Superb event last night in the Legend's Lounge at the Riverside. A tremendous turn out from our Second Division conquerors - Jim Platt, John Craggs, Graeme Souness, David Mills, Alan Foggon, Malcolm Smith, Peter Creamer, Brian Taylor, Jimmy Cochrane and youngster of the squad Tony McAndrew.
Sadly John Hickton and Stuart Boam are both very ill. Frank Spraggon was away. Obviously tribute was paid to those we have lost in Willie Maddren, Bobby Murdoch, Big Jack Charlton and most recently David Armstrong.
On the film that was on a loop all night dear old Bernard Gent and supporters club secretary Peter Hodgson were amongst those also no longer with us.
The food was superb and nearly 200 people ten a table, service was first class,
The compere, Gordon Cox exemplary, as you would expect. In many ways this was an end of an era occasion. So the applause was fulsome and the appreciation aplenty but also absent friends made David Mills emotional and he was not alone.
Great stories from the 73/74 season. Tributes also to Eric McMordie, Shep, Stan Anderson. Peter Creamer expressing his faux hatred to John Craggs, for being so good, "Should have had an England cap then I would have been reserve to an England player."
John Craggs talking about his hard tackling, "it was a man's game." Graeme Souness interrupting, I was sacked from Sky for saying that.
Brian Taylor, Souness and Millsy all talking in glowing terms about Maddren the player and the man. David Mills even taking us on a wander through Soho for two naive youngsters.
Foggon talking about the Charlton plan, with him as a runner, sprinting into the gap left by Hickton and Mills with backs to goal. Souness extolling the virtues of Murdoch and Armstong's precision passing and saying with that due and himself Foggon should have been scoring 30+ goals.
Jimmy Cochrane saying how the reserves was set up exactly the same as the first team so if needed those second strong players could replace their injured first teamers without any disruption to the plan. Not that they ever got injured that year.
Supersub Malcolm Smith revealing when the plan finally unraveled the next season at White Hart Lane and centre forward Smith had to step in at the last minute for an injured left back Frank Spraggon and mark England winger Ralph Coates. "Don't look at his head," was the advice, Coates would shake his head to loosen his comb over and markers would be left open mouthed and dazzled in his wake.
Jim Platt said his understudy Pat Cuff must have been in goal in the shock 5-1 reverse at Nottm Forest. Then held his hands up, fingers still bent from never wearing gloves kin those days. They were all unsavable he laughed.
Graeme Souness told us how he would always be grateful to his team mates and most of all the people of Teesside for their kindness and how they really helped a cocky young lad get his feet on the floor. And what feet they were. After all the glittering prizes in silverware he picked up in his career he would never forget winning that first senior football trophy.
Special times revisited 50 years on. Absent friends and some great memories shared. A top night to top off the season at the Riverside.
Sadly John Hickton and Stuart Boam are both very ill. Frank Spraggon was away. Obviously tribute was paid to those we have lost in Willie Maddren, Bobby Murdoch, Big Jack Charlton and most recently David Armstrong.
On the film that was on a loop all night dear old Bernard Gent and supporters club secretary Peter Hodgson were amongst those also no longer with us.
The food was superb and nearly 200 people ten a table, service was first class,
The compere, Gordon Cox exemplary, as you would expect. In many ways this was an end of an era occasion. So the applause was fulsome and the appreciation aplenty but also absent friends made David Mills emotional and he was not alone.
Great stories from the 73/74 season. Tributes also to Eric McMordie, Shep, Stan Anderson. Peter Creamer expressing his faux hatred to John Craggs, for being so good, "Should have had an England cap then I would have been reserve to an England player."
John Craggs talking about his hard tackling, "it was a man's game." Graeme Souness interrupting, I was sacked from Sky for saying that.
Brian Taylor, Souness and Millsy all talking in glowing terms about Maddren the player and the man. David Mills even taking us on a wander through Soho for two naive youngsters.
Foggon talking about the Charlton plan, with him as a runner, sprinting into the gap left by Hickton and Mills with backs to goal. Souness extolling the virtues of Murdoch and Armstong's precision passing and saying with that due and himself Foggon should have been scoring 30+ goals.
Jimmy Cochrane saying how the reserves was set up exactly the same as the first team so if needed those second strong players could replace their injured first teamers without any disruption to the plan. Not that they ever got injured that year.
Supersub Malcolm Smith revealing when the plan finally unraveled the next season at White Hart Lane and centre forward Smith had to step in at the last minute for an injured left back Frank Spraggon and mark England winger Ralph Coates. "Don't look at his head," was the advice, Coates would shake his head to loosen his comb over and markers would be left open mouthed and dazzled in his wake.
Jim Platt said his understudy Pat Cuff must have been in goal in the shock 5-1 reverse at Nottm Forest. Then held his hands up, fingers still bent from never wearing gloves kin those days. They were all unsavable he laughed.
Graeme Souness told us how he would always be grateful to his team mates and most of all the people of Teesside for their kindness and how they really helped a cocky young lad get his feet on the floor. And what feet they were. After all the glittering prizes in silverware he picked up in his career he would never forget winning that first senior football trophy.
Special times revisited 50 years on. Absent friends and some great memories shared. A top night to top off the season at the Riverside.
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