IF an opposing forward raced past Hereford United's legendary first ever skipper Cess Morris he was rarely allowed to show him a clean pair of heels a second time.

And, it seems, the same applied to Cess when it came to affairs of the heart!

It was in 1911 that 18-year-old Isobel Louise Bayliss turned down 20-year-old Cess's marriage proposal because she felt she was too young.

The Pontrilas-born girl, who lived at Westfields House, Holmer, and was a dressmaker, was later taken to Australia by her parents where she eventually married a prosperous businessman.

Cess Morris also became happily married and the two sets of couples kept in touch with each other with correspondence and occasional visits.

Both Cess and Isobel were widowed in the 1950s and eventually the ex-Bulls stalwart played a one-two with Cupid and proposed by letter. This time there was no getting past Cess and she travelled to England to give her 'yes!' in person.

In 1958 - 47 years after the rejection of his first offer of marriage - Cess and Isobel were wed at All Saints Church.

New life in Australia

After a reception at Charlie Powell's Vaga Tavern, the new Mrs Morris drove the couple in her brand new £1,000 car to London. Then, after a six-week honeymoon on the continent, they began their new life in Australia where Isobel owned a string of shoe shops and held shares in a newspaper.

Cess re-visited Hereford in July, 1972, just after United's election to the Football League and in an interview with Hereford Times sports editor, the late Ted Woodriffe, he admitted he was 'staggered' by the transformation that had taken place at Edgar Street during his 14-year absence.

In John Williamson's book 'The Hereford United Story' Ted referred to Cess's reminiscences of his days with 'The Lilywhites'.

He cast his mind back to August 1924, when United made their debut in competitive football. He said: "We had to change at the Wellington Hotel and walk to the ground. There were no plush sunken baths. In fact, we had to use a bucket of water to swill ourselves down after the match."

At the time he was licensee of the now long-gone No. 5 Hotel in Widemarsh Street and after representing the Army and playing for Ebbw Vale, a powerful Southern League side, he joined Hereford for 28 shillings (£1.40) a week.

He admitted to Ted: "I never did any training. There was enough hard work to do in the pub to keep me fit. I just used to report to the ground when there was a match and after the game go back to work behind the counter."

The club was run by a committee and, as captain, Cess used to pick the team without any interference during the first ever season. But midway through the next campaign when he made his usual selection and presented it to the committee he was told by a newcomer that the team had already been picked.

Cess gave up the captaincy and later a manager was appointed to look after the affairs. He remained as an ordinary player and when he eventually gave up the game in 1930 he was earning £2 a week - during the season.

He made more than 400 appearances for United and when he hung up his boots the club gave him a benefit match. Ebbw Vale visited Hereford and although the gate money was £84, all that Cess collected, after expenses, was £25.

"I bought my wife a diamond ring with the money," he recalled.

Cess later became landlord of the Royal Oak in Barton Road for 23 years.

One Herefordian who well recalls Cess Morris's Edgar Street days is Douglas Hughes, of Wye Street. He describes him as a sporting legend who also made his name as a track athlete.

He refers to how he formed a memorable partnership at the back with a teenage star signed from Knighton Town, Bert Trentham, who soon became a member of West Bromwich Albion's FA Cup/promotion side of 1930-31.

This also brought to Mr Hughes's mind AE (Bert) Jones, the club's secretary/manager from 1924-1937.

"He was an irascible character who did not court popularity, but there's no doubt in my mind that he was the driving force in keeping the show on the road in those formative years," he told me.