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Old timers with stories from old timers!


sglosbcfc

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On this forum and indeed in the Gate itself it is not too difficult to get stories about great players of the 80s, 70s, 60s and occasionally even the 50s. Before they are lost forever I wondered how many old timers on here have been told stories by old timers when they were young about City matches, players etc from the 40s, 30s or even before.

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My father was born in 1903 in Tonypandy in the Rhondda Valley, Glamorgan. His father, my grandfather, was born in Claverham, North Somerset about 1875 and taken as a young boy, by his father to South Wales.

So my grandfather and father had relatives living in Coronation Road who they visited occasionally, coming to Hotwells by paddle steamer.

On such occasions, if City were at home, all the males would walk the short distance to Ashton Gate.

Thus my father told me about Billy Wedlock. He was short for a centre half but read the game extremely well, very quick over a few yards, (possibly quick reading of the game) and very good in the air against players much taller than him. He also mentioned that he was a natural leader and likened Geoff Merrick to him.

The period for his visits to City would have been around 1910 to 1914, before the first World War.

He came to live in Bristol in mid 1930's, an uneventful period at City but went when not working and/or funds available. He took me to my first City match on Good Friday 7th April 1950 against Aldershot. City won 2-0 and to say I was hooked is a big understatement.

This Saturday will be the 69th anniversary of my indoctrination date. I'll take 2-0 again.

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2 hours ago, cidered abroad said:

My father was born in 1903 in Tonypandy in the Rhondda Valley, Glamorgan. His father, my grandfather, was born in Claverham, North Somerset about 1875 and taken as a young boy, by his father to South Wales.

So my grandfather and father had relatives living in Coronation Road who they visited occasionally, coming to Hotwells by paddle steamer.

On such occasions, if City were at home, all the males would walk the short distance to Ashton Gate.

Thus my father told me about Billy Wedlock. He was short for a centre half but read the game extremely well, very quick over a few yards, (possibly quick reading of the game) and very good in the air against players much taller than him. He also mentioned that he was a natural leader and likened Geoff Merrick to him.

The period for his visits to City would have been around 1910 to 1914, before the first World War.

He came to live in Bristol in mid 1930's, an uneventful period at City but went when not working and/or funds available. He took me to my first City match on Good Friday 7th April 1950 against Aldershot. City won 2-0 and to say I was hooked is a big understatement.

This Saturday will be the 69th anniversary of my indoctrination date. I'll take 2-0 again.

Crikey cidered, my dad was born In 1930 and I'm 63 you must be a Fair bit older than me then, my uncle first took me to the city ground in the around 1967, my connection to city goes back even further to  my nans brother Tony Cook who played in goal for city in the late fifties early sixties just before Mike Gibson, sorry don't go back as far as you but great to hear such a connection going back so many years.

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Heard a few snippets from family members.

My Dad told me that my great grandfather was a good friend of Fred Ford, and they used to drink together in Bedminster in the early 1960s. He told my Dad that Fred was a lovely down to earth bloke, always willing to discuss transfer dealings and players form. I'll ask for any stories he has about him.

My grandma unfortunately lived near Eastville. She wasn't really a sag, but she did tell me that her older brother was part of a big gang that would hang around the stadium on matchdays in the 1930s and they would find younger, more vunerable looking fans on their own, befriend them and lure them up a side road. Then they would rob them of their gate money and use it to buy sweets and cigarettes.

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4 hours ago, cidered abroad said:

My father was born in 1903 in Tonypandy in the Rhondda Valley, Glamorgan. His father, my grandfather, was born in Claverham, North Somerset about 1875 and taken as a young boy, by his father to South Wales.

So my grandfather and father had relatives living in Coronation Road who they visited occasionally, coming to Hotwells by paddle steamer.

On such occasions, if City were at home, all the males would walk the short distance to Ashton Gate.

Thus my father told me about Billy Wedlock. He was short for a centre half but read the game extremely well, very quick over a few yards, (possibly quick reading of the game) and very good in the air against players much taller than him. He also mentioned that he was a natural leader and likened Geoff Merrick to him.

The period for his visits to City would have been around 1910 to 1914, before the first World War.

He came to live in Bristol in mid 1930's, an uneventful period at City but went when not working and/or funds available. He took me to my first City match on Good Friday 7th April 1950 against Aldershot. City won 2-0 and to say I was hooked is a big understatement.

This Saturday will be the 69th anniversary of my indoctrination date. I'll take 2-0 again.

Something to honour maybe@Matt Parsons BCFCSLO?

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1 hour ago, Wanderingred said:

Heard a few snippets from family members.

My Dad told me that my great grandfather was a good friend of Fred Ford, and they used to drink together in Bedminster in the early 1960s. He told my Dad that Fred was a lovely down to earth bloke, always willing to discuss transfer dealings and players form. I'll ask for any stories he has about him.

My grandma unfortunately lived near Eastville. She wasn't really a sag, but she did tell me that her older brother was part of a big gang that would hang around the stadium on matchdays in the 1930s and they would find younger, more vunerable looking fans on their own, befriend them and lure them up a side road.

**Then they would rob them of their gate money and use it to buy sweets and cigarettes.

** didn't they take a fence?  

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5 hours ago, Wanderingred said:

Heard a few snippets from family members.

My Dad told me that my great grandfather was a good friend of Fred Ford, and they used to drink together in Bedminster in the early 1960s. He told my Dad that Fred was a lovely down to earth bloke, always willing to discuss transfer dealings and players form. I'll ask for any stories he has about him.

My grandma unfortunately lived near Eastville. She wasn't really a sag, but she did tell me that her older brother was part of a big gang that would hang around the stadium on matchdays in the 1930s and they would find younger, more vunerable looking fans on their own, befriend them and lure them up a side road. Then they would rob them of their gate money and use it to buy sweets and cigarettes.

The original Rovers firm, picking on vulnerable stragglers even then!

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2 hours ago, sglosbcfc said:

Any stories? I can't remember much said or even written about our time there.

Unfortunately any of my family who knew the stories are long gone, I wish I asked more when I was a nipper about so many different things

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11 hours ago, cidered abroad said:

My father was born in 1903 in Tonypandy in the Rhondda Valley, Glamorgan. His father, my grandfather, was born in Claverham, North Somerset about 1875 and taken as a young boy, by his father to South Wales.

So my grandfather and father had relatives living in Coronation Road who they visited occasionally, coming to Hotwells by paddle steamer.

On such occasions, if City were at home, all the males would walk the short distance to Ashton Gate.

Thus my father told me about Billy Wedlock. He was short for a centre half but read the game extremely well, very quick over a few yards, (possibly quick reading of the game) and very good in the air against players much taller than him. He also mentioned that he was a natural leader and likened Geoff Merrick to him.

The period for his visits to City would have been around 1910 to 1914, before the first World War.

He came to live in Bristol in mid 1930's, an uneventful period at City but went when not working and/or funds available. He took me to my first City match on Good Friday 7th April 1950 against Aldershot. City won 2-0 and to say I was hooked is a big understatement.

This Saturday will be the 69th anniversary of my indoctrination date. I'll take 2-0 again.

Sent you a PM about this...

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My Great Grandfather was born near Devizes in 1879 and moved to Bristol after leaving the Army in 1905. He lived in Coronation Road and other addresses in Bedminster but was bombed out in WW2.  He and his five brothers all followed City and I believe may have been at the 1909 Cup Final. My Grandmother, born in 1911 was childhood friends with the daughter of the City supporter who died when falling from a train returning from the 1909 final.

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My father would ride his bike from speedwell and leave it with the thousands of other bikes along the terrace near wedlocks pub to go and watch big john Atyeo his favourite player although now passed away me and my son make our way to johns statue before every home game to rub dads plaque for luck and thank him for bringin me up a red

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My dad used to stand on Crackers' Corner next to an excitable chap who had a glass eye. 

On one occasion when there was a particularly shit ref in charge, this old timer took out his artificial eye and rolled it onto the pitch with a bellowing shout of: "Yer ref. See 'few can see better wiv 'ee!!"

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13 hours ago, pillred said:

Crikey cidered, my dad was born In 1930 and I'm 63 you must be a Fair bit older than me then, my uncle first took me to the city ground in the around 1967, my connection to city goes back even further to  my nans brother Tony Cook who played in goal for city in the late fifties early sixties just before Mike Gibson, sorry don't go back as far as you but great to hear such a connection going back so many years.

Dad was 40 when I was born in 1943. I grew up in Filton and Tony Cook lived a couple of hundred yards from our house. He'd occasionally join in our kick abouts in Filton Playing Fields. And in the summer, Syd Morgan and Ginger Peacock played cricket there with Southville Wayfarers.

This Saturday is 69th anniversary of my first match at City.

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Summer holidays for me and my mates were so exciting.......we would cross West Town Lane to the Imperial sports ground which City used quite often for pre season training. I got so many autographs and we would have a chat with the players. Imagine how my 12 yr old eyes lit up when I went over for a kick bout with my mates and the City squad were there. This would have been early to mid 70's.

Also Fred Ford used to live a few doors away on West Town Lane.

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30 minutes ago, cidered abroad said:

Dad was 40 when I was born in 1943. I grew up in Filton and Tony Cook lived a couple of hundred yards from our house. He'd occasionally join in our kick abouts in Filton Playing Fields. And in the summer, Syd Morgan and Ginger Peacock played cricket there with Southville Wayfarers.

This Saturday is 69th anniversary of my first match at City.

when I knew Tony he had a small shop Cooks stores at the bottom of lower high St in Shirehampton, my nan and uncle were very proud of the fact he played for city, unfortunately I was a little young to have seen him play myself.

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1 hour ago, Sir Geoff said:

Summer holidays for me and my mates were so exciting.......we would cross West Town Lane to the Imperial sports ground which City used quite often for pre season training. I got so many autographs and we would have a chat with the players. Imagine how my 12 yr old eyes lit up when I went over for a kick bout with my mates and the City squad were there. This would have been early to mid 70's.

Also Fred Ford used to live a few doors away on West Town Lane.

The group of teenage boys in the early sixties travelled to away matches on Supporters coach and sometimes by train if no coach.

For an away game at Bury in 1961, we went on a train at 10 past midnight (Friday night) to Manchester. We sat in same compartment with Fred Ford and talked football all night. After breakfast in Woolworths, we all went to Old Trafford (Man U) for a look a round the stadium. One of their staff gave us a box of old programmes. We then went to Old Trafford cricket and then on to Maine Road where, trainer Jimmy Meadows (broken leg in FA Cup Final in 1956) showed us around the stadium even though they had a First Division game that afternoon. Another box of programmes.

On to Bury where Jack Connor met us with comps for all of us. Lost 1-0 but what a day out.

Another year later and en route by train to a City away match at Southend on a Monday night and I sat with Fred from TM to Paddington. I said I was on holiday and wanted to see some football. He suggested that while passing through London, I should go to White Hart Lane and get a ticket for Wednesdays European Cup tie with Gornik of Poland. 

On arrival at the ground, I went to ticket office, wearing my red and white City scarf. Man there said the game was a total sell out but then asked if I was an Arsenal fan. I told him about my journey to London with Fred Ford and that I was on my way to see City at Southend.

He told me to wait a minute, disappeared and returned with a complimentary ticket and said any friend of Fred Ford is always welcome at Spurs.

I stayed in London with my uncle and aunt til the game. On Tuesday I went to a Chelsea match by cannot remember who they played.

The Lane was packed with just under 70,000. The 1961 Spurs double winners were 1-3 down after first leg, but put on a magnificent show, winning 8-1. John White was the star amongst so many stars.

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When we were kids (77 ish) it was great fun to go in the open end and wind up the away fans until we got a reaction or the police had enough of us, they would march us down the middle in between the fans and around the outside of the pitch, the East end would sing. "come and join us, come and join us, come and join us over ere..." we always got a clap when we got in the East end.. 

Happy days.. 

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12 hours ago, sglosbcfc said:

The original Rovers firm, picking on vulnerable stragglers even then!

Time to name and shame the members of this thieving Gasworks Gang of old.

Wally Sagg     I. M. Prowed     T. Leaf    I.B. Brayne-Dedd     Nick N. Steele     Cliff Edge    Cedric Relly-Gaeshon      W. E. R. Gwenn-Doon

Ivor Bigg-Boyle    Stan Doff     Robin Demblynde    Mustapha Sheyt      B.Rexitt     Owen Goll       Jack Offe       Phil F. Shutt     Roger De Dogge

And their “female” side-kicks….

Fanny Farte       Irene S. Crubber

 

Any others?

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Way back in the 70s a pal and me went on the train from TM to Pompey. We’d both bought platform tickets and got on the train with loads of other City fans. At Pompey station the railway staff  just let us off without checking tickets.

Got to Fratton Pk and somehow we both ended up in the wrong end behind the goal. Within 2 mins two little shits aged about 10 came up to us demanding we handed over our cash an fags......before we reacted and told them both to **** off one of said ‘my dad is up there’. We looked up the terrace and there were a mass of Pompey fans staring at us.......:shocking:

We legged it by climbing up onto the boundary path around the pitch and ran down the side to the other end........

If I remember correctly I think City won the game comfortabley and back on the train to TM. We got off the train and the staff were checking tickets.......guess what?................:rofl2br:

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8 hours ago, Robbored said:

Way back in the 70s a pal and me went on the train from TM to Pompey. We’d both bought platform tickets and got on the train with loads of other City fans. At Pompey station the railway staff  just let us off without checking tickets.

Got to Fratton Pk and somehow we both ended up in the wrong end behind the goal. Within 2 mins two little shits aged about 10 came up to us demanding we handed over our cash an fags......before we reacted and told them both to **** off one of said ‘my dad is up there’. We looked up the terrace and there were a mass of Pompey fans staring at us.......:shocking:

We legged it by climbing up onto the boundary path around the pitch and ran down the side to the other end........

If I remember correctly I think City won the game comfortabley and back on the train to TM. We got off the train and the staff were checking tickets.......guess what?................:rofl2br:

......................the one that checked your ticket and nicked you was Gary Johnson? 

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9 hours ago, Robbored said:

Way back in the 70s a pal and me went on the train from TM to Pompey. We’d both bought platform tickets and got on the train with loads of other City fans. At Pompey station the railway staff  just let us off without checking tickets.

Got to Fratton Pk and somehow we both ended up in the wrong end behind the goal. Within 2 mins two little shits aged about 10 came up to us demanding we handed over our cash an fags......before we reacted and told them both to **** off one of said ‘my dad is up there’. We looked up the terrace and there were a mass of Pompey fans staring at us.......:shocking:

We legged it by climbing up onto the boundary path around the pitch and ran down the side to the other end........

If I remember correctly I think City won the game comfortabley and back on the train to TM. We got off the train and the staff were checking tickets.......guess what?................:rofl2br:

They were all zombies who wanted to eat your flesh and turn you into a zombie but you ran and as you ran you stumbled and were set upon by a mob of flesh eating zombies and now you’re one , is that it ?

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