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Sam Dodd - (1908 - 1983)

Sam Dodd joined Wirral AC in 1928 and as his previous experiences included races outside AAA laws for which cash prizes had been awarded he had to appear before the No5 District Committee (pre-decessor of the Merseyside CAA ) to apply for reinstatement as an amateur. Because he was a Youth at the time, this body was able to display its wisdom without too much agonising and cleared him to compete.

His cross country career includes 8 Wirral AC Senior titles, 7 Liverpool & District titles, 5 West Lancs titles and a Northern title, but the jewel in his crown is the National title won in 1934. Since he had come second the previous year and just won the Northern, it was not too much of a surprise, but the manner of his win was exciting by any standards. On the second of the three laps of Himley Park in the Midlands, Jack Holden (Tipton), Alec Burns (Elswick) and Sam had emerged as the principal contenders. Burns made a determined effort to break the others and by the start of the third lap had established an apparently unassailable lead of 200 yards. However as Burns tired, Sam steadily closed the gap and swept past in the final few hundred yards to win by 8 seconds. In the picture he is seen with the ECCU (now ECCA) Championship trophy.