Posted May 9, 201311 yr November 1974 I'm young, skint and birdless, so Newcastle away where a mate was at University seemed a good idea. Being skint I decide to hitch. Despite 'O' level geography being my sole qualification all I knew was that Newcastle was in 'the north', so I set off Friday evening trying to get a lift on the M1. Hindsight, now tells me that the A1 would have been better but what did I know at that age. Anyway, quite quickly I get a lift to about Leicester which wasn't a bad start. That's when it started to fall apart, next lift a lorry going to Manchester which I knew was still north so I hopped in. After a bit the driver, a big brick sh*thouse of a fella begins to tell tales of his lurid sex life which were frankly unbelievable given that he had the smell of a monkeys cage, anyway I coped a deafun and after a bit he can tell I'm bored and starts to touch me up. I nearly sh*t myself, here I am speeding up the M6 with some brummie nutter who's the size of a house. I squeezed meself into the corner of cab and prayed for a swift trip to Manchester. Thankfully, we approach Manchester and he drops me at the side of the M62 about 4am in the morning with my backside intact. It starts pissing down, and I wait and wait and wait, soaked to the skin around 6.30 I get a lift to Leeds which means I am at last heading in the right direction. One more lift and I roll into Newcastle about midday. I am knackered and hungry, I meet up with my mate and a quick couple pint and a pie and we're off to the match. My mate has never been to St James Park before, so he's brought along a mate who is a local and a massive Newcastle fan ( so we find out ) Geordie boy takes us into the Leazes end where what appears every pysco in the north east is standing. He thinks this is hilarious as we are unable to utter a word for the best part of two hours while Chelsea get beat. Actually, not just beaten but slaughtered 5 - 0 Five bar steward nil after that journey and I've still to get home. After the match me and my mate dive back to his place and grab a bite to eat and then out to his local Working Mans Club where after a long night of beer, cards and dominoes I had won enough to get the National Express home on the Sunday. I know many fans will have had trips like this, but I am still haunted by this one. I had to work in Newcastle last year and someone asked if I had been there before, yes I replied, Five bar steward nil !
May 9, 201311 yr Great story mate, thats what makes football fans so unique, they'd go to any lengths to see their team.
May 9, 201311 yr Newcastle away, crap result but large chelsea turnout. On the way back just outside Newcastle our coach picks up some Newcastle hitchhikers, all signs of Chelsea, Scarfs etc are put away, hitchhickers sit down coach pulls off. They were slightly shocked when up goes a massive chant of Chelsea Chelsea out come scarfs etc. They were actually well received on our coach and dropped off at their requested services. About 50 miles south of Newcastle also on the way back from the match were Newcastle fans that we had seen on our way to the match still walking up the hard shoulder towards Newcastle, probably didnt even know the result in them days.
