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Brilliant story - amazing how we can sometimes recall details of tripsSilkyskills1 wrote: ↑Tue Apr 20, 2021 4:00 pmA coach left Haslingden around 8 am taking us to this game. Arguably the slowest coach I think I've ever travelled on, demonstrated aptly by us being overtaken on a steep road by a tractor just outside Oxford. It wasn't an eventful game but we were a club brimming with confidence and I always thought we would win. We were behind the open terrace where Billy Ingham nodded in the decisive second goal after the break along with a lot of Clarets who had made the difficult journey to the city of dreaming spires.
What I do recall on leaving the ground was seeing the Carlisle United team coach, they were playing there 24 hours later.
Time to settle back and enjoy the journey home. Well, that occurred until we reached Cheshire where eventually Tony Morgan,the organiser of the trip, was persuaded to ask the driver to pull in for a pub stop. Must add that Morgan didn't take too much persuading. Being Good Friday it was Sunday hours so last orders for 10 30. It was after that when the 'fun' began. For some reason we took a route through Manchester,along Deansgate where the coach collided with a stationary car. The police were called, the coach driver disappeared and re- appeared a couple of hours later when presumably he felt more able to give a negative breath test. I think it was getting on for 3 in the morning when I got home. Onky 12 hours to kick off.
I too ,was on that coach along with several family and it was, indeed, a memorable trip. There was, however, another interesting twist. The stationary car was extensively damaged,to put it bluntly, the back end was 'stoved in' but the strange thing was that when the owner appeared from, we suspected, a nearby club he accompanied by a young lady was not concerned with who or what was responsible for the damage,even though there was a witness to the accident. Very strange we all thought, when, our trusty organiser bellowed '" Hey lads I don't think he's with the Mrs" Tony is, sadly,not with us any longer but that day and his deduction will always be my favourite football day ever.Silkyskills1 wrote: ↑Tue Apr 20, 2021 4:00 pmA coach left Haslingden around 8 am taking us to this game. Arguably the slowest coach I think I've ever travelled on, demonstrated aptly by us being overtaken on a steep road by a tractor just outside Oxford. It wasn't an eventful game but we were a club brimming with confidence and I always thought we would win. We were behind the open terrace where Billy Ingham nodded in the decisive second goal after the break along with a lot of Clarets who had made the difficult journey to the city of dreaming spires.
What I do recall on leaving the ground was seeing the Carlisle United team coach, they were playing there 24 hours later.
Time to settle back and enjoy the journey home. Well, that occurred until we reached Cheshire where eventually Tony Morgan,the organiser of the trip, was persuaded to ask the driver to pull in for a pub stop. Must add that Morgan didn't take too much persuading. Being Good Friday it was Sunday hours so last orders for 10 30. It was after that when the 'fun' began. For some reason we took a route through Manchester,along Deansgate where the coach collided with a stationary car. The police were called, the coach driver disappeared and re- appeared a couple of hours later when presumably he felt more able to give a negative breath test. I think it was getting on for 3 in the morning when I got home. Onky 12 hours to kick off.
"So Good I Liked It Twice".Silkyskills1 wrote: ↑Tue Apr 20, 2021 7:52 pmTony Morgan was a great character,a claret through and through. Always recall him occasionally getting a lift home from the match from my uncle when the cricket and football seasons overlapped in Aug/Sep. 'Just drop me here,Bob, he would say to my uncle about 100 yards or so from Haslingden Cricket club. 'I can take you home,Tony,'.my uncle would reply. 'No, I'll be fine here, just get a bit of tea and watch some cricket' Tony would reply. I think as far as Tony was concerned going home was wasting valuable drinking time ........ and that was never on his agenda. God.bless you, Tony Morgan; as that little ditty goes 'there was only one Tony Morgan.
Could well be. Very rarely saw him out with his wife but I have a feeling her name was Barbara. Helmshore Claret may well know and probably any clarets associated with Haslingden in the 60's and 70's who post on here. I think Tony's work involved insurance if that helps. A loveable character who always had time for a chat ........ and a pint.Herts Clarets wrote: ↑Tue Apr 20, 2021 9:42 pmI knew a Tony Morgan mid 90s. Lived over Rossendale way. Wife called Barbara. Could this be the same Tony?
That sounds like Tony. I wonder if he ever knew he was considered 'posh'. Just great company and a sound fellow. Going back to that trip to Oxford and the pub stop on the return journey Tony went into the Cheshire countryside pub on his own to ask the landlord if he would accommodate a few people looking for a drink. He was away a few minutes,.returned to the coach and asked us all to take off our football colours as the landlord was wary of football trips. Anyway a coach load piled into the pub, no football scarves but very thirsty and of course there was a rush at the bar; but not for Tony who had used his time meeting with the landlord wisely and already had 3 pints lined up on the bar. Some who were grateful to him for getting us into the pub offered to buy him.a.drink and in his own inimitable style his reply was invariably 'aye, go on, I'll have one with you'. Priceless.Herts Clarets wrote: ↑Tue Apr 20, 2021 10:26 pmHe was a great bloke. I worked with his wife and although they were my parents age we became good friends with them. They lived in Water and sadly Tony passed away 5 or 6 years ago. My ex wife was friends with Barbara and we went out with them and stayed over. I was warned they were posh and to be on my best behaviour. Tony arrived to drive us over, I get in the car and say good evening. Good, its bloody brilliant. Burnley won and t'Bastards got beat today. The start of a great friendship.
You have the date spot on, the Waddle season. Everyone in shorts, it was like a summer’s day. I’m not certain but I think it proved to be the hottest Saturday of the year.Herts Clarets wrote: ↑Wed Apr 21, 2021 7:21 pmWhen I moved to London they came down for a weekend which of course involved Tony and I taking in the away game at Wycombe. Think it was Valentine's Day poss 1998 and I remember it being absolutely boiling.
Just bumped this up and the discussion about Tony Morgan who lived over Rossendale - one or two knew of him and it appeared to be the same bloke i knew.Herts Clarets wrote: ↑Tue Apr 20, 2021 9:42 pmI knew a Tony Morgan mid 90s. Lived over Rossendale way. Wife called Barbara. Could this be the same Tony?