Many years ago when I first left school I worked for a garage in Roker Avenue where a lot of the Sunderland players got their cars. One of my jobs was to collect the money from the petrol forecourt and take it to the finance department then collect a receipt (chitty) to put back in the till. One day when it was pouring with rain I went out and Bobby Kerr was standing talking to the forecourt attendant, as we were chatting I just happened to say I had to go to the dentist so he offered to give me a lift - brilliant I said, I will just go for a chit..... as he raised his eyebrows I realised what I said oh the embarassment. Anyway he did wait for me and we had quite a chat on the way to the dentist!!
. It must have been shortly after Bobby Kerr joined Sunderland and I knew he and Jimmy Monty were special guests as a school fete, anyway that day I had promised to help my gran tidy up the back-yard (I think I was around 8 or 9 at the time) so I finished as soon as I could and dashed to see if I could catch them, autograph book in hand. The fete was almost over but right at the entrance stood my two heroes... Bobby Kerr signed my book and asked me what position I played in but when I turned to Jimmy Montgomery he shook his head and said "It's finished." and walked away to his car. I still think he was a bit of a twat for doing that although it taught me a good lesson on the difference between 'the hero' and 'the man'. He's still a football hero but I like Bobby Kerr better. p.s. Met Shearer a couple of times on the train to London over the years (I used work a couple of days a week down there) and he seemed a genuinely nice guy.
I hate to say it, but i met him too, and he seemed like a quality bloke! Although....met Alan Hansen outside of Preston Train Station when i was about 18...tried to talk to him and get an autgraph and he sai "busy"...that was it....ghe was stood leaning against a pole, waiting for a lift....certainly didn't look bust to me...the tit
I met Kevin Phillips in Toys R Us in Stevenage. Also had the great honour of meeting Bob Stokoe at a charity day in Seaton Carew golf club.....unfortunately I was too small to caddy for him! I also had a meal last night and at the next table was the lead singer from Bullet For My Valentine but thats not got anything to do with football....just braggin' like!
I live in Teesside and one year at our school prize giving a Middlesbrough player was the guest of honour and giving out the prizes. I was lucky enough to be awarded one of the prizes but wasn't too happy, as a Sunderland fan, having to shake the hand of a Middlesbrough star. But I gritted my teeth and suffered the embarrassment!! Little did I know how things would turn out because the Middlesbrough player was Brian Clough.
Johnny Mapson at his home answering the door to us two kids and asking his wife for " a piece of paper and a piece of pencil" to sign autographs as we hadn't taken our books with us. Still got the autograph although a little faded now. What a really nice man. Then Jack Stelling and Tommy Wright outside Woollies on Fawcett Street who seemed a bit embarrassed but signed anyway. Then Johnny Crossan in The Roker Hotel having a half pint didn't ask for autograph but had a drink and enjoyed the chat. Ah Memories and more to come. Howay the lads!
Thinking about this I've me a few of them in my time. Met Marco a couple of times. I used to work with a lad who knew him and his family well and that was how I got to meet him. Canny lad. Invited me and my mate into the players lounge at Rotherham but the jobsworth on the door wouldn't let us in. He said "Well alright, I'll come outside then!" We had a bit crack with him. Nice lad. Iain Munro I once met. Used to talk to Bobby Kerr a lot when he had the Hastings Hill. I used to leave it to him if he wanted to talk about Sunderland, and he usually did, always wanted to know what the match was like etc. Garry Bennett was another lad that I've spoken to a few times over the years. Lenny Ashhurst I did meet. Very down to earth and likable man. I did also meet an ex manager or SAFC and Southampton, but I've tried to forget about that over the last 20 odd years. A mate of mine know Alex Chamberlain well, has been on holiday with him and his wife, and still keeps in touch, but I've never met him. My little lad stood in a line at the SOL a couple of years ago to meet Kenwyne Jones. He turned up three quarters of an hour late and never even spoke to the bairns. He was his hero until that day but barely spoke about him since. The miserable bastard!
Must have been about 2003, when my back was starting to get really bad. My doctors at that time were based in Springwell health centre, I was struggling to open the door to go in. This tall guy didn't see me and marched out knocking me to one side. Me being the shy retiring type shouted at him "Watch where you're fu.....", stopped mid sentence when I noticed the big Irishman standing looking all apologetic. Don't remember much of the following conversation, but Niall was very apologetic even offering to help me into the doctors surgery. I was no thanks, and it was all my fault. Saw him there a couple of more times so assume his doctor was based there too. (Wasn't mine as I asked our receptionist.) Always waved or gave me a thumbs up, oddly I never engaged him in conversation, my inbuilt respect for a gentleman allowing him to go about his business in peace? Or more likely found it difficult to string two words together when talking to him.
Not a Sunderland player I know but he is a local lad. My dad taught at Lord lawson in Birtley (the one where Brian Robson went) and also where former Notts county, Aston villa and Celtic centre forward Tommy Johnson used to play, one day at primary school (I was about 6 or 7) my mam came in to tell me I wasnt allowed to go to my mates house for tea. Being gutted i was dragged home reluctantly only to find this bloke, coming off the back of a good season (playing understudy to dwight yorke he still managed about 10 goals) sitting in my front room. I was speechless. Him and my dad chatted on about school and he still called him sir. Anyways, I got a few signed photos and stuff and he went and I was a happy kid. anyways a few weeks later a package arrived for me from birmingham. An entire Aston villa kit was in it, just my size. It was amazing. He also sorted out tickets to see Villa play Liverpool in the F.A. Cup semis at old trafford and get into the players lounge. It was quality. Similarly, my mam used to a work at a school where former sunderland player martin scott's kid went. Got tickets to see loads of hartlepool matches for nothing, even went in the directors box. He was a top bloke signed a load of stuff for me. And I've even got Martin Wood's shirt from one of the games. My dad even managed to thouroghly confuse paul bracewell who at the same match thinking he was martin scott. yet another story... My mam also used to work at the dentist where jim baxter went. and my dad lived in the house behind jimmy montgomerys granny. years and years ago. Also saw keith gillespie at the Asda at the metro centre. Was wearing a bright green tracksuit. looked a right tool.
Martin Scott. A female friend of mine who knows nothing about football, had a mate who knew the Sunderland physio at the time MS was playing for us. She went out for a drink one night with her mate and this lad the physio (who was only part time. He also worked at Stanley or Consett swimming baths as well). This tells you how far the club has come since the mid 90s. She gets introduced to this lad's mate as "Martin" who is described has 'my mate from work." She promptly asks MS. "How long have you been working at the swimming pool then Martin?" I thought it was funny anyway! I'll get me coat.....................
Was at Roker Park for a Christmas do just before they pulled the old girl down and met Jimmy Montgomery had a quick chat a really nice bloke. However when he left us (brother and me) he walked straight into a pillar next to the bar I couldn't help rolling around in stitches funny as hell. Also met Gary Bennett in the sports bar one Sunday when the sports quiz was on and we asked him to team up with us he didn't get one question right all night.
1976 I was11 and in Norway on a school trip. Walking down a street coming towards us was Bobby Moore, Bobby and Jack Charlton and 3 or 4 others. Seems there was some event relating to the World Cup. They stopped and chatted to us and I was so in awe I didn't get autographs which I regret to this day. Oddly most people didn't bat an eye lid as I guess the Norwegians had no idea who they were .That was until a load of schoolkids surrounded them.
Just after Christmas bumped in to gyan in new look in the metro centre, didn't seem like he wanted to be bothered and I was in shock I just froze and he smiled back probes laughing at me, will always regret not speaking or asking for a photo with the lad, gutted.
One afternoon, stood out the front, I noticed a removal van pull into the street, and a Black BMW 6 series pull in behind it, after a while, Anthony Stokes got out! Became quite good mates with him over lots of Pro Evo and Bud! So much so, that for my Brothers 21st Birthday, he organised for us to go up to the Academy of light after training, and met the whole team at the time, and got a signed shirt with my brothers name and 21 on the back, plus loads of traning gear etc! Top top guy!!
Martin Smith and I played for Sunderland Boys back in the 80's. I once saw him in a nightclub in the early 90's at this bar, and watched this arsehole run up behind him and punch him in the back of the head. He just went forward right into the floor - must have really screwed him up. Was in Japan last year and met the director of Yokohama Mariners (where the 2002 world cup final was held). Big Sunderland fan, new more than I did about older teams, has connections with loads of managers (his little backroom had loads of pendants and signed pics). Sent him a sunderland 1973 replica as a thank you for looking after me that day. When my grandad went to Roker Park every other week he told me he never paid for a single ticket in years, and that he just waited outside the players entrance, chatted to the for a bit, and got one of their freebees. Never introduced me to any of them though
i used to work at an internet cafe in sunderland (vine internet cafe - on vine street). i can remember Julio and someone else (who i can picture but cant remember the name!) anyway, they used to come in about once a month and play counter strike... which was rather funny cos lets face it, anyone that ever went into the vine cafe will know it was a right dive! however this was before home bordband! also lee howey (spelling!) used to live around the corner from me (on a right crappy estate!)... think he used to get a bit peed off with me knocking on his door all the time
I worked for the club a few years ag0 96-97, coaching in the cummity and met Kubicki and micky gray at one of the partys we organised for the saturday club. Both nice guys and had a lot of time the kids and their parents. Also working at the club around the same time i coached with Nick Pickering on a summer camp, what a top bloke he was really down to earth and a great laugh. Even wore his england caps and fa cup medal!! Was in an italian restuarnt for my mams 60th birthday when thome and arca were there, my mam was a season ticket holder and sunderland daft even had a big sunderland shirt as a cake. made her night when they came over for pictures and a bit of crack.
