HopeStreetWalker

Thought of Richard Burton as well in the narration tone at the start of Zulu.

Thanks for the compliment ! Would sound good from Sean Connery as well. Anybody else got suggested actors that could pull it off ?

You have to remember this is an Aberdeen fan you are dealing with !

Yep Celtic and Rangers and their sectarian baggage are worthy of derision and their poison that goes beyond football . You see it's a personal thing between Aberdeen Football Club and me. As I left Brockville that night 34 years ago I made an oath to myself that I would despise them with a passion and cheer on any team that plays them. I have stood by that oath for 34 years and have no intention of changing it now. So lets close the hate fest however well deserved for now regarding the whinging cheats 11 and move on.

Not vitriol ! was just getting warmed up putting my loathing for that outfit put in writing.

Not bitterness far from it ! just stating a fact. Don't know what Aberdeen were doing that night but it was not football. Like all Aberdeen fans you don't have an inkling of what that is or sportsmanship for that matter. The spitting - kicking - punching off the ball. Simulating injury. Diving. Rotation of groups of individuals to pressurise the referee. Claiming for everything even something as blatant as the goalie kicking a clearance clean out of play. Then walking off the pitch job clapping each others backs and laughing at a good job done and you fans cheering them off in appreciation of their antics. The only club I know that is despised by all. Imagine supporting an entity ( which I would not dignify calling a football team ) That both sets of supporters at every ground in Scotland cheer together when they hear Aberdeen have lost no matter who they are playing. It takes something special over many years to achieve that not through football but what 11 individuals got up to in place of it. Done by antics on the park, achieved by coaching on the training pitch and dressing room instructions. Get a reality check ! you support a whinging cheats 11 not a football team.

Regarding your Stuart Kennedy comment. Have yet to meet an ex Aberdeen player that Fergie managed that has not backed him to the hilt. Even after being confronted with indisputable examples of what they got up to. Been at a few football nights and asked about it in the Q & A sessions and just like Kennedy defended it. It's that siege mentality he indoctrinated into his teams I suppose. Not helped by their fans that cheered, hollered and encouraged their antics. Oh how they loved it. Spitting on an opposition player - cheer. Punching / Kicking a player off the ball - cheer. Always done on a nod from a team mate when they saw the referee and linesman was not looking. Then move to be in an officials eyeline hoping for a reaction. In that 3 -3 game when Connor got sent off for spitting on Manley they got it badly wrong and took place only a few feet away from the lineman who saw the whole thing . He had no choice with spittle on Manley's face and jersey. Scum of the earth the lot of them !

All good servants of the club and a good list to put together, players that put in a shift wearing the jersey. Would highlight Stuart Wheatley a big favourite of mine. Good solid defender with close control and could pick a pass. Remember he had a terrific shot in him and was good for the occasional goal. Thought Wheatley - Kennedy ( John ) and Fowler had great potential as a half back line. With the potential as the new Markie-Miller-Gibson line up. But George Miller broke them up- ah well we will never know and another what if !

Very similar same attributes same shortcomings.

Then there was John Perry one of the most frustrating players ever to put on a Falkirk jersey. One game he would be unplayable showing pace , skill , vision winning a game for you near singlehanded. Next game he would be a liability, posted missing and hopeless. He went on trial at Arsenal so they saw there was a player there but he lasted a week. They had seen what the fans had seen no consistency.

One of the funniest moments I experienced in football was a midweek game at Brockville against Shire involving John Whiteford. Cannot remember if it was a Stirlingshire Cup game or a reserve fixture ? but anyway. The Shire goalie called Gourley was taking a goal kick at the car park end. He took a run up missed his footing, toe bashed a big divit in front of the ball. As this lump of turf majestically sailed to the half way line the ball trickled out of the box. Meanwhile Gourley was hopping about on one foot holding his mangled toes in the other. Whiteford took the ball and walked it into an empty net. It was hysterical, my ribs were sore in the convulsions of laughter. People were staggering away trying to make the toilet before wetting themselves. Many had to have a piss against the back wall. It was one of these moments where people were laughing at the people laughing and it just got worse and worse. It was bizarre and one of the funniest football moments I have ever seen. Anybody else remember that game ?

Could have been segregation at that game Shagger can't remember there were plenty of other Falkirk fans around me. The guy at the Watson Street turnstile never bothered as far as I can remember. We had the attitude that was where we stood till my Section B Row H Seat 53 era in the stand. Perfect view from the terracing could see the 4 corner flags and therefore the whole pitch. With the added advantage of a few yards from the exit and one of the first at the bar for post match refreshments. You had to get your priorities right !

Was before segregation and we always stood there. Most fans just wanted to cheer on their team and there was some good banter with them during a game. Few bampots of course and Falkirk had a fair share of them as well. These were the days when fans switched ends. The stewards only involvement was the one way system over the bridge over the invalid carriage entrance.

So many great memories. But one that was so emotional was when Willie Cunningham turned down the Scotland job. Heard it on the radio coming home from work. Had been miserable all day waiting for the bad news about him becoming Scotland manager. Then the announcement he was staying I was near to tears of joy. We were playing Hibs that night in a midweek match and the place was packed was glad I went early. Was in my usual place with my mates at the Watson Street end terracing level with the 6 yard box one crush barrier in. You could hardly move in the place with about 40 minutes to kick off. The chanting started for Cunningham to show himself and he finally came out about 20 minutes before kick off. Bedlam, the noise the cheering, the whole stand on their feet. It was magnificent display of unified joy and relief, the noise reverberated and echoed around that old Stadium. Hibs never stood a chance that night and they knew it. Falkirk played like men processed and outclassed a very good Hibs team in every department.

He was not at the game that night. Think that was the most angry I have ever been at a game. Remember standing in the mob behind the stand baying for blood. Heard stories of the team bus getting car loads of Falkirk fans haranguing them as they drove out of town with every police car for miles summoned to escort them out of Dodge. As I have said in the past. Will cheer on any team that plays them and that includes Rangers and Celtic ! Now that's what you call nursing your wrath to keep it warm ! You make a good point about his Man United teams with their antics refined at his time at Aberdeen.

Rightly well and truly put in my place ! LOL

Thanks for that. You are indeed a font of knowledge ! stay safe.

Think that was the 68-69 Stirlingshire cup final. Can anybody clarify ?

Think it was Archie Knox in the dugout, but get your point. They have been like that for as long as I can remember. They are the only club that every other teams supporter cheers when a goal is scored against them. Everything nasty in the game neatly packaged into one club. To make my point they were even worse than Hearts at cheating - and that is saying something !

He was one of these players the others in the team appreciated more than the fans. Tackled, marked covered space for others pressurised opposition players on the ball so they always played it under pressure. Not creative but I always appreciated effort in a player as well as skill and vision.

Abiding memory of Fergie was the Falkirk V Glasgow Rangers game just a few days before the Ibrox disaster. Was in the enclosure beside the Rangers dugout when Fergie scored. Waddell and Wallace were sitting with faces like thunder incandescent with rage. The goal was scored at the railway end and Fergie ran right across to their dugout. Hold the elbow and swings the arm in the ' get it up you gesture ' and said - How's that for a f***ing reject then. It was a great xmas present beating them - but I have often though of the poor souls at that game, and I could well have stood beside them. That sadly lost their lives at Ibrox days later.

Could have been - but I remember their second goal then head in my hands thinking - here it goes again. Falkirk loosing the plot kicking the ball anywhere and the longest 10 minutes in my life till the final whistle. Agony - Relief then Joy. Remember walking up Hope Street thinking - this is not good for my health ! Think we can all agree - It's not easy being a Falkirk supporter !

One of these forward lines where players could improvise in the position they found themselves and work hard for each other.

Came with Grant from Alloa

Remember Irvines first game at Alloa and the inkling of the goods times coming with Alex T team. Then his winner against East Fife that got us promoted. McAllister on the right Grant on the Left and big Irvine in the middle. There was an under appreciated John Jobson behind them that did a power of work without the ball, goodness the guy put in a shift.