Whilst I have many the outstanding one for me was my first "proper" game at St James', I'd seen English League versus Scottish League and friendlies but my uncle took me to see the Toon play Man City on the last day of the 1967/8 season. It lay between City and Man United as to who won the title with Man United playing sunderland on the same day. We got to our place in the Gallowgate end Paddock and I'd never seen so many folk before, I was 12 and pretty small but was soon sheltered down to the front by these huge blokes smelling of beer and with hands like shovels, so I could see.
I can remember resting my elbows on the ledge that was the edge of the pitch and being fascinated by the fact that I couldn't see the ball when Mike Summerbee ran down on the far touchline because of the camber of the pitch. I can remember being amazed at how a small man in a brown coat could pick out an outstretched hand waaaaay back on the terracing with a tightly wrapped bag of peanuts, every time. I can remember the smell of the liniment on the players' legs when they came to take a corner right in front of my eyes. Most of all I remember the noise when the ball hit the back of the net. I'd never heard, or felt anything like it and I was hooked for life. We lost 4 - 3 that day in front of 46,000 although it felt like a million to me.
City had won the title. It was a game that swung one way and then the other with City taking the lead and us equalising, that sequence continued right to the end with city edging it at the death. What a game and what a memory. The emotion on the final whistle, as City fans knew they had clinched the title, was incredible. I had tears in my eyes although I didn't understand why. Its forty odd years later and I still can't explain why it continues to happen, I hope it never stops.
Trevor Walker
Newcastle United Foundation have a heritage project for fans of all ages called Toon Times.
Toon Times will culminate with a major Newcastle United exhibition at the Discovery Museum, Newcastle, although in the lead up to this event Toon Times wishes to reach out to all Newcastle United fans across the North East and further afield to get involved and share their memories, experiences, photos and memorabilia what people have collected over the years.
We are supporting the project by helping to collect NUFC memories online - fans can share their memories on the Replay Football website, simply select the Toon Times tag when submitting yours.
For more info contact the Toon Times Heritage Project Coordinator, Newcastle United Foundation, gavin.ferry@nufc.co.uk
Memory added on August 29, 2013
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