Magnificent Bobby was a star of the Sunderland Echo 'Pink' - and a dab hand in goal as well

The former Sunderland man got in touch to share multi-memories of his time as a goalie. It started with Hylton CW Juniors and progressed to include Boldon CW and Roker Boys Club.

He played in the Wearside League and for Town End Farm WMC on a Sunday in the CIU league as well as Spennymoor in the Northern League.

But his highlight from times gone by was rushing to get the Football Echo, especially after he'd had a belter of a game in goal

Let’s take a look at one man’s memories of an institution.

The "Pink" was fabulous, said Bobby, now 72 and a resident of Shoreham-by-Sea.

He was a railway man by trade and spent his entire working life on the lines.

Despite 50 years of living away, Sunderland is still his home, says Bobby. The Lads are in his heart.

“I am afraid I havent grown up for I still travel the length of the country to watch them at SOL making the long journey back swearing that that was the ‘last time’.”

He’s proud of his son – Commander Nicholas Wood who served on HMS Ocean ‘which was featured in Warship’.

Bobby said: “I made an appearance with two friends being shown around the ship by my son who was born in the South and his father was born in Sunderland.”

There’s one part of Sunderland life Bobby has never forgotten … the Football Echo.

“When I was playing, all the club secretaries rang the Echo at half time with a brief summary of the first half but obviously they do that in the second half so they rang in at final and all the scores in senior football were in the stop press,” he said.

“It had everything --a full report on the "lads " game apart from the last 10 minutes when I think it had to be sent to the Echo offices in Bridge Street so you could read a blow by blow account of the game.”

The "Pink", said Bobby, was ‘waited for by a certain crowd that gathered at the newsagents from about 5.30pm onwards.

“The men would pay their money in advance and those not looking longingly down the street for "the paper van" used to play chuck stones.

“When the paper van pulled up, the driver never ever got out as so many hands clamoured for the bundle of Pinks.

“As soon as the newsagent had cut the string on the papers, there was a mini free-for-all as they could then get to the pubs which opened at six then.

“So if the paper van was late the van driver was interrogated as "Where the hell have yay been".

“There was also a 4 page echo came out about 9.45pm and you could only get it at The Echo offices in Bridge Street.

“I can remember waiting outside with another 50 lost souls on an absolutely freezing Arctic night in February 1963, think on a Friday night waiting for the result of Gravesend & Northfleet v Sunderland game.”

He said it was ‘the worst winter in decades but you cant argue when my father told me to get 4 copies and deliver them to the "Cambridge " for him and his mates.

“You could wait just outside the double doors in Bridge Street and an Echo lad would come out and shout "they’re 1-0 up"--or whatever.

“On the front of every Football Echo was a stick man. His body was the ball and he had a top hat.

“When we won he raised his hat and a big smile. When we drew he he would lower his hat half way down with a timid smile, and when we lost he dropped his hat right down but now with a sad down turned mouth

“I digress but when there were home games my pal Derek Jacques used to charge an old threepence to "mind your bike" whilst the game was on --never seen so many bikes ever in a back yard and on Saturday night us kids were rich!

“The Pink would let you know every local team’s results, the up to date league tables, who had been transferred, in fact everything you wanted to know about all sports--but sadly the internet claimed another victim.”

And then came the times when Bobby himself appeared in the Echo.

He said: “As I grew I was converted into a goalkeeper, and that’s where I played in senior football.

“My father also kept a scrap book (of my good games) and they are mostly out of the Sunderland ‘Pink echo’ on a Saturday night and on a Monday.”

Here’s Bobby playing a starring role for his local team. What are your memories of the Football Echo?

Get in touch and let us know by emailing [email protected]

The Football Echo nostalgia special is inside your Sunderland Echo every Saturday – be sure to grab a copy!