I'm not sure. Initially, in the Football Echo at least, he only appeared under his initials - e.g. 'MB's view of the game'. His predecessor was 'NHB' (don't know who that was), so it was evidently the Echo's policy at that time for some reason to only use initials.
I only go back as far as 1964 where the Football Echo is concerned and it was MB by then.
I have a piece where he says he first came to Lincoln in the mid-1950s (from Sheffield, I believe). It's only my speculation that he started in a junior post with the Echo at that time until succeeding 'NHB' as sports editor at some point before 1964.
It would be interesting to get any more information.