Northern Dancer

One christmas when I was about 6 yo My mum and dad bought me my first pair of footy boots which was nice! However amongst my other prezzies was? Wait for it..... a Manchester United football shirt Now not knowing much about football as a sprog, I wore it whilst playing footy on the park and I thought was Georgie Best or Dennis law (depending if someone else said they where one or the other) during the kick about. I even had a George best poster on my bedroom wall. At Junior School back in the 60's most of the kids followed other clubs Like Leeds, Liverpool, Man Utd and Man city etc: and during games it was a mish mash of colured jerseys on Shepherd cross street playing fields. During my last year at junior school I went to my first Game down Burnden and was hooked and never looked back. Lots of lads I knew even from high school still liked other teams but you would always see them down Burnden park cheering on the whites. Just to clarify I hate United almost as much as I hate Blackburn. So my question to you is, Did you ever follow another team when you where younger?

Pies and Prejudice: Stuart Maconie In Search of the North. Quite a pleasant read (not all about Wigan) just some of it!

Staying on the Gerry Anderson superanimation theme. I never quite understood how this tune ever made it onto some of the Northern soul dance floors. Bet some of you oldies danced to it

My Number 1 would have to be Stingray. I liked the love triangle in the storyline. Atlanta Shore loved Troy Tempest but Troy only had eyes for Marina, the blond deaf and dump bird who could go down for hours without taking a breath ("stand by for action"). But Troys sidekick Phones wasn't getting any! (too busy shitting himselfe over the Aquaphibians) "where all gonna die troy". Anything can happen in the next half hour! and it usually did. Bring back Stingray.

The Malt is about twice the price as bells (depending where you shop) I would keep the malt not because it's more expensive, but it tastes better. So, Quasimodo walks into a pub and asks the barman for a whisky, (barman) Bells alright? (Quasi) Mind your own fucking business.

Cresta "it's frothy man!

Make sure you don't get frost bite on ya nips! if they drop off your goosed for your summer holidays..

Nipped into Burnley earlier today. All the roads are clear (no shortage of grit around here). the game is four days off and it will be on. How you all get here is another story.

In no paticular order, SQUEEZE - ARGYBARGY SUPERTRAMP - CRIME OF THE CENTURY THE JAM - SETTING SONS 10CC - SHEET MUSIC BLONDIE - PLATINUM COLLECTION.

Got a bottle of Cherry Brandy in the drinks cabinet as an antidote.

Watched University Challenge, then popped out for a couple pints, (pub empty) came back and had some stilton on digestive biscuits with a glass of port, then settled down to watch Gangs of New York for the umpteenth time. Overall a rubbish night apart from the Stilton which was first rate and beats any of your french cheese hands down.

Nice looking scoot Mr B. I'm not jealous? Think the (TV200) was only an export model and not sold in Italy (but I could be wrong). Enjoy it sounds like you've waited long enough to get one. ND (ex Bolton Roadrunner).

Yes it was over Easter, and some of the coaches where parked at the Seaburn fairground, including ours. I remember the day all to well even if it was a long time ago. When we arrived there was just one other coach from ribble travel with all it's occupants milling around the car park. Someone decided we should all set off down the seafront together, so we did. I remember it was really foggy and quiet as fuck. We met a couple of bolton lads coming from the opposite direction who said that they had just been chased by Sunderland fans further down the road. a min or so later we saw a group of about twenty or so lads tooled up with bottles and bricks, remember one cunt wearing a crash helmet, they threw a few rocks but soon legged it once they saw we out numbered them. A bit further down we had to turn right towards roker park and we just kept on walking right up until we where opposite this big pub to the right of the roker end which was full of sunderland fans drinking outside. They just let us march all the way up towards them and then the fuckers charged us. I ended up in a group of about fifteen lads being chased down the small streets around the ground. (Now I never met this lad before or after this match but who ever you are thanks mate!) This one lad started collecting empty milk bottles off doorsteps and bricks of the pavement and told us to do the same and stick together which we did. We managed to repel small numbers but everywhere we ran a fucking coach stopped full of mackems who joined in the chase. we ended up on the docks of all places before dibble decided to show up and escort us back to the ground, Silly bastards march us to the Fulwell end and we ended up getting chased around the ground again. Inside we had quite a few fans and made a fair bit of noise. After the match we got back to the fairground where it all kicked off again, but I recall we gave as good as we got and a number mackems ended up with blood on their replica shirts that day. Everyone on the coach on the way home had a story to tell.

http://www.raige.net/pictures/images/00133238.jpg

Not played for us but managed us.. The one and only Ian Greaves

Not stopped snowing here in east lancs since thursday, Really coming down outside at the mo. I live in a small village up near Pendle hill and the small roads leading in and out have never seen a gritter. Just been to Morrissons in Nelson and it was fecking dead. Did a good deed and got some shopping in for the old lady next door but one as her daughter couldn't get to her through the snow. Fuck the eco warrior types. I love my 4 X 4.

Fair point from the clip Micky, But the tv coverage didn't show all the embankment. They did however bring a big following, (many more than we took to the away fixture at Sunderland which I also went to).

The other one's getting in on the act. http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/...s_Phil_Neville/

There where loads of Sunderland fans I recall on the embankment that day, Mixed in with Bolton fans. They brought a good few thousands. They had to delay the kick off because of crowd congestion.

Oldham away 1975. This was my first ever away game, so it stands out in the memory. For the record we lost 1 - 2. However we played Sunderland the very next day at home which is in my top ten Bolton games of all time in front of a crowd of 42.000 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FicYeFFuAIs

I would ride that racing tipster Alex Hammond/Quim or what ever she's called over a stiff 5 furlongs anyday.

the Forresters, Friendly? (very funny)! The Victoria is ok up near the fire station, near the college.

How did I miss this in Munich? Had that Weisswurst for breakfast instead.

I also echo your thoughts of that period in football I'll tell you a couple of tales of the great Mr Clough, my mate was an apprentice at Sheffield united in the late 70's and later signed on as pro at Nottingham forest. In his first game for Forest in the reserves he scored four goals in a 5 -1 win over Leeds. The very next week he was dropped to the bench, when he asked peter Taylor why he was dropped? Taylor replied Brian thinks you might become a big head so it's time for you to take a reality check "young Man". one friday a couple of months Later he was told he wasn't even on the reserve team sheet, and was told to report to the city ground on saturday morning. When he arrived he found out to his suprise that he was the sub for the first team v Norwich city. He got on for the last ten mins of the match which Forest won. After the game he went up to the bar with the rest of the players where he was shocked to see his mum and dad who had travelled over from blackburn. They said that Mr Clough had rang them the night before to say that your son will be playing on saturday so come on over and watch the match. When He asked how come you told my mum and dad I was playing before me? His reply was your mum and dad are more important than you so think on. On another occassion His mum, dad and his sister came to see him and where taking a family photo outside the city ground, when Brian pulled up in his car, got out and said hold on don't be taking that photo yet, "you'll obviously want me in it". Sadly my mate took a career ending injury soon after, but is still involved in football as the northern area scout for QPR following on from 12 years as a scout for Palace. Gets to go to games for free and a double figure salary to boot (not bad for a saturday afternoon's work)

205 Easy! Easy! wish i'd taken your advise sooner Mr D