ROY FINCHTributes have been paid to former Imps player Roy Finch, who died on August 14, 2007.Born in Barry, South Wales, on April 7, 1922, Roy Finch grew up in a family with older brother Malcolm and sisters Vera, Hazel and Esther.Although he was a talented artist, Mr Finch’s first love was football and from an early age he was never happier than when he was kicking a ball about.He played football at school and became captain of the Gladstone School team.Roy qualified to go to grammar school but he wouldn’t go because it didn’t have a football team.His teachers also wanted him to go to art school but instead, when he was 17, Mr Finch joined the RAF, determined to play his part in the war effort.A fitter on Lysander aircraft, Mr Finch also played football for the RAF during his time in the service.After he was demobbed Mr Finch’s footballing talentwas spotted and he was signed to play for West Bromwich Albion.In 1949, he was signed for Lincoln City for a sum of £3,000 at a time when the Imps were at the top of the former Division Two.Mr Finch played on the left wing for City for 10 years, during which time the team was in one of its most successful periods. He played in the same side as Andy Graver and in the 1951/2 season the team won the Division Three championship.During his career with Imps he scored 56 goals and played in 275 league matches.He earned about £20 a week and once scored a hat-trick on Christmas Day against Rochdale at Sincil Bank.After his football career came to an end, Mr Finch set himself up in business running a newsagents in Winn Street in Lincoln. He also continued to play soccer at an amateur level for an East End team.Mr Finch, who had three sons, Keith, Graham and Peter with his first wife, retired from business when his wife died and occupied himself with his hobbies of painting and playing golf.But after a short break from work he got a job as a van driver for Pryce Williams, the bakery firm.It was while working for Pryce Williams that he met Shirley Sharp and the couple married in 1986.Mr and Mrs Finch both played bowls for a number of years and Mr Finch remained a keen golfer.He also remained a keen artist working in both oil and watercolours.
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