South Yorkshire Times, March 19th, 1960
Dearne Boys Captain Plays for England this Saturday
Gordon West, sixteen-years-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Albert West, of 17 Illsley Road, Darfield, now goalkeeping with Blackpool reserves received his first international cap when he played for England Youth team against Scotland. This weekend he is chosen to play for England against Wales at Canterbury and will then receive his second international cap.
A still further honour awaits him for he is in the England team to go to Vienna, on April 12th returning on April 24th.
In that month, April, Gordon will be 17. He is 6ft. one ins. Weighs 13 stones 2 lbs. In his early nursery training he played centre forward.
Gordon was educated at Darfield Shrogg’s Head Infants’ school and later at Darfield Church School, where he played in the school team. Later he went to Foulstone County school, he soon had his place in the school team, which he captained and also captained the Don and Dearne team,
It is about eighteen months since he joined Blackpool and is called the “wonder” boy by many of his friends.
On Saturday when he plays against Wales at Canterbury, his father, a Darfield Main miner, will be there to watch him, and also his brother who is in the R.A. stationed in Kent.