1900 - 1994

Silverwood Mine

Hollings Lane

Thrybergh

Facts, Stories and Features

IAN "BIDDER" EVERS

The photo above by Jonathan Dabs is of Silverwood Miners Welfare football field, many a local player and future football stars played here. Ian Bidder Evers took over the management of the football club in 1975, an ex miner he was also a player for the club. In a recent guest book entry Ian wrote:

Hi john, my name is Ian Evers,[ Bidder] I was born at 2, Arundel Avenue [Dalton] on the 25/ 09/ 1955, and my mother still lives there she will be 77 on the 1 March 2007, I have just found this site and think its brill.  I played and managed Silverwood miners welfare for 30 years between 75/05, keep up the good work, thanks Bid. "

I then wrote back and asked Ian if he would like to contribute his story here on this site, thankfully Ian agreed to do so and sent in a very interesting account of some of his life and also his time with the miners welfare. I hope Ian is going to send in more because I really enjoyed reading his often amusing recollections.

"BIDDERS" STORY

BY IAN EVERS

Hi John, it was nice of you to reply, here is your answer to the question of the origins of my nickname, in the early sixties a cartoon used to be on all the time [you will know it] Yogi bear , his pal was Bobo, and Yogi used to call him his little biddey buddy, so my dad started calling me bid, my brother shouted me in the street one day but shouted bidder and it stuck, I've been called it ever since, some 45years.

My Mum used to be a Crawford before she got married, one of her brothers worked at Silverwood they called him Alec, his son Alan became a very good player with Rotherham United in the late 70s and early eighties before moving on to Bristol City. Then he played for Exeter, and as now took up coaching.

Mums other brother Jim emigrated to Australia and joined the army, he had a wife called Beverly a son named Jimmy and a daughter Beverly.  He lived in Melbourne, however Jim sadly passed away some 11 years ago now,  but before he died he did get over to see us at Christmas 1995, it made my mothers Christmas.

Football ran in the family, my dad Colin Evers used to play in goal for Albion Road, he once told me [ and so did many others ] that while playing for Albion against [ who else, traitor ] Silverwood he saved three penalties and they still lost 4-3 ha ha ha!  A scout was over from Wolverhampton Wanderers,[ a big team in the 50s] he asked my dad about going to Wolves, he said no right away,  duly prompting my Granddad to stop speaking to him for two years, that conversation between dad and scout by the way took place in the Grapes Hotel.

I enjoyed playing football and I had had a few trials as a youngster, Sheffield United, Mansfield, Scunthorpe, to mention a few,[ what a failure ha ha ] but I loved the game and went to play for Silverwood and up to 2005 was still playing, [albeit cameo roles but still managed to score 1 or 2] . I took up managing the side in 85/86 due to Mick Bernard's superstars leaving him so he packed up, and I took over and promptly went round the village to see what players where staying, answer 6, brill a challenge. I got together a right motley crew but that season did we shock people, it was in the association cup, a big cup to play for in Saturday football the final played at Millmoor in the semi final we played Clifton Rovers, a big strong side,  we were under dogs of course and we played it at Silverwood. All semis were played there but with yours truly in the semis we thought it would be played on neutral ground but Clifton wanted to play at our ground keeping with tradition.  So as the game commenced after 25minutes and Clifton 2/0 down, a shock was on the cards. The game was played in front of a big crowd we eventually went on to win 4/2.

A season or two later I signed a very good young player who played against us in that semi his name was John Cookson, he told me that day of the semi Stringers teamtalk was simple[ or was it] stop bidder playing and you will stop Silverwood, and Cooky followed me all over the park, in fact I thought he was going to come home with me, and so to the final. Again we were underdogs and rightfully so,  Thurcroft Ivanhoe  were champions of the first division, I think that spring evening in May I may have made a bit of history.  I only played three at the back, four in midfield and three up front, I dont want to bore you with football talk but the game was videoed and I was right. This is a short piece from the Rotherham Advertiser on the final, it went like this:

"Taking advantage of a remarkable tactical gamble some would say blunder by the opposition Thurcroft Ivanhoe swept to victory, with both clubs well supported, there was something of a good old fashioned atmosphere and it seemed every player was known by a nickname- there was bidder, pyscho, and zebadee....wagger , smack, and ziggy. "

Silverwood lost 3-0 but what a brilliant bunch of lads I played with!

© 2007 Ian "Bidder" Evers

Many thanks Ian for sharing your memories.

All information on this site is correct to the extent of my knowledge, should you spot an error please let me know and that error will be corrected.
All text and pages as formatted and presented on this site Copyright John Doxey, and may not be reproduced without consent
Photos, and information Copyright to Primary Sources where applicable