I would like to know if any 606's went to the famous match, and what was it like because it must have been awesome that night, as i was to young to remember. I knew a woman who was at the Derby county 1933 cup match (75,000)and said she sat on the touch line, and she was Billy simmons mother.
I left school the year before this , but I kind of think many folks myself included wont remember this game. sorry, wish I could have been of help.
By the most reliable sources I can muster, there was over 120,000 turned up for this game. What I do know for definite is that my dad and my older brother tried to get into this game but failed...
I was in the Fulwll-end originally but managed to sneak into the main stand paddock when the boys in blue were otherwise engaged. The atmosphere was unbelievable. The best i have ever witnessed at a home game. I remember at the end of the game losing one of my shoes in the stampede, and got cuffed round the ear when i got home. I also seem to remember that one of the gates at the Roker -end was ripped from its mountings and thousands of ticketless supporters got into the ground. Oh happy days, the noise at the SoL is nowhere near that which emminated from Roker Park, mores the pity.
I wasn't allowed to go to the game but my dad and elder brothers went, an awesome night, my abiding memory was the very sad loss of our Doctors daughter who collapsed and died at that game, she was only in her early twenties, her dad was never the same afterwards, but your right Falcon the atmosphere at Roker has never been repeated at the SOL. What might have been had Monty cleared that goal kick, we will never know now sadly.
I was based in Germany at the time and I listened to the game on the radio but I still recall my amazement to find an article in the German newspapers with a report on the game. The article included a few photographs from the match, but focussed on the vast numbers locked out plus details of the unfortunate fatality.
I was in the Fulwell End and it was ram jam full. The whole ground was heaving and there was a fantastic atmosphere. One of my mates was missing from our spot and when he managed to wriggle his way to us he said the crowds outside the ground had to be seen to be believed. Apparently the turnstiles were closing as there were so many people in the ground. He was one of those who scaled the walls and barbed wire to get in. He likened it to pictures of the First World War with massed ranks of fans charging at the walls and getting any kind of foothold to climb up. Football heaven- Roker was made for nights like that. The build up wasn't like the SOL, everyone was packed in from very early on and the atmosphere grew and grew. By kick off we were hyper.
I went there straight from school about 4 in the afternoon and all I can remember is the crowd stretching from Roker Park all the way up to the Cambridge, I managed to get in the Roker End just before one of the big double gates went down . One of our neighbours was underneath it and he had a broken leg there were a few other casualties but no fatalities fortunately. The police stopped people swarming in through the opening. I was behind the goal in the Roker End and there was lots of room because they had no idea how many people were in and they just shut the turnstiles completely. I think 120,000 is a bit of an exaggeration because the ground was nowhere near full, but there were thousands locked out as they had just came from work and the police had shut the place down. Great night, shame about the result.
Yes I was there! Biggest crush was trying to get through the crowd to the turnstiles. Although normally a Fulwell-ender I got into the stand opposite the clock stand and had a great view despite the tightly packed crowd. Fantastic atmosphere and a great game. I really thought we were going to do it until Monty cleared the ball straight to Dennis Law and we knew what would happen before he put it in the net. A great night though, and one of my favourite memories of good old Roker Park!! My dad was at the Derby match in 1933 and took me to my first game against Arsenal in 1947. I also met Martin O'Neill and John Robertson in Nottingham when I was with a girl who was in the publicity department at Forrest. Staying at her house I lifted the European Cup which her husband had on loan for a charity function. Enough about the past as I'm very optimistic about the future under Martin O'Neill. Haway the Lads!
http://www.britishpathe.com/video/manchester-sunderland-marathon was it part of the marathon v man u?
We lived just off the Newcastle Road and listened to the the crowd from outside the ground. My Dad wouldn't take me because, at the age of 8, he thought I was too small for such a crowd. I remember some 57,000 actually went through the turnstiles, but, many more went in over the walls and yes one of the gates collapsed and many surged through. Thousands stood outside the ground !
Proud to say "I was there" in the Roker End. What a night and what a game. We didn't hear until the next day about the gate being pushed down and the fans streaming in to see the game. Not sure how many were at the game as the official number was probably much less than the people who managed to scramble in the open gate. Didn't make it for the replay. Even then at Old Trafford for the original game we left when the score was 3-1 to Sunderland and when we arrived back in Manchester we were told that United scored two to tie up the game........exciting times, never to be forgotten.
Thanks for those exellent and interesting stories, maybe talking about the 1961 Spurs game is a bit too far back!, if we signed Messi or Ronaldo them scenes would come to the stadium of light i am sure, or an F A cup win. And when you think Dennis law , Bobby charlton, George best !, we might have won the cup if we had beaten them, and i do remember 1973 as the coach drove down roker avenue and i was took to the QPR match on the wednesday night (my first match) by my mother and that started me to follow SAFC from then on. God knows what would happen if we won the premier league or the champions league!.
