gittinsfan Posted November 24, 2019 Share Posted November 24, 2019 I' m a batley fan but that's irrelevant. Many years ago me and my mate (BARRY PICKUP) used to watcth Batley home and away. We also tried to watch other big games at various grounds. Iremember being threatened at a semi final at Headingley because we shouted for the wrong side. That would have been in the sixties. However going over the pennines to watch the big games at Station Road give me some of the best memories.We weren't old enough to drive but the Yorkshire Bus Co put on trips then. Sorry but just some late night musings of an old man. The young uns of today don't know what they are missing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frank Posted November 24, 2019 Share Posted November 24, 2019 They were good days Gittins,really enjoyed them and great memories of going to the Mount sat afternoon choose what the weather.I clearly remember on a few occasions watching games with blizzards blowing or being too foggy to see the entire playing area.Dispite the weather there was always a good crowds. Things aren't too good for youngsters now and would not want to be starting again today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry Stottle Posted November 24, 2019 Share Posted November 24, 2019 8 hours ago, gittinsfan said: I' m a batley fan but that's irrelevant. Many years ago me and my mate (BARRY PICKUP) used to watcth Batley home and away. We also tried to watch other big games at various grounds. Iremember being threatened at a semi final at Headingley because we shouted for the wrong side. That would have been in the sixties. However going over the pennines to watch the big games at Station Road give me some of the best memories.We weren't old enough to drive but the Yorkshire Bus Co put on trips then. Sorry but just some late night musings of an old man. The young uns of today don't know what they are missing. Would that be Stan Gittins you take your name from? Good player and great lad, he along with Terry Gorman were two Leigh lads who graced the Mount for many years along with a host of other Leigh born player's at that time including the great Tommy Martyn senior. Terry being the player coach at the time - if I recall correctly - devised a team which he named 'Terry Gorman's Lancashire Juniors' to play a preseason game at the mount '68 or '69, we were all Leigh Lads who were dyed in the wool RL lads but played Union for a local works team the BICC, if you recall Tommy Martyn's he ean with his kness high up and trying to effect a tackle one of his rock hard kness hit me fairly and squarely in the earhole, I swear it whistled for a couple of weeks! Thanks for stirring my memories GF, great days and great times, I made many trips to the Mount and still do when Leigh play, do you still travel? Perhap's we can meet up over a pint when our respective teams clash and bore the pants of any young un's in listening distance Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gittinsfan Posted November 24, 2019 Author Share Posted November 24, 2019 15 minutes ago, Harry Stottle said: Would that be Stan Gittins you take your name from? Good player and great lad, he along with Terry Gorman were two Leigh lads who graced the Mount for many years along with a host of other Leigh born player's at that time including the great Tommy Martyn senior. Terry being the player coach at the time - if I recall correctly - devised a team which he named 'Terry Gorman's Lancashire Juniors' to play a preseason game at the mount '68 or '69, we were all Leigh Lads who were dyed in the wool RL lads but played Union for a local works team the BICC, if you recall Tommy Martyn's he ean with his kness high up and trying to effect a tackle one of his rock hard kness hit me fairly and squarely in the earhole, I swear it whistled for a couple of weeks! Thanks for stirring my memories GF, great days and great times, I made many trips to the Mount and still do when Leigh play, do you still travel? Perhap's we can meet up over a pint when our respective teams clash and bore the pants of any young un's in listening distance Yes Stan was my hero back in the day.I was at that game when Gorman brought the Leigh lads over.I think it would have been about 1968 but couldn't be sure.Tommy Martyn was a cracking player even in his early days at Batley.I think another to sign from that team was a centre called John Cooke.Could be wrong on that it was 50 years ago. Went to Leigh a few times and one memory stands out.A gang of us went over in the back of a furniture van and we pulled up in the centre of Leigh for a few pints.Should have seen peoples faces when a load of blokes jumped out of the back.We missed the K.O. and were 8-0 up when we got in but lost 30odd to 8.Never mind.A great day out was rounded off with a few hours in Oldham. Afraid I don't go to games now as I live Norfolk.To be honest lost a bit of interest in the modern game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnM Posted November 24, 2019 Share Posted November 24, 2019 Station Road. The ground of my youth...as a spectator of course. The demise of coach trips, though. To what extent is this due to the ban on carrying alcohol? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bromleybulldog Posted November 24, 2019 Share Posted November 24, 2019 11 hours ago, gittinsfan said: However going over the pennines to watch the big games at Station Road give me some of the best memories.We weren't old enough to drive but the Yorkshire Bus Co put on trips then. Yorkshire Woollen District buses. Not always coaches but quite often just the standard service double deckers- and usually the oldest most clapped out ones at that. Remember going on one of their worst buses to Bramley. The engine overheated going up the hill from Birstall Smithies and we had to stop while the driver added water to the radiator. Arrived at 2:59 though! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stirk Posted November 24, 2019 Share Posted November 24, 2019 Brilliant ramblings, I remember going to watch Fartown v Liverpool City 1963. 1st round of challenge cup. Liverpool won 3-2... could go on and on began watching 1958......like a lot of people think, the game Has gone downhill for me... maybe it’s because we are old farts, oh for those old banger buses again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry Stottle Posted November 24, 2019 Share Posted November 24, 2019 3 hours ago, gittinsfan said: Yes Stan was my hero back in the day.I was at that game when Gorman brought the Leigh lads over.I think it would have been about 1968 but couldn't be sure.Tommy Martyn was a cracking player even in his early days at Batley.I think another to sign from that team was a centre called John Cooke.Could be wrong on that it was 50 years ago. Went to Leigh a few times and one memory stands out.A gang of us went over in the back of a furniture van and we pulled up in the centre of Leigh for a few pints.Should have seen peoples faces when a load of blokes jumped out of the back.We missed the K.O. and were 8-0 up when we got in but lost 30odd to 8.Never mind.A great day out was rounded off with a few hours in Oldham. Afraid I don't go to games now as I live Norfolk.To be honest lost a bit of interest in the modern game. You are very correct John Cooke did play at Batley and Swinton and was a stalwart for many years at Legh Miners Welfare ARLFC, sadly we lost John early this year, a thoroughly decent bloke and friend to all who knew him, I can never ever recall anyone having a bad word for him save for some opposition player's he was one big hard individual who asked for nor ever gave any quater on the field, totally different off it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry Stottle Posted November 24, 2019 Share Posted November 24, 2019 50 minutes ago, bromleybulldog said: Yorkshire Woollen District buses. Not always coaches but quite often just the standard service double deckers- and usually the oldest most clapped out ones at that. Remember going on one of their worst buses to Bramley. The engine overheated going up the hill from Birstall Smithies and we had to stop while the driver added water to the radiator. Arrived at 2:59 though! Nothing wrong with punctuality BB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fairfolly Posted November 24, 2019 Share Posted November 24, 2019 I remember my first away game well. My Uncle had an old banger of a van,no idea what sort, and he decided to take my dad and my brothers and cousins to Wigan 1952. All the lads ,6 of us were in the back and it seemed to take us hours to get across the old East Lancs Rd. All the way from Bradford. If I remember it was a cup game 28-12 to Wigan I seem to remember. What I do remember is seeing,to me at the time,a big ugly prop forward with a scrum cap on, I think it was Ken Gee, he scared me to death just looking at him.I would think in todays game he would probably be too small to be a prop.Also I seem to remember the hooker Joe Egan. I had the pleasure of meeting him in Sydney in 1988 on the Aussie tour. I was introduced to him by my good friend Trevor Foster and was actually amazed how small he was. I am only about 5 foot 10 inch but I seemed to tower over him.Happy days,never to return unfortunately. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gittinsfan Posted November 24, 2019 Author Share Posted November 24, 2019 15 minutes ago, Harry Stottle said: You are very correct John Cooke did play at Batley and Swinton and was a stalwart for many years at Legh Miners Welfare ARLFC, sadly we lost John early this year, a thoroughly decent bloke and friend to all who knew him, I can never ever recall anyone having a bad word for him save for some opposition player's he was one big hard individual who asked for nor ever gave any quater on the field, totally different off it. Nice to know my memory still works some of the time. I suppose we are of an age where the heroes of youth have passed away or in their very old age.Very sad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Boriston Posted November 24, 2019 Share Posted November 24, 2019 Coaches and buses,.....you were lucky. We used to dream......anyway: Around 68/69 I left early to hitch from Salford to Headingley on Saturday for the big match at 3 pm. From Sheepfoot Lane near Heaton Park, my first lift came almost instantaneously at 9.30am and took me all the way to the Headingley area just in time for the pub outside one end of the ground, where we’d all agreed to meet, to open and let me in. Too pistolated to remember much about the game, but on the way beck we decided to return home on the train and so we each duly bought a threpenny platform ticket boarded the train and climbed over a wall at M/cr Victoria. Salford had lost as usual, but that didn't seem to matter. Other Salford adventures: Nicking the ball at Blackpool Borough whilst stood on top of the scoreboard hut. Jimmy Hardacre and his family stopping to give me a lift to the Saints away game. Being escorted out of the Willows during a Saints game because we were sat in the stand without a ticket, only for 3 minutes later, the same steward letting me back in at three-quarter time. Going on the lash after the Warrington Cup semi win at Central Park in 69, aged 15 by now, and wondering what the fuss was about when I walked back into the house on Sunday evening.. Happy days...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gittinsfan Posted November 24, 2019 Author Share Posted November 24, 2019 32 minutes ago, John Boriston said: Coaches and buses,.....you were lucky. We used to dream......anyway: Around 68/69 I left early to hitch from Salford to Headingley on Saturday for the big match at 3 pm. From Sheepfoot Lane near Heaton Park, my first lift came almost instantaneously at 9.30am and took me all the way to the Headingley area just in time for the pub outside one end of the ground, where we’d all agreed to meet, to open and let me in. Too pistolated to remember much about the game, but on the way beck we decided to return home on the train and so we each duly bought a threpenny platform ticket boarded the train and climbed over a wall at M/cr Victoria. Salford had lost as usual, but that didn't seem to matter. Other Salford adventures: Nicking the ball at Blackpool Borough whilst stood on top of the scoreboard hut. Jimmy Hardacre and his family stopping to give me a lift to the Saints away game. Being escorted out of the Willows during a Saints game because we were sat in the stand without a ticket, only for 3 minutes later, the same steward letting me back in at three-quarter time. Going on the lash after the Warrington Cup semi win at Central Park in 69, aged 15 by now, and wondering what the fuss was about when I walked back into the house on Sunday evening.. Happy days...... We should have met up in those days, could have had some good times by the sound of things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ELBOWSEYE Posted November 24, 2019 Share Posted November 24, 2019 11 hours ago, Harry Stottle said: we were all Leigh Lads who were dyed in the wool RL lads but played Union for a local works team the BICC, I seem to recall the BICC team was full of league lads when it was almost a capitol crime for RL lads to go near a union team. Played 6 matches for them whilst my ban was being served ,super after match #### ups. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The British Lion Posted November 25, 2019 Share Posted November 25, 2019 On 24/11/2019 at 00:18, gittinsfan said: I' m a batley fan but that's irrelevant. Many years ago me and my mate (BARRY PICKUP) used to watcth Batley home and away. We also tried to watch other big games at various grounds. Iremember being threatened at a semi final at Headingley because we shouted for the wrong side. That would have been in the sixties. However going over the pennines to watch the big games at Station Road give me some of the best memories.We weren't old enough to drive but the Yorkshire Bus Co put on trips then. Sorry but just some late night musings of an old man. The young uns of today don't know what they are missing. I remember one of my first games as a Wire fan, when Swinton were in the Stones Bitter Top division. Wire lost! It poured with rain. I got separated from my Dad in the crowd. But, I remember! And that's when RL was truly open and competitive. Anyone (with the exception of Wigan - full time) could beat anyone on their day. You could argue that now of course. But the play was that much more open and entertaining imo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bedfordshire Bronco Posted November 25, 2019 Share Posted November 25, 2019 On 24/11/2019 at 00:18, gittinsfan said: The young uns of today don't know what they are missing. National Service? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gittinsfan Posted November 25, 2019 Author Share Posted November 25, 2019 52 minutes ago, Bedfordshire Bronco said: National Service? Even I missed out on National Service. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnM Posted November 26, 2019 Share Posted November 26, 2019 On 24/11/2019 at 09:53, Johnoco said: Nothing wrong with a bit of reminiscing pal. Exactly. No one under 65 should be allowed to post on this topic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnM Posted November 27, 2019 Share Posted November 27, 2019 21 hours ago, Johnoco said: Bit ageist? Not at all. Merely a matter of recording the experiences of proper fans, rather than newbies who have put in a mere 50 years or so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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