Independent Rs Messageboard

[Steve Russell]

Identity Parade Clears QPR Player Worried by Letters of “Undying Love”

This very unusual story was written by John Thompson and appeared in the ‘Daily Mirror’
on 14th January 1948:

‘Famous Soccer players on the staff of a Football League club in London took part in an identity
parade in their dressing room yesterday.

Queen’s Park Rangers had volunteered to parade to help one of their team-mates, who was
worried by letters he had received from a woman. Supporters of the club had noticed that the
player was listless and off-form.

Colleagues had commented on his glum silence in the dressing room. When the strain became too
much he confided in the club’s manager, Mr David Mangnall.

The letters professed the woman’s “undying love” and insisted that he see her again.
He explained that she was completely unknown to him, and that he was happily married.

Mr Mangnall immediately told the police, who visited the woman and invited her to the ground.
There the manager called all the staff from training and the parade was arranged.

The players were placed in groups of four and the woman was asked to pick out the man to whom
she had written. When all the players had been paraded she still had not recognised one of them.

Mr Mangnall then introduced his worried player to the woman, who promptly declared he was not
the man concerned.

“It is obvious,” said the manager last night, “that someone has met this woman, made love to her
and assumed the name of one of my players. Thank goodness the worry is off the lad’s mind at last.”

(Thanks to Colin Woodley for sending me the article)