When Football makes even a tough man cry
When I was about 8-9 in the late fifties and early sixties, my Grandfather took me to Stoke on Trent to see his hero Stanley Matthews, his joy in being able to show me his hero in the flesh was something I have reflected upon since his death a few years ago.
My Grandfather was born in Chesterton in the Potteries, but lived in North Wales, however Stanley was his man, and I enjoyed the day, including my first trip to a chinese restaurant.
The Stoke manager then was Tony Waddington and he not only had the almost Fifty Matthews he had also had the then classy veterans Peter Dobing, Jimmy Mcllroy, Denis Violett.
The game is a blur to me except the emotion from my Grandfather swiftly wiping his eyes during the game. However if his cunning plan was to create another Stoke fan it failed, in the next year an uncle took me Anfield and i have been a Liverpool fan ever since.
Phil Holding
Memory added on December 4, 2013
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