“Pele? The Pele? What’s he doing in Heckmondwike?”: Mission impossible for factory owner’s son as press refuse to believe Brazil football legend would be opening new site

Pele, who sadly died at the age of 82 last month, was part of a Santos side, filled with many other World Cup-winning internationals, on a tour of England in 1972.

Also part of the group was Huddersfield-born Derek Ibbotson, a 1956 Olympic bronze medalist in the 5,000 metres, who was a very good friend of Brian’s father, Donald - the founder of the company based on Station Lane.

“Derek called my father and told him they would be on their way to Sheffield Town Hall for a civic reception and said they’d be passing near Heckmondwike,” Brian, now 71, recalled.

“He asked if he’d like him to bring the team down to officially open the new premises and show them round. Obviously, my father said yes!”

Excitement grew among the factory staff as it was realised that Pele - still the only male footballer to lift the World Cup on three separate occasions - would be visiting the next day.

Brian was given the responsibility by his father of making calls to the local press, including the Spenborough Guardian, as well as all the national newspapers, to inform them of the prestigious event.

However, it proved an “impossible” task, as he explained:

“I had a word with all of them. But they all thought I was taking the mickey. I was ringing up the Daily Mail and saying, “We’ve got Pele opening up the factory, can you get someone to come down?” They were like, “Yeah, yeah, we’ve heard that one before!”

“I suppose if you get somebody who you haven’t spoken to before ringing you up and you’re working at the Daily Mail or somewhere, would you believe them that Pele was coming to a factory and send them all the way to Yorkshire to cover it?

“I couldn’t get anybody to come! I just couldn’t get anyone to believe me that he was coming. It was impossible.

“People were saying, “Pele? The Pele? What’s he doing in Heckmondwike? That was a bit of a disappointment and a let down from that angle. But he officially opened it.”

But when Brian and the rest of the staff finally met the famous striker - who scored a world record 1,281 goals in 1,363 career games - there was the opposite of despondency.

“The team all turned up, my father and Pele had a nice photo together and everybody got on like a house on fire,” he said. “Pele’s English wasn’t the best but he said a few words which were translated and we thanked him for coming. He seemed like a very, very nice man.

“We all downed tools, there was no work done and we all had a few drinks. It was marvellous and an excellent afternoon was had by everybody. It got to the point where they had to go to leave to go to Sheffield and they wouldn’t go. The Brazilians wouldn’t go as they were having too good a time.”

The family-run business was founded in 1958, the same year Pele lifted the Jules Rimet trophy for the first time, and had an association with Puma while also producing Mileta sports shoes, designed by Mr Ibbotson.

64 years later, the firm’s head office is still based at Spen Vale Mills - which Pele officially opened - in the town, and specialise in outdoor clothing and equipment.

Reflecting on the historic day, Brian said:

“He was the biggest thing ever in football was Pele. Since his death, you have seen what people think of him. He is a lot bigger than what Lionel Messi will ever be. He was a hell of a big deal. It was incredible he was here.

“From an outsider's perspective it does seem very unusual but we haven’t dwelt on it. For me, it just shows the quality of Derek Ibbotson as he didn’t have to do that. He could have just gone to the civic reception.”