50 years watching the reds

As another year passes reflecting on my time going to oakwell starting off in the early 70s stood on the ponty end scarf on each wrist the smell of pipe smoke drifting from the brewery stand players faces on badges pinned on jackets great times.
Used to stand outside the old social club while me dad went for a pint.
Halftime entertainment was somebody standing numbers on the wall to work out halftime scores to the fixtures printed in the programe.
Some great characters fudge being one of the main ones.
Away days were great getting the bus from old social club i am sure many that used to go then have now passed away.
Regular trips to grounds that would be condemed now.
3 trips to anfield and never losing.
King ronnie running the show at hillsborough.
Too many memories to mention good and bad heres to the next 50 years.
Happy new year.

 

Ah Fudge
Scarves, bovver boots, braces, jeans cut short and general fudginess.
Genuine reds fan but boy, did he get picked on !

 

A bit longer than you mate. But knew fudge and his brother David well. From wombwell, So asking the question of the older element . Who were the 2 old guys that used to stand at the wall in the ponty. Could hear em down lundwood lol. One was nicknamed Zigga Zagga. (Oy, oy ,oy)
Happy new year to you too and fellow bbs'ers

 

slightly longer than you, really makes you wonder where the years have gone! I’m bloody SEVENTY tomorrow ( mind refuses to move past 30 like! ) , so will be pushing the average age up a bit more on here!

 

Happy Birthday for tomorrow

 

My first visit to Oakwell would have been in about 1966/67 (I was 10), I remember we played Port Vale but I couldn't tell you if we won or not. I remember going to school on the monday after and for "what I did at the weekend" I drew a picture of the game with half of the players in red shirts/white shorts and half in white shirts/black shorts. I wasn't a regular attender until the arrival of Clarkie in 1978 after finishing my Chemistry degree at Newcastle Poly.

 

That's so uncanny after my first game in 94/95 v Reading I drew an A3 colour picture of Oakwell for the self same reason. I was in year 5 at the time.

 

Think Port Vale game was Friday night my first game Barnsley won 2-0 ,

 

I was at that game,still got the programme

 

Think my programme was disposed of by mother Weekly Review was an insert in programme had team photo in middle , The days when you could move between Spion Kop and Ponty End depending on which goal Barnsley were attacking and sit on Stanchion supported by my Father. Remember Eddie Loyden scoring some late winners when walking towards the Ponty ,

 

Great little summary of 50 years similar to my own memories. My first game was November 73. Where’s time gone lol?

 

Remember Rochdale game early 70s and with snow covering pitch lines were cleared and painted blue and an orange ball was used, Think Barnsley won 1-0 Johnny Evans,

 

Bobby Doyle class playmaker controlling the midfield against Graham Taylors Champions Lincoln City on Easter Monday , Lincoln won 1-0 but the creative Scotsman not time for King Ronnie yet was outstanding.

 

My Dad took me to my first game at Oakwell in 1955. I was seven. We beat Leeds but I can't remember the game. I do remember being a bit squashed and the smells of beer fags and pipe smoke.

 

My Dad took me for my first visit to Oakwell Nov 1974 0-2 defeat to Lincoln sat in West Stand upper. Despite the result the love affair began and Saturdays and Tuesdays would either be joyous or desperate depending on the result. Lots of mates supported Leeds and Liverpool but for me it's always been my home town club.

 

My first game was the season before our prem season. Dont remember it, dont remember much of prem season either. Would love to experience it now as an adult!

 

It's almost 44 years to the day, since my first match. An Fa cup 3rd round game against Torquay, at the start of '81.
And it really helped in those days, that it was a promotion winning season from the Division we're in right now.

 

Sam Yates is to blame for me becoming a Barnsley fan. Came into Benefit Insurance brokers where I worked early 73. Told me he was a footballer as he was insuring his car and profession was 1 of the things we needed to know. Footballer increased the price of his cover but he seemed happy enough. Hadn't been to Oakwell then as I tended to go to watch Div 1 football locally.
Thankfully I saw the error of my ways as Sam suggested I pop down sometime and never looked back since
Loved the old social club with Reg, Steve, big Kev Nutting (RIP), Fudge and the others and watching the racing in the back room.Stood with Farmer Pete Darwin and the Blandamours in the ground so it was never quiet
Sadly circumstances and life mean I don't get to watch Barnsley these days but will never stop loving them win or lose

 

I remember Sam, nice bloke, he used to mate around with Phil Chambers (lived across road)when they first got into side as youngsters