The eagerly anticipated charity match between the TV All Stars and Dudley Kernick’s Managers XI delivered chaos, comedy, and a huge crowd at Middlefield Lane on Sunday, 19 March 1961. The All Stars, on a day trip from London, secured a frantic 7-6 victory over the Managers XI, providing a spectacular, if highly unconventional, day of entertainment for charity.
The TV All Stars was a British celebrity charity football team founded around 1959 by the comedy duo Mike and Bernie Winters. The team’s genesis was competitive: the Winters brothers created their own outfit after being sidelined by the rival Showbiz XI for not being “big enough names.”
Focusing on popular stars from ITV shows like The Army Game and Sunday Night at the London Palladium, the All Stars included key members such as Ronnie Corbett, Roy Castle, Jess Conrad, and Bernard Bresslaw. Unlike the original, more serious Showbiz XI, the TV All Stars embraced a “lighter” approach, deliberately featuring comedic antics and slapstick on the pitch to entertain the huge crowds they drew.
This team was also known for its progressive stance; for instance, they hosted a fundraiser during the 1961 professional players’ strike threat and even fielded a pro player (George Eastham), an action that angered the FA. Though their popularity later waned, with the team ultimately fading away after the Mike and Bernie Winters partnership dissolved in 1978, the 1961 Hinckley match captured them at their chaotic best.
Record Crowds and Screaming Fans
The event drew one of the largest, if not the largest, crowds ever seen at Middlefield Lane, with an estimated 4,000 people present. The huge gate raised approximately £900 for the charity cause.
The crowd’s enthusiasm reached fever pitch when the final whistle blew. The Stars were immediately mobbed by the excited spectators, with goalkeeper Jess Conrad becoming the prime target. He disappeared beneath a “screaming tide of girls.” Police were forced to battle through the throng to release the teenage idol and escort him to the dressing rooms. A line of officers then had to form a protective barrier to allow the rest of the players in “unmolested.” Even after the initial rush, fans continued to chant, setting up a rallying cry of “We want Jess!” which only subsided when the team, under full police escort, climbed into their coach outside the ground to head to the Park Hotel for a meal. The crowd also reportedly included another football star, Tony Knapp, of Leicester City.
On-Field Antics and Comedy Chaos
The match itself was a highly entertaining spectacle, blending surprising skill with celebrity buffoonery.
The Managers’ Line-up of Legends: Dudley Kernick’s XI featured genuine football icons. At centre-forward for the Managers was ex-England goalkeeper Gil Merrick, whose sheer size “seemed to upset many of the All Stars.” The team also featured Coventry City manager Billy Frith and, notably, Joe Mercer—who was managing Aston Villa at the time and would later become a legendary manager for Manchester City and a caretaker manager for England.
Despite the presence of such talent, the final goal scored by Merrick was one of the oddest. Receiving the ball on the All Stars goal line with the keeper out of position, Merrick simply stood with the ball at his feet, waiting to be tackled. As the defenders converged and Jess Conrad scratched his head in wonder, Merrick was eventually “forced” to stroke the ball over the line.
Norman Rossington’s Wardrobe Malfunction: Actor Norman Rossington (The Army Game, Saturday Night and Sunday Morning) was the picture of comedy on the left wing. He took the field wearing what were described as “the largest shorts ever to visit Hinckley.” When one of his teammates nearly “debagged” him, Norman opted for “discretion” and changed into more conventional attire. Despite this, he still managed to score two goals (much to his own surprise) and later took a mid-game “lie down.”
Rossington’s Dual Whistle Trick: The comedy continued into the second half when Rossington produced a second whistle that answered Referee Mr. George Boast’s kick-off signal. After several phantom blasts, the ex-English League referee spotted Norman pushing his hand into his pocket, leading to a memorable “duel at thirty paces with whistles as weapons.”
The 12th Man: Unbeknownst to the referee, the All Stars played the entire first half with twelve men on the field. Their extra player was former Hinckley Athletic man, Ken Bunt.
The All Stars, who were in London at noon and had to rush off again for a late-night recording studio appointment, were nonetheless delighted with the visit and promised to pay a return visit for any charitable purpose.