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TOTTENHAMHOTSPUR.COM
HISTORYow times change! This is how Spurs and England goalkeeper
Ted Ditchburn and his family spent their summer holidays.
Or is it?
Because these shots were taken in 1952 and with football’s
maximum wage not abolished until January, 1961, maybe these mystery
pictures are part of an advertising campaign as many footballers spent
their summers offering football coaching to the campers.
Up until 1961, footballers could only earn £20 a week and even that
was reduced to £17 in the close season. Hence that famous exchange:
Player to manager: “Why does my team mate earn more than me?”
Manager: “Because he’s a better player than you.”Player: “Not in the summer, he isn’t!”
Maddieson’s Holiday Camps operated between 1920-1980 at various
locations along the south coast, mainly in Kent.
And Ted had strong links with Kent as he was born in Gillingham
and started out with our nursery club Northfleet United before signing
for us as a full professional in May, 1939. His father was a highly-
regarded boxer in his day and Ted’s fitness was a key part of his game
as he stayed with us for 20 years, although he lost seven years to the
Second World War.
Yet note the non-PC cigarette as Ted and his young family enjoy
time on a slide that seems to also offer the odd splinter to unlucky orCLUB HISTORIAN JOHN FENNELLY DONS HIS KNOTTED
HANDKERCHIEF AND GOES IN SEARCH OF SIMPLE SUMMER
SOCCER DAYS THAT SEEMED TO GO ON FOREVER.
HI-DE-HI!
H