07/01/56: Birmingham (H) FAC R3

In fact we played them at Plainmoor in the FA Cup on 7 January 2006 - fifty years to the day after the game featured here.

Now I just happen to think that Keep Right on to the End of the Road - as sung by Birmingham City supporters - is one of the best of all football songs. The legend is that it was first sung by the team as they travelled to games during the 1956 cup run when Birmingham reached the final only to lose to Manchester City. And it was a ex-Argyle player called Alex Govan who is credited with leading the initial rendition of Harry Lauder's classic.

A version of the tale says the song didn't see the light of day until the quarter final but I'd like to think it was first sung going over Telegraph Hill on 7 January 1956.

Background at:
www.bcfc.com/page/WhereAreTheyNowDetail/0,,10412~1037468,00.html

As you go through life
it's a long long road
there'll be joys and sorrows too
as we journey on, we will sing this song
for the boys in the royal blue
we're often partisan, la, la, la
we will journey on, la, la, la
keep right on to the end of the road
keep right on to the end
though the way be long
let your hearts be strong
keep right on round the bend
though you're tired and weary
still journey on
till you come to your happy abode
where all the love you've been dreaming of
will be there (where?)
at the end of the road!

Referring to the little credit to "Newton Abbot Brass Band (conductor W Oliver)"......................Bill "Joe" Oliver owned the fish and chip shop in Union Street NA where my mum used to leave me as she used it as a sort of early day creche whilst she went shopping from our family home in Summerlands Cottages where we lived for the first four years of my life ~1952-56.

I can still remember being perched up on that warm counter and getting fed tit bits by all and sundry..................no wonder I later took on the rotund figure of a pickled egg and smelt of gherkins! ;D

The Olivers later moved to the Market Street premises they are probably better remembered for by some contributors to this forum and their younger son Joe Jnr was an accomplished cricketer both for the South Devon CC and the Devon County team for many years as well as a quite effective centre forward for both Newton Spurs and later to more prominence with Newton 66. Elder brother Roger later ran the family business, can anybody tell me whether or not he still does?

You know merse having you on this forum is not so bad I mean every now and then you make a half decent post for our enjoyment, but what I love is that fact that as you are near my age(just older ) and lived in Newton, you bring back many things that have been lost in my mind for years.

Well I can't answer your question you asked about does Roger still owns and run the chip shop( Torbay Fish & Chip Shop) but I sure have had some memories come flooding back to me.

When Mr oliver owned and ran the shop it was always so busy and the whole family would work there and about 30 years ago I did some work for them to earn some extra cash.

I was a newly qualified butcher and the Olivers used to keep pigs, I would go into the back of the shop and cut up and joint a newly killed pig for them. The problem was the meat was far to fresh and were never chilled and trying to do it on a table was always going to make it so much more difficult.

Talking about fish and chip shops and people still around, do you remember Nicky the Greek? he had a cafe I think near the railway inn and later I believe took over the Queens fish and chip shop.

He worked with his wife and his daughter who I had fallen in love with, only I think the tall Greek man who also worked there was her husband. Nicky cooked a mean rock Salmon.

Well if you do I can tell you he moved to Paignton over 20 years ago and opened a fish and chip shop across the road form the main Post office and yes the four are all still working there together.

I was always left in the Black Cat Cafe near the market, I think that is still there but the Market cafe is now gone as the market hall was recently done up. There was also a cafe I used near to where the multi story car park is now but I forget what it was called.

My main hang out was the Milky Way Cafe near the Avenue, I think the man was called Charlie who ran it with his wife, spent all my money on that pinball machine in there and keeping a watchful eye at the goings on at the Prancing Horse Cafe, well I was never a rocker only a mod.