Dear Mike, I really enjoyed seeing the photo of Cliff Brewery FC in the Green'Un a few weeks ago and I have a few memories of it your readers might like to know about.

Mike Bacon

Dear Mike,

I really enjoyed seeing the photo of Cliff Brewery FC in the Green'Un a few weeks ago and I have a few memories of it your readers might like to know about.

The footballer in the front row, middle, with the ball at his feet, is my grandfather, Arthur H Syrett.

He was instantly recognisable and this was later confirmed by my mother, Carol Pearson (nee Syrett) and her sister, Sandra. The photo was taken around May 1927 and was produced in postcard form.

Grandfather was a confirmed 'Cobbold's man' having been born in 'The Case is Altered' on Woodbridge Road. He worked for Cobbold's all his working life; initially he was landlord of the Walton 'Half Moon', where my mother was born.

My grandfather was also one of the first shareholders for Ipswich Town FC due to his close association with Captain Ivan Cobbold. Later, he was a drayman and just prior to the war he was asked to move the Cobbold family silver from Holywells Mansion into secret storage.

For this he was rewarded not with money, but a rare copy of the 1923 Cobbold book about the brewery, which is now in my possession. During the war he served with distinction as a Sergeant dispatch rider returning to his brewery duties when the war ended.

He retired from the brewery in the early 70s, but continued to live at his brewery tied cottage at 'Pound Cottages' on Nacton Road until his death in 1995.

Incidentally, he retired early from his football career with the brewery due to a serious ankle injury. He never played the game again but took great joy in following Ipswich Town.

ROBERT PEARSON