Fans Focus
In this section we bring you articles written by North End fans on many subjects, some North End related, others just football related.
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The Day I Met A Hero
Geoff Ollerton
Wednesday 13th February 2008
It was Saturday 19th September 1959, PNE were away at top of the table Tottenham Hotspur, an impossible trip in those far off days. In any case my Dad was 'running the line' at Burnden Park, Bolton, a Div' 1 match between the Wanderers and Fulham.
I was just a young lad who loved his football and used to go along with Dad at every opportunity to see the best players of the day in action, and today there was a rather special player in action - Johnny Haynes.
As was usual when I went along to these games I stayed in my seat after the game until dad came for me and took me down to the corridor under the stand (they had yet to be named concourse), where I would wait outside the match officials changing rooms whilst they showered and dressed.
Today though things were a little different, as I waited there a man came up to me and asked "who are you"? A little nervously I replied "my dad's one of the linesmen and I'm waiting for him to get changed". "Who's your favourite footballer"? he asked. "I like Johnny Haynes" was my reply, he was the current England captain and the David Beckham of his day.
This new found friend then asked me if I would like to go along with him into the changing room for the away team and once inside asked me again "who did you say was your favourite player"? "Johnny Haynes" I repeated. "Well there he is over in the corner, would you like to say hello".
I was speechless and amazed that I was actually in here, in the changing room, talking to every young boy's hero - the captain of England the great Johnny Haynes. On reflection I suppose the players had a good laugh at my expense but I also had a wonderful time, a time that I have never forgotten.
Haynes apart there were some very good players in that changing room, the Fulham side at that time was a very good one, they had been promoted the season before and were lying 8th in Div 1 (two places behind PNE).
In goal they had another favourite of mine Elliot "Tony" Macedo the England under-23 keeper, George Cohen, Jim Langley, Alan Mullery, Roy Bentley and Graham Leggat were just some of the famous names on view.
After about a half hour I was given the match ball signed by all the players and then taken back outside where dad was waiting, we had a train to catch and not much time to get to the station but just enough time to thank the man who had looked after me so well. That man was another Fulham player who was out injured that day - Jimmy Hill.
For the record Bolton won 3-2 whilst North End crashed to a 5-1 defeat in London.
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