That may appeal to FF, Clarky, True, Jonno , Screach and other golden swinging sixties set, (did you swing Pit Bull?) on the Dave Hilley new website in conjunction with Neil and Biffa . Not being at the Liverpool game I was chuffed when I got the ten ex-players right tho Tommy Gibb caused a problem. Three seasons are still to complete, enjoyed his ever so true comments after his visit to SJP as a guest of SJH. Tidy player, consistent, nice little memory tugger for me Link is on NUFC.Com or www.davehilley.com.

-- Anonymous, December 20, 2000

Answers

Dave Craig has never changed at all but Clarky looks kinda rough, (F)

-- Anonymous, December 20, 2000

Yeah - tuk a quick trip doon memory lane. Didn't spot aal the owdies, and aah see wot ye meen aboot Clarky. Frank's not lookin' so chippa eitha.

-- Anonymous, December 20, 2000

Nee need to get porsonal like, Buff! I haven bin ower well recently wi the flu, but I'm pickin up a bit noo.

;-{)

I started supporting the Toon seriously when they signed Barry Thomas from Scunthorpe for a then record transfer fee of £45,000. He scored a canny few goals, but wasn't ower clever a footballer.

The first player I really took to my heart was Dave Hilley - signed I think from Partick Thistle. He was good on the ball if slightly lightweight, not unlike Kieron Dyer actually, but without Dyer's pace. Turned out to be a good servant of the Club.

I haven't had a chance yet to check out his website for a trip down memory lane, but certainly will.

-- Anonymous, December 20, 2000

I've still got the "colour" poster of the promotion team with Hilley in it at me Ma's hoose in Blyth. I used the quotes for a reason. What colour do we play in? Black & White - that's right, go to the top of the class young Tre. Anyway, it was really a B&W poster, with Gordon Marshall's jersey and the grass coloured green. But at 2/6d it was worth every penny! Clarky (looking far better than he does now) and David Craig are also on it tho I don't think any of the others are.

Let's see, from memory, Marshall, Craig, Clark, Anderson (?), McGrath, Iley, Robson, Hilley, McGary, AN Other, SO Else (Hockey?). I'm sure the gaps will be plugged within 30 mins!

-- Anonymous, December 20, 2000

ootside left screach, Colin Taylor?

-- Anonymous, December 20, 2000

No - definitely not. I think it was Trevor Hockey. But I'm stuck for the inside left. Could it have been Tommy Gibb??

-- Anonymous, December 20, 2000

Screach, Sooty Suddick was emerging from the n`s but he played wing, Nee such thing as dual cf so it was not Bobby Cummings, tek 5 and Ill nip back to to that auld photo on his site, BTW Clarky he came from Third Lanark (RIP), as did the Bobbydazzler Mitchell. not be lang Screach, nowt on tele anyhow is there?

-- Anonymous, December 20, 2000

No - I don't think it was Sooty either. Where's Jonno when you need him??

-- Anonymous, December 20, 2000

Screach, promotion season 64-65, is it Willie Penman? at I/L

-- Anonymous, December 20, 2000

Its a bit slow to load ?

-- Anonymous, December 20, 2000

Yeah Buff. Willie Penman went thru my mind as well. What position and when did Tommy Gibb play? Was he a half-back? I'll check it oot on Boxing Day after the Leeds match.

-- Anonymous, December 20, 2000

Tommy Gibb played No 4. Right side midfield - or was it wing half in those days.

Got loads of stick but was an honest player.

-- Anonymous, December 20, 2000

Josh , link from nuf.com is quick.superb on clicking on index table it goes to black n white stripes, but wee problem going thro seasons. Clarky, Tommy Gibb came down from Partrick Thistle , agree with Josh honest up and down the park type of player. Hilley`s goal record was okay for a midfielder , yeah a good servant, stayed in area as a deputy headmaster, took the Sunday Post for 20 years and did not realise he reported for them on North Eastern Teams, probably not in Scotland cos it is a decent seller in the NE

-- Anonymous, December 20, 2000

Alan Suddick

-- Anonymous, December 21, 2000

>>>>Let's see, from memory, Marshall, Craig, Clark, Anderson (?), McGrath, Iley, Robson, Hilley, McGary, AN Other, SO Else (Hockey?).

Aah - the intervening 35 years has not dimmed the memory a lot. Delving into the fossil record I find the following:-

It's remarkable just how easily the first 6 names come to mind. During that season they missed very few of the 42 games, - Craig(2), Anderson(1), Iley(4), the others, Marshall, Clark & McGrath were ever present! In a few matches Iley played at 10 and Moncur came in at 6. Number 11 role was changed steadily throughout the season - Hockey at season start - he then switched to 7, Taylor, then Suddick and then Knox, with Suddick getting the final 2 games there. Towards the latter half of the season, Robson began to replace Hockey at 7. Number 10 was McGarry at season start and then Penman. McGarry switched to 9 after Barry Thomas left after the first 7 games. McGarry also played at 8 and Cummings had more than half the season at 9. Dave Hilley was mostly at 8 and missed just 8 matches.

Only 20 players were used, apart from those mentioned above the others were Allen(1), Burton(2), McKinney(2).

The team which clinched the day against Bolton was Marshall (better than Yashin), Craig, Clark (knows my father) Anderson, Big John McGrath, Iley, Robson, Hilley, Cummings, Penman, Knox. Archaelogical evidence indicates that the crowd included Screacher, Dr Bill, Jonno and Clarky and probably quite a few others who might make themselves known. A number of BBS part timers have made the excuse that they weren't born yet, which is a bit thin in my view ...

-- Anonymous, December 21, 2000

Jonno I was there v Bolton.

-- Anonymous, December 21, 2000

Jonno,

I blame the parents!

-- Anonymous, December 21, 2000

Now, come to think of it, I suspect Bob Moncur might be on that picture. Rest assured, I will take a picture of it over the festive season (if me Ma hasn't hoyed it oot) and post it on here somewhere.

Quite remarkable that we only used 20 players in the whole season. I reckon we used that many in the first 4 weeks this season (and possibly all in defence!). So what's changed? You can't say the tackling is any harder these days when the likes of McGrath, Tommy Smith and their like were strutting their stuff. Are we just becoming a nation of Softies (heaven forbid!!)?

-- Anonymous, December 21, 2000