The G Force

I have only just seen the video on the SAFC website. They were some duo those two. Brought back some tremendous memories watching that. Dennis Smith speaking well too, great to see him.

Got me thinking a bit about those times. Some of the players we had were pretty goos for the time. Gates was clearly a cut above in terms of quality and vision. But Owers and Armstrong were good lads as well and had Bracewell orchestrating everything. McPhail and Bennet were good together and Norman one of our all time great keepers.

Happy times they were.

 

There was a great feeling amongst those players, the playoff second leg was as good as it gets ...

... no idea how we got out in one piece but it was worth it.

 

They seemed absolutely hell bent on beating them. I think the way the mags celebrated the draw at Roker was all the motivation we needed.

 

I was really confident we'd get a result up there as we had a better record away from home that season. But like you say they thought they were through after the draw at our place

 

I was at both games, but I cannot remember much about the home leg draw. Did Hardyman tackle one of their players as he was taking the penalty?
It's what I want to believe is true, but cannot remember why I saw it like that

My mate and I were in our suits in the Milburn (?) Main stand seats and had to stand up several times as their "United" cheer went round the ground... at 2-1 we enjoyed talking, or should that be shouting between ourselves that "they always let us down"

 

Hardyman took the penalty but Burridge saved it. He then ran in and the ball was loose very slightly before Burridge got hold of it properly and Hardyman nearly kicked his head off trying to get it!

 

This was my time falling in love with the lads so the whole marketing thing has been utterly joyous and emotional for me.

My first game was 1987 as a 5 year old. the fact Marco Gabbiadini was called Marco Gabbiadini made him even more spectacular to a kid that age.

My brain remains full of Marco memories and goal, the top one being the stunner away to Norwich in our first game up, scored a stunner at Chelsea as well.

I don’t know what it is about this club at the minute but they seem to have found a genuine vein to my heart with everything they do.

I’ll say it till the cows are on the settee watching Gogglebox, us and Hummel are a match made in heaven, and I hope it’s a relationship that’s lasts for a long, long time, despite the desperate strain it puts on my debit card at times

 

Random one. Did Hardyman drive a Yugo or am I just losing it. Cant get this memory out of my head that he had a sponsored Yugo. Random like I said.

 

Yep. They went nuts. But we were really good away that season and I fancied us.

 

I remember, as said young child, thinking he had been sent off for missing a penalty.

I didn’t really get the rules in them days, also I could barely see anything from Clock Stand paddock cos I was a midget until I was 12.

 

No, he wellied Burridge in the head when his penner was saved!

 

That's it!!... there was hell on as one of their players had encroached so much, as Hardyman took the penna, then the keeper saved it, the 3 of them were tackling the ball

 

He did, from my mates Yugo garage

 

I love the current version of our club. It is really very good. Cant help looking back on times like those with a fondness I may never feel again. The game was more relatable, that is the thing for me. It is barely a sport these days with all the money and technology etc.

George Courtney refereed the second leg. Imagine a ref like him letting players abuse him or needing effing VAR.

 

Ha. That is class mate. Made my afternoon you have

 

You are of course right.

Muddy pitches and black boots, Benno putting Speedie in the crowd, Bally running after a lad and double splatting his Achilles, Kay rowing himself off on a stretcher.

A different world mate.

 

I was a couple of yards away from Speedies nut when Benno had him. Someone bounced a pie off it

 

Courtney knew what was happening that night. He went into the dressing rooms and told both teams that the match would be completed, even if it was in an empty ground and at midnight. I heard at the time that this was not received all that well by Charlie Aitken and one or two others in that dressing room. They knew what was happening as well.

 

Beautiful. And no harm done as not a waste of a magnificent balti as they didn’t exist in them days

 

Any excuse to post this Grim Up North replica I purchased 2023...


I'm over the moon with the latest homage, I've just bought 3 from the club shop...