PLANS are underway to celebrate two footballing greats who were both pupils of the same Ellesmere Port school.

The Professional Footballers Association (PFA) is working with Cambridge Road Primary School to erect plaques in honour of Stan Cullis and Joe Mercer.

It is hoped that the plaques will be unveiled on the school building next summer.

The legendary Stan Cullis captained both England and Wolverhampton Wanderers before becoming the club's manager and winning the Football League three times and the FA Cup twice. He passed away in 2001 at the age of 84.

Former England, Everton and Arsenal hero Joe Mercer enjoyed a trophy-laden playing career, before going on to manage Aston Villa and Manchester City where he won the Football League, FA Cup, League Cup and European Cup Winners Cup.

He also managed England on a caretaker basis. Mercer passed away in 1990, aged 76.

PFA chief executive Gordon Taylor OBE said: "In order to inspire the next generation of male and female footballers and to encourage all pupils to do their best at sport the PFA is keen to take the stories of former pupils who became great football stars back into the schools they attended.

Chester and District Standard:

Stan Cullis (Photo from the PFA website).

"In conjunction with the school the PFA will be asking family descendants of both men to provide on the day a speaker who will be joined by some special guests from the world of football.

"It is set to be the third time the PFA has unveiled plaques to footballing legends at the schools they attended. In 2018, Harry Gregg and Alex Williams performed the joint ceremony to Frank Swift and Jimmy Armfield at Revoe School, Blackpool.

"In 2019 Brian Kidd and John Aston junior did the honours for John Aston senior at Ravensbury Community School, Manchester. They were both great events in which pupils at the schools played major roles."

Darryl Pickering, Cambridge Road Primary School headteacher, added: "The school is delighted to play its small part in honouring two of its former pupils.

"Both Joe Mercer and Stan Cullis were outstanding professionals and a credit to Cambridge Primary Road School."

The PFA says related activities are currently being developed and it is the intention that the overall project should be inspirational for current pupils, and also benefit the school itself and the surrounding community.

In the meantime, they are hoping local residents can help put names to the players and staff in an old Cambridge Road Primary School photograph, accompanying the article, from 1950.

Mercer, who had captained Arsenal to FA Cup glory and was also the Football Writers’ Association Footballer of the Year, proudly took the opportunity to visit his old school with both trophies.

The photo of him with the school team and members of staff is still held by the school.

Dr Rob Gandy, visiting professor from Liverpool John Moores University, on behalf of the PFA is looking to hear from anyone in the photo about what they recall from the day, or a relative who remembers them talking about it.

  • He can be contacted by telephone on 0151 334 9248 or by email: rob.gandy@ntlworld.com.