Ron Parrott remembers former Hereford United player Mel Rooke who died recently.
Born Leominster September 1941, died Leominster 25th July 2021
Mel was a Leominster lad who applied for a junior trial at Edgar Street as a 16-year-old in the summer of 1958. He shaped up well enough to impress manager Joe Wade, who immediately signed him on amateur terms. Mel played regularly for the Reserves in the Birmingham League side at half-back but found it hard to break into the first-team. However, in September 1958, Mel made his first-team debut along with John Conlon, another 16-year-old, in a 6-0 victory at Edgar Street over Dudley Town in the Worcestershire Senior Cup.
Then in January 1960, Mel finally made his full Southern League debut in a 3-0 home defeat to old rivals Cheltenham Town. Overall, he made six first-team appearances, with three others coming in the Southern League Inter Zone Competition and two in the Worcestershire Senior Cup. He was not retained at the end of the 1959/60 season and returned to local amateur football.
Mel lived his
whole life in Leominster and continued to play sport at a decent level
for many years to come. He had a spell playing football for Wiggin &
Co. in the Herefordshire League and was also a more than useful
cricketer. He was a fairly nippy seam bowler and had a lovely, smooth
run-up that served him well for many years. Sadly, Mel suffered with
dementia in later life and finally passed away at the age of 79 after
fighting a brave battle against his illness.