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

  • Thread starter Thread starter Reiver
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air asia said:
There's a pub near Liverpool Street Station that has exotic dancers on and is often used for meet ups. Was in there 92/93 prior to a match at West Ham and got talking to a couple of lads who had recently been over in Sweden for Euro 92. Seemed like they had a great time, especially with the ladies who apparently find lads from South Shields irresistible. However the fun stopped when they ran out of money. They hitched back as far as Rotterdam but then could not find a lift from there. A plan was hatched though. They made their way down to the marina and stole a speedboat with the intention of zipping across the North Sea back to Shields. Thankfully the Dutch coast guard managed to stop them by blocking off the entrance to the marina. However there was a happy ending as they were deported at the expense of the Dutch Government. Result!!
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This story is only loosely based on football, is quite long and I don't even remember the lad's
name, Norm I reckon, but anyway the thread is about Sunderland characters.

I was in a bar in Antibes, to watch a Sunderland game, and a lad came in with a Sunderland badge so of course I spoke to him.

He was crackers!

Turns out he'd become bored with life in Sunderland and drove down to find work. At that time, probably 30 years ago, people would come down and be taken on as deck hands, stewards, etc with the barest minimum of checks.

Presumably because of his great personality Norm landed a job as a mate to a skipper, Chris the Moustache, who was well known as an alcoholic but a great character, very experienced and worked cheaper than some. Chris would let him drive the boat if the owners weren't on board and they were out of the harbour .....
.... he said his only previous experience was on the Dover to Calais ferry when he came down :lol:

I didn't believe a word until he invited me to go with them to St Tropez to pick up some guests of the owner and take them to Monaco. I slipped ashore when we arrived and made my own way back ....... fair enough, point proved.

So a while later the inevitable happens and Chris goes off on a massive bender then vanishes. Sure enough the owner calls the yacht because he's at home in Istanbul and wants the boat brought there.

So our hero doesn't bat an eyelid and says he'll organise it because Chris has had an accident and broken his arm :eek:

Instead of admitting he's not capable this lunatic risks the lives of the crew and ropes in a real captain's mate for the journey. He's learned enough to set the satnav etc, so he's on course for Istanbul and giving the mate 'on board training' by allowing him to read the charts, communicate with other vessels and the coastguards of Italy, Greece, etc, as they enter their waters.

Incredibly he makes it to the entrance to the sea of Marmara, I learned all these names because loads of us were following his progress in the bar, before panic sets in and he calls Istanbul for the harbour pilot to guide his through the narrow channels.

When he arrives, the harbour master comes aboad and puts it into the correct mooring ...... he's done it!

But now he has 2 days rest before he has to take the owner, his family & guests from Istanbul around the Greek Islands in the Aegean sea for 3 weeks. By some miracle Chris comes round from his bender, gets cleaned up and flies out to the rescue. Norm eventually makes it back to Antibes where he's told to get out of town before he's reported or beaten to death by the crew who'd now found out the truth.

No idea what happened to the lad but he's still mentioned in the Bar de Port ...... never mind Captain Cook, Norm is a true NE maritime hero :lol:
 
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Upstart said:
Reiver you mentioned a lad called Robin Connelly was he origionally from Shotton.
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Thought the name rang a bell.The photo's posted by My Boy Harry....Roker end no 17 vauxies crew he is in the photo next to Tot Blackhall with the Burt Reynolds tash and think that's Jownsy .Blast from the past.
 
TOONDOON said:
I started going to Roker Park on Bondies 1970, used to park outside the Wolseley on seafront. You from Willingtion?

Yes. Born in Sunnybrow (Helmington Terrace) in 1950. Moved to Hall Lane Estate in 1959 (Ripon Drive). Moved away in 1967 to Durham. My folks lived there until dad died last month, so I was alway backwards and forwards.



Quite impressive turn out from a small village amongst the background of 15/16000 home gates. The one my mates ran used to be on for most aways as well. Picked up all over the place. Any drun ks waifs and strays welcome. Before Keeganmania pre 92 Willington was 95% SAFC and most used to go.
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Vauxie said:

Haway,have the stories dried up or what?

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Borough Rangers. all the Beehive/Borough/Vaux lads in one team.
More fight in us that that lot yesterday
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I wouldn't think so mate, there was a match on so people were distracted.

Great photo by the way, do you have the fingerprints that go with it ;)
 
Reiver said:
I wouldn't think so mate, there was a match on so people were distracted.

Great photo by the way, do you have the fingerprints that go with it ;)
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Morning marra.Fed the ducks yet?Are we awnly ones,s up.?...It`s a twat being auld and awake when the young un`s are just getting in from the post match drinking or cells..:cry:
 
Upstart said:
Reiver you mentioned a lad called Robin Connelly was he origionally from Shotton.
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Robin used to live in the Mansfield area and is Godfather to my eldest son.

He travelled with us for a couple of years, great lad.
He had loads of brothers and all characters in their own way. Sean was a Sunderland supporter but not noticeably crackers like Tommy who seemed much more interested in the drink and the day out. I ran a coach at the time and various Connellys would be on it at various times.

Around his mid-twenties Robin wanted to go back to Shotton so I said I'd move him up, hired a van and drove up. We made it up for noon, unloaded and then he took me to some cave of a pub in Shotton. I'd never been to Shotton but it looked a bit wild tbh.

Some shaven headed pub monster took offence to Robin, probably because he was calling him billiard ball heed :lol:

The skinhead asked Robin outside but he declined,
'I'm not going outside with you.'
'Why not?'
'You'd murder me.'
'Fair enough.'

Welcome to Shotton :lol:

That night he took me to Shotton Club to meet the lads. As we were going through the front door there were two blokes in suits fighting on the ground. I said to Robin that someone should call the committee men.

"They are the committee men."

That was just the start, bottles thrown at the turn and a 10 man brawl outside after ....... happy days ;)

Hoond said:
Morning marra.Fed the ducks yet?Are we awnly ones,s up.?...It`s a twat being auld and awake when the young un`s are just getting in from the post match drinking or cells..
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:lol:

Just about to go and let the ducks & geese out mate, a bit later at the moment, they don't like the frosty mornings.

Do you remember that time we were down Wembley for some match and me, Steve & Bing were in the Wembley Hinton. We were in the foyer, expecting you, and the car pulls up to the front of the hotel with the good doctor driving his posh car ....... then the back doors fly open and there's a flurry of empty cans and bodies :lol:
 
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Reiver said:
Wembley Hilton that should read ;)
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Aye, think Swindon match...was my Merc, and Eddy, Ginger Les, plus about 5 others...Got from Whitburn to Wembley in 4 hours , blooted all way down , left at 5 ish, ( sadly I had n`t learned lesson by then i.e caught :() ..had arranged meet you and Pedro, Steve there as you all had wedge and stayed over..also arranged to meet my alter egos from The Ra..bad mistake..trying to convince the bouncers on car park I was normal and had a reservation , gave them driving licence with Dr. on it ,stinking of Scrumpy Jack mind.Just thought convinced them , when our Hegie and daft Tafie et all arrive mortal climbing over car " shouting and singing, Tafie climbing on bonnet and putting hand through sunroof and shouting "How man, Davie , just been fighting some puffs." Tafie bleeding from a knife wound he`d got from battling with some cocknies ,dripping blood through the roof.Opened doors to talk to the daft twats and cans , bottles, and as usual a very drunk Ginger Les rolled out in front bouncers....funny enough , they let us in (discretion better part of valour I guess)..:) Hylton punters weren't amused that morning with our joint squad, ..You and Pedro of course not helping! ;)
 
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