THE date has been set for a remarkable reunion of footballing Blackburn schoolboys half a century after a memorable triumph.

The St James Primary School team, aged just 11, held aloft the Jubilee Shield at Ewood Park in 1953 after scoring 99 goals to get to the final.

Now the team are set to revisit their precious memories of that special day with a reunion at Mytton Fold Hotel in Langho on March 22.

Unfortunately, out of the team of eleven players, one member has yet to be traced and his elusiveness is proving a puzzle for the organiser of the reunion.

Goalkeeper Brian Dixon, 60, who now lives in Peterborough, has hunted church records throughout the North West to find full-back Steven Walker, but to no avail.

He said: "We have still just got Steven Walker to find.

"I have contacted the Church of England records and been round the Blackburn and Manchester Diocese records but have still not found him.

"It would be a pity if we cannot trace him.

"We thought he would be quite easy to trace as he was the son of the vicar of St James Church at the time.

"The last thing people heard was that he had moved to Cheadle."

Brian had the brainwave for the get-together a year ago.

He contacted the Lancashire Evening Telegraph and soon members of the team were calling in - enthusiastic about the reunion and recollecting their memories of that day.

Mr Dixon said: "The whole idea started when my brother who still lives in Langho sent a load of photographs to me after my mother past away and that photograph of the team was in there.

"I just thought 'Jeepers' that was 50 years ago since we appeared at Ewood.

"I wondered whether they were all surviving and what they were all doing."

His quest proved remarkably successful.

Winning goal scorer Michael Glaister, now a retired accountant, was traced from Chester.

Alan Ashton, who is an executive steward at Rovers, came forward as did Kevin Pomfret from the West Midlands.

Brain Curwen, from Oswaldtwistle, Raymond Pickering and Geoff Blackburn both from Rishton, Ronnie Spencer and Kevin McCrae from Mellor were all traced.

Captain Barrie Ratcliffe, of Langho, went on to make 50 appearances for Rovers in the 1960s and was a member of the FA Youth Cup winning side of 1959.

And even the Jubilee Shield itself has been traced and will be present on the evening as will the school's current headmistress Marjorie Owen.

If you can help trace the last member of the team contact the LET newsdesk on 01254 298350.