60 years ago

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clockstander

clockstander

Well-Known Member
Nov 6, 2013
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just read this
28th of January 1961
A coach broke down and number of supporters were killed or seriously injured when another vehicle drove into back ... #12. I seem to recall that there was a bad crash where a couple of Sunderland fans were killed In 1961.
My memories :-
This accident happened when a coachload of SAFC supporters travelling back from a victorious cup game against Liverpool skidded of the A1 in icy conditions, in an effort to get the bus back on the road a large number of fans got out to push the bus back onto the road when tragedy struck, a second coach of Sunderland fans left the road in the same spot and slid into the back of the first coach killing 12 supporters and injuring many more. A very sad day indeed, I was in Dundas Street the next morning and saw police cars in Dock Street who I believe were informing families of their loss a very sad memory.
 
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Essayyeffcee said:
Thanks for posting this, may they always be remembered. All fans, no matter what team they support, should always be able to return home from watching a game of football
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I agree, I only found out about it listening to Total Sport on Radio N this teatime when a fellow supporter rang in about it, it jogged my memory hence the post, the wife remembers it too, as her dad worked at Steels and some of the victims also worked there, I should not be surprised if Rob Mason refers to it on Saturday in his preview of our game on the same radio station as Nick Barnes hinted he would ask him about it. Memory fades with time, but I remember it made a great impression on me all those years ago.
 
clockstander said:
just read this
28th of January 1961
A coach broke down and number of supporters were killed or seriously injured when another vehicle drove into back ... #12. I seem to recall that there was a bad crash where a couple of Sunderland fans were killed In 1961.
My memories :-
This accident happened when a coachload of SAFC supporters travelling back from a victorious cup game against Liverpool skidded of the A1 in icy conditions, in an effort to get the bus back on the road a large number of fans got out to push the bus back onto the road when tragedy struck, a second coach of Sunderland fans left the road in the same spot and slid into the back of the first coach killing 12 supporters and injuring many more. A very sad day indeed, I was in Dundas Street the next morning and saw police cars in Dock Street who I believe were informing families of their loss a very sad memory.
Click to expand...

Amazing that I cant recall the club ever having a memorial over the years for this. Apologies if they did, but this needs rectifying.
 
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Robref62 said:
Amazing that I cant recall the club ever having a memorial over the years for this. Apologies if they did, but this needs rectifying.
Click to expand...

Exactly what the caller on the radio was suggesting, and Nick Barnes said he was going to bring it up with the club historian Rob Mason and see what can be done about it.
 
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Remember it well. We were on a high after beating Liverpool 2-0 then we found out about this. There was a lad in our year at the Further Education College who lost his life at about 17 years old.
Very sad!
 
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I, sadly, remember it well - a lad a young man from the top of our street in Pennywell unfortunately was among the the group that died. I was 11 and a paid up supporter and it went in deep when we heard.

KTF
 
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Followed SAFC for almost sixty years and have never seen any reference to the tragedy anywhere , their needs to be some sort of recognition/memorial for those people who lost their lives . Their should be some fund set up by the club or one of the supporters groups and I am sure the fans would be all too happy to contribute.
 
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clockstander said:
just read this
28th of January 1961
A coach broke down and number of supporters were killed or seriously injured when another vehicle drove into back ... #12. I seem to recall that there was a bad crash where a couple of Sunderland fans were killed In 1961.
My memories :-
This accident happened when a coachload of SAFC supporters travelling back from a victorious cup game against Liverpool skidded of the A1 in icy conditions, in an effort to get the bus back on the road a large number of fans got out to push the bus back onto the road when tragedy struck, a second coach of Sunderland fans left the road in the same spot and slid into the back of the first coach killing 12 supporters and injuring many more. A very sad day indeed, I was in Dundas Street the next morning and saw police cars in Dock Street who I believe were informing families of their loss a very sad memory.
Click to expand...

1st time I have ever heard that.
 
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What a horrible tragedy and one I knew nothing about. No one should ever go to watch a game of football and never make it home. Horrific.
 
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a supporter mentioned the story on the Newcastle radio talk show yesterday he said there were 12 supporters killed, was it snowing or bad weather ? appalling i know that.
 
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monty987 said:
a supporter mentioned the story on the Newcastle radio talk show yesterday he said there were 12 supporters killed, was it snowing or bad weather ? appalling i know that.
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It was snowing and foggy as far as I can remember. Apparently the lads who were trying to push the coach inadvertently covered the rear lights with their bodies so the vehicle following wasn't aware they were there until it was too late. RIP
 
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Robgee said:
It was snowing and foggy as far as I can remember. Apparently the lads who were trying to push the coach inadvertently covered the rear lights with their bodies so the vehicle following wasn't aware they were there until it was too late. RIP
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Absolutely devastating and such a tragedy for everyone, RIP to all also let’s not forget about the two coach drivers esp the 2nd one that hit them. I used to be a coach driver and it would have devastated my life and my family if It was me
 
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That was the first Away Game I got to go to.

What a way to start.

We picked up the Bus at the garage at the bottom of Ward Street, in Hendon.
When we got to Liverpool we were dropped off outside their Supporters Club for those who wanted a beer. (Imagine that,).
In The Annfiels End we outsang The Kop, just becoming famous for their singing, and we won with, and here my memory is not certain, Ian Lawther getting both goals.
On the return the bus emptied at the Ward St Garage and it wasn't until the Sunday that the news of the accident started to filter through.
 
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Hopefully this news gets to the new owners and maybe a monument can be erected somewhere around the ground to remember the ones who lost their lives. It's been too long.
 
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