Club Historian Dave Shaw has recently informed us of the sad passing of former Hednesford Town player Gordon ‘Joby’ Dyas.

Joby was born in Hednesford, 17 May 1936. He seized the opportunity to place one foot firmly on the football ladder by signing for The Pitmen at the beginning of the 1953-54 campaign. Joby kicked off in a 1-0 defeat at Shrewsbury, 10 April 1954, going on to total 46 senior outings by the end of the following season.

He was equally at home in either of the wing-half positions, where he played alongside three other future League footballers: Gordon Westley, Norman Lawson and Gordon Lee. At the end of the 1954-55 season, Joby signed for Third Division Walsall making twelve first-team appearances, plus one outing in the FA Cup, before joining non-league Burton, then Brierley Hill and also Halesowen prior to a return to Hednesford for a three-year stay.

He finally assisted minor league Rugeley Villa and Brocton before concentrating totally on his day job in the building trade. In January 2011 after a number of years searching, Dave found him living in retirement, along with his wife Doreen, only a few yards from his birthplace in Pye Green. Joby passed away at the end of January 2012 at the age of 75.