Rod M has reminded me of a story from our days on the coaches to away games.
We were in Blackburn and walking through the high street when Rod M spotted a little old man with a shopping bag.
Rod M suggested that the 25-30 of us should line up behind the old bloke in single file and follow him, obviously the pubs weren’t open yet, so we followed the old bloke down the road, across the crossing and when he stopped to look in a shop window, so did we.
Lots of people were now looking at us and wondering what was going on.
The old bloke was totally oblivious as we weren’t talking either.
Eventually, he entered a supermarket and he’s wandering up and down the aisles with all of us following him. He’s still not realised we’re there. The manager called the police as she thought it was a mass shoplifting session. The police turned up and asked us to leave. Silly story, but hilarious memory for those that were there.
No Change there then!!
Season 1972-73.
Looking good.
Highbury in the sun.
By 1972 our firm had split into two halves. The married and the single.
Most of the married blokes still turned up in the gunners pub before home games and stood in the North Bank but nearer the sides.
The rest of us were still going to some away games but usually in cars, without much trouble.
HQ in those days.
In January 1972 I started sharing a house almost opposite the pub with Buster W & Putney.
Charlie Mc & me were still working for the “Pacha” night club in Spain and I remember reading that Arsenal had won their first home game against Wolves 5-2 and the paper’s were calling it “Total football “, like Ajax played.
Charlie & me got home from Spain in time to see us lose at home 3-0 to Norwich in the League Cup.
We sat in the West stand that night, I’ve only sat in there 4 or 5 times and we’ve never won. Jinxed!!
Arsenal were challenging Liverpool, Leeds & Derby for the League and Man Utd were fighting relegation.
We sign Jeff “ Blockhead “ Blockley
Charlie & Ray get recognition by England.
FA Cup
In the FA Cup we beat Leicester - Bradford - Carlisle & Chelsea to set up a semifinal against
Sunderland at Hillsborough.
Stokoe - Stokoe!!
We went in a small convoy of cars and as Arsenal fans had been allocated the Leppings Lane End, they occupied the pubs at the top of the hill overlooking the stadium.
On our way to these pubs we happened to pass one that, unbeknown to us, was packed full of Sunderland fans.
As some of us stood in the doorway we could see and hear a bloke playing the piano and all the fans singing “Blaydon Races”. There was one big fat fan who had long curly black hair and a black bushy beard. He looked like “Grizzly Adams” sitting next to the pianist.
When the song finished, they turned and looked at us and I pointed at the hairy bloke and said to the pianist “ great playing mate but your monkey don’t dance too good “. One of our lot dragged me outside just as the Sunderland fans were coming towards the door.
Another case of legging it.
Getting into the ground was a joke, thousands of Arsenal fans were pouring down the hill from the pubs about half an hour before kickoff as usual, and there’s a mighty crush to get in.
This was 16 years before all those Liverpool fans died there. Wasn’t anybody watching??
When we eventually got in I thought we were at Roker Park (Sunderland’s ground at that time ).
Arsenal had the small terrace and stand above it but it seemed like Sunderland fans occupied the rest of the ground.
They hadn’t reached a semi final for years.
All you could hear was Stoke o - Stoke o - Stoke o repeated over and over.
I don’t think I’ve ever heard noise like it before or since.
Those of us that were there, say they can shut their eyes and still hear it to this day.
Charlie George & Blockley made a couple of mistakes and we were out.
Bob Stokoe was the Sunderland manager and has a well deserved statue at their stadium now.
When Arsenal scored they still made more noise than us. Unbelievable!!
They eventually beat our old mates Leeds in the final and I think only Sunderland fans were happier than us that day.
2-1 to Sunderland.
Another possible Double gone!!
We were so fed up after the Sunderland game that we decided to go straight home and cancel any plans for a night out.
We pulled into a service station in the midlands somewhere. We’re all parking up when we noticed a row of beautiful motor bikes lined up. The “Greasers “ were inside the Restaurant and just as we’re out of the cars, Fred H pulls in and clips the tyre of the first bike and they go over like dominoes.
We all jumped back in our cars and sped off before the bikers noticed.
Some of us went off to Spain again, some carried on having kids & mortgages.
Next Post - Friday 7/5/2020
Changing of the guard.
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