Their new shirt is dedicated to Johnny too. Its a nice touch. Thats how you treat club greats, regardless of sport or club loyalties
I had the pleasure of watching him play at the Boulevard in the fifties. My friend and I used to watch City when they were at home, and usually, when City was away Hull FC was at home. We biked to Boulevard from Anlaby, something at the age of 10 you could do in relative safety in those days, park our bike at his Grandma's who lived down the Boulevard and go to the games. We only did it for 2 or 3 seasons then Football became the only obsession. A true gentleman, Happy Birthday Johnny.
I first saw J.Whiteley play when as a teenager in Millom I was taken by my cousin in 1959 to watch Gt Britain play Australia in an Ashes Test decider in Wigan. My cousin played RL for a few years and loved International matches. In the match Gt Britain won and as it turned out was the last time Gt Britain/England won the Ashes series at home. Like you my husband supported both Hull FC and Hull City and his favourite players back in the late 40's and 50's were Raich Carter and J. Whiteley. In 1970,a couple of years after I arrived in Sydney, I went with my husband to the SCG to watch Gt Britain beat Australia in the deciding Ashes match being coached by.....J.Whiteley. Also this was the last time that Australia was beaten in an Ashes series even though they were played regularly until the early 90's. ps. Sorry if I rambled on a bit!
Same here Mrs BMB. Before I went to Uni in the late 50s I was both a Hull City and Hull FC fan and my favorite players were also Raich and Johnny Whiteley. Johnny stood out in a very good FC team and was just outstanding. Hard to believe he's turned 90. God bless you Johnny...Stay well !!!!
Only been in the Threepenny Stand once which was on my first ever visit to Hull in 1977. Was memorable because I was alone and after being married in 1968 in Sydney, the Hull visit was to meet, for the first time, my mother/sister-in-law and hordes of my husband's other relations in and around Hull. Before leaving my husband told me that I must go to watch Hull play from the TS. The visit was memorable as I was packed in like a sardine with this awful faint smell of urine, expletives galore and no toilet access! My only recollection of the match was the crowd chanting Roots Roots Roots every time this black opposition player touched the ball. Older posters will know why! Finally my husband is very disappointed that the writer of the article had a Harry Markum piece. The player in question was the legendary Harry Markham who played from the late 40's.
Or Paul Eastwood. I remember the racist chants at the boulevard in those days. This was of course before it was seen as offensive. I thought it was uncomfortable even then and I was still at school. Not forgetting the great Clive Sullivan was playing for Hull. Recall one Wigan player in the 70's having banana's thrown at him and I can see it now, a policeman at pitch side laughing his head off at it. I was with my late father in law who was an an FC fan and remember saying to him you wouldn't get that at City. At the same match, or it could have been on another occasion, the Wigan chairman was assaulted in the toilets, and had to lock himself in a cubicle until help came. An Fc fan was confronting him about his sexuality. How everyone laughed ! At the same at City we had police cells behind the South Stand, CCTV and the fans were penned in behind fencing and treated generally like a load criminals. This had nothing to do with Johhny Whiteley of course. It's just how it was.
That disgusting type of behaviour happened frequently over Billy Boston's career (mid '50s to early '70s) at many venues. One of the best ever RL players of all time. Think he averaged almost a try per game he played over his career.
I lived close to Airlie St and watched Hull as a youngster as Tommy Finn lived across the back alley from us and always made time for me. After a game against Wigan, I was hanging around to get autographs and I said, "May I have your autograph please, Mr. Boston?" He rather firmly and succinctly told me to "**** off." Not sure if it was because Hull had won or because he was a miserable git.
I don't recall him being abused. I actually don't really remember the game other than Hull won but regardless, is either a reason to swear at and be abusive to an eight or nine year old?
I wasn't an FC fan particularly. Went to watch them as I like sport and lived in West Hull so they were only a walk away. Went to speedway as well. Nevervwent to an FC game again after the Brentford game in 1980. The few on here who will have been there will know why.
It would be indefensible I agree. However, the mindset/focus at the time ? Who knows ? If it was malevolent, he'd definately be viewed as an arsehole.
The Boulevard was closed twice before WW2. Seems City fans with nothing to do were a problem back then as well.
fair enough. I saw him walk straight by a guy who had been waiting for ages outside an hotel in chicago. Tbh Daltrey did look as if he'd just got off a red eye.
