scuzzmonster
Active member
I didn't know he'd died?I was at that MSS party. A terrific evening at the Oval cricket ground I think. When Wilfie was still alive. Had a quick chat to Willie too. Nice fella.
I didn't know he'd died?I was at that MSS party. A terrific evening at the Oval cricket ground I think. When Wilfie was still alive. Had a quick chat to Willie too. Nice fella.
he said Wilfie so assume Wilfie mannion....I didn't know he'd died?
I remember him stood outside a pub near Wembley full of Boro fans in 1990 and all fans outside were singing his name after being spotted . We were stood waiting for Boro coach to pass by so everyone in good spirits and path was packed . Seem to remember he was on walking sticks and was smiling away . .Not too sure if I seen WW play, his last game was away to Sunderland 1971 in a 4-1 defeat
I will have to go through the games see if I can recall anything
Photo I took at wembley 1990
Yep, good write up, understand where you're coming fromThe 67 team are the ones that stick in my mind more than any others. I suppose it was because I was a kid at the time and had the safety helmet and white coat with all their names on.
Many years later I was serving my time as a sparky and was at Lackenby Steel Works for a couple of years. I used to go to the main canteen for breakfast and Willie would come in(think he drove trucks around there)..I used to watch him eat many an egg sarny .. Its funny how I react when I see any of that team. I'm in my 60's now and still feel like a kid when they are near me.
Even my wife said to me once " I wish you looked at me the way you were looking at him " (after she saw me bump into John Hickton at Eastbourne rd shops)
Blf I knocked about with Willie's lad a bit when I was at school, and met him once. I was also a bit starstruck. Worst of all though, but not Boro, I saw Billy Bonds once in Harrods, and gave him a nod, and he smiled back. I had my ten year old with me at the time and he said he'd never seen me like that before....
Rob, I remember you telling me that story at the time - I mentioned it in the next MSS (see photos). How is Mr. Fischer these days? A splendid chap.
Zoophonic, that particular MSS party was at Shillibeers, but you also are right in that Willie did turn up a couple of years earlier (1998) for the MSS party at the Oval, where as you rightly say, Wilf Mannion was also in attendance as well as Steve Gibson, Arthur Horsfield and Geoff Butler.
Norman Conquest, photo is attached of Willie handing out Newbould's pies at Highbury. It would be quite an incredible coincidence if that just happened to be you receiving that pie eh? It was fabulous seeing the look on people's faces when they did a double-take at seeing the great Willie Whigham handing out free pies.
David Chadwick told me of a time when then Boro trainer Jimmy Greenhalgh was so frustrated that Willie and his buddy Arthur Horsfield were always late for training, that he got into Willies face one time and started shouting at him, so Willie promptly head butted him, causing a gash on Greenhalgh's forehead.
Stan Anderson mentioned that during a game (he thought it was at Carrow Road) Willie saved at the feet of a Norwich player, then promptly jumped up and chased the Norwich guy half the length of the pitch. At half time, Anderson was not happy at this and asked Willie in no uncertain terms "what he thought he was bloody doing?" Willie replied that while he was on the ground, the Norwich player had looked down at his and said something along the lines of "F*** me, you really are an ugly b***r aren't you?"
Cheers for that alan,stumbled across this piece from Falkirk FC
https://www.falkirkfc.co.uk/2020/05/21/throwback-thursday-2/
he offered me dad out during a game for the boro
Trug for some reason I always thought you were younger than me & I'm questioning myself if I actually seen him play for the Boro, I must have though as I remember him so muchOnly bettered by Jim Platt and Mark Schwarzer. One of my all time Boro greats, he was a very good penalty saver. The reason for that, it is rumoured, is that he was so ugly he used to frighten the ball.
10hickton, was that night at the Blue Bell, as I seem to recall he signed my pennant in the bar, unless they stayed there & I popped up the following day before they left for the matchWhere is he now ? 80 years old. Last saw him at a Former Players night at The Riverside about 5 years ago with his son.
Yep Blf- me too. I started following Boro in 1967 versus Scunthorpe Utd. I remember the teams of those years and even now I can recite the teamsheets of those long gone days.The 67 team are the ones that stick in my mind more than any others. I suppose it was because I was a kid at the time and had the safety helmet and white coat with all their names on.
Many years later I was serving my time as a sparky and was at Lackenby Steel Works for a couple of years. I used to go to the main canteen for breakfast and Willie would come in(think he drove trucks around there)..I used to watch him eat many an egg sarny .. Its funny how I react when I see any of that team. I'm in my 60's now and still feel like a kid when they are near me.
Even my wife said to me once " I wish you looked at me the way you were looking at him " (after she saw me bump into John Hickton at Eastbourne rd shops)
Cheers Trug, yes 1971 for meErimus 74, I think I am a little older than you. I remember you saying that your first game was in the early 70's. Mine was in 1967. However- your memories are mine too, and a lot of other peoples on this board. And what fantastic memories they are as well. If only we had a time machine!