The day I got my hands on the FA Cup in 1973 at Little Sisters after Sunderland's spectacular win

We are definite on the location. It was the grounds of the Little Sisters, home for the elderly on Ettrick Grove in High Barnes, where they had a garden fete on the late May bank holiday.

This was a very popular fundraising event, held annually for many years, although it was stopped a few years ago.

I’m giving my age away here; certainly putting paid to outlandish claims to be “pushing 30”, but there I am. It’s quite a rare image in that it’s almost the only picture taken of me at that time of life when I didn’t have an Elastoplast on at least one knee.

I’m too young to properly remember 1973, but I was alive. That’s me on the left; something I sincerely hope is obvious.

On the right at the Little Sisters is my big sister, Jennifer, now a nurse in Leeds of all places. We lived nearby and our mother took us round to keep us amused for a while.

She had no idea the trophy would be there. I understand there was no prior announcement.

To literally wander in off the street and have your picture taken with the FA Cup is something that today would require online booking and agreement to a biblically long list of terms and conditions, that no one would ever read.

In 1973 all that was required to be snapped next to the famous trophy, by a professional photographer, was 50p.

We caveat this by pointing out that in 1973, 50p could be exchanged for three pints of beer. So some people had to seriously consider if they could afford to have their picture taken next to the cup.

Our mother paid and never regretted it. It remains a famous photograph in our family. We grabbed the cup and our own little slice of history. My dad, a Sunderland season ticket holder who was at Wembley, always rued not going to the Little Sisters that day.

For my part, the same thought always occupies me when I look at the photograph.

Why didn’t my mother pull my left sock up?