The Sunderland fan who scaled a bus stop pole as the FA Cup came to Wearside - while his wife was babysitting Ian Porterfield's children

And we have the photo to prove it because here is Bill proudly perched outside the Board Inn as the parade went past in 1973.

Avid SAFC fan Bill, now 81, shared memories of a very special week in Sunderland history.

He went to Wembley, watched the team beat Leeds, and then got his own special vantage point for the parade days later.

Bill remembered: “There were people on the roof of the Board Inn and we were all giving each other a helping hand to get up to these places. I was young and fit in those days.”

As the players bus went past, he even got a wave from the team and especially Ian Porterfield who he was friends with.

Bill a retired lecturer at Monkwearmouth College, was an avid Sunderland fan and said: “My father took me to the matches from being four years old.

"The day of the parade was a really friendly atmosphere.”

Bill and his wife Brenda, now 77 and a former teacher at Bede School, had married six years earlier and had just bought a house not far from the Board Inn but had only just got the keys and not yet moved in.

Brenda said: “I remember that we decorated the tree when Sunderland came home. We did it in 1985 and other big days as well.”

But for Brenda, there was an extra special reason for remembering the day of the 1973 parade. She was babysitting Ian Porterfield’s young children for him.

She also remembered her husband Bill’s big moment in the spotlight.

"He had a big red coat on and he had white trousers and white shoes. Everyone was dressed in red and white that day. I remember that someone brought Bill a blanket so that he could sit on top of the bus stop for a bit longer.”

There were dozens of people on the roof of the Board Inn as well and Brenda said: “I don’t think the roof was ever meant to hold that many people.”

What are your memories of the parade day and what was your vantage point? Tell us more by emailing [email protected]

Support your Echo and become a subscriber today.

Enjoy unlimited access to all of our news and sport, see fewer ads, experience faster load times, test your brain with daily puzzles and get access to exclusive newsletters.

Your support for our journalism means we can continue telling Sunderland’s stories for generations to come. Click here to subscribe - and click here to get a snapshot of the Echo’s news and sport to your inbox through our email newsletters.