South Yorkshire Times, June 16th 1933

Oliver’s Record

Player For Forty Years

B.H.L. (Bert) Bert Oliver, Captain of Mexborough Flyers, has this week celebrated 40 years as a player. There is no doubt that Oliver is one of, if not the oldest, players in the game at present.  He started his career when, as a boy of eleven, he played for Spalding (Norfolk). He first played in this district in 1911-12 at Mexboro’ Grand Rink, then owned by his father.

In 1931, after regularly playing for the Grand, he transferred to Olympia and took over captaincy of the Flyers. He had the honour of bringing the first trophy to Olympia— the Scarborough Cup won by the Flyers. Mexborough Palace last Friday beat Mansfield Princess by 6-2 in a game of low standard. Beevers, Cutts and Toone each scored a couple of goals for the Palace.

The semi-final draw for the Lancashire knock-out competition was made in Manchester last week-end and resulted as follows: Manchester Cheatham Hall v. Mexborough-Olympia. Tunstall or Nelson v. Warrington. The games are to be played on the first named rink to-day (Friday) and the final at Manchester on June 74th.

For tonight’s match Mexborough’s defence will be Thirkell, Oliver and Reg. Johnson. while the forwards are to be chosen from Loveland. Beaumont and Barron.