'Singey' Duller: Ace Full-Back

[anthony.brown]

From the Hertfordshire Express Saturday 27th September 1930
HITCHIN FOOTBALLERS
'EXPRESS' PEN SKETCHES
S.F.DULLER
Not many people can claim to have played organised football for 25 years. 'Singey' Duller, Hitchin Town's full back, can and is still as good as any player of a younger age. Sidney Frederick Duller was born at Sawston, Cambs [on 13 Dec 1897], and came to Hitchin when eight weeks old. His parents are now living in Ickleford Road, Hitchin, and his brother is Mr A.V.Duller, a well-known Hitchin businessman, and a member of the Football Club Committee.
Sid Duller was educated at Hitchin British School, and when he first played for the school football team at the age of nine he was the youngest footballer in the school. During the five seasons he played for the British they won the Hitchin and District Schools' League three times, and they were also runners-up in the Wix Trophy competition.
On leaving school at the age of sixteen, Duller immediately joined Hitchin Blue Cross Club. He was the youngest member of the club, and as the then existing rules specified that no playing member should be under 18 years of age, the rules were amended so that Duller could play. For eleven years he played for the Blue Cross, during which time the club won all the local and county competitions - Duller has over 20 medals won during these eleven years. The only competition the Blue Cross did not win was one for which they did not enter - the Herts Charity Cup.
Then 'Singey' went to St Albans. Up to that time he had always played in the left-half position. After playing a dozen or so games for St Albans he was injured and unable to play for several weeks. Then he travelled with the first eleven as reserve. For the last match of his first season with St Albans he was reserve, and at the last minute the regular left-back could not play. It was an important match - the Herts Charity Cup final - and Duller was chosen to fill the vacancy. Duller was found to be a better full-back than half-back, and since that day he has always helped the defence. During the four seasons in which he wore the St Albans colours the Club won the Isthmian League twice and were twice semi-finalists in the Amateur Cup.
Duller next appeared with Cambridge for three seasons, playing for the University town in the final and semi-final of the A.F.A. Cup, and the semi-final of the Amateur Cup.
At the commencement of the present season he joined the Hitchin Club. Apart from club matches Duller has played in numerous representative games. Two years ago, at Northampton, he played in the amateur international trial, and last year he played for the South of England against the North at Blackpool. On seven occasions, he has played in F.A. representative games, and he has represented Herts about 25 times.
His football trophies include thirty medals, six caps, two badges, and two cups - a handsome collection.
When a member of the Blue Cross, Duller also played cricket, securing two cricket medals. He also won a billiards medal when playing for Hitchin Conservative Club. He is married and lives in Cambridge.