It must be something in the genes. He was already arguably England’s best player when he died at Munich aged only 21. He might well have gone on to be the best ever.
His cousin was Denis Stevens who won a cup winners medal for Bolton against post Munich United and a league title with Everton in 1963. They played together for England under23’s on an Eastern European tour.
Genes or not, no quarter was given. Denis scored the first goal in Bolton’s 4-0 drubbing of United on 14 September 1957 before being stretchered off with a suspected broken leg after a heavy Duncan tackle. Turned out it was “only” a bruised nerve so he returned to the action only to be felled again by Duncan early in the second half “sparking an angry exchange between the cousins”
Their uncle was Ray Westwood who starred for Bolton in the 30s & 40s, scoring over 140 goals, and played 6 times for England.
Ray Westwood`s own uncle was David Stokes a pre war [that’s WW1] Bolton stalwart who played in the 1904 Cup Final and throughout the Edwardian era.
-
England v Ireland 06.05.1950 - picked for England schoolboys as a 13 year old & played for them for a record 3 seasons
-
England v The Rest 17.03.1951 - Trial Match
-
Wales v England 26.03.1951
-
England v Wales 07.04.1951
-
England v Scotland 05.05.1951
-
England v The Rest 22.03.1952
-
England v Scotland 05.04.1952
-
Scotland v England 26.04.1952
-
England v Wales 03.05.1952
-
England v Ireland 10.05.1952 (Schools - Duncan not eligible on age grounds, Wilf McGuiness steps in as captain)
-
Ireland Schools v England Schools 31.05.1952
-
Reds v Blues 16.08.1952 - Signs for Man Utd straight from school and plays in the preseason public practice match
-
Man Utd v Northern Nomads 03.12.1952
-
Blackpool v Man Utd Reserves 26.12.1952
-
Man Utd v Barnsley 21.03.1953 - FA Youth Cup Round 5
-
Sheff Wed v Man Utd 04.04.1953 - (Reserves) - listed for the reserves but drafted late into the 1st Team for his debut as the photo shows.
-
Man Utd v Cardiff 04.04.1953
-
Brentford v Man Utd 11.04.1953 - Youth Cup Semi Final
-
Man Utd v Brentford 15.04.1953 - FA Youth Cup Semi Final
-
Man Utd v Wolves 04.05.1953 - Youth Cup Final First Leg
-
Wolves v Man Utd 09.05.1953 - Youth Cup Final Leg 2 (first of three youth cup finals)
-
Boyland v Man Utd Youth 13.05.1953
-
Huddersfield Town v Man Utd 31.10.1953 - the game popularly credited as the "birth of the babes"
-
Germany v England 24.03.954 - B Team International
-
Man Utd v Wolves 23.04.1954 - Youth Cup Final first leg
-
Wolves v Man Utd 26.04.1954 - Youth Cup Final second leg
-
Uncapped 17 year old included in the initial 40 chosen for the World Cup, but didn't make the final 22
-
Uncapped 17 year old included in the initial 40 chosen for the World Cup, but didn't make the final 22
-
Football League v Irish League 20.10.1954
-
Wolves Youth v England Youth 08.11.1954
-
England v Italy 19.01.1955 under23s
-
England v Italy 19.01.1955 under23s
-
Man City v Man Utd 17.11.1954 - Youth cup 2nd round
-
Scotland v England 08.02.1955 Under 23s
-
Scotish League v English League 16.03.1955
-
England v Germany 23.03.1955 - B Team
-
England v Scotland 02.04.1955 - makes his england debut as the youngest ever alongside stan matthews whose own debut was 3 years before he was born
-
Chelsea v Man Utd 16.04.1955 - Youth Cup Semi Final first leg - he's still eligible for the youth cup
-
Man Utd v West Brom 27.04.1955 - Youth Cup Final
-
West Brom v Man Utd 30.04.1955 - Youth Cup Final 2nd Leg
-
France v England 15.05.1955 - with England on the summer tour
-
Front Cover of Real Mag - May 1955
-
Spain v England 18.05.1955
-
Shrewsbury v Western Command 06.10.1955
-
FA 11 v Army 11 09.11.1955
-
Bedfordshire Youth v Man Utd Youth 14.11.1955
-
England v Scotland 08.02.1956 - Under 23s
-
England v Switzerland 21.03.1956 - B Team International
-
Scotland v England 14.04.1956
-
Army v French Army 28.04.1956 - conscripted by the Army to beef up their midfield
-
Sweden v England 16.05.1956
-
Finland v England 20.05.1956
-
Germany v England 26.05.1956 - England tour of Scandinavia before scoring a great goal in a 3-1 win against the reigning world champions
-
Irish League v Football League 19.09.1956
-
Norwich v The Army 31.10.1956
-
FA 11 v Army 11 07.11.1956
-
World Sports Magazine Dec 1956
-
Rangers v Army 18.12.1956
-
Ireland v England 19.05.1957 - World Cup Qualifier
-
Czechoslovakia v England 30.05.1957 (both goals in a 2-0 win for the Under23's)
-
England v France 27.11.1957 - sadly his last international
-
Arsenal v Man Utd 01.02.1958 - Scores in a 5-4 thriller at Highbury
-
Red Star v Man Utd 05.02.1958 - the last line up
-
Man Utd v Wolves 08.02.1958 - postponed
-
Man Utd v Wolves 08.02.1958 - postponed
-
Man Utd v West Brom 05.03.1958
-
Charles Buchans Monthly - March 1958
-
Midland Sport Commemorative Issue
-
In Memoriam - 08.02.1958
-
St Francis Elergy - January 1959
-
St Francis Elergy - January 1959
