David got in touch with the club’s General Manager Peter Todd recently, stating: “My late great-uncle Alf wore the Myrtle, Flame & White with huge pride.

“He was diminutive even by the standards of his time and worked as a miner at Middleton Colliery.

“Apart from a niece and myself no one in the family now remembers him and, in turn, my nephews and nieces are surprised when I tell them of Uncle Alf, his love of the club at Parkside, and his role there.”

David continued: “My niece, Ruth, is doing some sterling work putting together a family history as we spread all around the world but Alf was single all his life, and no one has a picture of him, so as a last resort my thought turned to the club.

“Might you possibly have an archive photo of Alf, perhaps from a programme or newspaper cutting?

“When you can get the public in the ground again could you possibly put out my query? Good luck on the field in the months to come.”

We can do a little better than that, by posting David’s request on our web site and in social media, in addition to issuing a press release. If anyone can verify that the image is, indeed, of Alf Appleby (or if any supporters have any photos that are definitely of Alf, or indeed can identify the mascot) please email editor.southoftheriver@aol.co.uk.