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Tigers' history

Discussion in 'Hull City' started by Craigo, Nov 3, 2011.

  1. Craigo

    Craigo Well-Known Member

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    City - The Promotion seasons: 1948-49

    1948-49 - Raich Carter

    In Tigers history, many players stand out as legends, but to my mind there are none greater than Horatio Carter, Raich to his many many fans. His signing in March 1948 became one of the great turning points of the post war era. However, it also saw the departure of Carter's predecessor, Major Frank Buckley, as the negotiations leading to Carter's arrival at Boothferry Park were conducted behind the Major's back by the board of directors. Sure enough, the Major decided enough was enough and promptly resigned two days after the deal was concluded, leaving just Carter as player/assistant manager. Wisely the board gave Raich the full job and he spent the rest of the 1947-48 season assessing his team, adding just left winger Eddie Burbanks from Sunderland (an old team mate) and the milti-talented Dane, Viggo Jensen.

    Raich Carter firmly believed that 'once a man has assumed a settled position, he should be allowed to make a speciality of it'. Of course this was in stark contrast to the Major's 'rotational' philosophy, which saw first 43 players making an appearance in a City shirt in 46-47 and 38 the following year. Carter proved the philosphy sound within weeks of the start of the new season. Quiet off the field and a steadying influence on it, Carter believed that if the players played to their abilities, 'high-class football', then the result would take care of itself...

    August and September saw City rocket to the top of the 3rd Division (North) as they won their first 9 games on the spin, scoring 28 goals conceding just 6, using only 12 players in those 9 games. Yes, Raich knew what he was doing, he knew his players and they trusted him.

    October saw more of the same with City staying in charge of the division with just Rotherham being able to keep up with them. Surprisingly, City lost their first game against Darlington in front of 43,000 at BP, but this was just a very minor pothole on the road. Few teams could stop City and the imperious manner in which they played was a joy to see.

    City carried on their merry way in November, crushing Southport 5-1 at home, and disposing of Accrington in the Cup by 3-1. No team really knew how to slow the Tigers down, most could hold them for a time, which wasn't enough.

    December brought the next round of the Cup, with Reading the visitors, who managed to keep it to 0-0 after extra time. For the replay, Carter dropped himself and the team showed that they weren't a one man team by winning 2 goals to 1. The Christmas break saw a double header against their promotion rivals, Rotherham, and for the Christmas Day game at BP, 55,000 plus wanted tickets to see how the Tigers would do. Curiously the FA has the attendance listed as 54,000 (it being all-ticket), but only 49,000 actually went through the turnstiles, what happened to the others?? In the end City came out on top, beating the Millers 3-2. My father actually remembers being at this game as a boy of 7, and what a game to start a lifelong interest in the Tigers! The return match saw a hard fought 0-0 draw in the return at Millmoor two days later.

    January, then as now, brings the big names into the FA Cup and City had drawn Blackburn Rovers from Division 2, at Ewood Park. However, this meant nothing to the Tigers rampant squad who turned them out with a 2-1 win, in extra time. They didn't neglect the league either, registering another 5 points from 6!

    City's reward for their fine win in the previous round was a trip to Grimsby, and the Mariners were likely to prove no push overs. Raich decided that he needed to play in this one, and it turned out he was right. Two goals each in the last 17 minutes of the first half sent the teams in at half-time level, and the second half promised much as the teams went at each other with great intensity. There was just 3 minutes left, when City forward Norman Moore's latched onto a mishit clearance to bang home the winner.

    By now City had fallen off the top of the league table due to the Cup run, but they made sure of their second place by seeing off Halifax to the tune of 6-0 as February opened. Then the Cup came round again...

    Carter's team had drawn a plum tie in the 5th round, away at first division Stoke City. Before the game Raich repeated his mantra of playing high quality football and the result would take care of itself. And take care of itself it did! At times, it was hard to tell who was the higher placed team as City ran all over them. In what was acclaimed as their finest performance of the season, Raich rolled back to his pre-war glory days. His display was a masterclass of what would now be midfield play and Stoke were lucky to go down only 2-0 as the Tigers clearly stated their intent to play proper football.

    By now, City were getting noticed, and the 6th round draw was eagerly awaited as the fans fancied their chances of repeating the feat of the 29-30 team in getting to the semi-finals. City's number came out at home but who would be visiting the dynamic Tigers? Manchester United! The Reds were chasing Portsmouth for the title and there was no question that it would be an enormous challenge.

    Before this, City had to face another league match but 'after the Lord Mayor's show comes the muckcart' and City went down to a defeat against the division's bottom team, Bradford City, 4-2.

    The city was buzzing with unparalleled ecitement and the demand for tickets was colossal, and with the additon of a temporary stand, over 55,000 tickets were sold for a match that no-one wanted to miss.

    Although it was a big game, it was never a classic like the others of the cup-run. United were as fast and accurate as the Tigers, but both defences held, despite Carter's industry. United knew that they had to keep Raich quiet and they did, relatively. However, there was less than 20 minutes on the clock when City almost took the lead, but from the clearance off the line, United counter attacked. Jimmy Delaney pushed the ball past City half back Allan Mellor, who gave up the ball as dead. Delaney managed to just keep the ball in, crossed for Stan Pearson to prod the ball home despite the attentions of Billy Bly, who ended the game with a broken nose for his trouble. Some fans swore the ball HAD gone dead, but the referee awarded the goal, and City were out.

    However, the league title was still available but City had a massive backlog of fixtures to complete, 17 games in 63 days and four games in hand over Rotherham, who had a four point lead. Undaunted, they were unbeaten in March, taking 10 points from 12, gaining revenge on Darlington for the earlier defeat by winning at Feethams.

    The crunch came in April, 9 games in 30 days. City kept up their high standards by picking up 14 of those 18 points. One result that hurt was the visit of York City who, being no respecter of of position, decide to force City's first league defeat for 8 games, 3-2. Is there no wonder sometimes we hated those Minstermen? Yet no matter, because when April ended, City had taken the division title, thrashing Stockport 6-1 on the 30th, Rotherham only being able to draw against Carlisle.

    2 games were left in the season, almost meaningless really, but Doncaster came to town on May 4th, and left with both points, 0-1. Only two teams managed to avoid losing to City that City, Doncaster was one and Rochdale were the other. A point at Brunton Park on the final day of the season was enough to make sure City were champions by 3 points from Rotherham.

    Raich had produced a team that played the game in the way it should be played, and letting the result take care of itself. Its a shame that more managers couldn't take heed of Carter's philosophy today!

    City were actually better away from BP during the season, winning 10 and drawing 10, the defeat by Bradford City being the only time they were bested on their travels. Another record set this season was that 1.37 million watched City home and away, league and cup, with Boothferry Park averaging 36,000 per game. What times, what football, what players!

    Division 3 (North)
    1 Hull City P42; W27; D11; L4; F93; A28; Pts 65
    ------------------------------------------------------
    2 Rotherham P42; W28; D 6; L8; F90; A46; Pts 62
    3 Doncaster P42; W20; D10; L12; F53; A40; Pts 50

    Goalscorers
    Moore 28 goals (37 games); Carter 17 (44); Jensen 15 (34); Harrison 12 (49); Burbanks 9 (30); Buchan 8 (28); Price 5 (8); Greenhalgh 4 (48 games); Conway 2 (3); Durham 1 (15); Mellor 1 (27); Bloxham 1 (4); Shepherd 1 (6); OG 1
    By Rabid Rob http://www.hull.vitalfootball.co.uk/sitepage.asp?a=43790
     
    #81
  2. Craigo

    Craigo Well-Known Member

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    City - The Promotion seasons - 1958-59

    1958-59 - Bob Brocklebank

    The years after Carter's departure in 1952 were tough for City, the club rarely being seen above halfway in the table and 1956 saw City drop back to the Northern section of the 3rd division, coincidentally as Carter led his Leeds team to the 1st division after beating City at Boothferry Park. I doubt it gave Raich much pleasure to achieve it at his former club. His successor at City, Bob Jackson, had failed dismally and so the directors turned to Brocklebank in 1956. He had his problems throughout that time, even during the promotion season, with 3 players, Bradbury, Bulless and Cripsey asking for transfers with the season just a few weeks old...

    City had a fairly poor start to the season, with the club only picking up 5 points from the first 7 games. The players were struggling to make any headway and after a heavy 6-1 thrashing at Southampton, matters were coming to a head. What was said at this point can only be guessed at but it was certainly effective as City then went on a 4 game winning streak, starting with a 5-0 win over Notts County. Thanks to this amazing turnround in form City were now in a stronger position to start October.

    The team now looked like they were just that, a team. 3 wins and 2 defeats during October kept them moving up the table, and after the player unrest at the start, some were even considering City's chances of the promotion, but in reality, it still didn't appear likely.

    November was all City, 100% in the league, included a 5-3 defeat of Bournemouth and a hat-trick by Colin Smith, City's leading forward, signalled that this team had now to be taken seriously. The only blip was a 1-0 loss to Stockport in the Cup, which made it certain they could 'concentrate on the league'.

    December and the Christmas holidays weren't that successful as the team picked up only 6 points of the 10 on offer, but they had now reached 2nd in the league, chasing Plymouth hard. Thankfully, they didn't lose points in the fixture between the teams, sharing a 1-1 draw.

    January kept City in the hunt after the Pilgrims again taking 6 from 10, and the highlight was a comfortable 4-0 win over Bradford City, Bill Bradbury hitting his second hat-trick of the season.

    City were on a roll now, and February was much the same as November, City applying real pressure on the Pilgrims after 4 wins from 4. By now it was a 4 horse race between City, Plymouth, Brentford and Norwich and any slip would make it hard to recover from.

    City's winning run came to an end at Tranmere in March, but it was nothing compared to the following day's top of the table clash with Norwich at BP. It was a game neither could afford to lose, and the seasons highest attendance of 24,000 made their way along Boothferry Road to see if City could make it theirs. In the end, the game ended 3-3, which didn't really help at all.

    However, they entered the final month of the season with a chance to at least win promotion, at times it seemed like they were suddenly nervous. The first half of April brought City just 4 from 8 points, and suddenly promotion was slipping away if they were not careful. But a win over Doncaster with 2 matches left took City to the brink of promotion, leaving them 2 points to get from those last 2 matches.

    Bury were the visitors and City knew what they had to do. In the end it turned out to be a formality, Bill Bradbury and Brian Bulless clinching it. But the season wasn't over yet.

    Plymouth and City went into the last game of the season level on points, 61 points each with City having the better goal average. Basically if City won at Wrexham, Plymouth couldn't touch them. Even a point would do, as Bradford were a good mid-table team and wouldn't be likely to roll over.

    As it turned out, the worst happened, City collapsed to a 5-1 defeat, leaving them waiting on the Plymouth game. As it turned out the Pilgrims had held on a draw and took the title to the south-west... Where have we heard this one before?

    Final 1958/1959 English Division 3 (old) Table

    1 Plymouth P46; W23; D16; L 7; F89; A59 Pts 62; Gl av 0.5084
    2 Hull City P46; W26; D 9; L11; F90; A55 Pts 61; Gl av 0.6363
    -----------------------------------------------------------------
    3 Brentford P46; W21; D15; L10; F76; A40 Pts 57; Gl av 0.5510

    Goalscorers (all competitions)
    Bradbury 30 (46 games), Smith 26 (46), Clarke 12 (46), Coates 9 (42), Bowering 6 (44), Bulless 2 (30), Davidson 1 (26 games), Garvey 1 (30), OG 1.
    By Rabid Rob http://www.hull.vitalfootball.co.uk/sitepage.asp?a=43984
     
    #82
  3. Craigo

    Craigo Well-Known Member

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    City - The Promotion seasons - 1965-66

    1965-66 - Cliff Britton
    In the previous season, City had been in the hunt at the start of the Easter programme of matches but a disatrous return of one point from a possible 6 put paid to that idea. Despite that failure at the last hurdle, City had been changed into promotion candidates thanks to a gift of £200,000 worth of shares in chairman Harold Needler's gravel company in 1963. These had doubled in value pretty quickly and given City manager Cliff Britton a transfer fund that was the envy of many top clubs at the time, estimated to be close to £500,000.

    One of Briton's successes didn't cost the club a bean. A young lad from Sproatley was knocking the goals in, but he needed a partner to act as a foil to his strengths. In November 1964, Britton found just the player he needed. A 21 year old forward, scoring goals at Mansfield Town, having learned his trade under City legend Raich Carter. £40,000 was a lot of money for a player in City's position then but in hindsight, it was the footballing equivalent of a smash and grab raid. Step forward, Chris Chilton and Ken Wagstaff.

    However, Britton hadn't stopped with the spending. In January 1965, he spent another £80,000 to bring in a tricky, pacy winger and a midfield general, Ian Butler and Ken Houghton, from Rotherham United. These four, allied to Ray Henderson, made up City's forward line in the latter months of the 64-65 season.

    Changes were also being made to the stadium, the open terrace at the south of Boothferry Park, commonly known as Bunkers Hill, was being transformed with a whole new construction. Everything was now taking shape, but would the team continue to make the same progress?

    By the time September came around, City had taken their place at the top of the division after beating Scunthorpe and Brighton, and taking a point at Watford. It was too early to dream but perhaps City would have a good season, right? By the end of September, those hopes had taken a dent, after beating Swindon on the opening day of the month, City only registered one win in that time, away at Mansfield. Plus they'd been knocked out of the League Cup by the odd goal in 7 in a replay to Derby, which would have disappointed the team.

    October brought better results. 9 goals in a week against Exeter and Oldham served notice on the rest of the league. Chilton, Houghton and Wagstaff were practically scoring goals for fun by this time and only the 2-4 defeat at Swansea didn't have any of them on the scoresheet, Ian Butler and Ray Henderson registering that time. Plus rarely a game went by without City scoring, only Workington keeping City to nil, in a 3-0 defeat.

    November saw them keep up their chase for the top spot, staying unbeaten throughout the month. The 1st round of the FA Cup was safely negotiated, City seeing off Bradford Park Avenue 3-2.

    City started off December by going to Gateshead, and thumping four past them, only Chillo of the forwards not scoring. The visit of Bristol Rovers promised much and by the end, they must have wondered what on earth had hit them, as City made the keepers life a misery, beating him 6 times. Even Chris Simpkin got in on the act!

    The Boxing Day visit of Millwall would decide who would take top spot and the biggest crowd for 15 years, 40,200, thronged to the Fer Ark to watch the battle. In the end, an own-goal by Millwall's Gilchrist settled the issue in the Tigers favour. The return match was the following day, and the Lions made City pay with a 3-0 defeat. The lead in the division had changed hand twice in the space of a day.

    The New Years Day game against Swansea saw City take it out on the Swans to the tune of 4-1 and Waggy stealing a brace, this team was now on the verge of something special. An unsuccessful trip to Swindon left City in second place but it was soon sorted against Workington. City hadn't forgotten the result of the first game at Borough Park, and rammed 6 past them with the usual suspects scoring, and an unusual one in Alan Jarvis. This was the start of an amazing run for City. Southampton were seen off in the Cup, and February dawned bright for City.

    The month saw them pick up 7 points from 8, scoring 11 goals and conceding just 3, the pick being a 4-0 vitory over Mansfield. Throw in a 2-0 defeat of Nottm Forest, two rare goals from Terry Heath settling the result, and no wonder people started to seriously mark City as a danger.

    March was a month the likes of which we've rarely seen since. Southport were dispatched in the 5th round of the Cup, thanks to Chillo's endeavours, making City the lowest ranked team in the 6th round, yet its debatable whether any of the remaining teams really wanted to face them. In the league, City's unbeaten run extended, 3 further wins, making it 12 games unbeaten, 11 wins and 1 draw. But the game everyone wanted to see was the 6th round tie, away to Chelsea, on 26th March.

    At the end of the first half, the 6,000 or so City fans in Stamford Bridge must have feared the worst as City were behind to goals from Bobby Tambling and George Graham. But a classic piece of opportunism from Waggy nicked a goal back, after Peter Bonetti had missed an Ian Butler cross with 10 minutes left. City threw everything forward as Chelsea held on desperately to a game they thought they had wrapped up. With seconds left on the referee's watch, Waggy took the ball forward, broke a tackle, waltzed around Bonetti and buried it in the net for a replay. Oh to have been in the crowd as the whistle went...!

    The replay, 5 days later, saw 45,000 squeeze into the Ark, hoping to see City 'finish the job'. However, Chelsea were in no mood to be as generous this time round. Peter Osgood, who missed the first game, scored early to put City under the hammer. George Graham added a second to make it really hard for City, but a long range drive from Chris Simpkin brought City back into the frame. On the hour, Chelsea broke down the right and Osgood's cross was bundled home by Tambling to knock City out of the Cup.

    City's unbeaten League run continued into April with another 5 wins, and another 16 goals to boot, Waggy and Chillo running riot. It took a 1-0 defeat by those rotten codheads of Grimsby to end it. The shock to the system must have got to City cos then the lost again, a trip to Peterborough saw City leave with a 4-1 humbling. A win by the same score over Brentford placed City in line for promotion with plenty to spare.

    May opened and City knew that if they could beat Bristol Rovers at Eastville, then it was likely promotion would be theirs with games to spare. A goal each from the Dangerous Duo confirmed their promotion, but there was still a greater prize on offer, the championship title. A draw at Bournemouth set them up nicely with the last 2 games to be played at the Ark.

    Peterborough were sent packing 2-1 and 3 days later, Southend came to visit, hoping for a point themselves and denying City the prize. Yet City were not to be denied, and a classic Ian Butler goal, stealing in from City's left wing and burying a shot in the keeper's bottom left corner, in front of a packed Bunkers Hill, was enough. As the final whistle went, the euphoria saw the pitch invaded and the players were called for from the dressing room time and again...

    1965-66 3rd Division table

    1 Hull City P46; W31; D7; L8; F109; A62; Pts 69
    2 Millwall P46; W27; D11; L8; F76; A43; Pts 65
    -------------------------------------------------
    3 QPR P46; W24; D9; L13; F96; A65; Pts 57

    Goalscorers(all competitions)
    Chilton 31 goals (55 games), Wagstaff 29 (54), Houghton 27 (54 games), I Butler 15 (54), Henderson 14 (47+1), OG 5, Jarvis 3 (40), Simpkin 3 (54), Heath 2 (11+3).

    I would like to thank Wold Top Brewery, the Scissor Sisters and the Fratellis for their assistance in completing this one! I couldn't have managed it without their help...
    By Rabid Rob http://www.hull.vitalfootball.co.uk/sitepage.asp?a=44250
     
    #83
  4. Craigo

    Craigo Well-Known Member

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    City - 1965-66: memories of a fan

    It was indeed, an exciting season, in what was a very exciting time for a sixteen year old to be growing up. I`d been watching the Tigers since my dad took me along as a six year old in 1955, but you could sense that this team was something very special.

    Cliff Britton certainly had his critics, but the windfall from the Needler family enabled him to put together a team capable of going all the way (or so we thought at the time). Some personal recollections of that team:

    Maurice Swan in goal - not flashy, not spectacular, but usually sound. City let in 62 goals in 46 league games, but we never worried - we were always going to score more.

    Jock Davidson at right full back was nearing the end of his career, but anyone tackled by Jock, knew they`d been tackled. Dennis Butler at left full back - always dependable and could be dangerous on his occasional forays up the left wing.

    The half back line - Chris Simpkin, never stopped trying and the real engine house of the team, linked well with Alan Jarvis, slightly more cultured and seemed to have more time on the ball than his team mates. Big Mick Milner at centre half, was simply big Mick Milner! Prone to errors of judgement, but always there to clear the lines from any high balls.

    It was the forward line that caused all the excitement in Hull in the mid-sixties. Ray Henderson, much maligned, but another solid grafter who chipped in with 14 goals. Ken Houghton - a very classy link between midfield and the forwards - 27 goals. Ian Butler, so tricky out on the left wing, he could ghost past defenders before they even knew he was there and also contributed 15 goals.

    Which leaves us with the two legends. Ken Wagstaff (31 goals) was simply the most charismatic and gifted player I have had the pleasure of watching in City`s colours in 50 years. Quite simply, when Waggy was on the ball, the crowd held their breath because anything could happen. Opposition defenders (certainly third division defenders) could not handle him. It is often said that he would have played for England if he was with a more fashionable club. In my opinion, he could have graced any first division club at the time.

    Chris Chilton was the old fashioned, bulldozing, centre-forward. I believe he would have run through a brick wall for the Tigers. Chillo was excellent in the air and just as strong and committed on the ground. The perfect foil for Waggy`s trickery, they had an almost telepathic understanding on the pitch. Chillo scored 29 times - that`s 60 goals between the two of them. What would they be worth today?

    There were so many highlights that season that are still ingrained on the memory, but I`m sure that if anyone else was at Stamford Bridge in March `66 for the sixth round cup-tie, they will never forget the last 10 minutes when Waggy turned the game around. Another five minutes and the game was there for the taking and who knows what would have happened then?

    I have so many happy memories of those times. Boothferry Park filled to the rafters, attacking football week after glorious week, home and away. But most of all it was FUN. There were characters in that team that brought a smile to everyone`s face. When you went though the turnstiles at Boothferry Park in 1965/66, you knew one thing for certain - you were going to be entertained.
    Thank you, Peter – Rabid Rob http://www.hull.vitalfootball.co.uk/sitepage.asp?a=44724
     
    #84
  5. Craigo

    Craigo Well-Known Member

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    Bremners (RIP) debut for City v Forest, Oct 1975? Viv Anderson did make his debut too as sub. Peter Shilton was in goal for Forest.
    Big crowd for the day, about double the normal, and yes Hemmermans disallowed goals.
    Unlucky player Hemmerman, he once won the goal of the month scoring at Wolves for City on BBC MOTD amd the tape of his goal diappeared at the end of season vote off for goal of the season. I wrote to Jimmy Hill and complained.
    Forest were a bigger club than us from then on for a generation, winning the league and the European Cup twice. We went the other way down the tables.
    By TUBBYLARD ( Hull City Mad Forum)

    My first game was the Liverpool FA Cup game- I had been brought up as a Reds fan and went really to watch them. I remember going in to the ground- I was about 9 years old at the time and thinking what a "c**p hole"- I had been to loads of other grounds which at the time where of a far greater standard than 'Fer Ark'.

    But I fell in love with the Tigers that day. I finally became proud of my home town club.

    Since that day I have been to many games- usually stood in the South Stand. Many highs - including watching City demolish York 4-0 and Mansfield 4-1 in the 2001 season- my first season pass year! To losing 4-0 to Luton that same season (a real low) - and shaking Sir Bobby Robson's hand (a high!)- I think he had been to watch one of the Luton players.

    The last game at Boothferry Park was such a disappointment- I remember the Darlington fans chanting about spoiling our party!! Then running on the pitch at the end was great.

    I remember playing in the last ever game at Boothferry park- the official supporters club vs. Staff. Great fun...

    Sad memories, happy ones and many in between. Much missed (from a sentimental point of view). Much loved- but not a patch on the KC!!!

    So Long BP By Phil Hunter
     
    #85
  6. Jimmy Graham's bald head

    Jimmy Graham's bald head Well-Known Member

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    Can anyone verify this? Now this thread had dredged up this memory I want to know if it was made up or not!
     
    #86
  7. Craigo

    Craigo Well-Known Member

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    I remember them doing that for a while too. I think it was when Don Robinson first took over, but after a while it stopped - probably when the price of plastic footballs went up.
     
    #87
  8. charles stokell

    charles stokell Active Member

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    I've been a city fan since 1946 I even rode in the lorries that dumped the pulled down air raid shelter rubble to make Bunkers Hill, which became south stand. My first match was City v Blackburn Rovers in the FA cup. City lost 3-0. After the 2nd world war. Hull city up to 1950 had played more cup ties than any other football league team they got into the third round or more almost every year.
    Another fact in November 1955 they played a Russian team (Spartak I think) and beat them 3-0 but the national press had criticsed the FA for letting the game go ahead because they had beaten three 1st division teams prior. They said it would be an embarrasment to English football if the game went ahead, It was good to read read the papers next day
     
    #88
  9. charles stokell

    charles stokell Active Member

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    Brillient post and brings back lots of memories, not just of football but of the pals I used to have and lots of saturday afternoon friends.
     
    #89
  10. Nick HCAFC

    Nick HCAFC Active Member

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    I remember them kicking the balls into the crowd in the eighties as being a kid I always wanted one
     
    #90

  11. Yardley Tiger

    Yardley Tiger Active Member

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    Thanks for all the great memory jogs. This should be turned into a book! Personally I am terrible about dates but I remember going to BP as a lad to see Raich Carter's team in the 1940s. One particular unusual incldent I remember was when we went to see the Tigers who were playing Chesterfield away. It was a nice sunny day but there was a gale blowing straight down the pitch. So when the Chesterfield goalkeeper punted the ball (no one threw the ball out in those days) with the wind behind him it just sailed over the dead ball line at the other end. Billy Bly, the Tigers goalkeeper (in the standard goalkeeper green jersey of the time and wearing a flat 'at) could only take the goal kick if one of the full backs held the ball still on the six yard line. Then, the wind was so strong and the leather ball so heavy that he couldn't kick it out the eighteen yard area. It was the most ridiculous game of football I have ever watched.

    I also remember the wooden rattles that were remnants of the war for giving warning of a gas attack that were used to make noise at games, Tiger Rag, and of course standing behind the crush barriers.
     
    #91
  12. Mrs. BLUE_MOUNTAINS_BEAR

    Mrs. BLUE_MOUNTAINS_BEAR Well-Known Member

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    Charles. My husband tells me that his uncle also worked at Boothferry Park on the construction of Bunkers Hill. He was a labourer and the other job he remembers him being involved with was the removal of the King Billy statue from Hull for the duration of WW2. It was moved to Sancton near Market Weighton and returned to the Market Place site in 1948.

    Talking about 1948 brings him to the '48/49 season and the Manchester United match.It was all-ticket and they went on sale to the general public on the Sunday morning before the match with an allocation of 2/person. His dad was working and asked him to go so he caught the first bus from Preston Road and joined a queue of thousands around 7 am about a 100yds beyond the railway bridge with ticket sales starting at around 9.It was cold but thankfully dry and ultimately he neared his ticket point only to be alerted by a guy walking down the queues saying that only 1 ticket/person would now be issued.He was given 1 adult ticket which went to his dad and he missed the match-the first home match missed since the league programme commenced in '46. He did not make it to Wembley either but that is another story!

    Ps. Have noted when you will reach the "4 score" mark.
     
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  13. Craigo

    Craigo Well-Known Member

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    Charles and Yardley, welcome to the thread and thanks for your stories. I had no idea that Bunkers Hill was built from air raid rubble or that the wooden rattles I always thought were just football rattles were actually made to warn of a gas attack – fascinating stuff.
    Clearly Hull City AFC had a lot to do with restoring some sort of normality to a flattened City and battered people after the war. I found this interesting article on Raich Carter (below) that also mentions this:

    Raich Carter
    Many Hullensians still have an understandable chip on their shoulder about the lack of publicity (and subsequent funding) regarding the pounding the city took from the Luftwaffe in the Second World War. If you don’t know the facts, then shame on you, but suffice to say that wartime Home Secretary Herbert Morrison considered Hull the worst affected city in the UK by such raids. Basically, post-war Hull was a mess and morale was at rock bottom.
    Why am I going on about this? Because it helps put into context just how important Raich Carter was to the city and its football team….
    ….. Raich’s stats – 136 games, 57 goals – don’t necessarily tell the full story either, the story of the hope he gave a bomb-battered city and its underperforming football club, the flashes of skill that could change a game, the cheeky penalties where he would pass the ball to a team-mate instead of shooting, the fact that one of the country’s finest players was gracing the black and amber.
    Full article By Amber Nectar; http://www.ambernectar.org/blog/2011/03/the-soul-of-hull-city-part-six/
     
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  14. nwtiger

    nwtiger Member

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    As an eight year old i was in the queue with my Dad for what seemed a week,for tickets for the Man U cup tie,we never got any and I was very upset.
    My first game at B.P was Raich Carters debut,with father.Living near the ground we haunted B.P,saw all the night games under floodlights against exotic opposition,reserve games,Sunday league finals,the lot.
    Am also an O.G,Wilberforce House 51-56,never liked it and always wished I`d gone to Kingston from Wheeler st.school.
    Very few City supporters in my form at Grammar,we seemed to have a lot of North Hull boys,and Iwas a member of Hall Road youth club,which was a good way from West Hull.
    Favourite games attended,City v Spurs cup tie 53-54,1-1,can see Jensen being hacked down by Alf Ramsey(I THINK)even now,and then Viggo scoring the pen.
    Xmas 65-66 City v Millwall,1-0 ,crammed into North Stand with 40,000+ late Waggy deflected goal ,magic.
    Wembley 2008,when I found myself watching the big screen more than the pitch !!!!in the second half ,frightened the lead was going to be taken away from us somehow.!!
     
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  15. Craigo

    Craigo Well-Known Member

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    Thanks nwtiger not least for your memory of Wembley. Believe it or not you are the first to give any account of our greatest day and for that matter anything more recent than the mid-2000s. It seems the oldies are really showing up some of the younger supporters on this thread.
     
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  16. Yardley Tiger

    Yardley Tiger Active Member

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    So CiN wants more modern memories. Ok I will skip the Waggy/Chillo years, and the dark years when I could get no information regarding the Tigers or anything else relating to the world outside the USA unless it involved the USA until the advent of computers and the internet. I had followed the previous games leading up to Wembley and appfoached the day with great excitement. A Brit friend who had a big screen TV and the Setanta channel invited me to his house. I arrived at his house dressed in every bit of black and amber I could find in a black and yellow Triumph TR6. Of course the game was broadcast live and was nail biting and then THAT goal. Campbell chases the ball to the left corner flag, turns and sends a perfect cross to Deano who volleys an unstoppable shot to the right side of the Bristol goal. The final whistle blows, Deano starts to run across the pitch and then Setanta switched immediately to a rugby game. If you remember the gane was delayed quite a long time because of a serious injury to a Bristol player. So I missed all the post match celebrations and trophy presentation - but really Setanta! I therefore drove home in seventh heaven and celebrated with a good pint of beer. If I knew how to add aphoto I would put it here.
     
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  17. Yardley Tiger

    Yardley Tiger Active Member

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    Hi CiN, I'm on a roll now. How about a story from the 1993/1994 season? I was visiting friends and relatives in Hull in August 1993. Not much still about the Tigers in the USA. It so happened that it was Saturday 21st August, the first home game of the season in Division Two (third division league) . So my wife, young son and I trotted along to the ticket office at Boothferry Park. Said we were visiting from the USA but I was a long time Tigers supporter. The lady behind the desk said they had tickets for the first home game of the season against Plymouth Argyle. This was not surprizing as the Tigers were going through some tough times and But she said hold it a minute and disappeared into the inner sanctum. We wondered what the problem was as it certainly wouldn't be a full crowd by any means. A minute ot two later she reappeared and told us she had three complimentary tickets and invited us into the director's box. Now this action really cemented why I am a Tigers supporter for life. The Tigers could ill afford to give up the money for three tickets, but they did.
    Terry Dolan was the Tigers manager and Peter Shilton was the Plymouth player manager so chance to see a legend - but he was injured so we only saw him close up coaching on the touchline.
    The game ended in a draw 2 - 2 but one of the scorers for the Tigers was THAT man Deano.
     
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  18. Mrs. BLUE_MOUNTAINS_BEAR

    Mrs. BLUE_MOUNTAINS_BEAR Well-Known Member

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    Hi Yardley T. Good to see you on here.We also saw the live TV match and all the post match pitch interviews including one with Mr Duffen. Much had been made about the 30 million quid bonanza available to the winner of the match in the pre match hype.The TV commentator asked him whether he was going to put the money into the bank account and he answered that it would all be spent on building a team for the Premier League( or words to that effect).He certainly kept his word there!
     
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  19. Craigo

    Craigo Well-Known Member

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    This is weird. We now have three accounts of Wembley; one from Yardley who watched it on the box in the USA, one from Mrs BMB who watched it on the box in Oz and one from nwtiger who went to the match but watched most of it on the big screen!
    I'm afraid I can't do any better because I watched it in a pub in Nottingham.
    Yardley if you want to post your pictures I find the best way is tinypic, so; google Tiny Pic, click browse and select the pic from your file, press upload, then it gives you about 3 code numbers for your pic, copy the one that says for messageboards. Then when you post on here click the square icon (above the text area) that says 'insert image' paste in the tinypic code and you're away.
     
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  20. BlackAndAmberGambler

    BlackAndAmberGambler Well-Known Member

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    Craig I happen to have a copy of Raich Carters biography, A Footballers Progress, signed by the man himself. It has some great stories in it.
     
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