Appreciation To All The Mums That Have Supported There Saints Supporting Children Over The Years


AthensSaint
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I have now heard more than enough comments about "day trippers" coming to support St Johnstone at The Scottish Cup Final on what then turned about to be our most successful day in 130 years of history. So here it is.....

 

I remember my mother telling me I couldnt go down to Berwick on Tweed on a Tuesday night when I was 15 to support saints because I had school the next day. The money it cost wasn't the problem in our household at the time . I promised this and that, I would study harder, I would cut the grass etc etc. My mum over time paid hundreds and hundreds of pounds to allow me to watch St Johnstone from say 5 till I earned proper money at 21. From around 15 -21, I hardly missed a game, home or away. Bless her, she let me go that night and being a selfish wee dude....I never thought of her dipping in to her purse to pay. I reckon on the 8,500 plus crowds we had for the two european games this season, in this economic climate, there were a lot of mums who had to dip in to their purse when, electricity bills, council tax were due through the letter box to pay some young saints fans to attend when they couldnt really afford it....."well ALL my other mates are going", .......you can hear it now.

 

So next time when you see someone around the age of my mother (mid-seventies) with a Saints scarf on and not jumping around to the 'Stevie May" song...just shut the fVck up and be pleased she attended.           

 

    

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Athens,

I honestly believe you are taking the whole 'Day Tripper' thing personally and very much in the wrong way.

Nobody I don't think is unhappy that we had a massive crowd follow us to Celtic Park,quite the opposite.

Some of the tales of our far flung fans travails getting back to Perth/Glasgow for our biggest ever game have been truly wonderful and heart warming. I was welling up reading some of the stories. Utterly amazing and I am in awe of all the Perth folk who spent thousands of whatever their local currency is and took massive time out of their lives to be there.

I'm also in awe of people like Gav Stewart and Roy McEwen who were visibly in tatters and have spent half a century following Saints everywhere for little reward in terms of 'Glory'.

That Cup Final was for everybody. Fans old and new, young and ancient. It was for Sons of Perth who moved away decades ago, for those hardy souls who stuck with the club through the bad times, for those who may have went to Celtic Park because somewhere in their soul is an affection for St. Johnstone, the best wee team in the world.

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Well as posted elsewhere it was my mum who got me, a wee glaswegian laddie brought up beside Hampden, supporting the Saints.  She just couldn't conscience letting me fall for the bigot bros - besides she was a Saintee.  And she bought me my 'replica' Saints strips through the late 60s and 70s (from Lumleys, Sauchiehall Street) - even although we didn't really have the money and they didn't really do replica kit for Saints back then - so I could wear it with pride in and out of school while being slagged off by all my Glasgow school mates,

 

And there she was sat beside me and my lad on saturday - 82 yrs young - Saints scarf round her neck cheering her team on - so proud. :)

 

Not quite what OP is about I think - but along the same lines.

 

I've got a snap of her and my lad outside the ground before the game - might well post it on the photos page,

Edited by henryhallsdanceband
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Letham, maybe I have just got it the wrong way, apologies if it was aimed at anyone wrongly.....still emotional after last week. Still worthwhile appreciating the mums who have held the family budget together through thick and thin and still found money for us wee shites that couldnae jump over the turnstiles at Florence Place anymore.   

Athens,

I honestly believe you are taking the whole 'Day Tripper' thing personally and very much in the wrong way.

 

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Yeah, mums...

I can still remember a game in the early 70's, must hae been about 11-12 year old, when me and my wee bro' Steven were told not to go tae a game at Muirton coz it was against Rangers (rip 2012). Obviously being a pair o' smartarses we still went.

Come about 15 minutes into the 2nd half me and Steven were givin' it the "come and have a go" routine and who appears out of naewhere and proceeds tae skelp us about the place in front of our mates? Yep, our mum!! Dragged out chased up the road all the way back tae Malvina and grounded. My faither thought it was funny as hell but parental solidarity assured that we were locked in every sat for a month. Cheers mum. :oops:

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That Cup Final was for everybody. Fans old and new, young and ancient. It was for Sons of Perth who moved away decades ago, for those hardy souls who stuck with the club through the bad times, for those who may have went to Celtic Park because somewhere in their soul is an affection for St. Johnstone, the best wee team in the world.

Great wee paragraph Letham. Hope the plan of showingthe Scottish Cup to schools around Perth and Kinross encouarges a few new wee lads that go on to have as much fun as I have supporting the best wee team in the world.  

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I remember a school pal saying to go to muirton park and see the saints, I asked him what it cost and he said nothing as you were lifted over the turnstile. I asked my MUM if I could go!. she asked " Are you mad" I said no, she said ask your Uncle, which I did in 1958, and the rest, as they say is history. How many ups and downs, lost count, but last weekend made up for all the previous. COYS!

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I've got to stick up for and give appreciation to both my parents, who despite not earning a lot, made sure we followed Saints. Old man driving to all ends of the country with us, mum having tea on the table and the fire on (only one bar mind!) when we got in freezing!

 

It almost stopped very early on though....

 

Rangers at home, I was 11. Me and dad came home

 

Mum asks, how did it go?

Me. What's a fe***n ba****d?

 

YOU ARE NOT TAKING HIM BACK TO THE FOOTBALL!!!!

 

Somehow he talked her round, cue a lifetime of heartache, peppered with some good memories topped off with one glorious day in the sun!!

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Wow, what a topic! Athens is right about needing parental support when we young. Only now that I`m old and grey do I appreciate the financial sacrifice she made to send me and bro to Muirton. I was proud as could be when she came to Victory Parade on Sunday and was joyously waving her foam Saintees hand and showing off her COYS sticker on her bag. Big cheer for Saintees mums everywhere

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Athens,

I honestly believe you are taking the whole 'Day Tripper' thing personally and very much in the wrong way.

Nobody I don't think is unhappy that we had a massive crowd follow us to Celtic Park,quite the opposite.

Some of the tales of our far flung fans travails getting back to Perth/Glasgow for our biggest ever game have been truly wonderful and heart warming. I was welling up reading some of the stories. Utterly amazing and I am in awe of all the Perth folk who spent thousands of whatever their local currency is and took massive time out of their lives to be there.

I'm also in awe of people like Gav Stewart and Roy McEwen who were visibly in tatters and have spent half a century following Saints everywhere for little reward in terms of 'Glory'.

That Cup Final was for everybody. Fans old and new, young and ancient. It was for Sons of Perth who moved away decades ago, for those hardy souls who stuck with the club through the bad times, for those who may have went to Celtic Park because somewhere in their soul is an affection for St. Johnstone, the best wee team in the world.

 

 

Spot on Letham

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I always feel a wee bit guilty that after my Dad died when I was 14, I kind of took advantage of my Mum's lack of knowledge of the football. I'd ask if I could get some money to go to the football, she'd give me it and always assumed I meant Muirton.  Of course Saints didn't play at Muirton every week, so I'd be off to wherever the game was.  If she'd known, she'd have laid right into me.  But that's Mums for you - especially good to their laddies.

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It is a great topic. My dad used to take me to lots of games, occasionally midweek games as well (we lived in Dumbarton so they were normally just in the west coast). I was allowed to go and see Dumbarton as well on my own. There was never any doubt I was a Saints fan though. Once we were back in Perth my mum used to come as well when she could. In fact one of the last times I saw her was at the football when I was first year student. As we were getting older she was coming more and more before she died.

 

football is in our family. Even those who are not that interested, they are still Saints fans. My sister and niece came with me on Sunday to see the trophy. A great day and great to share it with family.

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When I was 10 or 11 Saints were playing Hearts at Tynecastle. A neighbour, a die hard Jambo whose Dad had played for Hearts, offered to take me to the game as her son was away at scout camp. She had season tickets for the enclosure area in the main stand. As we lived at the prison it was just a short walk to the ground and we set off. Me in my Saints scarf, replica strips hadn't been invented, and she decked out in maroon and white.

During the game I was shouting for the Saints when a yob started giving me stick. When Mrs Hills got on a thine he started on her so she belted him about the head with her handbag. He left the ground to abuse from those around us.

I still don't like the Jambos though.

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started going to Muirton Park in the late 50's and went every week through the 60's till I joined the RAF in 1970. Every week got my shilling, then two bob bit and eventually a good old half-crown. Got you in, programme and a drink at half time as inflation took it's ever ascending climb, but I had to work for each penny, either doing the shopping in town on a Saturday morning or cleaning the house (prefab in Hillyland) before leaving for the walk to the ground. My mum was always proud of my Support for Saints and would have been looking down on all of us on Saturday and enjoying every moment with all of us. God Bless!!

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Will always remember my first away game. Which I will come to later.

 

No TV coverage,  in fact you were lucky if you had a telly, which were in black and white. 

 

First tele game I ever saw,  was when my Dad took me to the Meal Vennel ( which has been swallowed up by the St.Johnstone centre) . 

On the box in 1954 was the World Cup.  The Great Hungarian team included  Ferenc  Puskas,  who played for Budapest Honved  and scored 352 goals in 341 appearances.

 

Which brought him to the attention of  Real Madrid , (where he was part of a mesmerising side that included Alfredo de Stefano)   and won the European Cup five times in a row.

 

I was hooked. 

 

Back to the start.  Dad and I went to see Saints play Dunfermline at East End Park, when games kicked off at 3pm.

We travelled on the train, as supporter's buses hadn't been invented then.

 

No covered enclosures in they days, we found ourselves behind the goal and it was a constant downpour. 

 

No cagoules,  North Face or the like on the go then.

 

Head covering ended up being a newspaper folded up like an Admiral's hat.

 

Seem to recall the Pars striker was Charlie Dickson, who I have discovered was signed in Jan. 1955.

 

That being the case,  I have come to the conclusion that I was probably about ten when I got the bug.

 

Next year will be my 60th year of being a Saints Fan.

 

I have vague recollections of seeing Paddy Buckley. I remember Doug Newlands among many others, Ian Rodger,  Charlie McFadyen, Bill Taylor, Ian Gardiner,  Joe Carr, and the Ormond era.

 

Missed the latter part of the 80's (84/90)  due to work in Hampshire. 

 

Has been a lifetime of highs and lows,  but 18th May has made the time and expense every bit worthwhile. 

 

Championees , championees.........................oh ay, oh ay, oh ay.

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Sadly certain occurrences have obliterated large chunks of my memory. Occasionally parts come back when least expected, and the doc reckons in time it might all return.

For now, the boy is obsessed with away games and visiting new grounds, even if just to drive past them. He keeps asking me if I've been, and my dad keeps assuring him that I have. It's very weird. Passing Airdrie's ground last Saturday on the way to the train was one such example.

I guess I'll just have to take the boy to all these grounds and create new memories.

Sorry, bit off topic.

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Sadly certain occurrences have obliterated large chunks of my memory. Occasionally parts come back when least expected, and the doc reckons in time it might all return.

For now, the boy is obsessed with away games and visiting new grounds, even if just to drive past them. He keeps asking me if I've been, and my dad keeps assuring him that I have. It's very weird. Passing Airdrie's ground last Saturday on the way to the train was one such example.

I guess I'll just have to take the boy to all these grounds and create new memories.

Sorry, bit off topic.

That's the second time you've posted that.

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i Have to bring my Mum into this as well., although my Uncle took me from about the age of 7, and to my knowledge  i was given a lift over, i always had money for juice and food ect.And although in the Summer i would have "Berrie" Money and in the Autumn "Tattie" Money(Cue young uns saying Whit?)My mum never saw me short and once i got into the habit and too old for a lift she always made sure i was ok.

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