OK chaps, I posted an article on 606 a few years ago asking for personal stories of meetings with Sunderland players (or any other players if its a good story). 606 pulled the article after a handful of posts, I suppose due to the posssibility of slander, but that wont be an issue on here. So................. what are your stories? Either good, bad, ugly, funny or weird. Mine (weird): I am about 13 and walking home from school. I get home and open the door only to find none other than Terry Butcher (then Sunderland manager) walking towards me down the hall with his hand out, smiling, saying he was pleased to finally meet me and had heard a lot about me. I didnt know what was going on but apparently he was at the house talking to my step dad about the possibility of signing his nephew and Terry has thought I was the wonderkid. Bloody sureal afternoon. Other story: Not so much a story, but just in indication of how some players actually do take the time to be nice guys. I was ball boy at Roker when I was 8 years old when Don Goodman was my hero. He was my hero before he did this but of course I was pretty chuffed when he did what he did. For some reason, cant remember it happening or me telling him, but I must have met him after the game in the player lounge or something, but Don found out what my name was. Back then I got a little fold chair and got to sit in front of the advertising boards on the edge of the pitch. Everytime I gave the ball to Don Goodman, right till the end of the season, Don used to thank me by name. It didnt matter what was happening on the pitch at the time, whether someone had clobbered him or he had scored he always did the same thing. Top guy, taking a little time to make a kid's day. He never forgot, its like he though to himself that it would be a really big deal to me and decided he would always do it. My opposite neighbour has been the player assitant and liason since the Keagan years (the first lot) at Newcastle and he feeds me great little stories about some Newcastle players, but I will keep the biggies under my hat as Ive been told in confidence. But I can give some minor ones later in the thread. TELL TELL TELL!
I met Stefan Swartz and Gavin McCann in Springs once. We were staying in Sunderland at the premier Inn and you could use the Springs health club for a fiver if you were staying at the hotel. I was in the Steam room looking at the floor and the guy opposite me stood up and started stretching his ankle it cracked and I looked up. It was Swartz. I was latter sat in the pool spa and he and McCann sat next to me and the Mrs. I did not say much to them just hellp and good luck for the season really. They were friendly but not very talkative. I met the whole Newcastle team once at the Belair nightclub where I was working, David Ginola left with a Blonde on each arm after about 10 minutes. Peter Beardsley left alone LOL.
Newcastle fan here, met Charlie Hurley in 1965 he gave me a bag of crisps, I was 5 year old at the time and my mother worked at a bingo hall that he owned ( i think my mother told me he was the owner) anyway by the time my mother had finished work he gave me a whole box of crisps to share with my brother - will never forget
a few of the players used to go to the squash club at Belmont, met many of them there...or the old AA box just down from the Ramside hotel, the bus picked them up from there years ago.. I got Maragoni's and the likes of Shaun Elliotts autograghs many atime
Drank with a couple of lads over the years. Mickey Bridges at New Ferens Park one night after a reserve game and Julio at a house party. A rather infamous SAFC fan from Shields i nar, is good pals with Bally and Danny Collins amongst others. Bally testified in court for him once, getting him off a banning order in the end
On my way out of a restaurant on Quayside Exchange back in 2000 when I bumped into Emerson Thome (my hero at the time) and Julio Arca on their way in. I said hello to them both but that was it. Gutted we missed them. If only we'd decided to eat an hour later I would have been forcibly removed for harassing the clientele. Also met Gatesy after the Burnley game in 2007. Told him how we should get a petition going to get McDonald off Century and Gatesy reinstated. He didn't seem that arsed so never bothered.
I was ready with the delete button, just saw I was a young boy and saw this man coming towards me, smiling, want a bag of crisps son, he said with a strange smile on his face. But it wasnt so I didnt.
Honestly Syd as a five year old in the sixties to get a bag crisps I would have had to been exceptionally good, to get a full box was something that i will always remember, I keep reading post by the elder of Sunderland fans saying how great he was I just wanted to say that I thought he was a brilliant man and will always remember that bit of generosity towards me and that away from football there were gentlemen (how times change)
Sunderland played Whitburn every year at Whitburn cricket club. All the seats in the pavillion were empty except the one near the path in which he sat He was ready to bat next I started to move towards him a couple of seats at a time and didnt know whether to ask him for his autograph by using his first name or his second It seemed to take me ages Eventually I did ask him His eyes were fixed on the game chin resting on his bat He never turned around to look at me just kept his eyes on the wicket and said slowly in a drawn out kind of way " Not now son Im busy" I turned quickly and went away feeling it was my fault Its not a story you`d tell easily....Its certainly not a story youd tell your mates when you were a kid cos you`d only want your heroes to be the biggest heroes in the world and they would say it was my fault Its not a story youd tell in the pub I feel bad about writing it down now after all these years So just be with me when I press the button which says POST QUICK REPLY I love the strap line of the writer with Cloughie`s quote about crawling to Sunderland over broken glass to be the gaffer...Ive loved every story that contributes to his legend...but like the Nottingham Forest supporter he clipped I know for certain I met Brian Clough
i used to live round the corner from jimmy connors shop, he was a lovely fella i met quinny on a tour of the stadium when i was a kid, he gave me a practice ball, the main thing i remember was that he had a really booming voice most recently our lasses dad won tickets to the villa match through nissan, we sat in the executive banqueting suite (very posh) micky gray, nicky summerbee (my childhood idol), jimmy montgomery and quinny were all there, they all had time to speak to fans and sign autographs (got the matchday programme signed by them all), i was over the moon
Tell, you what, not that it has anything to do with football but I saw Steve Davis in what was then WH Smiths in Sunderland at sunderland station (its now a bakers on the corner I think), I think I was about 12. The shop was quiet and I remember I had got the bus from school to go and buy, ironically, a snooker cue because I used to play every week with my dad at the snooker hall at the back of the Jet arcades on at seaburn. So I see him, I'm on my own, and I walk up to him, no one else in the shop, and say, 'are you Steve Davis, do you think I can have your autograph' to which he replied, without looking at me, 'yes, and no', and I walked away sharpish feeling rubbish. Not that he was a hero or anything, but because I followed snooker (cant stand it now and would rather watch paint dry) I suppose I thought he was pretty cool. What a cock! Totally true story, as an adult now I cant believe any adult would do that to a child, especially when you are not busy or with anyone else.
A couple of seasons after the FA Cup win in 1973 I was sitting having a cup of tea in the cafe near to Roker Park waiting for the gates to open for an evening game. I was reading the Evening Chronicle which had a a story on the back page that Billy Hughes had asked for a transfer when I heard a quiet voice with a gentle scottish accent if he could join me and if I'd mind if he could have a look at the article. I looked up and found myself facing Dick Malone and of course I gave him the Chronicle. After reading the article he declared it to be rubbish and we got to talking football. Those who can remember Dick Malone will no doubt also remember his habbit of passing the ball square across the defence to Dave Watson or anyone else who happened to be there, much to the consternation of the whole of Roker Park. I suggested that a "wellie" up into row Z would be appreciated by most of the crowd especially in times of dire emmergency, obviously he disagreed. We had a pleasant and friendly conversation and cup of tea before he had to leave to get to the dressing room. I was a chance meeting that I enjoyed and have never forgotten. I also went to school with Cec Irwin where we both played for the school, East Northumberland and Northumberland boys. Cec started off as a centre half but was converted to right full back by the sports master, I played at left full back. He made it to the big time, I didn't.........oh well.
I had the pleasure of meeting Charlie Hurley who was a neighbour of my Grandfathers, proper gentleman he was, he used to sign autographs for me for my mates which i used to pass on for a small fee. Also played Golf with Billy Hughes years ago, very nice bloke but a frigging bandit on the golf course mind. Also had a drink with John Fashenu (spelling) in Lagos, Nigeria where i used to work. We used to do an overnight stay in ther Sheraton and he was in there this night in the bar, didn't care too much for him TBH, full of himself and his self importance but he did buy me a pint so he's not all bad. I'll be meeting Jimmy Monty this Friday as me and my Dad are doing the legends tour, has anyone done it? what's it like?
Back in 1962 as a 13yr old and an avid autograph hunter about the only one connected with Sunderland that I did not have was Alan Brown the then Sunderland manager. Despite numerous attempts to way lay him outside Roker Park he would just rush past. Not to be outdone I went to his home in Whitburn Road, Cleadon Village and rapped on his door. He was so taken aback that he invited me into his house where I was given a cup of tea and biscuits. He said I was a right cheeky beggar for having the temerity to come to his house, never the less I got what I wanted. Even got to see the aviary in his back garden. Who says it dosnt pay to be a little forward
I met Paul Bracewell in the changinf room of Birtley Baths...he was bollock naked with his kid, i was about the same age as his kid then and walked up to him without even thinking and asked for his autograph...he laughed and asked if he could get dressed first and to meet him in the entrance...which i did, he was a quality bloke! Also met Marcus Stewart...well didn't meet him...had an argument with him in the corridor of a hotel in Stoke...in which he told me and a mate that all Sunderlands fans are ****ers because we gave jeff whitley stick!!! My mate saw red and went for him....and he ran off down the corridor petrified!! Hated him ever since!
met a few over the years. At the Roker Legends night at the old Mcewans Centre (now rainton meadows arena) after our last ever league game against Everton. Me and my dad went and we met loads of palyers!! had my photo taken with Bob Stokoe, Gary Rowell, Chris Turner, Billy Hughes, Gatesy and Mr Len Shackleton!! Was a great night! also out with a load of the players when we won promotion for the first time with Reidy. Walked into Fitzgeralds and they were all there. Bally, Dicky Ord, Martin Scott and Gareth Hall (sitting on his own smoking a ***!!!! - crap player, hated him!) Scotty was hilarious! asked him for 2 tickets away to Tranmere for the last game and he said he could get me a place on the subs bench!!!! Me Super Kev very briefly at Dryburn hospital when his wife had just had twins. ....and i was chatting with John Beresford on Saturday night as well!!!!!!!!!!!
that pass was known to me and my mates as the "dick malone special". and i sat next to monty at the 1992 cup semi v norwich, top man talked, about the good old days at half time.
