God bless her Billy. I was born just along from Dunston in the Teams area, my mother's family were from Saltwell, my dad's mother was born in Sunderland in the late 1890s (I'm quarter Mackem ) I have family all over the north east but I was raised a Mag (supporting the Heed as well now though). I'm proud of the North East, Billy. It's a great place, there are a few idiots but we've a load of great people.
Janie had a flat near Dunston Social Club, used to love it round there. We used to drink in the Dun Cow pub. I know the Teams & Saltwell, used to go to the park as a bairn with my parents. Happy days. You are a good man so keep coming on, I enjoy your posts.
Will do Billy. We used to go to Saltwell Park as well when we were kids (I'm roughly the same age as you). Used to love the rowing boats and we often took our fishing nets to catch some sticklebacks. We'd be gone for hours on end, definitely happy days mate. Parents nowadays would ring the old bill if their kids were out all day I used to caddie for the golfers at the golf course close to where we lived. I was ten when I started and again, I'd be gone for five hours and earn ten bob. Imagine telling the young un's today that they had to carry a set of clubs around a six mile course to make some pocket money? The lazy gits would be in uproar!
I took the bairn to South Shields last year, we had a ride on the boating lake in the park and it was something like a fiver for twenty minutes! What a bloody rip off and my feet got wet as well Going back to when we were kids Billy, I'm sure we had a lot more freedom than what today's kids have. You know the story, we'd be out all day and would only return home when we were hungry. Those were the days mate
Definitely Billy, it would be a pleasure to meet you mate. The Heed are playing Torquay on the 9th of August, 3pm kick off, it's the first league game of the season. The craic amongst the Gateshead fans is good......as they always sing, "Gateshead's a ****hole, I call it my home...."
Here's the latest regarding the fundraising by these marvellous lads....up to £28k http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/floral-tribute-liam-sweeney-john-7482520
. Oh and he was ginger if I remember correctly <ginger disclaimer.....sorry if anyone reading this is ginger...hug>
Two things I'd like to see.....the first is that NUFC match the money that has been raised so far. And the second is that the Sunderland lads are invited to St James Park for the first game of the season and introduced on the pitch as the lads who had the idea of raising the money. The applause for them will be deafening.
The fund for the two toon lads has hit and surpassed the 30,000 mark. It would be great if it could keep going for a while longer for the charities. Just seen this on the site...... £50 Howard Jones 1 hour ago While our politicians indulge in political point scoring the Sunderland fans are showing true compassion. Great to see this at such a difficult time. It would be nice if the players and clubs dug their hands into their Champagne funds and joined the cause.
Definitely, Billy. I think what they have done has been greatly appreciated, it was spontaneous and heartwarming. Maybe something good can come out of this tragedy?
