Old Times!

I was almost moved to tears on Tuesday night, not by the game or the result I hasten to add, but by the article in the programme about the '58 Irish cup triumph. United beat the mighty Linfield in that year and Linfield had the legendary Jackie Milburn in their ranks, but it made no difference, we were just too good for them. I was two months short of becoming a teenager and I went to the final along with my Dad and his friend Davy and it was easily the 'best' day of my life. I had been reminded of the 'good old days' earlier on Tuesday evening when a woman in front of me at the turnstile proudly announced that she was a senior (over sixty) and was entitled to concessionary admission. She proudly stated she had been attending games for over forty years, I have been attending games for about 57 years I thought, but then again, who cares. I then began to think of the changes that have occurred at the Showgrounds in my time of following the Sky Blues. In my early years it was a seat in the old stand along with my maternal grandfather and my Dad, but from '58 onwards it was a place at the 'clock' on the sleepers exposed to the elements. I can well remember being on the terracing one cold winter's day in the sixties when we were playing Bangor and it was blowing a blizzard and bloody cold I can tell you. The announcer at the ground took pity on us at halftime and even invited us to come and sit in the stand, an unheard of courtesy in those days. I and my companion, Gerry M, who sadly passed away last year, decided we couldn't get any wetter or colder, so we stubbornly stood our ground and we were back the next game for more punishment. I can't remember exactly when we got the cover at the clock but it was a great innovation and made the game even more enjoyable. The ground of course is now practically unrecognisable, gone are the Irish banks behind the goal and we have a new stand on the 'Clock' terracing and are soon to have the new 'old' stand extended by 1200 seats. One of the things though that hasn't moved with the times are the turnstiles at the Showgrounds, surely their modernisation is long overdue. But one innovation we have at present which I hope will remain is the new turnstile operators recruited by the treasurer in recent weeks. Two beautiful ladies have been doing the job recently and they have added their own charm, greeting us punters with a pleasant smile and a bit of banter. Rumours are rife of an incident that happened some weeks ago concerning one of these women, but I am too much of a gentleman to comment on it, let's just keep it between ourselves T, I think it's for the best!