From ‘Sublime to the Ridiculous’

FORMER Royal Marine Commando George Longman has fond memories of Tavistock and particularly his playing days with Tavistock Football Club. George, 80, who now lives in Chard, Somerset, is hoping that Times readers will recognise the fellow Tavistock FC players pictured when this photograph was taken at the Langsford Park ground during the 1954/55 campaign in the South Western League. In his autobiography 'Sublime to the Ridiculous' George remembers his life in the Westcountry when he was a young Royal Marine based at Bickleigh Barracks, near Roborough and dug out the photo when researching his book. Some of the players went on to enjoy professional football with Plymouth Argyle and Exeter City. George remembers playing with the Langman brothers, Neil and Peter, from Bere Alston and who both played for Plymouth Argyle. 'I headed for Tavistock Football Club where I made friends with a good many people not least the secretary, who at that time was Jimmy Lowe along with his wife and son Roger. I was fortunate to be selected for a South Western league XI to play the England amateur team and I also remember completing a 30 mile slog across Dartmoor as a Royal Marine before going on to play in a local cup final in Plymouth, where we came out the winners.' George remembered enjoying his 'shore runs,' like many Royal Marines, to Plymouth. He later joined Truro City Football Club and and went to St Ives and trained at the Commando Cliff Assault Wing before serving in Malaya. After his military career George, who married his wife Margarete, became a sales representative for the Nottingham based Bonser Engineering, who sold fork lift trucks. He told the Times: 'I really liked Tavistock and the people. I would have very much loved to live there and of all the clubs I joined during my football life Tavistock was the best. ' His book Sublime to the Ridiculous, priced £12.95, is available at Bookstop Bookshop in Market Street, Tavistock. l If anyone is pictured in the football photograph or knows of the people in it then George can be contacted on 01460 67685.