My dear Dad passed away this morning after a long illness and battling the effects of a stroke 15 years back.
He saw PNE in the glory years and idolised Finney and also Matthews to similar degree. I loved his stories about the old times and how he started watching by sneaking under the turnstiles, sitting on the grass perimeter etc.
He introduced me to the whites in the late 70s, and my early memories on the West Stand are of watching Houghton, Bruce, etc. When PNE were away we went to Ewood to watch Rovers and I’ll be honest I had mixed loyalties for a long time but PNE were always his first and ours first love.
Unfortunately, the rise in hooliganism and violence, that culminated after we were caught up in the goings on after the PNE Chorley FA cup match at Ewood, was the beginning of the end of his football watching days. He watched from afar and was always glued to the radio/teletext/Jeff Stelling whenever we played.
Right up until the end he was always asking about PNE but thankfully he was not in a position to acknowledge the news from Bloomfield on Saturday.
I don’t know whether to thank him or not for the millstone around my neck that is being a PNE supporter, but thanks to that I have some amazing memories.
Thanks Pops, rest easy.
He saw PNE in the glory years and idolised Finney and also Matthews to similar degree. I loved his stories about the old times and how he started watching by sneaking under the turnstiles, sitting on the grass perimeter etc.
He introduced me to the whites in the late 70s, and my early memories on the West Stand are of watching Houghton, Bruce, etc. When PNE were away we went to Ewood to watch Rovers and I’ll be honest I had mixed loyalties for a long time but PNE were always his first and ours first love.
Unfortunately, the rise in hooliganism and violence, that culminated after we were caught up in the goings on after the PNE Chorley FA cup match at Ewood, was the beginning of the end of his football watching days. He watched from afar and was always glued to the radio/teletext/Jeff Stelling whenever we played.
Right up until the end he was always asking about PNE but thankfully he was not in a position to acknowledge the news from Bloomfield on Saturday.
I don’t know whether to thank him or not for the millstone around my neck that is being a PNE supporter, but thanks to that I have some amazing memories.
Thanks Pops, rest easy.
