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Joined
Jul 12, 2005
Messages
22,733
Location
Canvey Island
With the imminent return to the North Bank, albeit for two games I thought I'd share a few memories with you, while I still have them that is. Firstly though a big well done to Smiffy, TrueBlue and all the others who have worked hard to achieve this. :clap:

From the first day I stepped into Roots Hall as an impressionable 10 year old, and stood precariously on my milk crate in the front of the West Stand, it was a long held ambition to stand on the North Bank and cheer our heroes on. However I wasn't allowed to games on my own and accompanied my grandad and uncle to most matches. Once I reached the age of 14 I was allowed to go to matches with my school mates, as long as the appropriate adult took us home. In those days you could walk round from North to South to watch at whichever end Blues were kicking into. Unless it was ****ing down and then it was wise to stay under cover.

I remember the first game I stood on the North Bank it was against Port Vale on 14th October 1966 we won 4-1 in front of 12609 with two goals from Eddie Firmani and one each from John Baber & Tony Beanland. (Thanks to SUFCDB for filling in the blanks). The noise from the assembled multitudes was incredible as they sang words to Molly Malone and hammered on the corrugated iron at the back of the stand. It was the only place to me as a Blues fan to stand and it remained so for over twenty years, before becoming an exile, and on my return the stand had been given over to away fans. Now I get my fix from the splendour of the East Blacks.

So many memories, watching us crush minnows King's Lynn & Brentwood 9-0 and 10-1 respectively in 1968. Billy Best in his pomp, Clayton, Chisnall & Chico Hamilton.

So many memories, the Aston Villa cup game when the Villa fans charged from the South Bank across the pitch, to be met by the denizens of the North Bank to scatter them back to the South.

The promotion party in 1972. The Chelsea cup match the same year. Bill Garner playing so well he was transferred to Chelsea a few days later.

Despair at relegations, joy at bouncing back with promotion seasons. The brilliant season under Dave Smith when we were undefeated in the league at fortress Roots Hall, winning 19 out of 23 league games. More despair and joy as we yo-yoed between 3rd and 4th. Until David Webb took us into the promised land of division 2 something we'd dreamed about but thought we'd never aspire to.

But overall it's also about friendships and if you like the SUFC family. The banter and discussions we had in quiet moments, such as:

How does one go about artificially inseminating pandas?
How can you stop beagles from smoking?
When Firestorm took us through the intricacies of the contents of his first borns nappies, and how the contents had the colour and consistency of Piccallilli. (I've never eaten it since). :puke
The arrival of future generations, like the young Welham armed with box.
The great friends such as John's Welham & Wheatley, Graham Houghton and others who are no longer with us. Others such as the late Keith (Gus) Summers, who under the influence of alcohol collapsed in the North Bank bogs, a place so insanitary you didn't venture in unless the visit was absolutely necessary.

Enjoy the moments against Yeovil and Stockport and I hope you take as many memories away as I have.

UTB
Harry
 
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With the imminent return to the North Bank, albeit for two games I thought I'd share a few memories with you, while I still have them that is. Firstly though a big well done to Smiffy, TrueBlue and all the others who have worked hard to achieve this. :clap:

From the first day I stepped into Roots Hall as an impressionable 10 year old, and stood precariously on my milk crate in the front of the West Stand, it was a long held ambition to stand on the North Bank and cheer our heroes on. However I wasn't allowed to games on my own and accompanied my grandad and uncle to most matches. Once I reached the age of 14 I was allowed to go to matches with my school mates, as long as the appropriate adult took us home. In those days you could walk round from North to South to watch at whichever end Blues were kicking into. Unless it was ****ing down and then it was wise to stay under cover.

I remember the first game I stood on the North Bank it was against Port Vale on 14th October 1966 we won 4-1 in front of 12609 with two goals from Eddie Firmani and one each from John Baber & Tony Beanland. (Thanks to SUFCDB for filling in the blanks). The noise from the assembled multitudes was incredible as the sang words to Molly Malone and hammered on the corrugated iron at the back of the stand. It was the only place to me as a Blues fan to stand and it remained so for over twenty years, before becoming an exile, and on my return the stand had been given over to away fans. Now I get my fix from the splendour of the East Blacks.

So many memories, watching us crush minnows King's Lynn & Brentwood 9-0 and 10-1 respectively in 1968. Billy Best in his pomp, Clayton, Chisnall & Chico Hamilton.

So many memories, the Aston Villa cup game when the Villa fans charged from the South Bank across the pitch, to be met by the denizens of the North Bank to scatter them back to the South.

The promotion party in 1972. The Chelsea cup match the same season. Bill Garner playing so well he was transferred to Chelsea a few days later.

Despair at relegations, joy at bouncing back with promotion seasons. The brilliant season under Dave Smith when we were undefeated in the league at fortress Roots Hall, winning 19 out of 23 league games. More despair and joy as we yo-yoed between 3rd and 4th. Until David Webb took us into the promised land of division 2 something we'd dreamed about but thought we'd never aspire to.

But overall it's also about friendships and if you like the SUFC family. The banter and discussions we had in quiet moments, such as:

How does one go about artificially inseminating pandas?
How can you stop beagles from smoking?
When Firestorm took us through the intricacies of the contents of his first borns nappies, and how the contents had the colour and consistency of Piccallilli. (I've never eaten it since). :puke
The arrival of future generations, like the young Welham armed with box.
The great friends such as John's Welham & Wheatley, Graham Houghton and others who are no longer with us. Others such as the late Keith (Gus) Summers, who under the influence of alcohol collapsed in the North Bank bogs, a place so insanitary you didn't venture in unless the visit was absolutely necessary.

Enjoy the moments against Yeovil and Stockport and I hope you take as many memories away as I have.

UTB
Harry

Great stuff, H! Is it true that you still put that milk crate on your seat in the East Blacks? :)

I was only a nipper when I used to go in the North Bank too and it was a little bit beyond my sensibilities to go right into the throes of the Pak. I had a little spot down by the Shakespeare side corner where I remember cheering on Spud Taylor when he came over to our wing. A bizarre memory I have is of a chunky PC at that time (circa '71) who looked like William Calley, the US soldier who was on trial for massacring North Vietnamese. Me and my mate would call out to 'Calley' whenever he went by.

Plaudits to Smiffy, TB & the boys for wangling this one. I usually go in the West, but I'll be joining you lot in the North Corner for the Yeovil game. I won't say anything to the OB this time as my cousin might nick me.
 
Excellent read.I remember all the matches you mention including that first one!
I started out watching games from the old South Bank as a ten year old nipper back in the early 60's before graduating to the West Stand.The old North Bank never held much appeal for me -I've always liked to see games from near the half way line.Still it was great for volume and there were certainly a few- ahem- characters around in those days.
 
Great stuff, H! Is it true that you still put that milk crate on your seat in the East Blacks? :)

I was only a nipper when I used to go in the North Bank too and it was a little bit beyond my sensibilities to go right into the throes of the Pak. I had a little spot down by the Shakespeare side corner where I remember cheering on Spud Taylor when he came over to our wing. A bizarre memory I have is of a chunky PC at that time (circa '71) who looked like William Calley, the US soldier who was on trial for massacring North Vietnamese. Me and my mate would call out to 'Calley' whenever he went by.

Plaudits to Smiffy, TB & the boys for wangling this one. I usually go in the West, but I'll be joining you lot in the North Corner for the Yeovil game. I won't say anything to the OB this time as my cousin might nick me.

The crate is under my seat mate, and that's to store the empties.

It took some time to go into the middle of the Pak, I recall some memorable Knees up Mother Brown moments where you were off your feet for a few minutes and carried where the swell of crowd took you.

The chunky PC, was that Bill Gosling? Although I don't recall the resemblance to William Calley.
 
Only stood on the North Bank a few times when I was younger, my main memories of it though are the games against West Ham and Fry's return with Birmingham (I was in the West) two of the best atmosphere's I have experienced at The Hall or any game for that matter.

Also during the West Ham game when Ginge chucked two spammers out!
 
That Dave Smith promotion season with Frotress Roots hall and Merv having a 10 1/2 game holiday due to the miserly back four we had is the absolute highlight to me , that and the 20 minutes of fish punns because of a goalkeeper called Salmon.

But how desolate was it against halifax in THAT game ? barely 250 in the entire North Bank in the days when it held over 4000, the wind whistling through , people panicking as the agrophobia kicked in and with that few in the place, you could smell the bogs from the other side of the ground.

The big plus over the current set up is , regardless of what time you got to a game (West ham and Liverpool excepted) ,you could watch with your mates, none of this having to buy together , just turn up, pay and go to whereever you normally stood.
 
In the early sixties there used to be a little old chap with a flat cap and no teeth who would spend the match leaning against one of the supporting posts right behind the goal puffing away on his pipe. I have to admit that I nearly pee'd myself when someone thundered the ball over the bar, it smashed into the guttering of the stand and rebounded straight down on to the top of the old boys head. His pipe shot from his mouth and he staggered round in circles not knowing what hit him.
 
In the early sixties there used to be a little old chap with a flat cap and no teeth who would spend the match leaning against one of the supporting posts right behind the goal puffing away on his pipe. I have to admit that I nearly pee'd myself when someone thundered the ball over the bar, it smashed into the guttering of the stand and rebounded straight down on to the top of the old boys head. His pipe shot from his mouth and he staggered round in circles not knowing what hit him.

...and despite this Cricko is still attending matches to this day. :)
 
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The big plus over the current set up is , regardless of what time you got to a game (West ham and Liverpool excepted) ,you could watch with your mates, none of this having to buy together , just turn up, pay and go to whereever you normally stood.

That could easily be the case in a 22,000 capacity ground. Some of it (half of it ?) could easily be set aside for unreserved seating.
 
I used to love joining in with the abuse and banter with opposition players who'd stand in the box waiting for a corner in front of the north bank.
Such great days, boy to man in there, One man and his dog Spot, Knees up, Get yer tits out..who can forget.
 
I remember around 1970-72 whenever we scored the first goal at the north bank end, a cascade of toilet rolls (mainly 'borrowed' from all of the local public toilets) went soaring through the air to unwind on the back of the goal net. It was usually old Horace (the guy who used to walk round the touchline selling programmes both here and at west ham) who gathered all the debris up, and departed with loads of screaming voices yelling 'have a good wipe mate!'.
 
Love these threads for the 'oldies'. Was at the Villa game, in the North Stand but don't remember being under threat from the opposition fans. I was probably too wound up about the fact that I was getting one over a Villa supporting friend at the Uni in Brighton.
All this sent me scurrying to my nostalgia box, containing programmes and other items. One of these was a picture taken, with a long range lens, by the photographer who sat near the South Bank goal. It must have been a match in the sixties and was taken after we had scored..........unfortunately, for the moment, I can't locate it. Anyway it appeared in the Pictorial and the detail is pretty good as I can see myself, amidst the throng of the North Bank, in my old trench coat, arms aloft, celebrating behind the goal. Perhaps there would be one or two on here that would be able to recognise themselves?
 
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Love these threads for the 'oldies'. Was at the Villa game, in the North Stand but don't remember being under threat from the opposition fans. /QUOTE]

Unless you were in the ground early you would have missed it. We all met at the top of the high street at 12.30, and made our way down to the ground. The Villa 'special train' had already arrived and when we turned into the car park they were already there. Minor shehanigans occured, which saw us 'run them'. If i recall we were all in the ground just after the turnstiles opened (the crowd that day was over 16,000) and the pitch scenario happened long before the kick-off. Older fans should remember the 'nutter' with the red Dr. martens who no-one had set eyes on before, and who was dragged out by numerous coppers before the game started, because he just wanted to get at the Villa mob. His name was Gary Hawkes who resided in Hullbridge, and had a reputation around that area, and the Villa game was his first football match (and last until 1976 when we persuaded him to attend for a couple of seasons, by which time he was completely barmy!).
 
I remember around 1970-72 whenever we scored the first goal at the north bank end, a cascade of toilet rolls (mainly 'borrowed' from all of the local public toilets) went soaring through the air to unwind on the back of the goal net. It was usually old Horace (the guy who used to walk round the touchline selling programmes both here and at west ham) who gathered all the debris up, and departed with loads of screaming voices yelling 'have a good wipe mate!'.

The legendary Horace Harris selling programmes ---- whenever the Wet Sham scores came through and they were winning he whipped off his blue and white bobble hat and replaced it with his claret and blue one.

The good old days.
 
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