Very moving, Mick. I’m a Gateshead lad too and was born in the QE, where my old man also died a few years ago.
Superb article. As I might’ve mentioned before, me Dad loved the Mag\TF. He was the most infuriating bloke when it came to Newcastle United and his wife (me Mam), 100% loyal to both and woe betide anyone who uttered an epithet about either (despite me Mam being a Mackem and a proper wind up merchant - in her own loving way).
I’m sure you know how warmly TF is received by us all (despite the odd spat) and I’m sure your dad is proud of the wonderful publication you’ve created.
Superb article MM. I posted above comment whilst still had signal before reading yours. As I know you like a travelogue. Your words bought tears to my eyes. Stay well. I’ll perhaps type more World Cup drivel later.
Football. It can make you do daft things. Alcohol too. And children. That heady mix after England’s defeat to Argentina has lead me to buying a FIFA re-sale ticket for the World Cup Final on Sunday.
It wasn’t meant to be that way. I had TWO!! tickets for the final. Conditional on England making it all that way. Ha!! As if! The most expensive ones you could get for England Travel Club members: Category 1s, direct behind the goal in the first tier. £8,500 the pair, if you’re curious. I never go to England matches these days, so I had to apply for top priced ones to stand any chance on my measly two renewal cap loyalty points. Prices so high, that many regular fans clearly baulked at such daylight robbery. The way I saw it was I had saved time and money travelling to England aways with Home Counties racists, so had a dodged those bullets and could justify such a price for something that had never happened (England in a World Cup Final on foreign soil). Chanced my arm and applied for two, off one ESTC number. Such was the low take-up, I got issued both. All paid in February. FIFA know how to make money. Those seats will have been sold to each of the competing nations. FIFA hold the cash and refund it a couple of weeks after the tournament to the 40 unlucky nations’ fans who don’t make the final. It’s the same for all the knock-out games, as no one knows how far they will get. I do not doubt that the interest on that for 6 months is a nice little earner. Selling each conditional seat (c3,000) 42 times and holding the money for six months. Do the math!
As England stumbled through the competition I sat tight. Unconvincing in the group. 20 decent mins against an aging Croatia. Couldn’t score against Ghana. Panama beaten only after worn out. Scraped through against DR Congo with the Wissa missa avoiding a 2-0 deficit. I thought home advantage for Mexico would do for England, usual exit in the second knock out round. Amazing game. It could have gone either way. Brazil next? No. No way: Norway, and Sorloth had the chance to take a 2-0 lead that time. England prevailed after extra time. Norway with a population half that of London. Ffs.
German Tommy then proceeded to give England fans a taste of Newcastle’s last season, Argentina taking on the pantomime villain role with aplomb. Score, have no game plan after that, concede and concede and then lose. The ‘horseshoe of doom’ with passes played along the pitch width, edge to boring edge. So familiar to us Mags. Defeat from the jaws of 10 minutes to victory. Fuck.
Bloody football. Bloody England. Bloody Messi. Bloody Argentina. I go upstairs as I have 5 hours to cancel my fully refundable hotel. I sit at the screen. I’d been checking re-sale prices off and on as my second conditional ticket was going to fund my ticket, flights, hotel, and hopefully then some. Hey. Blame the game, not the player. Some pumped up used car salesman, cocky estate agent or new money dafty would have paid five figures large for a World Cup final ticket in the thick of the England end with the gammons, tattoos and sub-100 IQs sat next to little old me.
None of my contacts had shown any interest at £4,250 a pop. I don’t blame them. My son preferred me to milk the spare than go. The capitalist little rugby playing shit!
Friday morning: I head to Newcastle Airport. 09:25 KLM Plane delayed 10 minutes. That’s right. My 45 minute window to get to my JFK flight in Schiphol is compromised. It gets worse. Plane hit a bird. No fly today. Coach trip to Edinburgh. Flight 05:45am Saturday first day of school holidays. The airport is busy. Very. But I’m in an airplane seat 22 hours after I left home. Escape TO New York: we’ll see.
Would’ve been fantastic if the lads had made it but I can only imagine what being at a World Cup final will be like. Enjoy half time. Only in America.
Ironically my Son works for Birdstrike (a company which advises airports around the UK/World on……well……potential Birdstrike threats). I’ll let him know of your woes and that they’re obviously doing a shit job 😉.
It’s my second WC Final. I managed to get a Cat A full corporate ticket for the Maracana in 2014 on half way line with a bunch of Middle Eastern business types. I mean OWN the businesses. Not workers. Face value US$ 12,000. I got it for half that from their Bond Villainess 6.5 foot tall elegant white South African travel organiser in a much rearranged ‘deal’ in a burger joint near Christ the Redeemer. Still less than I’ve paid tomorrow on FIFA resale for a ‘normal’ Cat 2 ticket low down third tier Block 343. Face value US$ 7,700?!?!? I had to pay a couple of grand more on that. That’s inflation. That’s money. That’s why Argentina got 1 yellow card per 22 fouls. Most other countries got one per 6-9. It’s all in the math.
Well Mick you've done it again. Absolute belter. Reminded me of the tears in my eyes when Shearer said "I'm just the son of a sheet metal worker".
We share a Dad cancer death too, I was there to hold his hand.
So much to think about in that I'll probably make another comment later when I've re-read it.
I regret not starting with True Faith until a few years ago, being loyal to the Mag after they published me in their Geordies Aal Ower the World section. At the Alamo no less.
So much of this piece resonates with my own life Mick. Non more with the way my own fatha used to be with my own daughter...it was like watching a different bloke to the one who brought me up. & the way she stuck to him like a limpet when we had his own diagnosis. I was in tears reading this. Football eh.. it's not that important but it's the glue of my life & the bonds made through it.
People may not agree but I'm hoping for a Messi inspired win in the final after I've deliberately not watched a game till the quarter final stage..I caved in at that point 😉
I was with family in a queue for Babbacombe Model Village (Babbacombe, Devon), wearing my lovely new denim v-neck top, when a man in that nice checky-sleeved Poborsky Man U top in front turned round to say (in a thick Devonian accent, natch):
“You’ll be appy then!”
Me: “Why?”
“Noocarstle. They’ve soigned Shearer.”
Of course after doing the village, which was great, pre-everything we hightailed it back to our caravan in Brixham to confirm it via the six o’ clock news. Confirmed. Newcastle United break world transfer record and it even beat the press conference of the unveiling of the three young Harry Potter actors to top spot. Best and most WTF days of me life.”They’ve bought Jordi, we’ve bought a Geordie!”
Fast forward a single year. I remember (there must have been some matrimonial disharmony) lying on the floor in a chalet in Bude, Cornwall. Why I wasn’t being a good holidaymaker is anyone’s guess, but I was inexplicably listening to the commentary of a meaningless friendly, Everton v Newcastle, at Goodison. That’s not the bad bit. It’s when I heard the ominous tone in the usually rather ebullient voice of Mick Lowes, describing Shearer’s mishap. I see that now as a turning point, as we were already in the no-going-back stage of selling Ginola, Sir Les and latterly Faustino. Such a shame as Kenny’s team were getting the best out of Shearer and a career-best Asprilla and we were coming for that gobshite before he became Sralex, or “Alec” Ferguson as some contemporary pundits insisted. (David Pleat, it was Gillespie not Jillespie. I’ll refrain from any further remarks out of respect.) Adidas had made their first faux-pas with the financially-obligatory shield on the back- which admittedly looks great with the number on it but only then:) And then Alan filled in Keith in Dublin!
And the rest, as they say…
Martin Hardy’s book Tunnel Of Love, Football, Fighting and Failure is great.
Anyway, to cut it short: Brixham and Babbacombe, I love you. Bude knas what it can dee.:) Great article Mick, I’ve re-read it to prove I haven’t imagined it all!:)
Honestly one of the best books I’ve read. About the 66 World Cup win. It completely changed my view of what I thought about Ramsay & everything else. I kept buying copies for friends. I’ll get you one if you like for my enjoyment of & your commitment to True Faith. 👌
Magnificent read Mick, and a superb series. Thoroughly enjoyed every word.
Enjoy ‘Murica when you get there FM
Very moving, Mick. I’m a Gateshead lad too and was born in the QE, where my old man also died a few years ago.
Superb article. As I might’ve mentioned before, me Dad loved the Mag\TF. He was the most infuriating bloke when it came to Newcastle United and his wife (me Mam), 100% loyal to both and woe betide anyone who uttered an epithet about either (despite me Mam being a Mackem and a proper wind up merchant - in her own loving way).
I’m sure you know how warmly TF is received by us all (despite the odd spat) and I’m sure your dad is proud of the wonderful publication you’ve created.
Superb article MM. I posted above comment whilst still had signal before reading yours. As I know you like a travelogue. Your words bought tears to my eyes. Stay well. I’ll perhaps type more World Cup drivel later.
Same.
Football. It can make you do daft things. Alcohol too. And children. That heady mix after England’s defeat to Argentina has lead me to buying a FIFA re-sale ticket for the World Cup Final on Sunday.
It wasn’t meant to be that way. I had TWO!! tickets for the final. Conditional on England making it all that way. Ha!! As if! The most expensive ones you could get for England Travel Club members: Category 1s, direct behind the goal in the first tier. £8,500 the pair, if you’re curious. I never go to England matches these days, so I had to apply for top priced ones to stand any chance on my measly two renewal cap loyalty points. Prices so high, that many regular fans clearly baulked at such daylight robbery. The way I saw it was I had saved time and money travelling to England aways with Home Counties racists, so had a dodged those bullets and could justify such a price for something that had never happened (England in a World Cup Final on foreign soil). Chanced my arm and applied for two, off one ESTC number. Such was the low take-up, I got issued both. All paid in February. FIFA know how to make money. Those seats will have been sold to each of the competing nations. FIFA hold the cash and refund it a couple of weeks after the tournament to the 40 unlucky nations’ fans who don’t make the final. It’s the same for all the knock-out games, as no one knows how far they will get. I do not doubt that the interest on that for 6 months is a nice little earner. Selling each conditional seat (c3,000) 42 times and holding the money for six months. Do the math!
As England stumbled through the competition I sat tight. Unconvincing in the group. 20 decent mins against an aging Croatia. Couldn’t score against Ghana. Panama beaten only after worn out. Scraped through against DR Congo with the Wissa missa avoiding a 2-0 deficit. I thought home advantage for Mexico would do for England, usual exit in the second knock out round. Amazing game. It could have gone either way. Brazil next? No. No way: Norway, and Sorloth had the chance to take a 2-0 lead that time. England prevailed after extra time. Norway with a population half that of London. Ffs.
German Tommy then proceeded to give England fans a taste of Newcastle’s last season, Argentina taking on the pantomime villain role with aplomb. Score, have no game plan after that, concede and concede and then lose. The ‘horseshoe of doom’ with passes played along the pitch width, edge to boring edge. So familiar to us Mags. Defeat from the jaws of 10 minutes to victory. Fuck.
Bloody football. Bloody England. Bloody Messi. Bloody Argentina. I go upstairs as I have 5 hours to cancel my fully refundable hotel. I sit at the screen. I’d been checking re-sale prices off and on as my second conditional ticket was going to fund my ticket, flights, hotel, and hopefully then some. Hey. Blame the game, not the player. Some pumped up used car salesman, cocky estate agent or new money dafty would have paid five figures large for a World Cup final ticket in the thick of the England end with the gammons, tattoos and sub-100 IQs sat next to little old me.
None of my contacts had shown any interest at £4,250 a pop. I don’t blame them. My son preferred me to milk the spare than go. The capitalist little rugby playing shit!
Friday morning: I head to Newcastle Airport. 09:25 KLM Plane delayed 10 minutes. That’s right. My 45 minute window to get to my JFK flight in Schiphol is compromised. It gets worse. Plane hit a bird. No fly today. Coach trip to Edinburgh. Flight 05:45am Saturday first day of school holidays. The airport is busy. Very. But I’m in an airplane seat 22 hours after I left home. Escape TO New York: we’ll see.
Enjoy it, FM.
Would’ve been fantastic if the lads had made it but I can only imagine what being at a World Cup final will be like. Enjoy half time. Only in America.
Ironically my Son works for Birdstrike (a company which advises airports around the UK/World on……well……potential Birdstrike threats). I’ll let him know of your woes and that they’re obviously doing a shit job 😉.
Look after yourself.
It’s my second WC Final. I managed to get a Cat A full corporate ticket for the Maracana in 2014 on half way line with a bunch of Middle Eastern business types. I mean OWN the businesses. Not workers. Face value US$ 12,000. I got it for half that from their Bond Villainess 6.5 foot tall elegant white South African travel organiser in a much rearranged ‘deal’ in a burger joint near Christ the Redeemer. Still less than I’ve paid tomorrow on FIFA resale for a ‘normal’ Cat 2 ticket low down third tier Block 343. Face value US$ 7,700?!?!? I had to pay a couple of grand more on that. That’s inflation. That’s money. That’s why Argentina got 1 yellow card per 22 fouls. Most other countries got one per 6-9. It’s all in the math.
You could’ve bought the club for that in 2014!!
Well Mick you've done it again. Absolute belter. Reminded me of the tears in my eyes when Shearer said "I'm just the son of a sheet metal worker".
We share a Dad cancer death too, I was there to hold his hand.
So much to think about in that I'll probably make another comment later when I've re-read it.
I regret not starting with True Faith until a few years ago, being loyal to the Mag after they published me in their Geordies Aal Ower the World section. At the Alamo no less.
100% got me going.
So much of this piece resonates with my own life Mick. Non more with the way my own fatha used to be with my own daughter...it was like watching a different bloke to the one who brought me up. & the way she stuck to him like a limpet when we had his own diagnosis. I was in tears reading this. Football eh.. it's not that important but it's the glue of my life & the bonds made through it.
People may not agree but I'm hoping for a Messi inspired win in the final after I've deliberately not watched a game till the quarter final stage..I caved in at that point 😉
I’ll be watching out for Merino 😬
I did ALL the England games in Japan. Great experience. Amazing country. Maybe more on that one day. I am moving in a plane at last!
What a wonderful read! I smiled at Mr Benn (I am of that vintage) & shivered when I read “Acuna” I’d forgotten about him.
I was with family in a queue for Babbacombe Model Village (Babbacombe, Devon), wearing my lovely new denim v-neck top, when a man in that nice checky-sleeved Poborsky Man U top in front turned round to say (in a thick Devonian accent, natch):
“You’ll be appy then!”
Me: “Why?”
“Noocarstle. They’ve soigned Shearer.”
Of course after doing the village, which was great, pre-everything we hightailed it back to our caravan in Brixham to confirm it via the six o’ clock news. Confirmed. Newcastle United break world transfer record and it even beat the press conference of the unveiling of the three young Harry Potter actors to top spot. Best and most WTF days of me life.”They’ve bought Jordi, we’ve bought a Geordie!”
Fast forward a single year. I remember (there must have been some matrimonial disharmony) lying on the floor in a chalet in Bude, Cornwall. Why I wasn’t being a good holidaymaker is anyone’s guess, but I was inexplicably listening to the commentary of a meaningless friendly, Everton v Newcastle, at Goodison. That’s not the bad bit. It’s when I heard the ominous tone in the usually rather ebullient voice of Mick Lowes, describing Shearer’s mishap. I see that now as a turning point, as we were already in the no-going-back stage of selling Ginola, Sir Les and latterly Faustino. Such a shame as Kenny’s team were getting the best out of Shearer and a career-best Asprilla and we were coming for that gobshite before he became Sralex, or “Alec” Ferguson as some contemporary pundits insisted. (David Pleat, it was Gillespie not Jillespie. I’ll refrain from any further remarks out of respect.) Adidas had made their first faux-pas with the financially-obligatory shield on the back- which admittedly looks great with the number on it but only then:) And then Alan filled in Keith in Dublin!
And the rest, as they say…
Martin Hardy’s book Tunnel Of Love, Football, Fighting and Failure is great.
Anyway, to cut it short: Brixham and Babbacombe, I love you. Bude knas what it can dee.:) Great article Mick, I’ve re-read it to prove I haven’t imagined it all!:)
Great read Michael, thank you. (As an aside, have you read Duncan Hamilton’s book ‘answered prayers’)
No - what’s the low down?
Ha, it’ll cost more than the book 🤣
Honestly one of the best books I’ve read. About the 66 World Cup win. It completely changed my view of what I thought about Ramsay & everything else. I kept buying copies for friends. I’ll get you one if you like for my enjoyment of & your commitment to True Faith. 👌
Fantastic - I love presents 🤣
Okay, it’s in my basket 👌 I’ll message you when it arrives & we’ll have a coffee on the Fell 🤣
Great - on me - Ellison’s - and a bacon sarnie 👍