SW11_Saint

I was wondering what happened to Um. What IS the story? He is sorely missed.

So... is that it?, have we exhausted everything??

Or the rash of "Shaw Saville Line" bags that flooded the school market - must have been a company that went t*ts up. Also remember lots of blue BOAC ones. Thinking about it, I also had a "Crimson Travel" one - presumably another bankruptcy?! My favourite ever school bag was my old light blue Adidas holdall - got it stuck in the doors of the school bus (in the "bundle" to get on) and a prefect ripped it out - the handles came off in his hands, the bag stayed where it was!

Onwards and upwards. Next target is to get out of the bottom 4, then, well... bring it on!

How sad. Our thoughts are with you Ron.

Well said!

I'm hoping so.

Yeah, that sounds right. Never got to the blue braid, not sure why as I was a pretty decent swimmer - did sound a bit exhausting to be honest! After that you could do all that silly stuff like jumping in with your pyjamas on and taking them off etc.

I agree. A horrible and dangerous little man, but unfortunately democratically he should have some opportunity to air his toxic views, although only on a limited basis (ie on shows like this once in a blue moon). I do worry that tonights line-up plays into his hands - nice middle class politicians from all sides which will likely enable him to play the "voice of the white working class" card. I'd have much rather seen someone like John Crudas on for Labour rather than Jack Straw, who I suspect would do better in nullifying this claim. Regardless, the viewing figures will go up tonight!

Almost right on Tyrrell's - they were at the Bargate for a while, but only because the original site (which they returned to) was bombed. Some interesting history and photos here... http://www.johnlewis.com/Shops/DSTemplate.aspx?Id=37

Just chatting to my mum. She clarified/confirmed a few things... Sainsburys and McFisheries were both on the site that was later occupied by Marks & Spencer. Not sure what is there now, but most of you will know the 'old' M&S (on same side as WH Smith, Woollies etc.). Lyons Teashop was where Boots is now in the precinct. Cadena was on the corner of the high street by the Bargate (on the 'old' M&S side of the High Street) - think it is a shoe shop now. Mays did indeed go bankrupt and was taken over by Owen & Owen (now Argos?). Also, apparently Tyrrell & Green was originally where the Bargate Centre now is, but moved after the war (due to bombing I think) to where we all remember it being.

Those big iron clothes hangers (in the days before lockers) that used to revolve (like at a dry cleaning shop) was basically a big wrought metal thing roughly in the shape of the top half of a human body, with a bit at the bottom to put your shoes, keys etc. in. Also of course the legendary "16 ft 6" - used to see those 'waterbabies' through the window as you came in giving everyone the finger, or worse pulling their trunks down. Then there was that unique smell of course... Remember doing my "braids" there vividly.

No. But they are interested in two ex-Saints managers according to BBC, Strachan and Pearson. No surprise Pearson is attracting attention - his abilities were there for all to see (well, all but one person... Doh! said I'd stop harking back to that man...). http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/m/middlesbrough/8317621.stm

Yes, that's the one.

I remember that Wendy House - on the hill up towards Bitterne? When getting the bus over to our relatives in Thornhill, we always wanted to sit on the "Wendy House side" so we could see it!

Talking of Woolies - does anyone remember the mechanical coin operated "amusement" they had in the back? It was a Dalek which you sat in and could rotate and move the arms up and down. There may have been another one too (something to do with Batman?). Also, there was the old rocking horse in Tyrrell & Green's...

You've just broken another memory - I remember the original Sainsburys too! Was definitely where you describe. For some reason I remember my mum buying their cans of shandy (blue tin with a picture of a glass on it) - height of sophistication, we used to have a shandy with our sunday dinner!

Re. McFisheries - you may be right. I asked my mum tonight who said it was definitely on the precinct (or actually in those days it was still a road I think). I thought it was on the Lyons side, but I think you may be right.

Classic! I think we did a similar circuit, as I guess did every other So'ton kid in the 70's. My heart used to sink when we went into M&S (not as "interesting" as it is now to kids with toys/food etc.) as it used to take ages as my mum would invariably meet tons of old friends and stop and natter with them!

"10p of chips and scraps" - what a belter! The original fast food!

I remember McFisheries - was it up by the original Virgin Records? In fact, it might have even been the site where Virgin moved into (this is the old hippie Virgin Records, rather than the modern megastore). I used to play with their plastic green fern things they displayed around the fish. Also, do you remember Lyon's tea/coffee shop on the high street? Was opposite where the old M&S was.

It's a cracking photo - I was famous at school for 15 minutes! I remember we stopped on the way up at some pub/social club around London. Some woman asked Sean (my mate) and I who we thought would win - I said Saints, and he said Crystal Palace. She replied "Well, at least he's being honest" which gave me the right hump and I thought of her when we scored our second to make it safe! Also had two right @rsey Palace fans (in their fedora's) near us in the ground. I got great delight from their faces at the end too - also vividly remember the Malcolm Allison fedora stomping episode. I too will always think of the banjos when I think of that day - it really was a cracking atmosphere on that coach. As you say, a lot of proper old Saints men who really made the most of their day out. Thanks for posting - have left a note on your blog too, great reading!

My GOD!!!! How embarrassing - the chubby kid, centre, with the pork pie hat and holding out the Saints scarf is ME!!!! What a find! It was definitely the semi (I couldn't get a ticket for the final...). The chap to my right is the landlords son, my mate from back then. What a day!

Cheers. Funny how the advent of the first "fast food" outlets were a real event. I think me and my mates might even have gone to town especially to hang out there when we were (pre pub) kids. How sad. Talking of pubs, is The Running Horse still around or has that gone? I went to the semi-final in '76 in the coaches from there, great atmosphere there and back with booze, packed lunches and banjo players on the coach. We even got our photo on the front of the Echo, pictured just before we set off. There was also a pub right opposite, but can't remember what it was called (actually, think it's just come to me - Spa Tavern? - was always a "starting off" pub on a Sat night).

Yes, couple of times. Used to go there regularly as a toddler, and around the little ponds just adjacent. Is it still there? Silly question probably...