Evil
Well-known member
Not looking for sympathy in any way, just wanted to share with you what being a Boro fan has meant to me, all thanks to him,
I'm nearly 38 now, he had turned 83 in October, spent the last few years of his life very ill, weak and a shadow of his former self.
He always told me he grew up in Grangetown and played football as a lad against Brian Clough as a lad.
He joined the Navy, when he came back he married my Nana, and they proceeded to have 6 kids.
He enlisted in the Fire Service and became quite highly ranked in the MOD. We lived in Germany with him for a year, in Monchengladbach when the recession hit in the late 80's. I attended a military school on his base there. I remember that year like it was yesterday even though I was 5.
When my parents and I moved home, my Grandparents eventually came to live with us. I wasn't interested in football then.
We moved again (we moved a lot) and separated from them, just due to my Dads job etc.
Fast forward to when I was around 9 when I Was just getting in to football, I wasn't a Boro fan, I didn't even know about them back then really. I watched Arsenal Vs Sheffield Wednesday and remember David Hirst and John Sheridan and the like. I enjoyed watching them play.
2 years later, my Granda was staying with us and couldn't understand why I supported them, I couldn't give him a real answer. My Dad doesn't like anything else other than boxing, so it was purely by chance really.
He told me it was ridiculous and immediately booked us 2 tickets to watch Boro Liverpool at the Riverside.
It was a 6 hour car journey from the south, which when you're 11 and you have no entertainment was boring as hell.
We arrived at their best friends house and stayed with them for the weekend.
He took me for a visit to Ayresome Park, which was in the process of being demolished, being young and unappreciative of historic stadiums, it was fascinating but I didn't understand the importance of it all. I remember it well however and I am glad I got to visit it in any form, regardless of the state it was at that point.
We had a pork pie in Redcar (I hate Pork Pies, but this one was decent) - before heading out to the game.
As we got close to the Riverside I could already feel myself falling in love with the club, gleaming new stadium next to the river just sat - isolated but proud.
Walking up to the stadium with all the fans, they were all buzzing, new season, new ground, in the Premier League. Again, at 11 I didn't understand the significance of the occasion.
In the ground it was buzzing, loud and I could feel the energy. He had a quick pint and I had a coke and a burger - it wasn't good lol.
We sat in the bottom right hand corner of the West Stand, it was absolutely baltic, but a crystal clear afternoon.
I think Neil Cox and Barmby scored for us and Ruddock for them. I immediately fell in love with Juninho, watching him on the ball was just mesmerising. It was the first time my Granda had ever seen him play, I'd seen him a few times for Brazil at that point, but he was another level that day. If I'm correct, a few Boro fans have told me since he wasn't anything special in that game, but he made a mark on me.
From that point on, I went to over 100 Boro games with my Granda, as I got a bit older they moved back and lived in Ingleby Barwick where my Nan and Aunty live now.
I'd drive up after work every other Friday, then take him to the game with my Great Uncle Brian (his brother in law) or my Uncle Jon.
He became a season ticket holder in the West Stand, but I always liked sitting in other stands, I preferred the atmosphere.
I moved to Southampton at about 22 years old with a mate of mine. I was having a bit of a hellish time thanks to an ex girlfriend so I just wanted to get away from there.
After 6 months, I bought a flat, but knew no one in the area I was in, I was bored shitless most evenings - which is how I came across FMTTM.
I threw a post out asking if there were any local fans to me, and one responded, Whinneybanksaint. He didn't post much, but he managed a local football team.
I went to training with them, and started playing regularly for them.
I met my best mate (spurs fan) who played for them, plus Whinneybanksaint too.
I'm absolutely gutted I'll never see him again, I've not seen him since 16 months ago.
We had a huge family party in Yarm for my Nan and Granda's 60th anniversary and his 80th birthday a few years ago, that was the last time the whole family would be together.
It's been a sad week, but I'll remember all the great and not so great games I went to with him, Boro games won't be the same without him.
I'm nearly 38 now, he had turned 83 in October, spent the last few years of his life very ill, weak and a shadow of his former self.
He always told me he grew up in Grangetown and played football as a lad against Brian Clough as a lad.
He joined the Navy, when he came back he married my Nana, and they proceeded to have 6 kids.
He enlisted in the Fire Service and became quite highly ranked in the MOD. We lived in Germany with him for a year, in Monchengladbach when the recession hit in the late 80's. I attended a military school on his base there. I remember that year like it was yesterday even though I was 5.
When my parents and I moved home, my Grandparents eventually came to live with us. I wasn't interested in football then.
We moved again (we moved a lot) and separated from them, just due to my Dads job etc.
Fast forward to when I was around 9 when I Was just getting in to football, I wasn't a Boro fan, I didn't even know about them back then really. I watched Arsenal Vs Sheffield Wednesday and remember David Hirst and John Sheridan and the like. I enjoyed watching them play.
2 years later, my Granda was staying with us and couldn't understand why I supported them, I couldn't give him a real answer. My Dad doesn't like anything else other than boxing, so it was purely by chance really.
He told me it was ridiculous and immediately booked us 2 tickets to watch Boro Liverpool at the Riverside.
It was a 6 hour car journey from the south, which when you're 11 and you have no entertainment was boring as hell.
We arrived at their best friends house and stayed with them for the weekend.
He took me for a visit to Ayresome Park, which was in the process of being demolished, being young and unappreciative of historic stadiums, it was fascinating but I didn't understand the importance of it all. I remember it well however and I am glad I got to visit it in any form, regardless of the state it was at that point.
We had a pork pie in Redcar (I hate Pork Pies, but this one was decent) - before heading out to the game.
As we got close to the Riverside I could already feel myself falling in love with the club, gleaming new stadium next to the river just sat - isolated but proud.
Walking up to the stadium with all the fans, they were all buzzing, new season, new ground, in the Premier League. Again, at 11 I didn't understand the significance of the occasion.
In the ground it was buzzing, loud and I could feel the energy. He had a quick pint and I had a coke and a burger - it wasn't good lol.
We sat in the bottom right hand corner of the West Stand, it was absolutely baltic, but a crystal clear afternoon.
I think Neil Cox and Barmby scored for us and Ruddock for them. I immediately fell in love with Juninho, watching him on the ball was just mesmerising. It was the first time my Granda had ever seen him play, I'd seen him a few times for Brazil at that point, but he was another level that day. If I'm correct, a few Boro fans have told me since he wasn't anything special in that game, but he made a mark on me.
From that point on, I went to over 100 Boro games with my Granda, as I got a bit older they moved back and lived in Ingleby Barwick where my Nan and Aunty live now.
I'd drive up after work every other Friday, then take him to the game with my Great Uncle Brian (his brother in law) or my Uncle Jon.
He became a season ticket holder in the West Stand, but I always liked sitting in other stands, I preferred the atmosphere.
I moved to Southampton at about 22 years old with a mate of mine. I was having a bit of a hellish time thanks to an ex girlfriend so I just wanted to get away from there.
After 6 months, I bought a flat, but knew no one in the area I was in, I was bored shitless most evenings - which is how I came across FMTTM.
I threw a post out asking if there were any local fans to me, and one responded, Whinneybanksaint. He didn't post much, but he managed a local football team.
I went to training with them, and started playing regularly for them.
I met my best mate (spurs fan) who played for them, plus Whinneybanksaint too.
I'm absolutely gutted I'll never see him again, I've not seen him since 16 months ago.
We had a huge family party in Yarm for my Nan and Granda's 60th anniversary and his 80th birthday a few years ago, that was the last time the whole family would be together.
It's been a sad week, but I'll remember all the great and not so great games I went to with him, Boro games won't be the same without him.
. I think he scored again a few weeks later - it was rare.