“TAKE it from me,” assured injured captain Nat Lofthouse on the morning of Wanderers’ FA Cup semi-final against Blackburn Rovers at Maine Road, “Ralph certainly won’t let the side down.”

The man being described was Ralph Gubbins, a converted winger preparing to be thrust into the biggest game of his career in Lofthouse’s coveted centre-forward role. History has, of course, shown the great Lion of Vienna was absolutely right with his verdict.

One of the saddest footnotes of the day Wanderers lifted their last major trophy was that the man whose goals had got them there would never receive a winner’s medal.

Gubbins scored twice in a scrappy semi-final, fought in fierce winds in front of 70,000 supporters. From then on he was – a touch unfairly – known as Lofthouse’s understudy but it was not a label which ever frustrated him.

“My grandad was extremely proud of what he did for Bolton Wanderers,” explained his grandson Tom Williams, who continues to follow the Whites’ fortunes to this day. “He could have felt a little bitter about it but I never heard him say anything other than he was happy for Nat and pleased for the team.”

A few years ago former Wanderers chairman Phil Gartside approached the Football Association to see if special dispensation could be given to Gubbins and a special medal be issued but was unsuccessful.

Nevertheless, his achievements will always be remembered fondly in this neck of the woods.

“We are very proud of what he did,” said Tom, who also played football in the youth teams of Liverpool, Manchester United and Wigan before plying his trade in the non-league game.

“He died when I was 21 but the day of his funeral I actually had an FA Cup game for Chorley – and I thought at the time he’d want me to go and play. I can say we have both scored in that competition, which feels very special.

“We celebrated the anniversary of the semi-final among the family and my grandma passed around a little card. She kept a scrapbook of all his achievements too.”

Tom also recalls a time when his immaculately-dressed grandad left his team-mates speechless on the touchline in his days at Wigan.

“I was playing for the youth team at Christopher Park and someone cleared the ball into touch, about 60 metres or so in the air,” he said. “My grandad was spotless, dressed in slacks, jumper, shirt, leather loafers – exactly how you’d expect a man of his age to dress.

“When the ball went up he took two steps back, stuck his left foot out and brought the ball down, flicking it to the lad taking the throw.

“You never lose it, I suppose!”