Laurie Craker was a blond-haired, hard-tackling midfielder. He lived at High Wycombe and worked with his father in the thatching trade. He started in football as an apprentice with Chelsea and spent four years there before going to South Africa for 9 months. On his return he joined Watford and played 98 first-team games in 3½ seasons. Towards the end he spent 3 months on loan to Dartford. He was dogged by injuries and illness at Vicarage Road, sustaining a broken leg, followed by jaundice which kept him out for 12 months. He joined Hayes in August 1977, at the age of 24, but enjoyed better health in a run of four seasons, which saw him make 182+2 appearances and score 8 goals. During this time he was selected for an FA XI. Surprisingly released in August 1981, he went to Staines, followed by Chesham United, Maidenhead and Chalfont. He was later manager of Chesham, Windsor, Chalfont St Peter, whom he helped win Isthmian Division 2 South, Walton & Hersham and Flackwell Heath in February 2004.
Dave Culcheth was a full-back who progressed from Hayes' first successful junior team in the late sixties, to the reserve team before spending two seasons in the first team making in excess of the traced 50+4 appearances. Dave left Church Road to ply his trade with Southall before returning and then departing again, this time to Ruislip Manor.
Ted Culver was a goalkeeper, who made only 12 appearances for Hayes, yet gave the impression of having made many more, as he managed to appear in many team photographs. (Have you noticed that, at certain periods, there are many photographs of Hayes FC, and at others there are none?) From Hayes he went to Hendon, and subsequently played for Cambridge City, Southall, Wealdstone and Uxbridge, for whom he played against Hayes in an FA Cup tie as late as September 1962. He played for so many clubs early in his career because he was in the RAF and played where he was posted.
Last of the letter Cs, Michael Currie came to Hayes at the start of the 2001-2 season, after a promising career at QPR was blighted by injury. He led a weak forward line and threatened to destroy defences, but lacked the killer touch in front of goal. When Terry Brown released him in March 2002, he had made 20 appearances and yet failed to find the net once. He drifted off to Northwood and Harrow Borough, without notable success. When Hayes was suffering a bad run at the start of the next season, in the Isthmian League, Willy Wordsworth re-signed him in time for the match at Chesham, where he scored in a Hayes victory. Once again, the way that he ran at defences was terrifying, but goals, although they did come, were not frequent. His most memorable goal was the only one in an exciting match against Terry Brown's Aldershot Town in March 2003 - but he could have had five. By the time that he was released, at the start of the 2003-4 season, he had totalled 38+16 games and scored 8 goals. From Hayes he went to Maidenhead United, Hampton and Staines Town.
Laurie Craker was a blond-haired, hard-tackling midfielder. He lived at High Wycombe and worked with his father in the thatching trade. He started in football as an apprentice with Chelsea and spent four years there before going to South Africa for 9 months. On his return he joined Watford and played 98 first-team games in 3½ seasons. Towards the end he spent 3 months on loan to Dartford. He was dogged by injuries and illness at Vicarage Road, sustaining a broken leg, followed by jaundice which kept him out for 12 months. He joined Hayes in August 1977, at the age of 24, but enjoyed better health in a run of four seasons, which saw him make 182+2 appearances and score 8 goals. During this time he was selected for an FA XI. Surprisingly released in August 1981, he went to Staines, followed by Chesham United, Maidenhead and Chalfont. He was later manager of Chesham, Windsor, Chalfont St Peter, whom he helped win Isthmian Division 2 South, Walton & Hersham and Flackwell Heath in February 2004.
Ted Culver was a goalkeeper, who made only 12 appearances for Hayes, yet gave the impression of having made many more, as he managed to appear in many team photographs. (Have you noticed that, at certain periods, there are many photographs of Hayes FC, and at others there are none?) From Hayes he went to Hendon, and subsequently played for Cambridge City, Southall, Wealdstone and Uxbridge, for whom he played against Hayes in an FA Cup tie as late as September 1962. He played for so many clubs early in his career because he was in the RAF and played where he was posted.
after a promising career at QPR was blighted by injury. He led a weak forward line and threatened to destroy defences, but lacked the killer touch in front of goal. When Terry Brown released him in March 2002, he had made 20 appearances and yet failed to find the net once. He drifted off to Northwood and Harrow Borough, without notable success. When Hayes was suffering a bad run at the start of the next season, in the Isthmian League, Willy Wordsworth re-signed him in time for the match at Chesham, where he scored in a Hayes victory. Once again, the way that he ran at defences was terrifying, but goals, although they did come, were not frequent. His most memorable goal was the only one in an exciting match against Terry Brown's Aldershot Town in March 2003 - but he could have had five. By the time that he was released, at the start of the 2003-4 season, he had totalled 38+16 games and scored 8 goals. From Hayes he went to Maidenhead United, Hampton and Staines Town.
