The Finney trophy race was held at Prenton under the vilest of conditions, and one wonders whether the greater sympathy or admiration should go to the runners who fought the mud, wind and pitilessly driving rain for three-quarters of an hour, clad only in vest and shorts, or to the officials, who, with rain running down their necks and mud climbing over their shoes, joked two hours away whilst they stood around the start and the finish lines patiently attempting to read competitors' sodden numbers, and entering them on equally sodden record cards.
The runners, at any rate, had the excitement of the race to take their minds off the elements, if such a thing were possible, and had the luxury of a hot bath and dry clothes awaiting them in Wirral's excellent headquarters. The officials, however, could hope to dry on the journey home before wives' critical eyes spotted their sorry state, and the sight of one miserably wringing out his trousers evoked only the laughter of derison.
But the race, for all that, was full of interest, for here we should see what new men the clubs had found, challenging the seasoned runners who for one reason or another had escaped the disqualification clause which applies only to this race.
Previous winners are barred from the event, together with winning teams, yet the programme always contains the names of prominent county class men, and this season was no exception. Pembroke, who have more members barred than any other club, had ordered up their big guns from North Wales to stiffen their side, whilst Wirral, Wallasey and Liverpool included names fit for any country side.
Yellow vested Keith Thomson, who now lives in London and who has not raced on Merseyside for some seasons, was the first in sight after the first lap, leading the field at a very fast pace, indicating that the foot trouble which dogged him at Cambridge is now but a memory.
Already it was obvious that Pembroke were very well placed for yet another win in the team race. After Thomson there was some close packing between Bennett (Wirral), Hughes (Warrington), Bell (Preston), Woolford (Wallasey) who was fancied by many to win, and Needham (Sefton).
J. Bell (Preston) who has this season been attaining some prominence, was the eventual winner and a good one, opening a gap of twelve seconds between himself and Bennett, who was second. Woolford beat Thomson for third place, and Hughes and Needham were fifth and sixth.
It takes eight runners for a counting team in this event and Pembroke did remarkably well to keep their score down to 166, nearly 100 better than Sefton, who were second with 262 points. Then came Preston Harriers, 329 points, and Waterloo and Liverpool, placed in that order, each scored 377. Port Sunlight were the only other team to finish eight runners, scoring 496 points.
Ends
Source - Unknown - Saturday, 10/12/1960
Ref 2986