Roker Park memories

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I’ve copied and pasted most of this from my reply in the first game thread. Cos I’m lazy.
I don’t remember my first in the 74/75 season but went to a few, I was only 6. I remember a thunderstorm in 75/76 possibly against Portsmouth but went to all them that season with my seat swing on the back of the big Roker End, class days. My dad then took me in the Mainstand Fulwell Wing paddocks for the next few seasons, I’ve been addicted since, I even stopped playing in the Herron Youth League so I could go to the match, only my last season with Herrington Juniors I stuck out and went to mid week games. Had my season ticket for 30 years now, MainstandRoker Wing seats seats seats at Roker.
Bob Lee, Pop Robson, Gary Rowell, Arnott, Shaun Elliott, the list is endless from the 70s to very early 80s, I idolised them. I used to get wrong at the shop where I delivered my papers from cos they were always getting their echos after the match. The lush green grass, floodlights and the smell of linament .
You a Herrington lad?
 
I’m planning on getting the ‘Welcome To Sunderland’ lights from the Fullwell replicated for my mans room when get new house sorted, I’ll post when they are up and running.

I always remember the scoreboard was constantly ****ed <laugh>

We used to joke it only worked for the first and last games of the season.

ATTACK ATTACK ATTACK
 
I remember we played Villa last season Roker, they were singing ‘what a ****ing ****hole’ at us.

Obv we went down, when we went back up we’d moved to SOL, remember being at Villa park and never forget, we sang ‘what a ****ing ****hole’ at them for half the game.

Class <laugh>
 
No mate, Seaham. I played 2 year for Silksworth Boys club under 18s but kept messing then about to go to our homes. I signed for Herrington Juniors and played all season, we did well anawl. Still keep in touch with some of the lads though.
Got you. I might know some of the same lads. I played for 2nd Herrington Scouts and grew up there.
 
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Neil Foster, Richie Chaplow, Neil Harrison are 3 that I remember lived there. I’m 52 and my last season was 85/86, Dutt from Washington was our manager.
 
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Neil Foster, Richie Chaplow, Neil Harrison are 3 that I remember lived there. I’m 52 and my last season was 85/86, Dutt from Washington was our manager.
I knew a lad called Chaplow who I was in the army with. His family lived in the Shiney Row area. Might be related. Other two don’t ring any bells. I’m just turned 54 so around my vintage!
 
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Probably related mate but I don’t think Richy went in the army. He was a class footballer though
It came to me after I posted. The lad I was in the army with was Pete Chaplow. I know his dad used to be in the mob as well. Not a common surname that I’m aware of so probably related somewhere I would think.
 
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Roker Park was fantastic but it was never really updated after the 1960's, and once they chopped the top half of the Roker End off in 1982 it was never the same. By the time we left there the capacity was only 22,000 or something and the old ground was very outdated. Sadly it was no longer fit for purpose and Bob Murray provided us with a brand new state of the art ground which we could once again be proud of. Still miss it though.
 
Our spot was under the scoreboard in the Roker end. Many happy memories but probably the best one was the FA Cup 5th Round reply v Manchester City in 73.
Always enjoyed the bloke who sold peanuts for a “tanner a bag” He used to walk around the pitch and people would throw their money down to him, he would scrabble around on the floor looking for it, then throw the bag of peanuts back to them in the crowd. God knows if he ever managed to get them to whoever it was who had bought them! Happy days!
 
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As someone who stands 5ft 6 I couldn't wait to get out of the place - couldn't see a thing in there.
I would be in the Fulwell end at or before 2pm, then at 2:55pm someone would come and stand in front of me, blocking my view. I know I could have bought a seating ticket, but I would have been on my own as my less vertically challenged friends wouldn't have followed me up there. I craved the civilised structure that an all seater stadium had to offer.

Now I definitely miss the atmosphere and the character that Roker Park had to offer. The atmosphere can't be replicated in an all seater stadium. The FA need to wake up and get in to this safe standing movement

I disagree about the atmosphere.. It is people that create atmospheres not stadiums.. The Atmosphere in some of the early games at the SoL was at times fantastic..
 
I disagree about the atmosphere.. It is people that create atmospheres not stadiums.. The Atmosphere in some of the early games at the SoL was at times fantastic..

....and the quality of football too.
But I will stick with my point. If I’m sat down I’m less likely to make noise.
I loved watching the brilliant YouTube clip posted earlier in this thread about the game in the 60’s. Seeing them chucking the hay about when we scored was brilliant
 
....and the quality of football too.
But I will stick with my point. If I’m sat down I’m less likely to make noise.
I loved watching the brilliant YouTube clip posted earlier in this thread about the game in the 60’s. Seeing them chucking the hay about when we scored was brilliant
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