07/12/81: Man United (H) Tony Brown Testimonial

Well I had nothing to do on this dull afternoon but to settle down and look at this thread....

And I am so glad that I did as Monday 7th of December 81 was the first time that I walked through the turnstiles at Plainmoor,I was 11 years old and I guess a bit of a late starter to the Gulls as I had been footie and sport mad for a good number of years already, and it has to be said an avid Liverpool fan of some note I even had a scratchy Liverpool top from the season before with the Hitachi logo on it which I had worn at Games at Ellacombe School the previous year.How mum afforded it I'll never know but bless her all the same.

I know I was definitely aware of TUFC in those early days as we used to get the Herald but through circumstance and a great lot of moving about in Torbay and the Northeast I didn't rock up to Plainmoor until that chilly December nite of 1981.

To be fair I don't recall anything of the football played but do remember where we stood and heavens above it may have been very close to the Away end in those days, it certainly would be now, we were stood against the boards about 20 feet down from the Away dug out, as we were guests of someone who took us along I can happily relinquish all responsibility for this most heinous error.

I remember being very exited about going to my first live footie league (friendly) match and even more exited it being an evening game under the floodlights and also not to mention against the might of Manchester United it was pretty special, I also remember the refreshments that I enjoyed, a sausage roll as I was addicted at that age and some soup of which had most of flavour still in the bottom of the cup and it was lovely, I was easily pleased then and remain so to this day.

Great to look through this thread and see the cuttings from the Herald and the pieces from the program Its plain to see that Tony Brown was a bit of a West Brom Legend and a player with a decent heritage and must have been great to watch at the time, and what a team Man U brought down, pretty much all household names and internationals to a man.

Bit of a trip down memory lane seeing some adverts and names in the paper clipping's and program ie Upton Metal works,Babbacombe Sports, and Jenkins of lymington rd which is now where Jodes and Palm FM now reside, Also I was delighted to see the cornerstone of any Fete or parade around the bay in the 80s The Devon Dandies Majorettes troupe !! where are they now I wonder ?

Also noted the name of David Thomas Esquire on the match report and also the announcement that Racing at Newton was off TODAY ! of course the old Herald Excuse was a proper daily back then, not like now ie Yesterdays News......Today !!

The Best ad was for the wonderful old butchers of Lymington rd who are like much of the above sadly a thing of the past, D B Dodd and sons with their superb tag line of ... "Please to meet you with Meat to please you".

Well I think I've rambled on for long enough and the sun may be coming out .... Great memorys though.

Cheers

The History Room delivers the answers - eventually!!!