30 somethings - if you were introduced to the game now rather than the mid 80s.

[Monkeyspunk]

£3 to stand on the Fulwell for kids, was £1.50 mid 80's and Roker Rookie members got a 50p off voucher for every game

Loved footy innthose days, next to no live footy on TV , ceefax to get scores if your TV had ceefax , streams of piss flowing down the terrace, freezing cold pies with red hot fillings, villa pop with the top took off the list could go on for ever

I miss standing but dont think I could stand and jump around like those days. These days its seats seats seats seats all the way

[Sir Rodney Ffing]

First game was in 78,first away game 84,i remember all the spit and sawdust of football back then...football has evolved for the better over the years...imo.

[PISTON]

Originally Posted by Bishop Mackem

They'd love it because it would be the only football they know.

this but more because old roker was an exciting experience in it's own right for a youngster. climbing up the fences, swaying around in the crowd, chucking stuff on the pitch, walking around the end to stand next to your mates.
for a young'un it was like a big playground.

totally different nowadays but i'd defy anyone who stepped into the fulwell on a night match with the bright green grass lit up not to be impressed. no matter how many times you saw it the first glimpse was always special.

[I'm Spartacus]

Originally Posted by Sir Rodney Ffing

First game was in 78,first away game 84,i remember all the spit and sawdust of football back then...football has evolved for the better over the years...imo.

[DCmackem]

Originally Posted by rocky

On the diving front, the first and worst I've seen at Sunderland was back in the late 80's and 1990 in the form of Eric Gates. He 'won' a lot of free kicks he shouldn't have.

The other thing about Gatesy was that somehow in his case, "chesting the ball down" meant putting your hands either side of your chest and throwing it where you wanted it to go. Saw him get away with that a few times.

The best thing about Roker was getting into the Fulwell as an "under 16" even though you reeked of beer

[Sir Rodney Ffing]

Originally Posted by I'm Spartacus

Mostly

[mini-x2]

Bring back the terrace.

[TeamOfTalents]

Originally Posted by SPUFF

Would you love or hate the game more?

Looking forward to taking the bairns to the first game and hopefully the amazement on their face to see nearly 40,000 in the Sol.

Its light years from paying 3 quid to go into the Fulwell.

However as each season passes I find myself loving the club/sport less and less.

Yes, we were shit in the main during my time at Roker but you`d hear tales of players having a few jars with fans, most were on a modest wage and drove Town Centre Citroen

Now the kernts live in the ivory towers, never socialise with us peasants, earn millions and jump ship at the drop of a hat. And if were brutally honest, most are mediocre at best.

Not sure Id be so hooked as a bairn now as opposed to my own early years.

I'd probably support Man U due to the lack of interest in football from anyone else in the family and the massive TV hype surrounding just a few clubs. Christ...I may have even ended up Mag given their vastly superior exposure and regional media favouritism.

[Aristotle]

My biggest current regret in life is that i never got to watch a match at Roker. Would have loved to have gone just once, to see what it was like.

[TAT 2 HOT]

Originally Posted by SPUFF

I guess us and our fathas are the most cynical group of fans as weve seen the sport transformed into a plaything for millionaires paying millions to fannies that roll around at the slightest bit contact.

As you say, anyone born post Sky know no different.

Pleased Ive seen the Roker days like. Remember the buzz when we got back into the top flight in 90 and the World Cup stars came to town, beat Man utd and got a 0 0 v Spurs. Mental atmospheres.

The Spurs & Man Utd games were by far my best memories of Roker Park (I was only 11 at the time). The excitement for the Spurs game was unreal, Gazzamania was unbelieveable at the time, the Spurs game was our first home game of the season and not long after the 1990 world cup. As for the Man Utd game, Benno's winner -can still picture it now!! Great Goal. Im sure both games were played within a few days.