In my early teens I started going to football matches.
Port Vale was my team. I went to all their home games. They were in the bottom half of the lowest Division and I can't remember them winning very often. But they must have had at least one good run of results because in 1954 they got through to the semi-finals of the FA Cup and were drawn against West Bromwich Albion ( one of the top teams in the top division). I was so excited. I saved up my paper-boy money and a few weeks before the day of the match I was there - standing in the queue
Just about here, I think
Just like Stanley in Stanley Bagshaw & the short-sighted football trainer
I was convinced that if I waited patiently I'd be bound to get a ticket
But I was wrong
Present day Port Vale supporters may be interested to know that the pictures of the exterior of the Huddersgate Albion ground that appear in the book are based on photos of Vale Park as it was in the 1950's.
The ticket offices were brand new then and considered to be'
'very modern'. They've since been demolished
Oh, and in case you're wondering -
Unlike Huddersgate Albion who, in my Stanley story, unexpectedly triumph over Stockwich Hotspurs the out-and-out favourites - The Vale lost 2-nil.