4 Aug 2005, Stokoe, one of a rare breed, laid to rest, John Walsh
Cited from News and Star / The Cumberland News
Transcription
Published at 01:00, Thursday, 04 August 2005By John Walsh
DENNIS Stokoe, one of those rare breed of footballers who played League football for both Carlisle United and Workington, has died at the age of 80.
The wing-half played for both the Blues and the Reds in the 1950’s – actually playing under manager Bill Shankly at both clubs – where he was regarded as one of the top performers in the old Third Division North.
At Borough Park, where he played over 100 League games for the Reds, he was part of one of the club’s most famous half-back lines – Stokoe, George Aitken and Rex Dunlop.
He also played for Chesterfield and part-time with Gateshead before hanging-up his boots and developing a new career in journalism with the Manchester Evening News, Northern Echo and The Journal.
He first of all specialised in sports reporting before switching successfully to write on business matters.
Blyth-born Dennis was chief business reporter on the Newcastle Journal from 1969 until his retirement in 1990.
He remained passionate about football and had been a Sunderland season ticket holder for many years. Dennis had suffered declining health since the death of his wife Sheila about five years ago and died at the Lindisfarne Nursing Home, Chester-le-Street. They had no children and he is survived by an older brother Robert, a niece Margery and nephew Jimmy.
His funeral service was held in Shincliffe, Durham, where he lived, and among the mourners was Sir John Hall, former chairman of Newcastle United, who dealt regularly with Dennis when he was developing the MetroCentre retail and leisure complex in Gateshead.
Other Information #
One event has been derived from this evidence.
- Sheila Milgate died on 31 May, 2000 in Durham Central, County Durham, England
Full Citation
News and Star / The Cumberland News; 4 Aug 2005, Stokoe, one of a rare breed, laid to rest, John Walsh.