Remember the QPR game when the ball knocked the cup over. Sitting in the clock stand watching us lather Man City in 73. I also remember my brother taking me to watch us play Newcastle and both sets of supporters were together in the Roker End, this was sometime in the late 60's and I can't recollect any trouble? Happy times!
One of my more poignant memories at Roker was during a game against Wolves in the 60's(?). As usual then, the away fans and home fans were mixed. Close to where I stood in the Roker End were a few Wolves fans including a black lad. A small group of what would now be Nation Front thugs started to pick on the Wolves fans in general but the black lad in particular. Then one of them shouted, 'lets get the N' and they rushed forward. Just as quickly about ten times their number of the rest of us rushed in between them and the Wolves fans. I can't remember either side saying anything during the short stand-off till one of the thugs said 'lets away from these N lovers' and disappearing to another part of the ground. Then somebody said to the visitors, 'We had better take you lot to your bus at the end, just in case'. No further trouble. I can't remember now what the result was but that incident has stuck in my mind for over 50 years.
I used to stand in the main stand paddock right up against the players tunnel.This was the start of the 60s. I used to go with my dad and four of my five brothers and carry on a collapsible crackitt which I used to stand on so I could see over the heads in front of me, I must have been 11 or so at the time. Sadly I'm the only one left of that family group but I have such joyous memories of us all being there together. the dressing rooms were just behind us and the smell of linament was really strong. the only bother we had with away fans were some from West Ham who were looking for bother and picked on me probably because I was only a kid but like Poly above the fans around us soon put paid to any ideas they had and they actually chucked them out. The Peanuts man tossing his bags of nuts, tanner a bag he was a crack shot tossing those nuts and the money always got passed onto him. walking to the ground through the back streets with kids looking after bikes in their back yards for sixpence, cloth caps were the headware of choice as well......God I could go on and on but that's enough....Roker Park God bless it.
You have got me onto a real nostalgia trip. The word cracket did it. I haven't heard that word used in years. And for no particular reason my mind and senses went back to the Boxing Day games in the 50's. The standard Xmas present for your Dad in those, less affluent times, was a packet of Manekin Cigars. Come the game about 90% of the men were smoking them. It was a very unattractive smell but it evokes a very warm feeling and wonderful, comfortable memories.
If the peanut man is the one I'm thinking of we went to the same school, he was knocked down as a youngster and was never quite the full shilling, but he certainly could throw his nuts. My cracket story I told on first joining this forum, and Clockstander is part of the connection. My best memory of away supporters is when I found myself surrounded by Everton fans in the Roker end in the early sixties, I became at first the target for their humour, which I accepted with grace and soon became a honourable scouser (oxymoron?), the general banter amongst them was non stop and completely overshadowed the game, we lost of course, but the entertainment was provided on the terraces that day.
I’m too young to remember Roker Park. My dad does speak fondly of the cup match in 73 against Manchester City. My mam says she used to stand in the Fulwell end. I bought them a print of Roker Park which hangs proudly on their bedroom wall. I often stand and look at it with pride and also disappointment that I didn’t get to be there, I can only imagine the roar looking at it.
Love this video, most of my memories of Roker Park in one place, being passed over heads to sit on the straw, Martin Harvey, Charlie Hurley, George Mulhall, peanut sellers, the main one is the crowd, still gets my hackles up.
So many memories, most on here could write a book regarding Roker memories. Dunno why, but I often flash back to loads of people in the old Roker end doing the bad manners can can, was lots of skinheads.
I'm not even old but I'm sat here struggling to think of a specific memory of Roker Park. The night matches were more special. I do remember a game though when we had Peter Beagrie on loan from Everton for a month. Think we beat Brighton 4-2 and it was like watching Maradona. He was in a different class. Funny what you recall.
People will likely think I some kind of freak, anyhoo, the supporters club had a kiosk under the Roker end, if you purchased a scarf from there, it came with a ready impregnated bovril aroma. Such joy.
Great days, they used to keep that straw in bundles under the Clockstand amazing that was allowed even in those days. Magic, Peter Beagrie and a young Kieron Brady were telepathic, and formed a great partnership in that spell, shame it did not last.
I was at that match, wagged off school to queue for tickets brilliant day, Everton were a top team then and I'd put us winning alongside the Man City replay in 73. The kids on the straw (60s answer to today's underground heating) brings it all back. I was in the Fulwell paddock next to the players tunnel.
Think my dad first took me to Roker around 84. We eventually settled on the Fullwell. Our spot was to the right hand side where the crash barrier met one of the roof supports. Remember standing in the barrier jumping up and down when Benno won the match against Man Utd in 90/91 season. also get drawn right back there when someone near me lights a cig with a zippo lighter. Unique smell that just hits me. we were pretty ****e for the majority of my time at Roker but it still had the ability to make a monumental noise.
I can't remember the match (owldtimers disease) but I was 10 then and never missed a match until I was 12 and started playing Saturday afternoon football. I would have been just down from you towards the Fulwell end, on the 18 yard line. Same place as our seats at the SOL.
I’ve copied and pasted most of this from my reply in the first game thread. Cos I’m lazy. I don’t remember my first in the 74/75 season but went to a few, I was only 6. I remember a thunderstorm in 75/76 possibly against Portsmouth but went to all them that season with my seat swing on the back of the big Roker End, class days. My dad then took me in the Mainstand Fulwell Wing paddocks for the next few seasons, I’ve been addicted since, I even stopped playing in the Herron Youth League so I could go to the match, only my last season with Herrington Juniors I stuck out and went to mid week games. Had my season ticket for 30 years now, MainstandRoker Wing seats seats seats at Roker. Bob Lee, Pop Robson, Gary Rowell, Arnott, Shaun Elliott, the list is endless from the 70s to very early 80s, I idolised them. I used to get wrong at the shop where I delivered my papers from cos they were always getting their echos after the match. The lush green grass, floodlights and the smell of linament .
I’m planning on getting the ‘Welcome To Sunderland’ lights from the Fullwell replicated for my mans room when get new house sorted, I’ll post when they are up and running. I always remember the scoreboard was constantly ****ed
