wavertree Cup final. This attracted a big crowd for the juniors, which raised gate receipts of just over £43, and those fans present saw the Blues win 4-0 at Victoria Park in Burscough, a brace from Higson and goals from Hart and Stafford enough to raise the cup for the Toffees.
Ted was also involved in the A team’s runs in the Liverpool Challenge Cup and the George Mahon Cup too. Ted was Mr Consistent and very rarely made a mistake in the back or half-back positions,
Ted featured in Everton’s traditional first team vs reserves practice matches, often playing for the ‘Whites’ or ‘Seconds,’ though on one occasion he started for the ‘Blues,’ who were typically made up of first-team players. Match reports highlighted his sound defensive skills, particularly in games against Barnsley and Newcastle. His role in the half-back line became increasingly prominent, and he was regularly praised for his tackling, positioning, and leadership.
The 1951-52 season started with a flyer against Sheffield Wednesday. The Everton reserves lined up with an XI of Leyland, Clinton, Saunders; Cross, Forshaw, Lello; McNamara, Hampson, Hickson, Cummins, Easthope. This game was said in the matchday programme to have been the best reserve match since the Second World War.
EVERTON RES 8, SHEFFIELD WENESDAY RES 0
Everton Reserves gave a sparkling exhibition of football at Goodison Park last evening to trounce Sheffield Wednesday. Highlights of the match was a grand display by Hickson who led the Everton attack. He scored five of Everton’s goals, Ted Forshaw put in yeoman work for the winners. Everton’s other scorers were Hampson, Easthope and Lello. Clinton missed a penalty.
Liverpool Daily Post, 30 August 1951
The reserves had a good season, and Ted was always getting honourable mentions in the local press, such as this from the win against Wolverhampton Wanderers:
Forshaw was a mainstay in Everton’s Central League side. He played alongside future stars like Dave Hickson and Peter Farrell, contributing to victories over the reserve teams of Liverpool, Manchester United, Stoke City, and Newcastle United. His performances were consistently solid, with journalists noting his ‘yeoman work’ and ‘reliable pivot’ role. The club were pleased with the youth policy in the juniors and reserves and looked forward to the future with Ted Forshaw being a pivotal part of the Central League side. As well as the promising 19-year-olds in Forshaw, Woods, Gibson and Cummins, they had smart 20-year-old lads too, such as Leyfield and Easthope, a 17-year-old in Vizard, who would not be hurried along, but allowed to mature in his own time, and others with youth on their side in Hampson (22), Moore (22), and Clinton (22).
Wolves were next up, the Wolves custodian Bert Williams kept the scoreline line down to just 2-1 in favour of the Blues, a team with some great talent, like goal scorers 17-year-old Peter Farrell, and Saunders, along with Ted Forshaw at the back.
Everton matchday programme 1953
Ranger’s Notes – Liverpool Echo, 14 March 1953
Ted’s season was slightly interrupted when he picked up an ankle injury in the 4-3 Lancashire Cup defeat to Blackpool. Yet overall, he completed twelve games for the reserves in a closely fought title contest with Wolves, which went to the death. Unfortunately, reigning champions Wolves managed to win their penultimate game in order to keep hold of the Central League trophy, albeit the runners-up spot for the Blues was a major plus as they hadn’t finished that high in the table in the fifteen years since they last won it.
Ted had made six Central League appearances in 1952-53, when he was called up to do his National Service, where he served as a craftsman (CFN) in the REME (Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers).
He played in the 2-2 draw against Blackburn on 2 April at Goodison Park before he was called up.
On 30 April, the same day that Ted Sagar announced his retirement after 24 years with the club, the retained list was issued with Ted Forshaw named among the servicemen being retained along with Birch, Harris (James), Molyneux, Rabone, Tansey (G), Tomlinson. Ted was then called into service for duties in Devon. He would play football for the Western Command Services team and played, for example, for Western against Wolves in Oswestry on Thursday 7 October 1954. That match finished: Western Command (1) 1 (Cox), Wolves (2) 4 (Bondon, McDonald, Boson, Murray).
Next up for Forshaw and Gibson (his fellow Evertonian also serving with the REME) was a floodlit game at Grosvenor Park, Belfast versus the Irish League, a game that the servicemen would win 2-0.
Next, they faced Birmingham City, with Ted joined by Command and Everton custodian Caldwell along with Farrell. The Services team were 2-1 down in the first half only to turn it around in a dramatic second half to win 5-4. There was a slight hope among Evertonians that the three servicemen would also be called up for the Army vs Everton game at Goodison, but it was not to be as the Army wanted their strongest side to be selected.
Matchday programme, 12 August 1953
On 15 August 1953, Ted made the “Blues” side in the junior public practice game at Goodison Park, though due to his army service duties he was only available to make five appearance in the successful Central League Campaign run – a feat not achieved since the 1937-38 season.
Blues 3, Whites 1 was the outcome of the first of two practice games at Goodison, this one held on 12 August 1953, with goals from Potts (15), Eglington (22), Parker (44), and Hickson (89).
The line-ups were:
Blues (2-3-5); O’Neill (J); Clinton (T), Donovan (D); Farrell (P, captain), Jones (TE), Lello (C); Buckle (T), Cummins (G), Hickson (D), Parker (JW), Eglington (T).
White (2-3-5); Leyland (H); Moore (E), Rankin (G); Grant (J), Forshaw (R), Melville (L); McNamara (J), Potts (H), Saunders (R), Potts (H), Saunders (R), Stewart (G), Easthope (J).
Three days later, on 15 August, the outcome was Blues 0, Whites 2. The referee was Mr RW McGrojan, with an attendance of 2,500.
The goals for the ‘Whites’ were from Mayers (20) and Saunders (40), and the line-ups were:
Blues (2-3-5); Dunlop (A) (R Caldwell 45); Sutherland (J), Tansey (J); Fitzsimmons (C), Forshaw (R) (Damen 45), Melville (L) (Senior 45), Harris (JA), Vizard (C) (M Meagan 45), Kirby (G), Meagan (G) (G Tansey 45), Canavan (E).
Whites (2-3-5); Fairclough (P), Heyes (K), Dodson; Birch (K), (Clayton 45), Favager, Capper (B), Mayers (D), Thomas (E), Saunders (R), Farrell (A), Easthope (J).
Ted participated in a limited number of reserve matches during the 1953-54 season; nevertheless, he remained a member of the Central League championship-winning team. After leaving Everton in 1955, Forshaw spent a season in the Canadian National Soccer League with the Polish White Eagles. His time in Canada was fruitful, as he helped the team win both the National League title and the Carling Cup Playoff Championship, defeating Ulster United and Toronto Italia.
In 1957, Forshaw made a bold switch to rugby league, joining St Helens RFC. His debut on 21 August 1957 against Huddersfield was nothing short of spectacular—scoring two tries and kicking three goals in a 28–8 victory. A speedy centre and accurate goalkicker, Ted seemed destined for greatness in rugby. He scored four tries and kicked 11 goals for the Saints before, tragically, his rugby career was cut short just five games later during an away match at Leigh on New Year’s Day 1958. Playing alongside the legendary Tommy Voll, Ted suffered a broken jaw that never healed properly. Forced to retire from rugby, he returned to football with the Lancashire Combination side Prescot Town.
Liverpool Echo,
31 October 1959
Prescot had injury problems up front and Ted would convert from centre-half to inside forward. He asked to be given a chance in the forward line against Oldham Athletic reserves in the Lancashire Combination and did not fail to produce with 19 goals in just 12 games. Ted was also the Prescot hero in the FA Cup in the 1959-60 season, scoring a spectacular 25-yard goal away to Earlestown. His most memorable moment came in the next round of the Cup, where his flying header against Altrincham propelled Prescot into the first-round proper for the first time in the club’s history.
Ted’s sporting skills and knowledge extended beyond football and rugby. He was a standout performer for Sutton Harriers and Pilkington’s AC, later helping to establish the St Helens Athletics Club in 1980. His speed and agility made him a valuable asset in local athletics circles, supporting many of the region’s athletes to reach sporting goals.
Later in life, Ted returned to Knowsley Road as a weight training and sprinting coach for the Saints, mentoring young athletes and sharing his wealth of experience. His coaching was deeply respected, and he remained a beloved figure in the community.
Ted Forshaw passed away suddenly in 2002, doing what he loved, being active outdoors. As Jill Taylor of Liverpool Harriers poignantly said, “Athletics won’t be the same without you, Ted. We all loved you.”
His life was a tapestry of sporting excellence, resilience, and community spirit. Whether on the football pitch, rugby field, or athletics track, Ted Forshaw gave his all. His story is not just about the games he played but the lives he touched and the legacy he left behind.
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Acknowledgements
Simon Hart – Proof Reading
Mike Royden – Proof reading, editing and web layout
References and sources
Saints Heritage Society: Ted Forshaw
Andy Weir – Flickr Account
Everton FC Match Day Programmes, 1949-1955
Billy Smith Blue Chronicles Seasons 1949-1955
Liverpool Echo (April 30, 1957; April 26, 1957; October 30, 1959)
Liverpool Evening Express (December 16, 1949; January 20, 1950; May 31, 1950; August 19, 1950)
Liverpool Daily Post (April 27, 1957; October 30, 1959; November 2, 1959)
Ormskirk Advertiser (May 11, 1950; December 14, 1950)
Bootle Times (February 17, 1950)
Belfast Telegraph (October 27, 1954)
Birmingham Daily Gazette (October 30, 1953)
Evening Dispatch (October 27, 1953; November 17, 1954; October 19, 1953)
Bradford Observer (May 2, 1950)
