When Sunderland heroes gathered to help welcome a new pub in 1982
A squad of football heroes from the golden days of the game all gathered on Wearside.
Liverpool FC manager Bob Paisley was in Washington 42 years ago to open the town’s newest pub, the Keel Boat at Fatfield.
Shack, Ken Chisholm and more
Also among the line-up was Sunderland stars Len Shackleton, Ken Chisholm and Arthur Wright, and former Middlesbrough aces George Hardwick and Micky Fenton.
Bob Paisley, who hailed from Hetton, was back in the region to perform the opening in 1982 as a favour to friend and former Middlesbrough star Harry Bell.
Tell us if you were there for the grand occasion.
Fab five kept the supporters club thriving
We’re celebrating another group of football heroes but this lot were behind the scenes.
Meet the fab five who devoted much of their time in 1982 to the running of Sunderland AFC Supporters’ Association, the official supporters’ club.
The work was voluntary and unpaid, but they were happy to do it as a “labour of love”.
The five women - Anne Howe, Audrey Baillie, Maria Forster, Judith Tucknutt and Carolyn Buckle - started out by supporting “the lads” from the terraces.
Souvenir seller in the Clock Stand
When the association started in 1965, Anne, was one of the founder members. She helped former transport manager John Tennick organise coaches to away matches and was still one of the transport organisers in 1982 as well as a bus steward.
The following year she was joined by Carolyn Buckle, who started as a souvenir seller in the Clock Stand shop and later helped with enrolments.
Plenty of recruits
She also helped on the committee and acted as “general dogsbody.”
Carolyn persuaded her workmate Audrey Baillie to join the association, who in turn recruited Judith Tucknutt.
Judith shared responsibility for organising social events with bank clerk Maria Forster, who started in 1976.
Share your own memories of life on Wearside in 1982 by emailing [email protected]