Two members of this Isle of Man football team from 60 years ago have died in recent months.

Michael ‘Mitch’ Gilbertson (back row far left) passed away on June 8 at the age of 84 - his wife Irene died precisely four months later. Mitch was left full-back for Old Boys.

Tony Birch (immediately next to him on the photo) died on November 1 aged 90. He played for Castletown from 1956 to 1968. Tony’s funeral service is at St George’s church, Douglas this Friday morning at 10.45am.

Full line-up (l-r back): Mitch Gilbertson, Tony Birch, Brian Middleton, Ted Kelly, Jock Potts, Ron Ronan. (Front) Ian Trafford, Ceddie Gelling, Willie Corrin, Gordon ‘Biff’ Lowey and Alan Christian.

Corrin scored both goals for the island in a 2-4 defeat against Burnley (ex Clarets) at the King George V Park Bowl on July 26, 1964. The referee was Arthur Ellis who was a World Cup referee.

The Burnley side included two former England internationals, Brian Pilkington and goalkeeper Colin McDonald. Also in the team was ex-Newcastle United player Bob Stokoe who later became manager of the Division Two Sunderland side that famously won the FA Cup in 1973 against mighty Leeds United.