Walsall FC... 125 years and me...

Introduction

On 08^th February 2013 Andrew Poole (Walsall FC programme editor and top banana posted this on the WFC web site, http://www.saddlers.co.uk/news/article/anniversary-matchday-programme-630998.aspx ). Well I just had to get involved didn’t I?

The idea was that Andrew would send us all a questionnaire and he would then publish our answers in the match day programme.

Also, we were invited to a photo shoot at Bescot on Saturday 23^rd March 2013. By the time I got there the snow was almost 10 inches deep, but it was worth it, we were handed the keys to the stadium and told to lock up when we were finished.

We ran all over it like kids on Christmas morning. It was such a laugh, but more on that later.

Until then, enjoy.

More photo’s at the bottom.

WALSALL FC QUESTIONS

How did your support of The Saddlers start?

You know, that’s a very good question and I wish I had a very good answer, but I don’t.

I was born in 1966 so as a kid in the 70’s and 80’s I was a Liverpool fan – cause you do those daft things when you’re a kid – I also played football a lot, so didn’t get to go to many games – the curse of being good at something you love – combine that with if I wasn’t playing football that weekend for whatever reason, you’d get the football coupon and see who was playing at home, so it would be off to Villa, or Albion or Wolves or Walsall.

Yes kids you did read that right, you could do that then it’s not like today where doing a game is like planning an invasion of a small country. You could just turn up pay on the gate find your mates and take your place on the terraces. Great times. Great memories.

As the seasons past by doing Walsall games was simply the easy option because I could walk to and from the games. So becoming a Walsall “Fan” slowly crept up on me. By the time we lost to Liverpool (1989?) in the League Cup, I walked away thinking “we’d” lost and I thought “we?” where did that “WE” come from…? Oh Bugger!

Are there a lot of Walsall supporters amongst your family?

No. I’m the only sane one in the family tree.

What was the first game that you attended? What are your memories of it?

My first Walsall game was Walsall v Stafford Rangers FA Cup Rd1 Nov 22^nd 1980 KO 3pm. Yes kids you did read that right, we had 3pm KO’s in those days. The only two things I remember is they played in black and white and that it took four coppers to eject one of their fans. They had one copper on each of his limbs as they carried him away.

My first league game took place one week later. Walsall v Sheffield United League Division Three Nov 29^th 1980 KO 3pm. The thing I remember most is that I do not remember it being 4-4. FOUR ALL!? Really? I’m must have had too much Bovril from the hut behind the Street End. Somebody somewhere is having a Toffee Crisp.

What have been the highlights of supporting the club?

The ever constant disappointments… Ha Ha Ha…  You’re all going to hate me for writing this, but, it’s not the 90 minutes of football that just gets in the way and totally stuffs up your life depending on your team’s fortune, it’s the people, in all the years I’ve been going to football, it’s the people you meet along the way, and those who are no longer here, home games and meeting up in your local, those long away trips, walking around the corner of a strange town to see a familiar face coming the other way, the times I’ve jumped up and down screaming and shouting like a loony after a goal, while I and some large fat sweaty bloke embrace like long lost lovers, more often than not, I’ve no idea who they were… it’s the banter at school and then at work, dreading going in on the following Monday or not being able to wait… and you know the daftest thing is this, most of the faces I known and spoken to at games over the years, I don’t even know their names, probably never did… but it doesn’t matter, I know that whatever happens during and then after the game, when it comes to our team, we will feel exactly the same emotion…

Are there any particular quirky stories and memories that you would like to share from either following the club or showing your support for the club?

Where would you like me to start? Which one of us couldn’t fill a book telling tales?

I’ve been very lucky to have seen Iron Maiden all over the world and I always wear my Walsall shirt to the gigs, I’ve been on stage with Maiden in my Walsall shirt. You can find it on You Tube if you can be bothered to look (Iron Maiden, New Jersey, Heaven Can Wait, 2008, I’m the one in the Walsall shirt). Which all lead to having a drunken argument with Adrian Smith (guitarist) at the end of tour party in Toronto…

Doing an end of tour party with Bruce Dickinson in London and one of the door staff had a little pin badge on his jacket, I looked, “Southend?” I said, “Yes” came the reply, “I’m a Walsall fan” continued me, “I was there when Roger Boli got that goal” he said, “No way, really, did you stand up and applaud?” I asked, “F***ING TO RIGHT I DID..! What a goal…” 20 minutes later and were still yakking away.

I still meet Fulham fans that say thank you especially as I now live and work in London.

But, as this is Sheffield United let’s keep it topical. In 1997 my mate Billy said, let’s do Rotherham away (March 29^th Won 1-2 Lightbourne, Viveash) and we can stay at his place in Stocksbridge Sheffield (which is the Wednesday side of the city). So an Easter weekend away day was arranged. After the game we went down Stocky for a few beers, I meet this really fit blonde bird from Oughtibridge fell in love and the rest as they say is history… (I wonder where she is now?).

ANYWAY! Some weeks later we were all due to go down to Hillsborough for some reason and Caroline (the fit blonde bird) said, “Please don’t wear that Walsall badge”, which lead to minor domestic and strangely enough people phoning the house asking to speak to me and asking me not to wear the said badge. Now, even for Captain Stubborn, this was getting a bit strange. After all, I had no idea who these people were.

So off with the badge and off to Hillsborough with my arse in my hands we go and a great time was had by all, or so I’m told. Because of how I look and my accent I kind of stuck out like a sore thumb. “Hello love, you must be Noggin, I’ve heard a lot about you”. Did he just call me LOVE!?

Eventually people would ask where I was from and I’d say very proudly, “I’m a Black Country lad me” and then I’d spend 20 minutes explaining where it was… but as soon as I mentioned that I was a Walsall fan, it kicked off, “You’re a Walsall fan? You lot got United relegated in 1981, last game of the season… HEY GUYS! This blokes a Walsall supporter…” They never forget… and I never bought a beer all night…

I have a very distant memory of being in this right dodgy pub and seeing a “Green Un” on a table (it’s their version of the pink paper) and I staggered over, “Skhuze me maate can I loooook at ya Green Un pleeze… “I slurred, “Yes, who’s result are you looking for?” he asked, “Waaallllsulll” I said, “Hey Guys” he shouted across the pub, “This blokes a Walsall supporter” over came more drinks, my liver and kidneys waved at me as they left the pub…

A few months later we dumped them out of The Coca Cola Cup live on SKY. My doctor told me to stop drinking or I would not reach 40… Ha Ha Ha…

What lengths do you go to, to watch the club or find out our result (cutting short holidays, missing relatives’ weddings etc., that kind of thing)?

Well there was a train journey across North America to see Iron Maiden when my mate Richard was banging on about a stunning 1-1 away at Forest… He was in England, I was in North America it was 11am I was drunk and I couldn’t understand why he knew the football results so early in the day…

Remember getting promoted at County a few seasons back? I was at work that day. While you lot were cheering at getting that goal and promotion, so was I, the only difference was I had it on the radio and I nearly wrote off a spanking brand new Scania worth £120,000 OUCH!

My daughters 12 birthday is May 19^th. Anyone noticed what date the Play Off Final is? I’ll cross that bridge when it arrives. I might just crash my truck into it… Ha Ha Ha…

Who is your all-time favourite player and current favourite player and why?

Again, you’re all going to hate me, Jimmy Walker. People talk about midfield and strikers as being 30 goals a season players. Jimmy Walker would EASILY save us 30 and more goals a season. Let’s be honest. If Jimmy was 3 inches taller, he wouldn’t have been at Walsall so long and he would have been in the England set up.

As for the current team, we have some really good young players coming through which is great to see. Could I name one that’s head and shoulders above the rest? Not really. I’m looking forward to seeing how well this team plays next season. I’ve gone all tingly in my special place…

Who do you currently attend matches with? Where do you sit? Where did you used to watch games from at Fellows Park?

It doesn’t matter who I go with, cause our seats are very rarely together, crappy all seater stadiums. I do not sit. I stand behind the goal. The sooner terraces come back the better.

As for Fellows Park, behind the goal, apart from the first half when I’d sometimes walk around to the side.

What thoughts spring to mind when you think of Fellows Park?

Terraces. Walking around the side of the pitch for the first half. “Gravely Bank Corner” Ha! Ha! Ha! The two police officers that used to walk around the pitch (I still see one of them at the games – she must be over 100 and she’s still fit… I’m going to get slapped silly… Ha Ha Ha…). Man City in the FA Cup and the snowball fight. Chelsea in the League Cup, nice and naughty. The wall falling over in the Semi against Liverpool. Watford in the Cup “Elton is a bender Elton is a bender…” (PRINT THAT I DARE YOU! Ha Ha Ha).

Do you attend away matches? If so, how often?

Yes. Whenever I can. I have to fit it around work, but next season… No, I don’t want to tempt fate.

What are your favourite away grounds and why?

Easy. Villa Park. The history of it. It really is that simple. All the Games that have been held there. World Cup games. European games. Semi Finals. Cup Final Replays. European Finals. “AV” floodlights anyone? Just how cool were they.

I’ve never seen Walsall play there, probably never will. Don’t care to be honest. Villa Park is very special. I’ve done all four sides at Villa too.

What is your occupation?

I’m a HGV Driver.

Sheffield has to be the only city in England that has finished its ring road and made it more difficult to drive around. Bizarre. Still, I do have a soft spot for the city, the people are fantastic – once you’ve got over the shock of being called love - and to be honest, even though the ring road is a shocker, I really do miss it. I get free beer… RESULT!

How long have you been a season-ticket holder for?

I’m not, but I used to be. Once we’d built that two tier horror show behind the goal I moved my season ticket to the very back row in line with the penalty spot. Smack bang centre. Great view, no atmosphere, but I could stand up. But I got so fed up with turning up every week and finding some new idiot sat next to me that I just gave up my season ticket.

Why Noggin?

Because I was little as a kid and I got all the usual name calling and for some reason “Noggin” just stuck. It’s from the 70’s kids TV show “Noggin The Nog” with “Nog Bad The Bad” being a bit of a hero… hahaha…

Noggin xx

P.S. Filling this in as bought back a lot of memories. I’m going to try to track down a few people and see if we can get a bit of a meet up going on the 6^th.

As promised here are some more photos from that day.

(Page 17 of the programme, blizzard… what blizzard…) Malcolm Gilbert – 78 years old – and still turned up despite the blizzard as did Ivan Anson – 83 years old – both, I’m happy to report  are completely mad. I’d love to get them in a pub one day and have a proper chat.

Taking the piss…?

Believe this or not there are rules and regulations about using the pitch before and after the game. Every available space was taken up with rules and regulations about this, that and everything in between.

They also had detailed plans for emergencies, giving direct phone numbers to doctors and other emergency staff members. You can rest assured that Hillsborough is not a forgotten subject.

Do you think I could get that off the wall…

It’s not all glamour you know. As with the walls, every available space is used for something, in this case the space under the stands is a small gym.  Still want to a professional footballer?

Chelsea FC have one of these hand carved in gold with diamonds.

Stuart Manley and Shaun Mallen from www.sm2studio.co.uk if you ever needed to meet two people who were living the dream then look no further than these two.

Paul Brookes, his parent’s ashes are buried where he is standing. Well, part of the ashes, now there’s a story worth telling…

Believe this or not, on the day of the photo shoot, Bescot was supposed to host England v Portugal (U21 I think) anyway, it was called off because of the blizzard and moved to St Georges Park.

Here are two Portuguese fans that didn’t know it was off…  

Further to the story a quick phone call was made and off to St Georges Park they went. I’d love to know if they got in.

Noggin xx