How long are you a pie

[ancientpie]

My first ever game was across the river in the mid 60s ( a mate had pinched some money & it seemed a safe way of spending it) but thankfully I hated it, my dad RIP took me down to a few games on both sides of the Trent in the late 60s, I seem to remember a 0-0 draw against Stags down the lane, but it was probably 70/71 when I started going down the Lane with my mates & since the mid 70s I doubt if I have missed above 10 home league games as well as visiting over 80 away grounds.

[irish_pie]

A nice last sentence AP - I know exactly how you feel.

I was born in '38 and first watched Notts during war time friendlies. We lived in Burton Joyce opposite the Trent bus terminus and when I was about 5 or 6 my mother would put me on the bus to Nottingham where my Dad would pick me up from the bus at the top of Meadow Lane as he worked most Saturday mornings where his place of employment was the Railway & General Engineering CO. on Meadow Lane. IT always seemed a long walk down the 'Lane for those little legs and then back up again after the game to catch the bus back home from Colwick Road. I can't remember my first league game when the leagues reformed (we were in Div. 3 South) but it was certainly before Tommy joined us.

I have a ST in the Pavis but mostly let family borrow it as I now struggle a little to walk up and down the steps. Originally my dad was secretary of the Burton Joyce branch of the supporters club - do you remember the little black and white lapel brooches shaped like a football that supporters club members wore? The first goalie I can remember playing was Gordon Bradley (also a professional tennis player) and the right back was Aubrey Southwell who was later to form a great full back pairing with Tommy Deans (arguably the best and hardest left back we've ever had)

Half backs in those early years were Tommy Johnston, Henry Adamson, Bill Corkhill, Billy Baxter, Leon Leuty and a little later ... Peter Russell (Big by the way, but not as hard as 'Butcher' Deans!) Of course I nearly forgot, there was Bert Loxley, Gerry Carver and Johnny Sheridan around as well - and big Norman Rigby.

The memory fades .....but I do smile a little at times when some of the lads on this board think they've been around a bit because they started back in the 60's. I could go on and on .......... the old wooden exit gates about 12' wide coping with hundreds of supporters ........ if you were in the middle going through, you were compressed like a sardine in a can. The marching bands providing pre match entertainment ........ The blanket being carried around the running track at half time to collect the coins being thrown into it for various causes ........ The expectancy when the teams ran out for the pre match kick in ....... Tommy Lawton heading the ball and then in much later years Don Masson, Mark Draper, TJ and Les Bradd.

Yes superb memories and not forgetting PC was a thing of the future and you could vent your feelings without fear of prosecution. Footballers looked professional with shirts tucked in and not a tattoo in site!! No substitutions and a good old fashioned 2 -3 - 5 formation to give wide and open play.

Little did I know when I started this thread that there would be so many excellent and interesting stories to read, thank you everyone for a great response

[GEZMAN]

First game was Boxing Day 1962, when I was 7 years old, when my Dad took me on my first visit to the Lane. It was Northampton Town at home, Notts won 2-1, Hateley & Astle the scorers. I do recall a few months later an uncle of mine, a Reds fan, took me to see Rushcliffe Rovers play Everton, to see 'real football'. We were sat in the Main Stand watching Everton win 1-0, & apparently I stood up & cheered when Everton scored, much to the embarrassment of my uncle. I'm eternally grateful to my Dad for bringing me up in the right way!