In my blood – How it all started | OneFootball

Picture the scene, 1955 FA Cup final at Wembley

First minute corner, header by Jackie Milburn, 1-0 up.

Pandemonium in our front room, as we were the only house with a TV and so the whole family were there, everybody jumping up and cheering.

I am sat at the front with my cousin IN AWE as to what is going on, I’m just over 6 years old and I am hooked

We won obviously (3-1 v Man City) and there was a party till the next morning.

My dad asked if I wanted to see them bring the cup home, I will never forget that day… wonderful.

I then pestered my dad to take me to the match.

When that day came it was a November night and we are playing Manchester united. the Busby Babes,

My dad used to stand at the 10 minute flag but I was despatched over heads and shoulders to the cinder track at the bottom and told to wait for the ground to empty and make my way up to the flag.

This would be my position for a long time

We scored, Bobby Mitchell, the noise! I had heard nothing like it, could we beat them? No. Tommy Taylor and the great Duncan Edwards put paid to that.

This was the start of my love affair with my team Newcastle United. You had to admire though that (Manchester United) team, some fabulous players and a few months later in February the Busby Babes were wiped out.

I didn’t get to the ’74 cup final but made it to the League Cup final in ’76, then the two in the late ’90s, then the semi against Chelsea, which we should have won. If we had done so, then in my opinion we would have won the cup that year.

By this time there was no 10 minute flag and I was a season ticket holder in the Gallowgate, always in the Gallowgate.

Still in love with my club but we had an owner who we didn’t love.

The last straw came when Rafa left, we had hope when he was there.

So I said to my wife ‘That’s it, I’m done, he is getting no more of my money.’

I didn’t renew my season ticket and we all know what happened next!

The love for my team still burns brightly and coming up to 77 I can only hope that this season brings some silverware.