More stuff from Roker

I can hardly believe it, an assorted collection of over THIRTY Roker memories, some entirely factual, others a little vague.

1. The roller coaster of emotions vs Gillingham when we were relegated to Div 3. The final emotion was utter desolation.
2. 'Cowboy snack' at the chip shop round the corner from the Derby. 100% pure cholesterol.
3. Seat A217, Roker wing paddock, front row, main stand, edge of the 18 yard box. Best seat in the house when we were attacking the Roker end.
4. SAFCSA shop in the St John's ambulance building - before the club had a shop.
5. Playing the Mags in 1992 when they started the season off with consecutive wins. They came to Roker with a 100% record in October and I was CONVINCED we would win, end their run and kickstart our season. We didn't win, their run went on and the rest is history. It's all ended up OK in the end though !
6. Getting a Xmas card off the club the Xmas after we beat the Mags to get into the Div 1 playoff. It had on the front a blurred picture of Marco scoring. Must have been taken on a box brownie by one of the crowd. Who cares - it was Marco scoring against the Mags !.
7. The lads who used to sit along from us regularly coming in 10 minutes after kick off - sometimes with fish and chips under their jackets which they ate at half time. Exquisite torture.
8. Cec Irwin scoring with a cross-cum-shot in a game with, I’m sure, Gordon Marshall in goal. (I've looked it up and it's true - SAFC 3 vs Nottingham Forest 1 12/10/68). Only goal Cec ever scored.
9. Roker Park catering. Pies which were either stone cold or hot as lava but never midway. Pasties with crusts so hard they should have classed as offensive weapons.
10. Small boys in the paddock standing on stools or ‘swings’ their dads had made them
11. West Brom in the Roker end - Boyng, boyng
12. The peanut sellers. Pinpoint accuracy to any point in the crowd.
13. Can't remember the opponents (Portsmouth ?) but their mascot, a little lad aged maybe three, wouldn't go off the pitch at kick off time and had to chased by a player and caught.
14. Wondering whether to get a picture of Monty or Jim Baxter. Choose Baxter - he was transferred to Forest on the Monday.
15. Seeing in the programme a pen picture of a player (can't remember his name) we'd had on loan. The timing was 6 weeks after he'd gone back to his club!
16. That monster flag Rangers brought with them at Gary Bennett's testimonial
17. The Leitch latticework. Blue ones at Pompey, Goodison and Ibrox - we had the only red one. Writing in to the club asking them to remove the advertising hoarding for the last game so we could see the latticework for one last time. They did it and we all saw it for one last time, a little faded, a bit like Roker, but still with dignity.
18. The Roker pitch. Never bettered.
19. Playing West Ham on the Saturday after Bobby Moore died. Total silence, sunny day, supporters lay a wreath in the centre circle, Kenneth Wolstenholme 'they think it's all over' on the PA. A perfect setting and a very emotional experience for both sets of supporters.
20. Wondering who it was who did "Give uz an S,S,S ...., give uz a U, U, U".
21. Red card protest.
22. The joy of my voucher coming out of the ballot for a 1973 cup final ticket.
23. “Toddo” graffiti on the wall
24. Stokoes superstars silk scarves
25. The long journey home if we'd got beat (same at SOL)
26. Taking my little boy, Ross, to Roker when he was only three. He got fed up and I had to leave early with him. I think we were playing Huddersfield. When I left it was SAFC 1 Huddersfield 2. As I made my way back to the car there were two great roars. Final score SAFC 3 Huddersfield 2 (two late goals by Michael Bridges I think)
27. Lads from the back coming down to the front with a massive "FTM" flag to drape over the front of the main stand. "Hold on to this rope for us mate". Picture of me in the paper as one of the flagholders. Mam see's picture and asks what does FTM mean.
28. Upstairs in the Cambridge before it was done out
29. Picture taken with the Div 1 trophy in Reidys Bar
30. Getting a "Roker Park 1898-1997" brick put in at SOL. Possible competition to identify where?

One for luck, 31.Gary Bennett dangling David Speedie over the paddock wall.

And another one, 32. Gordon Armstrong’s header vs Chelsea

Last one, 33. Approaching the ground for a night game. Something special about those floodlights.


Some great and emotional memories.
Haway the lads.
Billy