One part of me wants to write about Roy Keane’s Premiership squad finally taking shape.

Roker Lighthouse
Picture: jonboy24/7

The signing of Kieran Richardson was a great coup, and adds usefully to the build-up of pre-season excitement. And I am relieved tha despite speculation about David Bellion, he ended up going to Bordeaux (from Nice).

But Keano has more work to do in the transfer market, so I am happy to let matters rest while he completes his strengthening of the promoted side, a process we all hope will include the arrival of players of proven top-flight quality.

But it occurred to me when reading Pete Sixsmith’s comment on Terry McLoughlin’s recent guest column that the histories of ordinary fans are often as interesting as those of the occasional Celebrity Supporters.

Let me promote Pete’s reminiscences, and those of both Terry and the earlier guest columnist, Mark Hanson, for readers who missed them first time round (I realise footnotes and comments are not always as avidly read as they might be):

PETE FIRST

My first experience of Roker Park was in 1961. I had only been living in the North East for 18 months or so and came from a Rugby League background in Leeds. Football had never appeared on my radar as a youngster. One of my uncle’s took me to Elland Road to see Leeds and John Charles but I was bored and just wanted to go back to Headingley to watch my first idol Lewis Jones. My fathers job brought him to the North East and he took me to Roker Park with a Middlesbrough supporting friend of his for a local derby against the Boro. I think I was more interested in Sunderland than any of the other local clubs, probably because I had just got to know Colin. But whatever the reason I was hooked when I walked through the entrance into the Roker End and saw 40,000+ faces and huge stands.

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