I've met some truly mad Sunderland supporters .....

[Reiver]

Dying to find out if someone knows john Henry and if he still with us. What a character he was.

Just had this sent to me (the lad BTW is a big SAFC fan but doesnt post on here):

"The Eagle Army from Pennywell going to away games in a furniture van, the Wingate bus, Tennick's coaches from Dundas Street; Tennick himself once getting off the bus on the way to Blackpool to go fishing.Midnight starts to London and the South Coast and West country games. People asking the driver to stop for a leak by the time we'd got to the Wearmouth Bridge. Stopping at fortes, Doncaster at 2am. Arriving in London for games at 7am and going down to Smithfield Market for a pint with the cockney butchers, drinking milk off the doorsteps, getting picked up at midnight at St Pancras with all the London fans hanging around for us, by the time we got home we'd been out a day and a half.

Gunner, Slosher, the Bear, Shick, Flanny, Nixon, Celtic, Sheff, Big Tom E, Jimmy Mack, Tarzan, Mole, Lamma, Armsy, Sammy smith, Herbie Smith, Frankie Wheatley and all the rest. Sunderland boys we are here!

SAFC's prodigy George Forster singing every verse of The Lambton Worm before Cardiff away in 1978 in their supporters club. Billy Simmons steward on Tennick's number 1 coach: "right lads nee alcohol on the bus or you'll be off". Me on the way back from Luton on a freezing winter's night on a coach whose heating had gone off; "billy fancy a tot of whiskey? Reply; "aye son that'll be champion, Dont mind if I do".

Audrey Baillee, Judith Tucknutt (nee Hood), Margaret from Ryhope, all the SAFCSA, absolute legends.

We used to cram loads in the back of our furniture van!

We were on our way back from Southampton and one of the lads, Pete Little from Seaham Harbour, had been banging on the partition and whinging about my driving etc. We pulled up at Rugby Welfare, to meet Frankie Wheatley's coach, and I reversed right up to a wall. When I switched off there was a rush to get the roller door open ....... all they could see was a brick wall and we, in the front, pretended we'd locked up and gone in. They went mental!

So I pulled the van forward just enough so they could squeeze out ...... all except Pete, who was a very chunky lad

We left him in for half an hour then let him out, he never let me forget it.

 

[My Boy Harry]

We used to cram loads in the back of our furniture van!

We were on our way back from Southampton and one of the lads, Pete Little from Seaham Harbour, had been banging on the partition and whinging about my driving etc. We pulled up at Rugby Welfare, to meet Frankie Wheatley's coach, and I reversed right up to a wall. When I switched off there was a rush to get the roller door open ....... all they could see was a brick wall and we, in the front, pretended we'd locked up and gone in. They went mental!

So I pulled the van forward just enough so they could squeeze out ...... all except Pete, who was a very chunky lad

We left him in for half an hour then let him out, he never let me forget it.

 

[buster]

I agre. Tried to post a pic of Roy cropper and ken Barlow in stone handled coats being man handled but didn't work so massive fail on my part.
I'll leave you's to it.

Logon or register to see this image

Confirmed it , a total loon.

 

[Manny F]

Was that the match whereby some famous Cardiff Figure or summat had died and us fans were accused of making a noise during minutes silence. John Charles maybe?? or maybe getting mixed up.

Aye come to think of it Tommy did appear to travel solo but it was obvious he knwe loads

Same day. Loads met in Bristol that morning. Before the match those of us in the bar area, open and next to the away end rather than underneath, didn't have a clue the silence was going on and there was just the usual shouting and hollering, which the Cardiff lot thought was deliberate.

 

[Reiver]

Confirmed it , a total loon.

You'd think people could start off a new year without the same grudges and repeating drivel they've posted the previous year.

But Jardine, Five & Haway have all come on a decent thread, enjoyed by dozens of people, specifically to have a childish pop at me.

They do it on thread after thread but always twist if you call them obsessed.

But, to be fair, it inadvertently has a funny side ...... how on earth do Jardine & Haway almost always manage to 'like' each others posts within a few minutes

No matter what time of day or night, boom, straight there ....... could they be the same person I wonder.

 

[buster]

You'd think people could start off a new year without the same grudges and repeating drivel they've posted the previous year.

But Jardine, Five & Haway have all come on a decent thread, enjoyed by dozens of people, specifically to have a childish pop at me.

They do it on thread after thread but always twist if you call them obsessed.

But, to be fair, it inadvertently has a funny side ...... how on earth do Jardine & Haway almost always manage to 'like' each others posts within a few minutes

No matter what time of day or night, boom, straight there ....... could they be the same person I wonder.

Least of your worries bud.

 

[magcatcherhutch]

some propppppaaa true stories on here likei know at least 70% of the people mentioned great days still plenty to come i hope ..

 

[T_Bone]

I've just been reminded of a splendid away trip back in the day was about 1978 I think. I worked with a lad who booked me on a coach that was picking me up in Easington on a Saturday morning, It took me to the boilermakers club where we watched the strippers and I'm sure there was a rock band on. Walked over to Roker Park and watched us get beat by Blackburn.
Walked back to Boilermakers got back on the coach and off we went to the away game which was two days later against Blackpool. So, we arrived in Blackpool on the Saturday night and the game was on the Monday afternoon.
I was on my own but got to know plenty of the lads. Just as well I'm not fussy cos when we got to the B and B there was four of us sharing two single beds in a room the size of a cupboard.
What a weekend that was ! Pissed as a fart. We got thrown out of The Manchester pub on the Sunday lunchtime got in a scrap with some Boro lads that afternoon got to know Cathy from Glasgow that night, laughed till I nearly wet mesel. Cannot remember the names of my bed sharers but remember we came home after the Monday game.
It was FW's coach and it was a great weekend.

 

[Reiver]

some propppppaaa true stories on here likei know at least 70% of the people mentioned great days still plenty to come i hope ..

Here's one I know you'll like.

Me, Steve & @Pedro, all from Notts, were in Newcastle before the play off match and went in the Dog near Central Station.

It was crammed with Mags 'waiting for the Mackems' and shouting about what they'd do to them.

As an escort came past, with some Peterlee lads we knew, the Mags all piled into the doorway ...... we got behind them shouting 'Get the Mackems' and pushing them outside.

They were truncheoned, bitten by the dogs and took a few slaps from Peterlee

We slipped out of the side door, joined the back of the escort and waved as we went past the front door.

"How, you Mackem bastards were in here a few minutes back!"

We could hardly walk for laughing

 

[miltonunez9]

Tbf mate, this thread is about meeting characters over the years at matched NOT glorifying soccer hooliganism.
Sure, some lads got in to scrapes, but overall it is about daft lads and funny stories.
I and a few mates travelled a lot during the 70s and 80s and never ever went looking for trouble, but I could easily list 20 occasions where we nearly got filled in due to lack of knowledge of an area, wrong place wrong time etc. Sadly, it's just the way it was then, where loads of innocents got hidings- horrendous, I totally agree.
BBC and Itv actually used to show on the news the bother at matches, and papers used to publish photos of fighting until they twigged on they were actually perpetuating the thing !!
Remember Jimmy Hill focusing on violence in an fa cup between Chelsea and palace where he says "and just look at this kung fu kick"?
The Big Match in 74 focused on violence at WHL when Spurs relegated Chelsea. The scenes were unbelievable, the battle of Little Big Horn was less violent.
That Celtic/Rangers cup final late 70s possibly early 80s was the worst ever. Thousands on the pitch running at each other, mounted police trying to restore order -chaos.
So happy those days are gone, because it was no cake walk going away, and I would have hated for my son to have gone through what we went through.

I was trying to find that on YouTube a while back

 

[JohnAin]

Which games were they mate?

Too long ago. It is add but when I movedback to France as a civvie I rather allowed unpleasant aspects of the UK to lapse. But it will have been in the79s or early 80s.

 

[nandos sonic sauce]

Here's one I know you'll like.

Me, Steve & @Pedro, all from Notts, were in Newcastle before the play off match and went in the Dog near Central Station.

It was crammed with Mags 'waiting for the Mackems' and shouting about what they'd do to them.

As an escort came past, with some Peterlee lads we knew, the Mags all piled into the doorway ...... we got behind them shouting 'Get the Mackems' and pushing them outside.

They were truncheoned, bitten by the dogs and took a few slaps from Peterlee

We slipped out of the side door, joined the back of the escort and waved as we went past the front door.

"How, you Mackem bastards were in here a few minutes back!"

We could hardly walk for laughing

We used to cram loads in the back of our furniture van!

We were on our way back from Southampton and one of the lads, Pete Little from Seaham Harbour, had been banging on the partition and whinging about my driving etc. We pulled up at Rugby Welfare, to meet Frankie Wheatley's coach, and I reversed right up to a wall. When I switched off there was a rush to get the roller door open ....... all they could see was a brick wall and we, in the front, pretended we'd locked up and gone in. They went mental!

So I pulled the van forward just enough so they could squeeze out ...... all except Pete, who was a very chunky lad

We left him in for half an hour then let him out, he never let me forget it.

 

[Vauxie]

Harra from Boldon ?

Aye

Harra, good local goalkeeper knocked about with PF and Nosher was it?

Aye

 

[Reiver]

Too long ago. It is add but when I movedback to France as a civvie I rather allowed unpleasant aspects of the UK to lapse. But it will have been in the79s or early 80s.

That's fair enough mate.

In our defence I'd say it's a little unfair to tar us with the same brush as supporters who regularly went to matches armed.

The only weapons I've seen used are a broom and a dustbin lid

 

[Vauxie]

Prominent light coloured sheepskin wearers were Cal from Whitburn, Gram from Grindon,Davey? Aka Celtic.

3 top lads, top dressers man and prominent sheepskin wearers

Just had a text from a fellow SAFC fan to say that the lad with no teeth and the sheepskin is called Mole from Hendon. Still goes to the match apparently. Probably in his 60's now? Now he was a real character. Not an overly big lad, fairly wiry but boy when the action started I dont think I ever saw him come off second best.

A real blast from the past that one mind.

It is thought that John Henry is from Hylton Castle. Is he still around?

Anyone know Nixon from Hetton?

Know Mole and Big John Nix0

"Modes of transport: football specials, martindales coaches of ferryhill, smiths of murton, lee's of durham, classic, redby, hylton castle coaches, economic buses, white ford transits with loose bench seats and no natural light, the football league liner (with disco), furniture vans, decorators vans, once saw one of those battery operated milk floats at carlisle, must have taken a day to get there - top speed 25mph.

Wally's tours, two tommy's tours.

The wild Man of Roker, Davie Dowell dancing on the main stand precipice after a goal. Jim, Taff and Mike...."take care of him".

Willie McFaul went to town in a white marina, bought some shit and called it Mirandinha. Denis smith went to town in his Lamborghini, bought some class and called it Gabbiadini.

Lest you forget fashions; Clockwork Orange dungarees, butchers coats, NCB doinkey jackets, dexy's midnight runners dungarees, scarves round your head, or wrists, or waist, green USA bomber jackets, could turn them inside out and they were luminous orange. bobble hats, Fulwell/Roker End silk scarves, trilbys, flat checked caps, Le Breve's, Farah slacks, original casual wear - previously bought in Binns by 75 year old golfers, union jack shorts, worn by many at rotherham away in 1988 - a famous day when the miners strike was re-enacted between Seaham, Murton, ?Easington and South Yorkshire constabulary".

"Levi Sta-prest trousers, red socks, black and ox blood brogues, ben sherman shirts, button down and flyaway collars, Dr Martens, astronaut boots, monkey boots, riding boots, skins, skin chicks, suedeheads, fulwell boot Boys, Townies, Vauxies, Loew Ford Mafia, Ashbrooke Axe Men, Farra Aggro boys, ?Herra Soul Mob, Peterlee Pirates, Hebburn and South Shields right hand side of the Fulwell, Thorney close, Grindon, Pennywell, town End Farm, witherwack, Suddick, Ryhope, Costa Del Silky, New Harra, Shiney Row, Newbottle, Houghton, Hetton, wingate, horden, Blackhall, billingham, durham, Langley Park, sherburn Road, Brandon, Chester le Street, Pelton, Stanley Pirates, Plainsy, Grangetown, Seaham, murton, Hawthorn, Easington Lane, Easington Village, Seaburn, fulwell, Roker...and the rest......"

Sheepskin,crombie,tonic suit,prince of wales suit,harrington jacket,trilby,beret,fred perry, dockers,army greens,stimrol,the great smell of brut

 

[Deleted member 39436]

3 top lads, top dressers man and prominent sheepskin wearers


Know Mole and Big John Nix0


Sheepskin,crombie,tonic suit,prince of wales suit,harrington jacket,trilby,beret,fred perry, dockers,army greens,stimrol,the great smell of brut

Never without Brut. Always in my cabinet £1 a gallon now I think.It always takes me back, especially The Rink on a Saturday night.

Aye


Aye

I'm sure he went out with a friend of mine in those days Denise V, ?

 

[Its Him Again]

Great stories

 

[bmp1970]

This is the lad I was talking about. Cockney Tom (even though he wasn't a Cockney). He was originally from Coxhoe. He used to meet up with us everywhere we went. We would be ensconced in some boozer somewhere in the middle of nowhere and he would just walk in bold as brass. He used to spend several months a year in Thailand and did indeed work as a Chef in London eventually at a place called The Laughing Gravy.

He was big on the England scene as well and we had a few dicey trips to Poland and the like with him. The situation with his health was a bizarre one. He was diagnosed with a terminal illness and we all went down to Arsenal for a big send-off for him. He was planning to go to Thailand for his last few months. Then one day out of the blue I got a postcard from him 6 months later with just one word on it: "Alive". Apparently they had tried some revolutionary new treatment on him out in Asia and it had worked a treat.

We saw him a couple of times after that but then he just disappeared. I sometimes ask the London lads but no one has ever seen him since.

Last saw him in Vienna in 2004

Legend has it he died in the Tsunami ..

Think that was because he vanished around about that time..

 

[Deleted member 39436]

Great stories

How's Malta?

 

[Bagpuss]

....... and struggling to think of the craziest.

Is it Mag Catcher who answered a Friday night plea, on RTG, to collect 2 tickets for the away FA Cup match at Bolton from a stranger, pay for them and deliver them to another complete stranger ...... not only that but he met us, insisted on buying us a pint and wouldn't let us pay him extra for driving to Whitley Bay late on a Friday night.

Or was it a lad we met at Southampton on Wednesday who travelled down with his dad and was staying overnight ....... not only that but he's down for the Bournemouth weekend with some kids who he takes when their dad's can't make it.

Was it the 2 'hippies' from Cumbria who rescued us from a pasting at Bristol City and used to find it hilarious to get us plastered in the Continental knowing we couldn't drive home and would end up sleeping 5 to a car at the back of the Boilermakers.

No, despite their claims, and those of hundreds more over 40 years, there's only one who can truly claim the crown ....... some of them were daft or ridiculously fanatical but this lad was actually clinically insane. He travelled with us for a couple of seasons although there have been many who've come and gone, some totally forgotten and some who only lasted 1 game before being asked to make alternative arrangements.

But this lad never annoyed us enough or failed to cough up the petrol money or swerved his round in the pub ..... in fact he rarely spoke in the car and was picked up near Newark railway station, he never told us anything about himself or allowed us to collect us from his home.

After two seasons, in the 1980s, he vanished and we never saw him again. When we discussed him latet we all thought one of the others knew who he was and had invited him ........ we realised we didn't even know his name!!!!!

We'd only ever called him by the nickname he'd earned, The Scuttler.

That came from his habit of vanishing as soon as we parked up then meeting back up in the ground at some point with bloodied knuckles saying, "Scuttled a few of them Cockney/Scouse/Mag/ etc bastards."

He never invited us on his escapades, never mentioned them again or expected any praise, comments or recognition

I've no idea what happened to him or why he stopped going. I've asked the other lads, who travelled with us, and they've no idea either ...... just one of those daft lads who pass like ships in the night who've we've all met over the years.

When I was at West Ham & Southampton I bumped into loads of the old faces and it set me thinking, hence this post ........ so haway, cast yer minds back and post some of the characters you've met over the years and, if you don't like the thread or the poster, just pass on by .....

The Scuttler story made me chuckle